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Sen. Rubio: I'm not commenting on VP process

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    Florida senator responds to claims he's not being vetted for VP nomincation

  • Duration 13:27
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A big states are on but is rubio out a bombshell report today says that Marco Rubio is not being -- To be Mitt Romney's running -- after all today.

Rubio response here and only here.

Welcome everybody I'm Neil Cavuto he's a rising star in the Republican Party.

A potential big draw for the Hispanic vote and now author of a new best seller.

An American son but a report out today quoting.

Knowledgeable sources that claims -- Marco Rubio is not not being vetted.

By governor Romney's vice presidential search team that he has not been asked to fill out any questionnaires -- -- of any sort.

Or to turn over financial documents generally required.

But vice presidential candidate -- -- rubio off that sort less.

It's something I asked him just a short time ago.

I'm not commenting on the vice presidential process and that that's been basically what we said the whole time because out of respect for.

Governor on the enemy knows that he is the last thing he needs to have to be addressing questions about this because the Roy the campaigns not about that the campaign is about the economy in the future of our country.

And what a horrible job Barack Obama has done over the last three and a half years that's what this election needs to be about -- -- -- any any moment that it's not about that is is I think.

Not where we want to be as Republicans -- of the country deserve so.

I think he deserves to to have as much space is possible so we just don't comment on -- well.

Hundreds and doesn't mean there are some months obviously before the convention Bob just -- -- not even gotten a phone goal or requests from Beth Myers.

His person looking and always telling -- branded.

Yeah.

I I just don't talk about the process at all I mean I don't discuss that in any way in and wanted to talk about it directly if you wanna make -- -- -- no I don't like it now a look here's the one thing -- -- -- governor -- is gonna make a great choice.

I'm the bad I'm confident he has a life long history of making great choices and every aspect of his life and he's gonna make a great -- get -- all I know it's.

-- is already getting mad at this rumor they let live it -- think the world to do and they think someone like you particularly at this time.

Would be crucial to have on the ticket how do you calm them down.

Well I think -- should just take a deep breath government Iran is gonna make a great choice and that he's going to be a great president he's already he's done a great job as a candidate already and that we need to focus on what the selections about this election is about a president that's taking this country and -- and a direction that we keep going.

It may be difficult to reverse it and and I hope we don't get distracted from that.

I'm just wondering I'm there and then I'll be done -- -- this points -- -- That maybe Jeb Bush saying some good things about you know.

And the fact that you're still relatively young and apparently -- Romney folks are looking for someone a little older more season.

Is weighing on this -- I don't comment on the process I think that you know the process is what it is and he's working through it he's gonna make a great choice but -- but you don't think you're -- -- I get older every day there we go there to sell let me switch gears pleasantly -- I guess in your eyes up.

There's a move afoot in congress Arizona Republican.

Our congress and -- -- wants to slap down the president's new.

Immigration bypass to congress.

By eight.

By just repeatedly to blocking -- to -- that the -- the president's move to thwart deportations for upwards of hard 800000.

The young children of illegals.

And an older do you support that effort.

Well let me say first of all that I do think there's a growing consensus in America that we have to help kids like this that are.

Through no fault of their own find themselves in the situation but we can't do it in a way that encourages illegal immigration in the future.

And and I think that's the problem with -- with an executive order number -- it ignores the constitution which by the way still matters that should matter a lot in this country -- -- all of us.

In this capitol building here are sworn to uphold it including the president.

And and number two although he may find it more convenient because it's an election year you can't to circumvent congress and invent a new process for yourself.

But here's the point there's also been very little cost benefit analysis that goes into this policy decision.

And the potential unintended consequences that it could have.

So I think that this is an issue that deserves a serious responsible and balanced long term approach and what the president has done here by ignoring congress by being partisan about it.

Isn't gonna make it harder for us is a country to find a reasonable solution to this you know important problem.

And saw it and that's my problem with the president has done and you know I hope I'm wrong I hope that we can't continue to move -- work on these things but I think he's just made a lot harder to do that at least in the short term.

By taking this kind of politically.

Charged action.

But he must -- I don't know enough for you to drop your own plan to grant.

Work visas to young illegals so everything seems to be in limbo now.

Well one of arguments of people used to say as we understand this is an important issue but why do we have to do it right now with so many other issues.

Facing the country and my answer was -- because we have some young people out there who should have a lot of sympathy for who'd like to go to school in September.

At a university worn out arguments -- Don Imus some of these folks are gonna turn to me and say while there's no urgency now this is.

Past present the other thing that's happened is -- his poison the well he's once again.

Tried to make this a partisan issue once again tried to make this -- did this -- issue ignores congress -- the constitute.

When -- cells and his support among Hispanics and -- of this started.

Has grown -- with the Latino community -- this deservedly it's up.

And they're gonna get deported most people said didn't seem right let's do something about it so yeah -- the first 72 hours and uses reported that there might be some help for them.

And people they're going to be you know they're gonna be happy about them especially here being helped by this policy.

But we also have to deal with a long term consequences the long term consequences of ignoring congress the long term consequences of ignoring the constitution.

And the long term consequences of injecting -- this -- partisan politics and to what should be a humanitarian conversation.

About the fate of these young people who find themselves in this situation.

Definitely definitely -- parsing words here will no offense senator because and -- and then Mitt Romney has been attacked for much the same sort of tender kind of walk on -- -- position.

Because he has said as you know -- a bit like you finds this to be a short term solution that doesn't address -- long term problem.

He wants a pharmacists say as president a future president could overturn this vote he didn't commit himself to doing just that should he get elected president said.

So does the president have guys like -- you.

And a box.

-- -- I'm not -- -- on the contrary I've been working on very specific ideas and and trying to involve as many people as possible.

But I got elected to be a serious policy -- -- and got to just press releases an election years.

And and that's what I've been working towards and there -- now here's the other part of this equation we do have an illegal immigration problem in this country.

I know and you know whether we haven't had somehow.

If you raise that you're anti immigrant and that's absurd.

I think we do with and -- big -- pay enough attention to that.

We do have millions of people that are waiting in line to legally enter the United States what's our message to them come illegally it's cheaper and faster to do it.

-- to be taken into account as well.

This issue deserves yes these kids deserve compassion.

But this issue deserves responsible policy making which only happens when you take the time to sit down with the stakeholders analyze all the implications of what it means.

To to to make a move like this at a time of high unemployment at a time when schools are already overcrowded.

What does it mean how do you balance all those concerns.

That's what I was working on -- an election -- stock.

And by taking an election -- stunt like this.

I think it's gonna have some long term consequences.

On our ability here in Washington to sit out and say on this issue let's kind of come together and look for a solution.

Look at this makes it harder I hope I'm wrong.

But and I think it -- You know.

I've read a lot of -- a -- the senators and -- prominent rising stars in politics books and they usually have.

They're -- their -- political I did to your credit I don't know it's good or bad but it does not seem to be anything overtly political to your autobiography here -- And edit the reason I say -- is there's there's some points in the book -- where you certainly raise my out of her -- and put in including this in my heart muscle immigration minister of here's my kids went to sleep hungry every night in my country didn't give me an opportunity to feed them.

There isn't a -- no matter how restrictive that would prevent me from coming here and other words it seems like you're saying yeah I'd I've come here -- -- Well first of all you don't can't -- you can't legalize that I'm not saying you justified in terms of legality of it but I think we need to recognize as a society why people are coming here.

And who among us are parents -- -- parents have children.

If our kids were suffering and we couldn't provide them a better life where we live who among us wouldn't do anything to feed our children I want to know who's not gonna do anything they can.

You know sort of committing you know.

Obviously the heinous crime to feed their children and put them in a better -- but.

There's any I understand completely site where you're coming from I just think that the reaction among some of the diehard conservatives in your party might be.

No way in -- that -- do we even entertain the thought do we even expressed sympathy for that point of view.

Do we here's the point of view I'm saying on us and we legalize that we can't be the only country in the world the doesn't enforce its immigration laws.

I think we have to understand why people are doing this but that doesn't mean you can necessarily permitted or allow it or legalize it.

And by the way the other thing we need to talk more about that we don't is that this is the most generous country in the world -- W -- interviewer you were desperate you would do the same -- aren't.

Well because I think that's true for anybody who can't feed their kids.

I mean if you can't feed your family you're telling me that you won't do almost anything you can to provide for them but that doesn't mean you have to legalize -- that our country.

To all of a sudden decide to allow anybody who wants to come in here my point is.

That America is generous towards that thought process a million people a year immigrate to the United States legally what other country in the world does that.

And we don't spend enough time talking about that either.

And my book.

And my book I talk about what that means my parents immigrated legally the United States in 1956 grade and and and that we owe a tremendous amount of this country because of its compassion.

And its willingness to do that we can't be the only country in the world that doesn't have immigration laws and that doesn't enforce them.

You know the senator you as worried for your party has obviously one of years.

Chief backers Jeb Bush -- saying that the party has drifted.

That his dad even Ronald Reagan might have a tough time getting elected in this environment today.

He further expressed some concern that Republicans -- unwilling to compromise.

That if it came to a ratio of even one dollar.

In tax hikes for nine or ten dollars in spending cuts he knew he would sign ups -- about but that he's he's concerned that his party.

Cavalierly sesno and and his -- so far to the right there's just no middle out.

Well I think it was a bodies are compromised twenty years or fifteen years ago.

When the Democratic Party was more reasonable.

When the Democratic Party wasn't held hostage by radical I don't know I think he's blaming Republicans.

Well I -- not but not my response that is the I understand that Ronald Reagan and George H.

W.

Bush made some compromises.

But it was a lot easier to compromise 152030.

Years ago and what the Democrats you were dealing with.

-- much more reasonable that the elements of the Democratic Party that today control its agenda.

Are radicals that are on the left of the party sort of using this Jeb Bush is your son -- -- Weiner.

No I think Jeb is making an observation and look I think he was struck when he came up here to Washington about some of the questions he was asked by some of the people on the on the committee when he appeared before some of the Democrats some of the things that they said.

But in my book talks a lot about -- he was a role model for us when -- -- -- he always took on bold issues and we -- in Tallahassee.

And confronted them and I I think.

Obviously he's not new to the game he understands that partisanship has a role in politics but I think he was struck by the venom that goes on -- here and some of these things and and and I think that's true for the left and I think -- is that I think that's true for Democrats as well as Republican.

Let's it to your credit you did not return the venom to you know that what was a very heated senate race in a regular Charlie -- -- To -- of course -- beat toward the the senate -- gonna be commended for that I don't know if I'd be so generous.

But you do talk about the environment right now senator floodlights and on this if you don't mind near the end of your book you talk about the sense of urgency in Washington.

That isn't getting through you say.

Many in Washington wrongly assumed that are spiraling debt our broken tax code in a regulatory overreach can wait.

Until after the next election I believe that the longer we wait to solve these this is the harder -- will be to solve.

But many in your party -- gets away from your book.

Feel that they can sort of run out the clock.

What are you saying to them.

Well -- again and get -- first why don't I don't agree with anyone who thinks that somehow we -- wait until after the elections to deal with a major issues and -- -- -- everyone -- well but we shouldn't and that's my point in the book I talk about the lack of urgency in the political process.

These are real challenges that we face.

I mean we may think that the world's gonna stop and wait for us until we do our elections but the truth is that companies are starting to make decisions about the future right now.

They are hiring or not hiring based on what they think the tax code going to be the regulatory code is going to be etc.

and these issues have to be confront it.

And look at what's happening in Europe it's not an exaggeration to say that we can wind up somewhere just like that.

Very soon if we don't begin to address our long term debt issues as well and so I think well I hope the -- -- where there's a real sense of frustration that both parties are to blame.

For lack of urgency but in the senate it's the Democrats who control the agenda and -- haven't passed the budget in two years they haven't brought tax reform -- to have a broad energy policy up it solved in one messaging vote after another and now I'm frustrated by the lack of urgency absolutely.

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