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| Marco Rubio and Rand Paul pitch to grassroots in battle for GOP future | Marco Rubio and Rand Paul pitch to grassroots in battle for GOP future |
| (4 months later) | |
| Two leading Republican senators, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, duelled for the support of the party's grassroots on Tuesday with competing pitches at the biggest annual gathering of conservatives in the United States. | Two leading Republican senators, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, duelled for the support of the party's grassroots on Tuesday with competing pitches at the biggest annual gathering of conservatives in the United States. |
| Rubio, widely regarded to be a strong contender for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, made a broad-based pitch to activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) to embrace him as their new leader. | Rubio, widely regarded to be a strong contender for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, made a broad-based pitch to activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) to embrace him as their new leader. |
| Paul, whose stock has risen dramatically in the past week after he staged a marathon 13-hour filibuster speech on the floor of the US Senate, wooed the crowed with strong criticism of the party's old guard, whom he described as "stale and moss-covered". | Paul, whose stock has risen dramatically in the past week after he staged a marathon 13-hour filibuster speech on the floor of the US Senate, wooed the crowed with strong criticism of the party's old guard, whom he described as "stale and moss-covered". |
| Rubio and Paul got a rapturous reception from the hundreds of delegates in the hall at the Gaylord convention center in Fort Washington, Maryland. | Rubio and Paul got a rapturous reception from the hundreds of delegates in the hall at the Gaylord convention center in Fort Washington, Maryland. |
| Rubio gave a swift and impassioned speech that laid out his broad vision of a conservative America. While posing as a fresh new face, Rubio insisted that core conservative values did not need to change. "We don't need a new idea. There is an idea called America. And it still works," he told a crowd, who gave him a standing ovation. | Rubio gave a swift and impassioned speech that laid out his broad vision of a conservative America. While posing as a fresh new face, Rubio insisted that core conservative values did not need to change. "We don't need a new idea. There is an idea called America. And it still works," he told a crowd, who gave him a standing ovation. |
| The Florida senator used his platform to describe a wide agenda of conservative policy goals and social values, from attacking abortion to criticising banks and reckless homeowners as the cause of the financial crisis. He portrayed himself as the voice of a struggling middle class, free of government regulation and seeking a vibrant economy. "They wonder who is fighting for them, who is fighting for the hardworking every day people of this country," Rubio said. "That is our challenge and our opportunity: to be their voice. And, by the way, I can't think of a better calling." | The Florida senator used his platform to describe a wide agenda of conservative policy goals and social values, from attacking abortion to criticising banks and reckless homeowners as the cause of the financial crisis. He portrayed himself as the voice of a struggling middle class, free of government regulation and seeking a vibrant economy. "They wonder who is fighting for them, who is fighting for the hardworking every day people of this country," Rubio said. "That is our challenge and our opportunity: to be their voice. And, by the way, I can't think of a better calling." |
| Since Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney last year, Republicans have been plunged into an intense debate over whether its move rightwards on a raft of social and economic issues has alienated voters who now see the party as extreme. But Rubio defended conservative values on issues such as gay marriage. "Just because I believe states have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said. | Since Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney last year, Republicans have been plunged into an intense debate over whether its move rightwards on a raft of social and economic issues has alienated voters who now see the party as extreme. But Rubio defended conservative values on issues such as gay marriage. "Just because I believe states have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said. |
| Rubio skirted one of the most controversial and divisive debates within the Republican party – immigration. He made no mention of his Hispanic background or views on current efforts by both the White House and senior Republican politicians to draw up a package of reforms likely to extend a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. | Rubio skirted one of the most controversial and divisive debates within the Republican party – immigration. He made no mention of his Hispanic background or views on current efforts by both the White House and senior Republican politicians to draw up a package of reforms likely to extend a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. |
| Speaking directly after Rubio, Paul embarked upon a wide-ranging critique of the president and the state of the Republican party. He repeated the concerns about drone strikes that he made in his filibuster speech: "President Obama says he has no intention of detaining an American citizen without a trial," Paul said, adding that the president also says he "has no intention" of making drone strikes on Americans. | Speaking directly after Rubio, Paul embarked upon a wide-ranging critique of the president and the state of the Republican party. He repeated the concerns about drone strikes that he made in his filibuster speech: "President Obama says he has no intention of detaining an American citizen without a trial," Paul said, adding that the president also says he "has no intention" of making drone strikes on Americans. |
| "My 13-hour filibuster was a message to the president. Good intentions are not enough," he said. | "My 13-hour filibuster was a message to the president. Good intentions are not enough," he said. |
| Paul spoke of the need to "jealously guard all our liberties", repeatedly referencing "the Facebook generation" whose votes the GOP courts. | Paul spoke of the need to "jealously guard all our liberties", repeatedly referencing "the Facebook generation" whose votes the GOP courts. |
| He also attacked his own party's old guard. "The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered. I don't think we need to name any names, do we?" After his filibuster speech last week, Paul was criticised by former presidential candidate John McCain and veteran South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham. McCain dismissed Rand's filibuster as a "stunt". | He also attacked his own party's old guard. "The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered. I don't think we need to name any names, do we?" After his filibuster speech last week, Paul was criticised by former presidential candidate John McCain and veteran South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham. McCain dismissed Rand's filibuster as a "stunt". |
| The annual CPAC conference, which is hosted by the American Conservative Union, is the leading gathering of conservative supporters in the American political calendar. It is usually seen as a vital stopping point for any Republican figure seeking to emerge as a viable presidential candidate. | The annual CPAC conference, which is hosted by the American Conservative Union, is the leading gathering of conservative supporters in the American political calendar. It is usually seen as a vital stopping point for any Republican figure seeking to emerge as a viable presidential candidate. |
| Much of the discussion at the conference on Thursday was about the issue of immigration reform and the party's problems attracting Hispanic voters. | Much of the discussion at the conference on Thursday was about the issue of immigration reform and the party's problems attracting Hispanic voters. |
| Alfonso Aguilar, the executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, took a swipe at the idea that Rubio – or any other individual Hispanic politicians – would make the party more popular with that demographic. "You can't expect Marco Rubio to win the Latino vote. He can help. Having Latino faces can help. But in the end Latinos are going to vote for ideas," he said at a side-meeting off the main CPAC hall. | Alfonso Aguilar, the executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, took a swipe at the idea that Rubio – or any other individual Hispanic politicians – would make the party more popular with that demographic. "You can't expect Marco Rubio to win the Latino vote. He can help. Having Latino faces can help. But in the end Latinos are going to vote for ideas," he said at a side-meeting off the main CPAC hall. |
| Aguilar said recent Republican outreach to Hispanics had been "insulting" and focused on "Mariachi-band" gimmicks. What was needed, he said, was embracing immigration reform and thus fighting accusations that the party was racist. | Aguilar said recent Republican outreach to Hispanics had been "insulting" and focused on "Mariachi-band" gimmicks. What was needed, he said, was embracing immigration reform and thus fighting accusations that the party was racist. |
| "Immigration is not the most important issue for Latinos but it is a gateway issue. If we don't get this issue right, they will turn us off," he said. | "Immigration is not the most important issue for Latinos but it is a gateway issue. If we don't get this issue right, they will turn us off," he said. |
| Veteran political commentator Dick Morris agreed. "We must pass immigration reform right now," he told a crowd of conservatives. But his remarks only generated a resounding silence. | Veteran political commentator Dick Morris agreed. "We must pass immigration reform right now," he told a crowd of conservatives. But his remarks only generated a resounding silence. |
| One Republican pollster, Whit Ayres, predicted that immigration reform and winning over Hispanics could propel them to victory in 2016. "We can do much, much better in the Hispanic community than we did in 2008 and 2012 and if we do we stand a very good chance of winning the 2016 election," he told a panel on the issue of widening the party's appeal. | One Republican pollster, Whit Ayres, predicted that immigration reform and winning over Hispanics could propel them to victory in 2016. "We can do much, much better in the Hispanic community than we did in 2008 and 2012 and if we do we stand a very good chance of winning the 2016 election," he told a panel on the issue of widening the party's appeal. |
| But during the same discussion Idaho congressman Raul Labrador – while also calling for the passing of an immigration reform bill - rejected any suggestion that the GOP had a problem with "tone" on the issue. | But during the same discussion Idaho congressman Raul Labrador – while also calling for the passing of an immigration reform bill - rejected any suggestion that the GOP had a problem with "tone" on the issue. |
| "I know tone matters, but we need to stop flagellating ourselves," he said. | "I know tone matters, but we need to stop flagellating ourselves," he said. |
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