Guest Author
Donald Trump was caught on tape boasting about sexually harassing women. His comments are sickening, inexcusable, and dangerous. They contribute to a culture that devalues women and makes our society unsafe. His behavior is enough to disqualify him from pretty much any job, let alone our country’s highest office.
Sen. Marco Rubio responded to his choice for President’s unhinged misogyny with a tweet. He called the comments “vulgar” and “egregious,” but has refused to withdraw his endorsement. The fact is, it’s not just the comments that are “vulgar,” it’s Donald Trump. Marco Rubio’s rhetoric is empty and his condemnation hollow, so long as he continues to support Trump for President.
Sen. Rubio’s comments follow a familiar dance he has engaged in for months. As Donald Trump fires off offensive comment after offensive comment, Marco Rubio stays silent when he thinks he can get away with it, and offers up meaningless rhetoric when he can’t.
Senator Rubio claims he ran for re-election to serve as a check on the next President, even if the next President is his preferred candidate Donald Trump. But how can he serve as a check on a Trump Presidency if he won’t even hold Trump accountable as a candidate?
Donald Trump called Mexicans rapists, mocked a reporter for his disability, proposed a ban on all Muslims, wants to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, bullied a Gold Star family, violated the Cuba embargo, and used charity money to pay his legal fees. Sen. Rubio’s response? “We have to make sure that Donald wins this election.”
Trump’s entire campaign is built on a foundation of demonizing immigrants, members of the Hispanic community, women, Muslims, African-Americans, and millions of others. The fact that Sen. Rubio endorsed him in the first place is shameful. The fact that he continues to refuse to withdraw that endorsement is unconscionable.
Sen. Rubio has proven entirely incapable of mustering up the courage to do what’s right. This is political cowardice, plain and simple. In Marco Rubio’s own words, Donald Trump is “dangerous,” a “con artist,” and can’t be trusted with the country’s nuclear codes. The fact that Marco Rubio supports Trump anyway and has stood firm in that support through months of misogyny, racism, illegal activity, and unethical behavior shows that there is truly nothing Marco Rubio values more than his own political ambition.
Donald Trump is a threat to every value this country holds dear. Sen. Rubio’s failure to stand up to him shows that he is a coward who will never stand up for Florida in the U.S. Senate. If Marco Rubio cannot withdraw his endorsement after this latest sickening news, then he should withdraw from the race.
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Patrick Murphy represents Florida’s 18th Congressional District and is a Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.
