Rubio Calls Rand Paul Obama’s ‘Chief Cheerleader’ In Cuba Feud

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2011 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks in Washington. Marco Rubio says he does not want to be vice president now and possibly never. But then he referred to himself as ... vice presid... FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2011 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks in Washington. Marco Rubio says he does not want to be vice president now and possibly never. But then he referred to himself as ... vice president. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File) MORE LESS
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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Sunday continued to blast Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) over his support for the new U.S. policy toward Cuba.

After President Obama announced that the U.S. would establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, Rubio slammed the decision as “absurd.”

Paul expressed support for the policy change, eliciting a negative response from Rubio. The disagreement between the two Republican senators escalated into an all-out feud with personal attacks.

On Sunday, Rubio linked Paul to Obama.

“Rand, if he wants to become the chief cheerleader of Obama’s foreign policy, he certainly has a right to do that,” Rubio said on ABC’s “This Week” when host George Stephanopoulos asked about the senators’ fight over policy toward Cuba.

“I’m going to continue to oppose the Obama — Obama-Paul foreign policy on Cuba because I know it won’t lead to freedom and liberty for the Cuban people, which is my sole interest here,” Rubio continued.

When Stephanopoulos asked if Rubio would support Paul if he is nominated as the Republican presidential candidate, Rubio didn’t give his colleague a ringing endorsement.

“I anticipate supporting whoever the Republican nominee is and I’m pretty confident that the Republican nominee for president will be someone who has a pretty forceful role — view of America’s role in the world as a defender of democracy and of freedom and also understands that it’s important for America to be engaged on the global stage,” Rubio responded.

On Sunday afternoon, Paul’s office issued a statement hitting back at Rubio.

“With all due respect, Senator Marco Rubio was captain of the GOP cheerleading team for Obama’s arming of Syrian rebels, bombing Libya resulting in a jihadist wonderland, and illegally giving foreign aid to Egypt’s military government. The Rubio-Obama foreign policy has made the Middle East and North Africa less safe,” Doug Stafford, a senior advisor to Paul, said in an email to TPM.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for enon enon says:

    thank you, marco… the comedy relief you provide is desperately needed right now…

  2. Avatar for sufi66 sufi66 says:

    Two bores playing right wing fund raising games.

  3. Avatar for ottis ottis says:

    Marco and Rand, think about that for a minute. What has our countries politics come to? I can’t believe it.

  4. His continuing belief he might someday be president would be pathos-inducing if not for the fact that he’s such a corrupt, opportunistic second-rate weasel.

  5. O, The name calling,so adolescent,and inconsequential. Is this the U.S. Senate or a grade school playground.

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