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| Marco Rubio survives his water bottle moment with style | Marco Rubio survives his water bottle moment with style |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| It could have been a career-ending moment. Given the task of delivering the official Republican response to Barack Obama's state of the union speech last week, rising star Senator Marco Rubio made a catastrophic gaffe. | It could have been a career-ending moment. Given the task of delivering the official Republican response to Barack Obama's state of the union speech last week, rising star Senator Marco Rubio made a catastrophic gaffe. |
| Sweating under the lights in a television studio, the darling of the party right suddenly bent down and reached over awkwardly to grab a bottle of water and take a desperate swig. | Sweating under the lights in a television studio, the darling of the party right suddenly bent down and reached over awkwardly to grab a bottle of water and take a desperate swig. |
| The moment instantly became fodder for amateur and professional comedians alike. Rubio's duck and dive spread on the internet and social media and overshadowed what was meant to be the biggest single speech of the Florida politician's career. "It smudged out the actual meaning of everything he had said before and everything he would say after," snickered the New Yorker. It looked as if one of the Republican party's brightest future prospects had just imploded live on TV. | The moment instantly became fodder for amateur and professional comedians alike. Rubio's duck and dive spread on the internet and social media and overshadowed what was meant to be the biggest single speech of the Florida politician's career. "It smudged out the actual meaning of everything he had said before and everything he would say after," snickered the New Yorker. It looked as if one of the Republican party's brightest future prospects had just imploded live on TV. |
| But Rubio has now shown a canny political instinct in handling the crisis, which many observers believe might just have rescued his career and put his hopes of eventually mounting a bid for the White House back on track. | But Rubio has now shown a canny political instinct in handling the crisis, which many observers believe might just have rescued his career and put his hopes of eventually mounting a bid for the White House back on track. |
| For instead of seeking to beat his legion of detractors, Rubio decided to join them. After the speech was over he tweeted out a picture of the water bottle and then noted that he had attracted thousands of new followers. "I am going to start drinking water in the middle of all my speeches," he joked. | For instead of seeking to beat his legion of detractors, Rubio decided to join them. After the speech was over he tweeted out a picture of the water bottle and then noted that he had attracted thousands of new followers. "I am going to start drinking water in the middle of all my speeches," he joked. |
| #GOPResponse #SOTU #gop #tcot twitter.com/marcorubio/sta… | |
| — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 13, 2013 | |
| He poked fun at himself in interviews and even used the incident as a fundraising tool, offering to sell water bottles branded with his name for $25. "Send the liberal detractors a message that not only does Marco Rubio inspire you … he hydrates you too," his website quipped. And it worked too. The fuss quickly died down. | He poked fun at himself in interviews and even used the incident as a fundraising tool, offering to sell water bottles branded with his name for $25. "Send the liberal detractors a message that not only does Marco Rubio inspire you … he hydrates you too," his website quipped. And it worked too. The fuss quickly died down. |
| Some observers ended up paying tribute to Rubio's deft handling of the incident, which showed a capacity for humour and warmth that the Republican party has not been known for in recent years. "His reaction to the reaction speaks volumes. He is smart, he's savvy and he recognised that self-deprecation is something Americans appreciate," said Professor David Cohen, a political scientist at Akron University. | Some observers ended up paying tribute to Rubio's deft handling of the incident, which showed a capacity for humour and warmth that the Republican party has not been known for in recent years. "His reaction to the reaction speaks volumes. He is smart, he's savvy and he recognised that self-deprecation is something Americans appreciate," said Professor David Cohen, a political scientist at Akron University. |
| Rubio's reaction was in marked contrast to Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, whose poor delivery in his response speech in 2009 was so badly panned that only now has his reputation recovered. Rubio is not going to have to endure a similar period in the wilderness. "Clearly Senator Rubio was not yet ready for primetime. But that does not mean he won't be soon. He has a tremendous amount of potential," said Cohen. | Rubio's reaction was in marked contrast to Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, whose poor delivery in his response speech in 2009 was so badly panned that only now has his reputation recovered. Rubio is not going to have to endure a similar period in the wilderness. "Clearly Senator Rubio was not yet ready for primetime. But that does not mean he won't be soon. He has a tremendous amount of potential," said Cohen. |
| Much hope has been invested in Rubio, who only won his Senate seat in 2010. His good looks and Cuban immigrant family background stand out in a party accused of being overly dominated by elderly white men. He is also seen as a vital part of Republican efforts to reach out to Hispanic voters, an increasingly powerful voting force in American politics, who have shifted their support towards the Democrats. | Much hope has been invested in Rubio, who only won his Senate seat in 2010. His good looks and Cuban immigrant family background stand out in a party accused of being overly dominated by elderly white men. He is also seen as a vital part of Republican efforts to reach out to Hispanic voters, an increasingly powerful voting force in American politics, who have shifted their support towards the Democrats. |
| Yet appealing to Hispanics will not be easy for the Republicans. The issue of illegal immigration has riven the party, with some advocating reform and a path to citizenship and a vociferous rightwing opposing such measures as rewarding illegal behaviour. | Yet appealing to Hispanics will not be easy for the Republicans. The issue of illegal immigration has riven the party, with some advocating reform and a path to citizenship and a vociferous rightwing opposing such measures as rewarding illegal behaviour. |
| Rubio has been portrayed as someone who can help bridge that gap. On many issues he is seen as a rightwinger who chimes with elements of the Tea Party. But on immigration and attracting Hispanic voters he is seen as a potentially powerful ambassador. | Rubio has been portrayed as someone who can help bridge that gap. On many issues he is seen as a rightwinger who chimes with elements of the Tea Party. But on immigration and attracting Hispanic voters he is seen as a potentially powerful ambassador. |
| These issues have resulted in deep splits in the party. Jindal has warned that Republicans would be "the stupid party" if they did not change after Mitt Romney's failed presidential run in 2012. However, few experts believe reformers will have an easy task – even someone with the skills that Rubio has displayed in deflecting his more personal potential political disaster. "Most members of the Republican establishment recognise the need for changes. But there is an internal civil war being waged by a Tea Party faction that has no patience for re-interpreting the Republican party," Cohen said. | These issues have resulted in deep splits in the party. Jindal has warned that Republicans would be "the stupid party" if they did not change after Mitt Romney's failed presidential run in 2012. However, few experts believe reformers will have an easy task – even someone with the skills that Rubio has displayed in deflecting his more personal potential political disaster. "Most members of the Republican establishment recognise the need for changes. But there is an internal civil war being waged by a Tea Party faction that has no patience for re-interpreting the Republican party," Cohen said. |