Between Rubio and Cruz, Vote Shrewd: A Tale of Two Rallies

Why I've decided to vote for...

You can feel the difference between Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz simply by walking into their rallies. In spite of the 35° raw drizzle, about 900 people are chanting, cheering and waving signs to the upbeat music, waiting for Rubio’s bus to roll in.

Rubio Cruz graphic 2

We can see our breath in the three-walled party barn.  Sleek, long-haired college interns in galoshes mix it up with all ages in the suburban Lexington venue.  The advance team has set up the stage in the round with bleachers on the two sides facing the bank of cameras in back.

The bus pulls up and Rubio bounds down the short walkway with US Representative Trey Gowdy (of the Benghazi hearings) and US Senator Tim Scott.

The three amigos wave and glad hand the crowd and each other as if they had just deboarded the charter to the big game, which it pretty much is.

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When Rubio takes the mic, rather than subside, the emotional intensity simply downshifts into a more serious gear as the young senator speaks in his trademark delivery–empathetic yet earnest with fairly rapid pace, few pauses, punctuated by occasional laugh lines about football and our intra-state rivalry. With an accessible depth of detail he describes the challenges we face and his plans for renewal and a “new American century.”  He refrains from attacking the other candidates and comes off as a winsome, likable guy.

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After his speech he takes three town hall questions, speaking as easily off the cuff as in his prepared remarks. We are disappointed that the Q/A is cut short to roll the bus to the next event, but glad to get out of the cold.

The Cruz Rally

The next afternoon I gather with about 600 others at a downtown rally where Ted Cruz rolls out his plans for rebuilding America’s military and taking care of our veterans. We are greeted by an older crowd, about 20% military and veterans, who look like the kind of folks who would greet you at a conservative evangelical church. There is no music or cheering or chanting, but a palpable sense of anticipation fills the room. Up front a blue curtain backdrops a small stage flanked by two big-screen TVs.

In traditional, one-at-a-time succession, two decorated war heroes take the stage to warmly endorse Ted, followed by former Texas Governor Rick Perry.  Ted takes the stage in cowboy boots, jeans, white shirt and a navy blazer that project a kind of alpha cowboy persona. He points his finger often for emphasis (making quite a stacatto sound on the podium during debates).

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Ted’s delivery is smooth and commanding, like Rubio’s, with a good balance of depth and accessibility. But unlike Marco he speaks with more of a dramatic flair–using evocative word images and pausing frequently and longer for effect. Unfortunately, his voice has a strong nasal quality.

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I find myself agreeing with about 99% of what Ted says until he states that in the most recent debate there were three candidates who approved drafting women into combat roles. This is a distortion of what they said. I heard the moderator ask Rubio if he approved requiring women to “register with the Selective Service.” Rubio replied that he believed women should have the “right to sign up for Selective Service.”

By the time of this rally Rubio had already clarified his position which he repeated to us at his rally the night before: he insisted that with a 16-year old daughter he was the candidate that felt most genuinely concerned that young women not be required to be drafted, especially into combat roles. Cruz had to know this. Yet he still repeated the deception. From the front row I shook my head at him.

This is the kind of “politics as usual” of which Americans are so weary. Some TV stations in South Carolina decided to pull Cruz ads from the air because they are so deceitful. And there are other echoes of what was done to Dr. Carson in Iowa. I’m glad he finally fired his communications director for spreading a false story of how Rubio insulted the Bible. But here he was spreading a false report of Rubio’s position.

However, my decision to not vote for Ted Cruz isn’t driven by the way he mishandles the facts. I’ve decided to vote for Marco Rubio because of what I understand about faith and culture.

Voting in Postmodern Times

In today’s postmodern culture, more than ever before, people want leaders who resonate with their feelings. “He says what I feel,” wrote a Christian voter for Trump.

We no longer live in the modern era where the main duty of leaders is to provide clarity and understanding of the issues with logic and reason and argument. We live in a time where a majority of people have become more feelers than thinkers. And they want their leaders to empathize.

This lesson was driven home to Queen Elizabeth II in the wake of the death of Princess Diana. It’s the central drama in the movie The Queen. Prime Minister Tony Blair gets it and tries to gently coach the Queen through this fundamental difference between the modern and postmodern worldview as this movie trailer shows so well.

“Show us you care!”

This is the heart cry of today’s electorate. To quote the 1976 movie Network, millions of Americans are “mad as hell and they’re not going to take it any more.” They want to vote for someone who resonates with their anger. Ben Carson believes that as the debate field narrows he’ll have more time to get his message out. But he doesn’t get it. Trump and Bernie and Cruz are currently riding this anger right up the polls.

Like Queen Elizabeth, the Democratic Party leaders who cleared the field for Hillary and the Republican party leaders who front-loaded all the money into Jeb Bush’s candidacy missed it.  Even though both candidates are extremely experienced and incredibly well networked, neither has the genuine emotional intensity that seems to resonate broadly with today’s voters. Compassionate Jeb looked like a teddy bear trying to be angry. Politically savvy Hillary keeps trying on personas and strategies that look increasingly inauthentic. Saturday Night Live nailed it:

Cruz resonates with the anger. At the rally he speaks of unleashing “America’s holy wrath upon the psychotic maniacs of ISIS…Enough of patty-cake.” He would end the military being a “cauldron of social experimentation.” Again and again the audience responded with standing o’s.

Voting as a Shrewd Thinker Rather Than a Frustrated Feeler

Rush Limbaugh has said that Ted Cruz is the truest conservative running for office since Ronald Reagan. Maybe. But what defined Reagan was not just his conservative ideals but his strength (“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”) drenched in optimism (“It’s morning in America”). And kindness. He did not come across as angry, mean-spirited or divisive. It concerns me that not one single other sitting senator has endorsed Cruz for president, whereas a half a dozen have endorsed Rubio.

Even more importantly, while today’s postmoderns want empathy, they are turned off by intolerance and divisiveness.

In his book unChristian David Kinnaman says, “The new generations are increasingly resistant to simplistic black-and-white views of the world. Nothing is simple. They esteem context, ambiguity, and tension. Often judgmental attitudes come across as overly simplified, old-fashioned, and out of step with their diverse world. With young people, how we communicate is as important as what we communicate [italics mine].”

We may be used to hearing the kind of red-meat language Cruz uses in our churches and Fox news, but it can sound too harsh and judgmental outside our Christian/conservative bubble.

In fact, when it comes to God talk or appealing directly to Christian conservative voters, recent election history shows that today’s postmoderns don’t want too much of it. They would elect a George W. Bush but not a Santorum or a Huckabee. There seems to be a kind of stained glass ceiling for evangelical candidates.

And this is what Rubio means, I think, when he says he can unite our party and win a general election.  You can’t help but see it in the difference between the two candidate’s rallies: Cruz brings in an older, whiter and more churched looking crowd. Marco’s rally looks more broadly appealing and inclusive.

His emotional tone is intense and frustrated but he’s not campaigning across the country with the kind of scorched-earth language and tone that wounds and offends. He is a rock-solid conservative who has voted against funding Planned Parenthood every time it’s come up in the Senate. He has a sterling record of support for pro-life, traditional marriage and religious liberty. The debates have shown he has a deep grasp of national security issues.

And he’s a winsome, likable guy. Ted Cruz has admitted he is not the kind of guy you might want to get a beer with, but he’s the kind of guy who will drive you safely home afterwards.  Again, in today’s culture likability is a huge factor. “Yuge.”

Marco’s faith is genuine, but he doesn’t always lead with it like Ted does. In his farewell address to the Florida House of Representatives he talked about God this way:

God is real.

God is real.

I don’t care what courts across this country say. I don’t care what laws we pass. God is real.

God is not some old man with a big white beard that just kind of hovers over the world and makes us feel good from time to time. God is a real force of love.

Let me tell you what a real force of love.

He loves every human being on earth. Whether you are an embryo or behind bars. He doesn’t care if you have a visa to behere legally in this country. He loves you.

He doesn’t care-please don’t take this wrong-he doesn’t care if you committed the most heinous act that violated the laws of man. He loves you.

He doesn’t care if you’re so small you can’t even see it but with a microscope. He loves you.

You have never met a human being that God does not love and you never, ever will. 

 

He recently responded to a question about faith here:

Transcript here

I have given up the early candidate of my heart, not Cruz I confess, to vote shrewd, vote for Rubio. I believe he can win in November. And the more I’ve watched him, the more he has become the candidate of my heart.

  • At this critical moment in the election, are you more concerned about who might be the ideal conservative? Are you more concerned about who might unite more people in our profoundly divided country and bring them together in November? You can’t hurt my feelings. The outcome rests in loving hands. Grace and peace to all. I’d really like to hear from you in the comments below…

 

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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68 thoughts on “Between Rubio and Cruz, Vote Shrewd: A Tale of Two Rallies

  1. Nice.
    And spot on: “Even more importantly, while today’s postmoderns want empathy, they are turned off by intolerance and divisiveness.”

  2. Have you been to any Carson events? The media seem never to mention him. I like everything he says, but I sure wish he could say it more powerfully! Would he be tied in knots in the general election???

    • I haven’t been to a Carson event, Sara Sue. My sense of it is that Carson is a fine man and perhaps a great candidate for modern times. But in this postmodern “show us you care” culture his calm, steady hand and thoughtful demeanor comes off as lacking enough emotional intensity to resonate broadly. He is running near the bottom in single digits here.

      We’ve had a terrific field of candidates from which to choose. I hope we see most of them in a new American leadership team. Especially Dr. Carson.

  3. Lael, I believe that both Cruz and Rubio have good points but I actually have more concerns over Rubio and his Gang of 8 past. Based on previous comments, Cruz is right about Rubio on Selective Service and the draft. Rubio changed his narrative after public backlash. Read this article to learn more: https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/02/if-rubio-is-telling-the-truth-these-people-are-lying

    I’ve met Marco Rubio and he is very likeable. He has a lot going for him but I am not sold on him yet. We must pray for our country and that the right man will be our nominee.

    • P.S. Sadly, Marco Rubio is running attack ads, too. Have you seen them? Everyone in this race is engaged in dirty politics. It’s disappointing. Carson has even gone negative. I suspect each one is desperate.

      We all need to study the candidates’ records -not just attend their events and make emotionally driven decisions, which is how too many decide…

      • John, I have not heard or seen nasty attack ads by Rubio. Not saying there aren’t any.

        I agree, we should make decisions based on evidence and reason as well as emotions. We should critique our emotions by running them through the grid of logic and reason. But I agree with Jonathan Edwards that “our affections are the spring of our actions. Very much so in the last 20 years. We can either deal with people the way we would like them to be or meet them where they are.

      • You need to know that most of those attacks adds are coming from Rubios PAC’s. I have tried to see who is approving them. there is one he approved I was sad about but he is still not as deep in the weeds as Cruz. I have been very disappointed in Cruz since the caucuses and primary’s have started. It feels like fear is driving him.

    • Thanks, John, for your thoughtful, respectful comment! I tend to agree with Reinhold Niebuhr as summarized by Dr. Wilfred McClay: “The true political leader balances conviction and opportunity at every turn, looks twenty steps ahead without losing sight of the snares that lie close by and cleaves to great goals while remaining prepared to revise them in light of the unknown. As such, he always runs the risk of seeming unprincipled to some and unrealistic to others: unprincipled because politics is the art of the possible, and great and noble things are not made possible simply by being stated loudly and emphatically; unrealistic because the possible is not static, and may well be changed and expanded by the actions of wise leaders.

      Standing unmoved on conservative principle has somewhat alienated Cruz’s Senate colleagues, especially when his operating style upholds principle at what seems like unnecessary cost. It’s all in how you uphold principle. For example, he declared he would stop all nominees for State Department posts unless President Obama promised to block any United Nations Security Council resolution approving the Iranian nuclear deal. What were the chances of that? It just meant we have stumbled along without ambassadors to Norway or Sweden for years. Which matters little unless you are a Swedish-American or Norwegian-American trying to do business in Sweden or Norway and petitioning Congress again and again for help.

  4. Men and women think differently. I think the “touchy-feely, let me know you care, I feel your pain” description you give of the electorate is the same problem with the Church. It has led to an impotent, conflict-averse Church. It has now created a preference for touchy-feely, conflict-averse political candidates. It’s a bit tiresome having people tell me “Vote for candidate X because he’s more electable.” Sentiments of “Electability” are so subjective and fickle that they are nearly pointlesd. God will not hold me accountable for who gets elected, but he will hold me accountable for how I voted. So, as Ted Cruz is the most principled conservative, and expresses a political philosophy most closely aligned with our founding principles, and he is completely qualified to be president he has my vote. (Yes, I’m aware the reasons I’ve given appear to be subjective qualifications, but they are informed by objective data.)

    • Amen, Chris Brownwell. I feel sadness as I look at the America I love and see a nation that due to not wanting to think has perhaps become a nation that no longer knows how to think.

        • The fact that Ted Cruz has no one in the Senate to endorse him makes me all the more for him. He has backbone! He has been the one candidate to stand firm for what is right…even when it’s unpopular. The strongest conservatives…Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck all agree. The 3 of them have talked about conservativism for years. They know what a conservative looks like and they believe he’s the strongest conservative since Ronald Reagan. Rubio was a part of the Gang of 8. He chose to chum up with liberals to endanger our country. How can you deny that? I personally would be less worried about someone not getting an endorsement from the Senate, and a lot more worried about someone who does! With a 9% approval rating, I want my candidate to be a man who wants to please the people who hired him, not the Washington cartel!

          • Christy, either you believe Rubio, that…
            …”The Senate immigration law was not headed toward becoming law”
            …that Ideally “it was headed towards the House where conservative members of the House were going to make it even better”
            …And that “It was the best we could do given the fact of who was running the Senate at the time”
            …or you don’t. We simply disagree. But thank you for respectfully engaging.

    • Right on. Feelings and emotions are inferior to logic and reason. You need to listen to your feelings and emotions, and ‘gut decisions’ but in truth you can be led astray by emotions. You know what voters are doing that? Trump voters! Trump has used many well-known PR tactics, media messages that lock on self-promotion and has gotten many people emotionally invested in his campaign, when LOGICALLY if they looked at it would realize he has many flaws and is not the best candidate.
      So deciding one candidate on the basis of how he connects based on feelings is similarly a subjective touchy-feely-based conclusion that could easily lead you astray, picking the guy who can ‘fake sincerity’ better than the logical candidate.

      • Good point Patrick. We desperately need logic, reason and evidence to understand and apply truth. I wrote this piece to make the case that many in our culture (including evangelicals) decide on the basis of feelings (He says what I feel.) I’m not happy about it, but if we understand the times we acknowledge it and understand why it is the case. If it is then thinking people need to take that into account when we consider the “bottom line–who wins.”

        Cruz channels the outrage, but I believe Rubio better channels the underlying desire for tolerance and not so much divisiveness that’s mixed with the outrage.

  5. I wasn’t there so I can’t really speak to your observations with any integrity as they are your opinion. Since you are obviously a feeler, I can’t help but wonder what other extemporaneous stimuli colored your perceptions. Maybe you had an argument with a loved one before you went to Cruz’s rally. The sun wasn’t out, that certainly taints moods.

    For the record us thinkers are still here and maybe if people emoted less and thought more they might make wiser choices. It’s easier to manipulate people’s emotions than it is their brains. Unless people can’t think, reason, or generally look at cause and effect and make sound correlations. That’s why Trump is still in the race.

    • Hi Tim, thanks so much for responding. Actually, according to my Myers-Briggs profile I’m a bonafide thinker. See my post Jesus Calling: More Thinkers Needed in Today’s Culture. I’m glad you’re still there. I am too. I’m making the case that as thinkers we need to understand the times so we will know what to do–in this case, vote.

      I’m trying, in part, to encourage fellow-thinkers to vote shrewdly for a candidate that can build more consensus in a culture with more feelers than thinkers. Even if another candidate is the candidate of our hearts. I’ve tried to let my thinking as a teacher of faith and culture lead, rather than my heart.

      I wrote a post recently on how our pre-rational perceptions shape our decisions more than we realize. (Following Jesus: What really shapes our decision and desire.) I’m trying to speak to that process where, more often than we realize, we subconsciously attach to an opinion or decision before we engage our reason, but we are not captive to that process. We can critically analyze our choice. Hope this clarifies.

      • Oh snap!!! Thanks for responding to Tim so eloquently…. and cerebrally. I love your posts and your intellect, Lael! And you play a mean game of scrabble, too!!!

        • Thanks Valerie. So Tim is a friend of yours? Please give him a personal hello from me. As for Scrabble, I’m glad for a rematch where you can wax me again. Stay warm up there!

      • I’m sorry but this is still circular logic.

        Cruz won Iowa, ergo he connected better. Trump has biggest rallies, won 2 states, ergo he connects better. You have a subjective experience where Rubio hit a home run, ergo he connects better. I’ve seen Cruz answer questions from liberals and connect and persuade impressively, ergo he connects better. And I’ve seen similar with Rubio. Styles are different, but both a good in their own way. It’s subjective until you ask the bottom line – who wins.

        I could come up with 10 reasons why one or the other is better. Cruz has had some debate home runs, and Rubio ‘mailfunctioned’ like a robot in one debate.

        The argument about connecting with culture is well taken, hence the Cruz ad on Clinton (office space parody) went into the culture. So also with Cruz’ responses to Trump, when called a ‘maniac’, he tweeted a Flashdance video.

    • The logic in that idea, would be for every senator to go along with a bill that they disagree with in hopes that the house would “clean it up”. That’s just not backbone to me. And that to me is just throwing the dice and hoping for the best. This is not backbone.

  6. I disagree with the opinions this writer holds about the personality, character, and electibility of Rubio and Cruz. I haven’t met Cruz but I have met Rubio. He was not friendly, but had that plastic facial smile that will crack if stretched much farther. He was rude and avoided directly answering the few questions he took from the audience. And he is still favors a track to amnesty and citizenship for ILLEGAL immigrants. Cruz is my man for president. In my opinion, Cruz is the shrewd choice.

  7. It seems that the media doesn’t give all of the candidates the same coverage. Perhaps some are behind because voters don’t hear what they have to say such as Carson and Kasich. Those who are more extreme get the news.

    • Thanks for your comment, Rebecca. No doubt, with so many candidates and the challenge to cover them all, the media is more involved in narrowing the field this year. I wish they had just split the field and had two randomly decided, back to back debates. They probably didn’t think the voters could pay attention that long. I liked what CNN did last night and is doing again tonight–dividing the field and questioning them one on one. Really helps you get to know the candidates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-dWADdA7WA

  8. Thank you for your report … It is fair and I will tell you I voted for Marco on Tuesday by absentee ballet. I believe that his heart and his conviction to speak the truth with a kindness means as much to me as any amount of experience deficit that others accuse him of having and /or immature knowledge about the issues.. Is he perfect? Of course not, but his strong character shines brightly and he will lead this country to be great again! He is honorable and he is trustworthy and he will and HAS surrounded himself with the right people.. I pray God’s favor be on him and that the people will see and discern that Marco Rubio would be the best choice for President!! To God be the Glory!!

  9. A. W. Tozer once wrote about the “warm voice of the prophet” and the “cold voice of the scribe.” I too hear in Marco Rubio the “warm voice of the prophet.” With a couple of exceptions, the other leading candidates have that coldness, hardness, harshness, shrillness of voice, which can only be an extension of heart-condition (in this particular season, anyway). I love Marco’s heart. He has won me over as well. May God grant us a president “after God’s own heart.” Open our eyes, Lord.

  10. This is a great post. I haven’t been to a Cruz rally, but my wife and I have both attended Rubio rallies, though unfortunately not at the same time. One of the things she commented on immediately was the great diversity of age in the crowd. I noticed the same thing at the one I attended. I am convinced that Rubio truly has the best shot at not only uniting the Republican party (as much as it can be united) but at also attracting new, diverse people to the conservative movement.

    I also love the way that he seems to view Christianity not as a voting block to be exploited and mobilized, but as a faith to be practiced that informs every area of life and policy. I’m personally tired of being pandered to.

    • Thanks Mark. Yes, I agree. It’s interesting what the actual boots-on-the-ground rallies show us. And I too so appreciate the way he handles his faith. Bold. But not as much God-talk.

  11. So appreciate your thoughts here. The Biblical mandate to be a good citizen wbere God has placed you makes it difficult to imagine a situation where not voting is not sinful. Do we believe that God actually cares about the winner of the election? Of course. It is a stewardship as important as that iver money. Learn the issues (no one should be willfully ignorant on anything up for a vote, ever). Face reality. Pray deeply. Plan accordingly. Vote strategically.

    • Thanks Brent. It has never been easier to get to know a candidate and learn what he believes. Simply go to the issues pages on their websites.

  12. The biggest problem I see today is that we have completely forgotten that our Nation was conceived to protect individual rights and property. The Constitution was written to prevent people in government from deciding what is best for us. All we hear today is what the government needs to get done but in our system the whole point is to prevent the government from getting things done so that we the people can do the things we want to do. Our Representatives are simply supposed to protect our freedom and property NOT regulate and redistribute them. Congress is not supposed to be a clearing house of money, goods and services redistributed for personal and corporate welfare in exchange for votes. I want a Constitutionalist and a return to public service instead of public management. We are surrendering our freedom, our greatness, for Statism and if we do not return to the Constitution and its limits on the power of people in government we will continue to fall further into debt, economic and social slavery and ultimately chaos.

  13. This is a very thoughtful, penetrating reflection. You leave us curious who the first candidate of your heart was. But you clearly have a discerning heart.

  14. Actually, I don’t think Cruz is more conservative than Rubio. There are different views in conservatism that are equally valid. For example, Cruz votes against budgets with Rand Paul and with many Democrats. They have different approaches to foreign policies. Cruz also supports a VAT style penalty that leading conservatives disagree with. Whose position on these issues is the conservative one? I actually think Rubio consistently aligns with traditional conservative thought on these issues, contrary to Cruz. The reason most consider Cruz as more conservative is because of their difference over how to deal with illegal immigration. But there is no one conservative way to deal with this problem. Both of their proposals are equally within the mainstream of conservatism.

    • The Gang of 8 bill was written by Chuck Schumer. It was written in a way so Obama would sign it, and give 12 million amnesty and a ‘path to citizenship’.
      It was not remotely conservative.
      Sen Marco Rubio signed on to sell the bill to conservatives. He failed. Conservatives like Sen Lee, Sen Sessions and Sen Cruz fought uphill against the bill. They had the conservative position.

      Trump is a candidate today in large part because of the attempt to sell a liberal bill to conservatives. Trump is the reaction of many in the base to the attempt to ‘sell’ a sellout that incentivizes more illegal immigration.

      Cruz is a far better candidate than Trump, and one who is better also than Rubio because Cruz has been consistently against amnesty, while Rubio has been for it.

      • Did he also sign up in hopes of shaping the bill to be acceptable to conservatives? There is far more to being the better candidate than who has been the most pure on the issue of immigration. I stand by my final question: Are you more concerned about who might be the ideal conservative or who might unite more people in our profoundly divided country and bring them together in November?

        • Wow, I am shocked by this post. Is your question supposed to be a rhetorical question? With all due respect it is a quite ridiculous question. When I stand before the judgement seat to give an account for all I’ve done, I don’t think the Lord’s going to want to know if I voted for the candidate that would “unite more people in our profoundly divided country”, but more likely “did you pray and fast and vote for the candidate that would lead this nation back to me?” Is all we really care about who can win in November? If everyone votes that way, what kind of candidate will we get?!

  15. Great article! I shared it on FB in a few places. You nailed it! And btw, you decided to vote for the right person. God bless! 🙂

  16. Hi Lael,

    I think you are saying in the main that Marco Rubio is more electable. So, let’s get someone up there who can win against the Democrats. Marco maybe the man!

    However, I’m really not sure where you are going with “Rubio’s faith is genuine”. If you mean that he has a faith and believes it to be true then what’s new everyone seems to have some sort of faith?

    If you mean by “genuine” that he has genuine Christian faith then I would take great exception. Marco Rubio is a Roman Catholic. He has the faith of a Roman Catholic. It is real, genuine, sincere, and he is not afraid to say it. But it is not Christian.

    Certainly posting Rubio’s “god is real” speech is mis-leading. His understanding of God is influenced by his Roman Catholic faith. There are a lot of religions who would affirm “god is real”. They would affirm “god is in control.” This would be their genuine faith. But “god talk” is not the essence of Christianity.

    Your post gives the impression that Rubio shares his “Christianity” better than others. The truth is that Rubio is better at using “god talk” than others.

    It would have been better leaving out the entire “man of faith” concept. Rubio may be the best conservative candidate. He may utilize “god talk” better than others. But at the end of the day he is a Roman Catholic through and through. His sincere and winsome “god talk” should not be confused with Christianity. Where is there room for the real gospel when eloquent “god talk” is promoted as such a good thing? Certainly the Word of God has no use for “god talk” even if it comes in contact, at some point, with Christian truth.

    • Rob, I always appreciate a good theological dialogue with you. Seems like Rubio has fairly deep involvement in both the Catholic and the Baptist church. His profession that Jesus is his Lord and Savior, “the ultimate Passover lamb…[who] didn’t cover our sins but completely erased them” sounds genuine to me.

      Even at night, lying in bed, God often brings you both to mind and I pray God’s healing touch for Nancy.

  17. Powerful message. I agree with every word you said. I can listen to every word Marco says and agree with him. He is the kind of man I want to see win this election. His family is the most important part of his life. This country needs a person who will bring back the morals we need. People of all ages are using drugs and committing crimes that is ruining this country. we need a strong person like Marco Rubio in the White House.

    I can not vote for a Ted Cruz. He is a dirty player who uses his bible to try to make his self to look good. It is not working for me.

    • Who says Cruz is a dirty player – his competitors! I am very disgusted that Rubio and Trump have been calling Cruz a liar. If you look closely at the issues, Cruz has just been pointing out competing candidates’ own positions. I am sorry the negative rhetoric has been so effective with evangelicals. I will be voting ‘CRUBIO” – Cruz or Rubio, or heck, even Trump! I understand how critical this election is and that rhetoric will be rampant, I’m just concerned that candidates will be so poisoned that people will not vote because no one is perfect.

      Also, re: your paragraph ‘no senator will support Cruz’ …Cruz has stood up to his own team by shedding sunlight upon their actions. Ted Cruz called Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, a liar on the Senate floor because McConnell lied to Cruz to garner his support on an issue. It took guts and strength. No wonder he ruffled some feathers – we need more senators like that.

      Also, I am very curious why you omitted the ‘yuuge’ issue of immigration. Illegal immigration has the potential to destroy the Republican party and our nation. It is very hard to trust Rubio after the gang of 8 debacle.

  18. America is doomed. Nonsense like this will prevail over LOGIC and COMMON SENSE.

    When the Globalists take over completely with One World Government maybe you’ll remember you had a CHOICE.

    And NEITHER Cruz nor Rubio are concerned about AMERICA – only their globalist donors and open borders ideology.

    • Alyr, I’m all about logic and reason (scroll down to see my comment on being a Myers-Briggs thinker, not a feeler). But we have to understand the postmodern times and meet people where they are, not where we wish they would be. Thanks for engaging.

  19. Why didn’t you include a stump speech by Ben Carson? I would be interested in hearing what he has to say as I plan on voting for him as our next president.

    • Hi Jon, Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I deeply appreciate Ben Carson. He is an outstanding believer who has brought fresh ideas to our political discussion. I love the ads he’s been running here in SC. But he shows his lack of experience in the debates, often seeming out of his depth. More than that, I believe he is out of synch with our postmodern times. His soft-spokenness and gentleness lack the emotional intensity that voters are responding to. He is running dead last.

      As Jesus said, he has sent us out in the midst of wolves. What an apt description of politics especially! I regret to say it, but I think that to vote for Ben Carson at this point is to be a “child of the light,” as Jesus said, who is “innocent as a dove,” but not “shrewd as a serpent.” Additionally, it is in effect giving a vote to Donald Trump.

    • Carson is not a serious candidate at this time, despite last place finishes and candidates doing better than him dropping out, he is staying in. He will get no delegates and no support, and is staying in solely to raise more money. You should not encourage his vanity campaign with your vote.

      “The fact that he continues to stay in despite having literally zero chance of winning or even having a decent bargaining position in the farflung event of a brokered convention verifies what I have been saying about Carson’s campaign for months – that he is building a fundraising/email list to sell to the highest bidder, and also trying to help his own book sales.”

      http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/02/21/every-day-carson-remains-race-proof-campaign-scam/

      • I hope he suspends his campaign, but I don’t see it as a vanity ploy. He seems to have a deep sense of responsibility to the people who recruited him to run. He has a message for the good of the country he wants to use his campaign platform to promote. But at what price? Electing Trump?

  20. We just started the primaries and am wondering why we only get information about a few candidates from the media? I am interested in what Ben Carson has to say, he is a brilliant man with a fantastic story. He is honest, has integrity and has proven himself a leader. I would please ask the media outlets and bloggers to include ALL the candidates in this important discussion of who will be the next president of the free (so far) world, and not just the darlings of the media.
    I personally want our next president to be a statesman, not a politician. Thank you.

  21. I must admit I was very surprised at what I’ve read in your article. Ted Cruz is a person who has not already voted on the right side of crucial issues but has fought in the courtroom for the same time and time again. Are you saying that loud music, a non-nasal tone of voice, a lack of “an older, whiter and more churched looking crowd” among other trivial things has given Rubio an edge with you? I want to point something out. Ted Cruz is Hispanic, I am Hispanic, and neither one of us is offended by an older, whiter, churched crowd. His father came to this country and my family and I came to this country of “white, churched people” because it is these people that have made these United States different from the rest of the world by welcoming everyone here to enjoy what they have enjoyed. I’d rather a candidate that says he’d the guy that would drive everyone home after a night of drinking. I like it that he is fed up and is unapologetic about it. I like it that he draws a mature crowd that isn’t looking for someone that resonates with their feelings. This is about the policies that are going to make America great again, not a popularity contest. Quite frankly, I could not believe what I was reading in your article.

    • Thanks for your thoughts Hope. I am not writing about my own inclinations here. I am a thinker. Line up the reason and evidence and convince me! But we live in postmodern times. I am commenting on how to understand these times and connect with today’s audience. I predicted Jeb would go down because he is not as in synch with the times. I thought it from the first debate I watched. He didn’t have the emotional intensity. And when he tried to project frustration/anger it seemed inauthentic.

      I predicted that Trump would rise. I’m not happy about it. But if we understand postmodernism and life becoming entertainment we can expect it. I believe that what will succeed is some combination of empathy, emotional intensity–both anger/frustration and compassion and tolerance. Divisiveness is out. Inclusion is in.

  22. Oh this article is excellent ! And so, so very true. Spot on. I have said so many of these same words. I agree. I however, never had a good feeling about Ted Cruz & after his lies & dirty tricks in his campaign were exposed, I knew then why I never had a good feeling about him. I love Marco Rubio & I’m campaigning for him like nobody’s business. I pray for him, his family & campaign daily. I heard him speak a few years ago & something leaped in my spirit. I said then, this man needs to run for President. A few months later I heard him again, & my spirit leaped again. I thought, WOW, he really needs to run for President ! So when I heard he was running I was ecstatic. I prayed, researched, have watched every debate & town hall meeting, went to one of Marco’s rally’s just a few days ago in Franklin, TN where there was 5000 people. I wanted to make sure the feeling I had about him, just wasn’t emotions. It wasn’t. He is the real deal in every way. Such a breath of fresh air. I believe with my whole heart he is ordained by God for such a time as this. Every good thing you said about Rubio, I say ditto & then some. I am so excited to be campaigning for him for every reason. He’s the most electable. The best man for the job. The only one I believe, that can beat Trump. And then, the only one that can beat Hillary or Bernie. I was so glad to read your article because I was just telling someone last week about how I heard Cruz lie about Rubio several times & one example I gave was the one you gave about drafting women. Anyway, I didn’t mean to write so much. The thing that bothers me the most about Cruz is, that while he’s telling his lies he does it while swinging the Bible around & hiding behind it & I can’t stand it. So here’s to Rubio. He has to win to stop Trump, Hillary or Bernie. And also to turn this Country around. God
    Bless.

  23. As the campaign moves on I’m disappointed in how the rhetoric has crossed the bright red line of decency: https://maxlucado.com/decency-for-president/

    I understand the campaign strategy to try to dislodge Trump voters by attacking and discrediting him “in their language.”

    But it’s sad. So much is lost. America is great because America is good. Our goodness is sinking beneath a rising tide of crude name-calling and vulgar innuendo.

    Neal Gabler (Life the Movie) was prophetic: “If the primary effect of the media has been to turn nearly everything into entertainment, the secondary and ultimately more significant effect has been to force nearly everything to turn itself into entertainment in order to attract media attention.”

    From Faith and Culture: “In the Entertainment culture, the gold standard of personal value is no longer moral virtue or even significant accomplishment, but whether or not a person can grab and then hold the public’s attention. And since what grabs and holds attention is fear and pleasure, those elite few who learn how to manipulate fear and pleasure attain the status of dreams: celebrity.”

    Is there any way to compete with Trump’s celebrity? That is really what Rubio and Cruz are up against. The next two weeks will show us whether a majority of voters are ready to install an Entertainer-in-Chief, substance and policy be hanged.