It seems that Marco Rubio is looking to challenge Donald Trump as the GOP’s best drama queen. After President Obama visited the Islamic Society of Baltimore yesterday, Feb. 3, to warn against bigotry and Islamophobia, it seems that Rubio took exception to the message. In fact, Rubio basically took it out of context to suit his own political agenda. Shocking, right?
With the New Hampshire primary scheduled for Tuesday, Feb, 9, Rubio was in Dover, NH when Obama was speaking at the mosque yesterday. Rubio did not miss this opportunity and had this to say regarding Obama’s visit:
“I’m tired of being divided against each other for political reasons like this president’s done. Always pitting people against each other, always. He’s always – look at today, he went and gave a speech at a mosque – oh you know, basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims, as a…of course there’s discrimination in America of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam, and by the way, radical Islam poses a threat to Muslims themselves. They argue that, they’ll tell you that. But again it’s this constant pitting people against each other that I can’t stand. It’s hurting our country badly.”
So “pitting people against each other” is what he can’t stand? Well Mr. Rubio, discrimination against Muslims is a real thing, and you are part of it. Remember your visit to “The Kelly File” just a few months ago? You out-trumped Trump by saying:
“It’s not about closing down mosques. It’s about closing down any place – whether it’s a café, a diner, an internet site – any place where radicals are being inspired.”
That sounds like discrimination to me. While you are right that radical Islamists are bad — I don’t think anyone doubts that — attacking the president over a speech in which he was trying to bridge a gap between people is just petty politics. As for saying that the president is “hurting our country badly,” maybe you should take these words from President Obama into account:
“And of course recently we’ve heard inexcusable political rhetoric against Muslim-Americans, that has no place in our country. No surprise then that threats and harassment of Muslim-Americans have surged.”
The “inexcusable political rhetoric” that the president is talking about just came from you Mr. Rubio, and as you said, “It’s hurting our country badly.”
It’s no surprise that President Obama’s speech has drawn the ire of Republicans. In fact, it was expected. I’m actually surprised that Obama telling the crowd that he was a Christian hasn’t broken the internet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoSNYNMGXPM&w=853&h=480]
