Marco Rubio: An anti-Hispanic Hispanic?
SALTILLO, Mexico — As we mentioned here a couple of weeks ago, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is gaining ground in the race toward the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
His performance in the party’s third debate — a couple of very amusing hours on television — confirmed that Rubio is the most eloquent Republican in the past 10 years.
In addition to being a first-class speaker, he demonstrated having the necessary swiftness, and above all the instinct, to attack an opponent with tremendous effectiveness during a debate, an important virtue in these times when 15 seconds of “viral-worthy” communication can build a political career.
In a memorable exchange, Rubio shredded his political mentor, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who had accused him of being a no-show in the Senate — something that is absolutely true.
Rubio slashed back with implacable fierceness, reducing his rival to a minimal presence, even savoring the pleasure of addressing Bush in a slightly condescending tone.
It will be very difficult for Jeb Bush, the once favorite in the race for the nomination, to stand up after that trouncing. A few hours after the debate ended, a major Republican Party donor announced that he would support Rubio rather than Bush, who is gradually losing financial backing and support in the polls.
Unless Bush is a masochist or a simpleton, or unless a miracle occurs, he will most likely withdraw from the campaign before year’s end. When that happens, Marco Rubio will gain relevance. Those political investors who backed Bush will end up with his disciple, and Rubio will be able to follow a clearer path to the nomination.
His greatest remaining obstacle will be ultra-conservative Ted Cruz, who’s betting to keep the votes that (everybody assumes) Donald Trump will dump when he gets bored of playing a White House hopeful. I must stress that that situation is not very clear; Trump continues to lead in most of the polls.
In any case, if I had to bet today, I would bet on Rubio.
If Rubio in fact becomes the Republican nominee, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats will face a long list of challenges. First is the generational gap. Rubio has a notable personal history. His parents started from nothing in the United States, while Hillary Clinton is perceived (unfairly, mostly) as a product of privilege.
The second is language. Marco Rubio speaks Spanish fluently. It will be the first time that a candidate for President of the United States is not only Hispanic but also Spanish-speaking. That combination is not automatic; in 40 percent of the homes of U.S.-born Hispanics, only English is spoken.
How close the Spanish language will bring Rubio to Hispanic voters is an unknown factor. The variables are many. For example, how will a Mexican-American voter react to a Cuban-American politician? The interests and customs of the huge Hispanic population are no monolithic.
But beyond the evident asset represented by his bilingualism, Rubio will have to explain several things to the Hispanic community.
First, he will have to deal with his extreme positions regarding immigration reform. Rubio can talk in Spanish all he wants, but he continues to be a radical, immigration-wise. He will also have to make it clear whether he plans to defend the broader Hispanic agenda or if he concentrates in the interests of the Cuban community in Florida. Because that’s precisely what he has done in the past several months.
The perfect example is his shameless opposition to the confirmation of Roberta Jacobson, the best and finest U.S. diplomat when it comes to Latin America, to the post of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.
Along with other senators, Rubio is punishing Jacobson for her role in the recent thaw with Cuba, an apparently unforgivable act to Miami’s conservative aristocracy. As punishment, Rubio has opted to impede Jacobson’s arrival in Mexico, endangering a crucial bilateral relation.
In 2016, Rubio will have to explain this and other visceral expressions of contempt that are unworthy and clumsy coming from any politician but even worse when they come from a Latino senator. He will then have to explain whether or not he is an anti-Hispanic Hispanic — in whichever language he prefers.
[Taken from the Mexican newspaper Vanguardia.]
