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Sen. Rubio explains issues with Hagel nomination

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    FL lawmaker speaks out

  • Duration 6:13
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Given that Iran.

The people and and I'm quoting right now probably run.

People of the middle east of Mosul region in the northern North Africa people of these regions hate America from the bottom of their heart.

It further said Israel is a cancerous tumor in the heart Islamic world.

He further said.

Are -- warriors are ready and willing to wipe Israel off the -- that question I'd like to ask you and you can answer for the record if you'd like is.

Why do you think that the Iranian Foreign Ministry so strongly supports your nomination to be -- secretary of defense.

I have a difficult enough time in American politics.

And the senator I have no idea but thank you.

Some samples there of the confirmation hearing going on right now for Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel.

The former Republican senator from Nebraska taking tough questions from his former colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The hearing will determine whether the Vietnam veteran will be confirmed to replace Leon Panetta as secretary of defense.

Joining us now Florida senator Marco Rubio a member of the foreign relations committee as well as the intelligence committee.

Have you heard anything one way or the other senator.

That causes you to decide your vote on -- cable.

Well let me begin by saying that that -- tables service to our country particularly in Vietnam something all of us admire and not -- -- -- -- debate about that.

But he's being nominated for one of the most important cabinet positions and our country the secretary of defense.

And I stayed at long ago and I've been deeply disturbed by his previous comments and positions of their guards the sanctions on Iran regards them.

Direct negotiations of North Korea.

Obviously statements he's made about Israel these are not the kinds of statements and with the kind of positions that I want to see your secretary of defense have these are big big problems.

And so.

-- for those reasons I just don't believe I'll be able to support his nomination especially after his testimony in the last hour here.

Has really not set any thing that that addresses those concerns to my satisfaction.

Israel.

Attack -- that.

Convoy.

The Iranians as well as the Syrians are are threatening war on Israel.

If that should be rocked what -- the United States what should the United States do.

Well I mean obviously I don't want to speculate about what may or may not happen militarily obviously -- very sensitive topic -- -- let me just say this I think the United States has a clear obligation to stand with Israel as our -- To provide immaterial does support for their own defense Israel's more than capable of defending themselves -- will be the first to tell you that but they do need our help and our assistance.

In different ways and we need to stand prepared to make it very clear that just as -- Rhonda said that an attack on Syria as an attack on Iran.

We should be very clear that an attack on Israel is an attack on our interest and on America and then I I for one who prepared the same.

But let's switch gears now -- immigration reform it's been on the front and center item this week.

One member of a bipartisan group of of -- senators who unveiled their proposals for immigration reform this week you are.

And the president then came out within his own policy do you see the two messing mention.

Well I think significant differences obviously is talking about the same topic and there are somethings are the same but on -- some critical points that are different.

For me -- for many of the members of the group that outlined these principles in fact one of the key parts of this principles is a very clear requirement.

That before anybody get a green card not only do they have to wait behind everyone that's applied before them the right way.

But security measures particularly border security must happen because these promises have been made in the past about border security and they've never been capped.

And we can't find a way to attempt to guarantee that this bill was not going to work the president didn't mention that at all.

Another thing the president didn't mention was a guest worker program without a guest worker program for future immigration.

We're going to be right back here again in five to ten years with a couple million people more who -- undocumented.

The president didn't mention that either and that's clearly part of our principles in those two things are not part of a final product.

I know they cannot support it but I'll -- it stands a chance.

It's the so many of these immigrants come into this country hoping to make it to the middle class I know you've been talking about in the middle class a lot lately and and you have more work to do in that regard.

How do you help how do you propose I guess that this nation build.

A thriving middle class.

While they're the only way we're gonna have a thriving middle class is free.

Free enterprise and limited government that's what makes this different from the rest of the world every country as rich people.

What makes America different is that we have a middle class was as the result of a country where people have the freedom to invest their hard earned dollars and when it works it creates jobs and opportunities for others.

That's the direction for us to go the direction the president's trying to take guesses in the direction of the failed ideas that have been tried everywhere in fact the failed ideas of countries that people come here.

To to get away from the people immigrate here to get away from countries where the government dominates the economy.

And so that's not the direction for us to go but we have a good argument to make the people who were trying to make it.

That big government crushes.

The middle class it doesn't help the middle class but as you know the president was reelected.

All on an agenda that that seems to include more government intervention in the economy.

More regulations.

While the president let me tell you this subject to the president wouldn't give -- and our -- speech before the election.

I bet you wouldn't say some of the things is seven and our generation before the voting took place.

The bottom line is that for the last four and a half years the president -- try to portray himself as a centrist who believes the government should be limited.

Now that he's won a second and final reelection.

He no longer pretends to be that.

He is an unabashed believer that more government is the right answer and I look forward to the debate because I don't think that's -- he can win he doesn't have history on the side he doesn't have economics on the side.

And we're beginning to see proof in the last three months of last year.

The American economy shrunk.

And it shrunk under this president because of his policies and everyone is looking at you as a possible presidential contender for years from now are you thinking about it.

No I'm thinking about -- do my job here and as I've always said if you do a good job the job you have right now.

You'll always have all kinds of opportunities to do things perhaps you never even imagined so that's what I'm focused on right now I get paid every two weeks to do this job -- I'm blessed to have it.

And I hope I can do a good job for the people of Florida and the people in this country.

Florida senator Marco Rubio could have gone thank you.

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