Speaking on an Iowa radio show, the Republican presidential candidate took aim at the paper for stories on his history of financial troubles, traffic violations, and, most recently, his unpopularity in Cuba, the homeland of his parents.
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“The only people who are responsible for the Cuban people’s woes are their geriatric rulers, who insist on maintaining a socialist economy that nearly all other countries – with the possible exception of North Korea – have realized is a failed relic of the past”, the Republican presidential hopeful wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday, referring to the leadership of Raúl Castro and his brother Fidel.
“For started, his ideas”, Rubio said, to applause, “his ideas are outdated”.
Comparisons to Obama, the bête noire of the Republican Party since before Rubio landed on the national stage, are inevitable.
James Pethokoukis, a scholar at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said Rubio deserved credit for trying to develop an agenda that goes beyond criticizing President Barack Obama and the leading Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton.
“He has made the deliberate decision to tell people who are hurting in this country that the reason why they are struggling is that one of their fellow Americans are doing well and when you divide a nation against itself, it can not rally to the great causes of its time”. “And I hope you’ll see that”, Rubio concluded.
Audience members also asked about the federal debt and how Rubio would attract minority voters to the Republican Party.
More than 200 turned out for breakfast at the Machine Shed Restaurant to hear the 44-year-old son of Cuban immigrants who’s on a three-day tour of the state. That was apparent on Tuesday when Rubio spoke to a younger crowd at a bar nearby in Des Moines. Hassmen says he told the candidate that he’s about the same age as his son.
Bob Seeley has seen a number of the GOP candidates in person and he’s impressed by Rubio.
Rubio says he’ll be back in Iowa every 10-to-15 days between now and the February 2016 caucuses.
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“I think he’s one of the leaders”, Seeley said after hearing Rubio speak.
