In an interview Tuesday morning on CNN, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) was asked about the prospects for fellow Floridian Marco Rubio to become the Republican nominee for Vice President this fall. West spoke favorably of Rubio — and then, the hosts asked West about himself as the potential running mate.
West jokingly cited his military experience to refer to the question as an “ambush.”
“As far as the vice president thing, you know, who knows what the future lies — because it wasn’t too long ago, you know, I was sitting in the desert of Kandahar, Afghanistan, and now I’m here talking with you. But, you know, I am always willing and ready to serve my country in whatever capacity that the American people would desire.”
Regarding his military experience: West became a star of conservative political circles after his military career ended, when he fired a pistol next to the head of an Iraqi policeman. West said this was done in order to stop an impending attack on his unit, but no evidence of such a plan was found based on the policeman’s coerced confession.
