Mitch Perry
Marco Rubio talks policy and his own personality in a quick Q&A with the Skimm, the daily email newsletter designed for millennial women.
The Florida Senator, who has had a topsy-turvy relationship with primary voters in the GOP presidential polls since declaring his candidacy back in April, has now become the favorite of the media again following his impressive performance in the second debate at the Reagan Library earlier this month.
Rubio tells the Skimm that he considers his strong beliefs his greatest strength, “Even though I do so in a way that’s respectful of other people’s views,” he says.”I understand we’re a diverse society and a free one and I respect people who disagree with me, including on controversial issues. But I honestly believe what I believe, and I don’t believe in these issues for the purposes of judging anyone or for the purposes of winning an election.”
Greatest weakness? “I just think sometimes that fact that because I feel so passionately about what I believe in, you know I find myself talking too fast about it or not spending enough time to go into the details on it,” he says. “Instead of picking three things to prioritize, I pick five to focus on.”
When asked would would he ask the White Hosue chef to make for his first meal, he replies, “Something Tex-Mex. I love Tex-Mex. I like enchiladas of every kind.”
On more substantive issues, Rubio stays consistent with his stances he’s honed on the trail. Regarding climate change, he concedes that there “appears to be a scientific consensus that man contributes to it,” he says, adding that because how much of that human activity can be registered, “it’s the reason why these ideas they’re presenting to me are ones I can’t jump on board.”
Rubio does not believe in abortion at all, not even in the case of rape or incest. He’s now talking up that women in such circumstances can use Plan B, the morning-after pill.
“I’m gonna choose the side of life.…in the cases [of rape or incest], they’re terrible tragedies, they’re horrifying,” he tells the Skimm. “And luckily in the 21st century, we have treatments available early on after an incident that can prevent that fertilization from happening. And that’s why I support the morning after pill being available over the counter and I certainly support them being made available immediately for rape victims.”
On Tuesday, Rubio missed a cloture vote that allowed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to fund the government, including Planned Parenthood, to go forward with the risk of a shutdown. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, also Republicans in the Senate running for president, did vote on the issue, while Lindsey Graham was also absent. His failure to vote on the matter earned him a nasty rebuke by Breitbart News Katie Hughes, who wrote, “It would not be the first time Rubio publicly claims he’s a conservative when he’s really just a supporter of everything the GOP leadership wants him to support–like McConnell got him to do when it came to the “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill.
