the national interest

Marco Rubio Goes From #NeverTrump to Ready for Trump

CBS News And The RNC Sponsor The Republican Presidential Primary Debate
Thanks, Little Marco. Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

For a brief period of time, “#NeverTrump” was practically Marco Rubio’s presidential-campaign slogan. Rubio made slashing attacks on Trump as a “con artist.” Rubio’s campaign website sold anti-Trump swag, like a “#Never Trump” bumper sticker. “#NeverTrump,” of course, the hashtag slogan of a movement of Republicans who have vowed to withhold their support from Trump even if he wins the party nomination (which is the straightforward and, in fact, only understood meaning of the word never). But last month, Rubio conceded that “#NeverTrump” merely meant that he wouldn’t vote for Trump in the Republican primary. And now, appearing on Univision, Rubio sounds ready to rally around Trump:

“Look, let’s not divide the party. You have someone here who has all these votes, very close to get 1,237, let’s not ignore the will of the people or they’re going to be angry. Delegates may decide on that reason that they decide to vote for Donald Trump, but if they don’t it’s not illegitimate in any way,” he told Miami radio host Jimmy Cefalo.

I’ve always said I’m going to support the Republican nominee, and that’s especially true now that it’s apparent that Hillary Clinton will be the Democrat nominee,”

So maybe a con artist can be the Republican nominee after all. Perhaps we should have paid more attention to the fact that Rubio’s campaign page advertising the “#NeverTrump” bumper sticker used the word removable. Twice.

Rubio Goes From #NeverTrump to Ready for Trump