Senator Marco Rubio's response to the State of the Union address had political pundits and observers scratching their heads. It was not what he said that grabbed media attention, but more what he did on the prominent platform given to him at a point when the Republican Party has alienated key groups, including Latinos. He bent down and reached for a water bottle, performing an awkward moment on live television.
The rebuttal to the State of the Union is a speech the opposition party usually uses to attack the President's vision presented before the joint congress. They insert their views on what direction the country needs to take. House Representative Paul Ryan performed the last rebuttal in 2011, outlining his widely debated budget.
But the hype surrounding Senator Rubio's speech with social media users commenced when he reached for a small Poland Spring bottle and took a sip. It provided an awkward moment in politics and television. Media reports called it "Watergate."
However, Senator Rubio's political savvy-ness surfaced the next day as he embraced the negative attention by tweeting: Picked up over 13,000 new followers on #twitter since last night! Im going to start drinking #water in the middle of all of my speeches!
Senator Rubio has drawn media attention within the last week even catching Time magazine's cover headline with "The Republican Savior."
In a Question-and-Answer session done in GQ he revealed his favorite Rap songs and musicians and the movies he likes. This hip appeal seemed to connect with middle class Americans, when Republicans have received criticism for being disconnected from that voting bloc and being a party of rich white men.
Senator Rubio shared his humble roots born to an immigrant Cuban family in Florida, an example of the American dream. Also, the fact he's a conservative Latino on a big stage may add acceptance of the Republican Party by many Latinos.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
