Joe Henderson: Marco Rubio’s 2016 slogan — ‘Maybe I’ll stay. Maybe I won’t.’
I love a good campaign slogan. It can be the key to victory, as we saw with Barack Obama’s “Hope and Change” and George W. Bush’s “Compassionate Conservative” pitch. And then there is Marco Rubio, Florida’s reluctant U.S. senator who is running, sort of, for re-election to an office he doesn’t appear to completely embrace. When asked a fairly straightforward question on CNN if he will commit to serving the full six-year term if Florida voters re-elect him, Rubio said (paraphrasing here): Nah. “No one can make that commitment because you don’t know what the future’s gonna hold in your life personally or politically,” he told the network. So here is Rubio’s slogan: “Maybe I’ll stay, maybe I won’t. Rubio: 2016 (but no promises beyond that).” I actually give Rubio some props for honesty in his answer, but voters have to wonder if this so-called young-man-in-a-hurry has his track shoes on again. He shirked the duties of his duly elected office not long after voters elected him, mostly so he could jump the line Obama-style and become the next president. Then along came Donald Trump, whose rough-and-tumble campaign of insults (“Little Marco!”) led to a dramatic flameout and a humiliating defeat in Florida’s primary. Rubio clearly wasn’t ready for the big stage. He might be better prepared four or even eight years from now; who knows? It is clear, though, that he views the Senate as just a glorified green room while he awaits his presidential close-up. Ambition is fine, but being a senator is not a part-time job. Florida is experiencing all the problems associated with runaway growth, and by the time Rubio’s second term — if there is one — would expire, the state Chamber of Commerce projects Florida’s population to swell to 26 million. For comparison, that is basically the population of Australia, crammed into a much smaller space. So yeah, we need someone in Washington willing to fight the parliamentary war on Florida’s behalf. We’re gonna need a lot of stuff to deal with all this growth. We don’t need one of our two senators off auditioning for a better gig that whole time. Patrick Murphy, Rubio’s Democratic opponent in the November general election, jumped all over the noncommitment. Although Rubio leads by six points in some early polling, you can bet that CNN comment is going to be replayed a few thousand times between now and Election Day. The message will be clear: A vote for Rubio could be a vote someone else you can’t sure of. Maybe Gov. Rick Scott would take the seat himself if Rubio were to win and then resign. Maybe it would be someone else. The point Murphy can and will repeatedly make is that he wants the job for the long haul, but Rubio can’t say the same. And that could be the most convincing slogan of all. ___ Joe Henderson has had a 45-year career in newspapers, including the last nearly 42 years at The Tampa Tribune. He has covered a large variety of things, primarily in sports but also hard news. The two intertwined in the decade-long search to bring Major League Baseball to the area. Henderson was also City Hall reporter for two years and covered all sides of the sales tax issue that ultimately led to the construction of Raymond James Stadium. He served as a full-time sports columnist for about 10 years before moving to the metro news columnist for the last 4 ½ years. Henderson has numerous local, state and national writing awards. He has been married to his wife, Elaine, for nearly 35 years and has two grown sons — Ben and Patrick.
Pat Boone sings the praises of Richard Shelby
Legendary entertainer Pat Boone came out Friday with a statement in support of Sen. Richard Shelby, singing the praises of Alabama’s senior senator. Boone, who serves as a spokesman for the conservative senior citizen group the 60 Plus Association, said Shelby is the kind of leader the Yellowhammer State needs in the Senate. “I’m still singing at concerts,” Boone remarked, “but today I’m singing the praises of Senator Richard Shelby.” “We need strong leaders like Senator Shelby serving Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Senator Selby has protected seniors by fighting for lower taxes, to strengthen and protect Social Security and Medicare, and for comprehensive healthcare reform with affordable access to quality care. Senator Shelby will always protect Alabama and Alabama’s seniors.” The group’s Vice President Matthew Kandrach, harmonized with Boone in a statement Friday night. “Alabama seniors currently have two strong conservative U.S. Senators fighting for them in Washington D.C. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions,” said Kandrach. “Together they have proven to be a solid and effective team. Senator Shelby has been a vocal proponent of a balanced budget and reigning in the increasingly high amount of spending and regulations that drive up taxes and costs for seniors. “Senator Shelby has never failed to stand firm with Alabama’s seniors, and on behalf of 60 Plus’s more than 78,000 senior supporters in the Yellowhammer state, we’re proud to call him our friend.” Check out the audio of the beloved crooner’s praise for Shelby below.
Shadarack McGill to challenge Richard Shelby in 2016 Senate primary
Former Montgomery lawmaker Shadarack McGill will reportedly announce a Republican primary challenge to long-serving U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby on Tuesday. McGill, who served in a state Senate from 2010 until 2014, when he decided to forego a reelection campaign. The former legislator is one of four Republicans who are likely to mount a challenge to the 81-year-old Shelby, who reaffirmed he will again seek the office by filing with the state elections chief ahead of a November 6 deadline. Shelby, first elected by statewide in 1986, is pursuing a sixth term in the Senate. He says his experience and seniority are assets for Alabamians. “I am running for the United States Senate because I’m not done fighting for Alabama,” Shelby said in a recent statement. “My unmatched record of proven, conservative leadership puts me in the best position to stand up for Alabamians against big government policies in Washington. I have always and will continue to put Alabamians first.” McGill, perhaps best known for claiming he was visited by strippers in the middle of the night during his 2010 campaign for the state Senate, will make his announcement in front of the Jackson County Courthouse.
