As he promotes his new autobiography, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., enjoyed a taste of the national spotlight in recent days and took the opportunity to weigh into a host of political issues.
Before the Supreme Court of the United States gutted much of the Arizona immigration law in a decision released on Monday, Rubio tackled the subject on an appearance on Fox and Friends on Fox News earlier in the day.
I think Arizona-type laws are not the ideal, Rubio said. But we have to understand why states like Arizona did it and if we really dont like Arizona laws then the federal government should do its job. If the federal government had been doing its job and spending money defending the border, an electronic verification system, these sorts of things, I dont think you would have Arizona-type laws across the country and I dont think theyre the ideal way to handle this issue. I have never believed in state immigration policies but I understand why a state like Arizona has it and I do believe it's constitutional.
Rubio also went to bat for the immigration policies of former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate.
Well, I think hes been very forward leaning and I really am very happy with the way Mitt Romney has been expressing himself on this issue and all the issues really, Rubio said. But on this issue in particular, I think he has been the most compelling voice in favor of legal immigration that weve seen in quite some time.
While Rubio has been the subject of much speculation that he could end up as Romneys running mate, he has continued to maintain that he is not interested in the position. Making an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, Rubio said he was finished talking about his prospects of being on the presidential ticket.
"I'm not discussing the vice presidential process anymore," Rubio said. "I made the decision two months ago not to discuss it any further.
Rubio said that there were no skeletons in his closet that would eliminate him from consideration of being added to the ticket.
"I've made good decisions, Rubio said.Like everybody else, I've made bad decisions."
Rubio did not say what those bad decisions were but added that he had grown from them.
"I've learned from my bad decisions, I have always learned, like all of us do, from our mistakes," Rubio said. I wouldn't overblow them, but I think it's important to point them out."
In addition to those appearances, Rubio hit the national airwaves as a guest on ABCs The View on Monday.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
