scorecard
  1. Home
  2. Politics
  3. Marco Rubio's account has been on fire since he started tweeting again

Marco Rubio's account has been on fire since he started tweeting again

Marco Rubio's account has been on fire since he started tweeting again
Politics5 min read

Marco Rubio

Getty Images/The Washington Post

Marco Rubio.

Marco Rubio's Twitter account is trending up.

In the wake of his futile effort in the Republican presidential primary, the Florida senator has in recent weeks taken to the social-media outlet with new vigor.

It started May 16, when Rubio sent out a somewhat off-brand post - when you consider his use of the medium during the campaign.

"Why do airlines use 767 with layflat seats for 40 min flight to Orlando but smaller plane with seats that barely recline for redeye from LA?" he posted.

An interesting thought. But nothing that would prepare readers for the onslaught that would follow. Rubio has gone on to post more than 70 tweets in the days since. He used it to dispute reports about his future, make fun of his campaign missteps, and rationalize his support for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

'Word of advice'

In one instance, he railed on The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza for a paragraph that dubbed Rubio one of five people "who are never" going to be presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump's running mate.

"Rubio, according to conversations I've had with people close to him, is sort of betwixt and between when it comes to his next move," Cillizza wrote.

Rubio said unnamed "people close" to him "just make it up" when it comes to what they know of his future plans.

"Unnamed sources 'close to' often just people who want to sound like they are in the know," Rubio fired off. "And reporters desperate for content just accept it."

He brought up another Post story from October that relied on an unnamed "longtime friend" who said he "hates" the Senate.

"Words I have NEVER said to anyone," he tweeted.

It escalated from there:

Humor and criticism

As Rubio "slowly" increased "the dosage," his sense of humor has become more prevalent.

A longtime Florida-based reporter, Politico's Marc Caputo, said he "can say with certainty that" Rubio's "headed to the Atlantic Ocean."

"Truth is I prefer Gulf side of Fl Keys!" Rubio snarked back.

Rubio also posted a photo of Heisman trophy-winning Gators quarterback Tim Tebow appearing to punch a Florida State player mid-play with the comment: "Here's suggestion for #Florida which looking 4 help replacing state statue in U.S. Capitol."

Rubio also was sometimes the butt of his own jokes.

"#GOP mulling overhaul of primaries?" Rubio asked in one tweet, referring to a New York Times story that detailed how Republican leaders were looking at altering the nominating process. "How about making Minnesota, Puerto Rico, and D.C. the first three primaries?"

Naturally, those were the three contests he won in his 2016 bid: the Minnesota caucuses, the Puerto Rico primary, and the Washington, DC, convention.

Soon after, Rubio tweeted a Politico story with the headline "Rubio second-guesses himself on robotic moment." The story centered on his infamous moment from a February debate in New Hampshire, during which he repeated the same line a number of times during a back-and-forth with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

"Rubio 2ndguesses on robotic moment. Rubio 2nd guesses on robotic moment.Rubio2ndguesses on robotic moment," the senator posted.

Marco Rubio

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Marco Rubio.

But Rubio also saved some of his best work for some pointed criticism of his party's presumptive presidential nominee - and his rationalization for supporting him over Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

In one tweet, he took aim at Trump's criticism of New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, calling her one of the "most effective" and "hardest-working" governors in the US.

On Friday, however, he hit back at those who have criticized him over warming up to Trump's candidacy:

READ MORE ARTICLES ON


Advertisement

Advertisement