Iowa is Rubio Country

[UWS]

rest in peace, my friend.

It's not dead. It is unlocked. I just now have to replace the images in question.

[UWS]

But isn't THAAD only capable of targeting missiles and aircraft?

Right. So it will be MGM-140 ATACMS, for example.

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
March 2023, Part 1

March 1 :
-President Rubio hosts Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House where they discussed about economic ties, human rights, democracy, fight against AIDS, foreign policy and trade negotiations on a possible free trade agreement between the United States and Africa, which as the U.S. President argued, in order to convince Buhari to ratify, would allow Nigeria to become energy independent thanks to further transmission of American energy sector skills through imports of U.S. oil and energy partnerships between the 2 countries, which would make a step forward Africa's energy independence, development and prosperity.

March 2 :
-Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse holds a rally in Plainview, Nebraska to announce his presidential candidacy in 2024.

March 4 :
-180 000 new jobs were created in the United States in February according to a new jobs report.

March 6-7 :
-In the context of territorial claims in the Arctic, a Russian warship seized a Norwegian oil tanker in the north of Russian Archipelago of Novaya Zemlya in the Barents Sea.

-President Rubio and his allies were quick to condemn Russia's attitude in the Arctic as well as the capture of the Norwegian oil tanker by the Russian navy, labeling Moscow's move as « bullying, disturbing and outrageous ». The next day, The United States and their allies adopted further economic and diplomatic sanctions on Russia's navy sector in order to diminish Moscow's military power and on the Russian oil sector to aweaken their energy power.

March 9 :
-President Rubio declares that the crisis in the Brents Sea will be a major topic in the next Arctic Council in May to make sure that the United States and their allies around the Arctic will reiterate their pledge to stand up to Russia's agression and expansionist rhetoric.

March 10 :
-The MGM-140 ATACMS(DPAA) announced today the remains of at least 3 servicemen, killed during the battle of Midway in World War II, are being returned to the United States in an Honorable Carry Ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

March 12 :
-President Rubio flies to Seattle, Washington, where he gives a speech Seattle's candidacy to hold the 2030 Winter Olympics, citing America's greatness, exceptionalism, prosperity, openness and dynamism. He promises the development of all the necessary infrastructure to make the 2030 Winter Olympics in Seattle spectacular, dynamic and successful thanks to the Rubio Administration's move to invest a part of budget surpluses into the development of new infrastructures. The selection of the host city by the International Olympic Committee will be decided on July 2023.

March 13 :
-The U.S. launched MGM-140 ATACMS missiles recently deployed in Jordan on an ISIS training base located in the south of the Syrian city of As-Sukhnah, killing all the 81 jihadists present there.

March 14 :
-President Rubio hosts Burmese President Win Myint at the White House where Myint praised the U.S. President's leadership and success to handle North Korea's nuclear threat and to get North Korea to denuclearize and to bring peace in the Korean peninsula. Reminding that Myanmar once sided with North Korea, including on nuclear armament, and that the former dictatorial military regime in Myanmar cooperated with Pyongyang on nuclear issues with the goal of a nuclear weapons program of Myanmar in order to scare off the regime's foes, including the United States, Myint expressed his pride that Myanmar now stands in the right side of history by cutting military ties with North Korea through the 2011–2015 Myanmar political reforms. The two leaders expressed their optimism on the upcoming U.S.-North Korea Summit in Saigon and reiterated their pledge and determination to restore peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and to work hard to make sure that the ratification of an arms control treaty between the United States and North Korea will get the world to the accomplishment of that goal.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It seems UWS and me reached an understanding, so this thread is unlocked.

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

It’s a good thread! But was wondering will Rubio’s popularity be a boost to Haley, or is she going to stake a more independent status, so she can establish herself as her own agent as she prepares to run in 2024?

[Conservatopia]

It’s a good thread! But was wondering will Rubio’s popularity be a boost to Haley, or is she going to stake a more independent status, so she can establish herself as her own agent as she prepares to run in 2024?

I hope not.  That was a mistake that Gore made.

[PRESIDENT STANTON]

It sure was! But that being said, it’s very easy to forget, that Clinton’s Impeachment travails & the whole Monica Lewinsky saga compelled Gore to distance himself from Clinton! If it were not for that you can bet Gore would’ve taken a far different approach! However Haley might have more flexibility & embrace Rubio when it’s necessary, but stake out a more independent campaign when required! Be less like Nixon & more like Bush in other words! Rubio accept whatever role Haley creates! Judging from the thread, Rubio comes across as that pragmatic! It would be a kicker should Haley win, she makes Rubio Secretary of State! Just saying!

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
March 2023, Part 2

March 16 :

(Own creation - modification)
-President Rubio hosts Namibian President Hage Geingob at the White House where they discussed about economic ties, human rights, democracy, fight against AIDS, foreign policy and trade negotiations on a possible free trade agreement between the United States and Africa, which as the U.S. President argued, in order to convince Buhari to ratify, would make Namibia Africa's top uranium producer and exporter through an increase of U.S. investment into the development of new energy infrastructures and through a transmission of energy knowledge.

March 18 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRCTTxjG-WM
-Raytheon officially announces that the development of the long-range missile for the U.S. Army’s Precision Strike Missile requirement named the deep strike missile system is completed. The system will fire two missiles from a single weapons pod. The new missile also flies farther and has a better guidance system than current equipment. The system will be tested somewhere in the Persian Gulf.

March 20 :

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dole#/media/File:Bob_Dole,_PCCWW_photo_portrait.JPG
-At 7 pm, in his house in Russel, Kansas, Bob Dole, World War II veteran, former U.S. Representative, former Kansas Senator, 1976 Republican vice-presidential nominee, former Senate Republican Leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee, passed away due to a prostate cancer at the age of 99. His family mourns his passing. President Rubio gave his condolences to the Dole family and a tribute to Senator Dole, praising him on his military service and his long public service to the nation.

March 22 :

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KDM_Absalon_(L16)_underway_in_the_Atlantic_Ocean_off_the_coast_of_Greenland_on_16_August_2019_(190816-N-TJ319-1251).JPG
-In the context of territorial claims in the Arctic and Russia's seizure of a Norwegian oil tanker in the Brents Sea 2 weeks ago, the Danish Navy seized a Russian oil tanker at the Denmark Strait, at the South-East of Greenland as a form of sanction against Russia's expansionist and bullying attitude in the Arctic.

March 23-24 :

(Own creation - modification)
-Iran completed the shut down of the Esfahan Nuclear Technology Centre.

-President Rubio responded to that accomplishment by declaring that this step by Iran will ensure the success of the upcoming US-North Korea summit in Saigon to get the world to nuclear security.

March 26 :

(Own creation - modification)
-President Rubio hosts Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the White House where they showed their solidarity towards each other's countries and their allies around the Arctic by condemning Russia's seizing of the Norwegian oil tanker in the Brents Sea and declared that the Russian oil tanker seized by the Danish Navy in Greenland will not be released as long as the Norwegian oil tanker is not released.

March 27 :

Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_National_Cathedral#/media/File:WashingtonNationalCathedralHighsmith15393v.jpg
-President Rubio attends Bob Dole's funeral at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C. where he gives a eumology to Dole, honoring his military service in Europe during World War II and his 35-year public service in Congress and his leadership as Senate Republican Leader to get laws passed such as the Reagan tax cuts and the INF Treaty. He also reminded the audience that as a university student he campaigned for Dole's 1996 campaign in Miami-Dade County because of his experience to get things done and his patriotism. The President wishes for Dole, after sacrificing so much for his country throughout his long life, to rest in peace.

March 29 :

(Own creation - modification)
-Secretary of State Lindsey Graham meets Kim Jong-un in Pyeongyang to prepare the US-North Korea summit scheduled for early April in Saigon, in Vietnam. They discussed issues such as nuclear security as well as possible government reform in North Korea, possible opening of the North Korean economy to the world and an increase of ties with South Korea to proceed towards a potential reunification of the peninsula.

March 30 :

(Own creation - modification)
-During a press conference at the White House, President Rubio praised Secretary Graham's visit in Pyeongyang and his move to bring up the possibility of political reform in North Korea, an opening of the North Korean economy to the rest of the world and a reinforcement of the relations between the South and the North to reunite the 2 Koreas. He declares that this will likely depend on a successful summit in Saigon next week to ratify an arms control treaty that would definitely denuclearize North Korea, reminding the reporters that the ratification of the INF Treaty by Ronald Reagan and Mikhael Gorbatchev in 1987 gave the advantage to the U.S. in the Cold War through the shutdown of Soviet land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and missile launchers, which eventually led the Soviet Union to political and economic reform as well as the reunification of West Germany and East Germany into one and unified Germany.

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
April 2023, Part 1

April 1 :

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=department+of+energy&title=Special%3ASearch&go=Go&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Seal_of_the_U.S._Department_of_Energy.png
-Secretary of Energy Harold Hamm gives a press conference at the White House where he announces that the Rubio Administration is about to establish a plan to expand the production of biomasse for the sake of economic growth and the solidification of America's status as first energy producer in the world and the improvement of America's ecological footprint through a reduction of gas emissions.

April 2 :

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_One#/media/File:Air_Force_One_over_Mt._Rushmore.jpg
-President Rubio starts his foreign tour in the Asia-Pacific region in which the so-awaited US-North Korea Summit in Saigon will be held.

April 3 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRCTTxjG-WM
-The U.S. Army successfully tested deep strike missile system firing two missiles from a single weapons pod on an artificial island in the Persian Gulf as the new military system destroyed its target there. This new weapon system is now ready to enter service.

April 4 :

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Merdeka+Presidential+Palace&title=Special%3ASearch&go=Go&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:IstanaMerdekaFront.jpg
-President Rubio arrives in Jakarta, Indonesia where he meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo with whom he discussed issues such as trade, economic ties, military cooperation between their 2 countries, nuclear security and the upcoming US-North Korea summit.

April 6 :

Source : https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5061149F-F0E3-4FF5-B4AC-C6E2AD09B785
-President Rubio arrives in Taiwan, becoming the first U.S. President in office since Dwight Eisenhower to visit Taiwan. He meets Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen with whom he discussed issues such as economic and trade ties, defense cooperation, China and North Korea. Ing-wen declares Taiwan's intention to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership while President Rubio declares that China's repressive actions in Hong Kong (especially those that occured a few years ago) as well as its agression towards its neighbors in the South China Sea and incursions into Taiwan are a reminder of the need to strengthen Taiwan's ability and right to defend itself, which is why the United States will keep bringing military assistance to Taiwan through arms deals and will also sale not only Appache helicopters and naval cruisers but also nuclear submarines.

April 7 :
-The most recent jobs report indicates that 187 000 new jobs were created in America in March 2023, bringing the unemployment rate to 2.4 %.

April 8 :
-President Rubio and the First Lady arrive in Seoul, South Korea where they meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The two leaders discussed notably of the upcoming US-North Korea summit in Saigon and expressed their hopes for an eventual reunifited Korean peninsula after North Korea procedes towards political reform and economic opening to the rest of the world economy.

April 9 :

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=carlos+lopez-cantera&title=Special:Search&go=Go&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Carlos_Lopez-Cantera.jpg
-Florida Senator Carlos Lopez-Cantera and New Mexico Senator Tom Udall co-sponsored the Sugar Subsidies Act that would encourage sugar production through subsidies to sugar businesses to boost agricultural activities as well as economic growth and to strengthen national security due to a reduction of dependence towards sugar foreigners « who will starve us until we surrender to ISIS or something like that », Senator Lopez-Cantera declared. The Senate will hold a vote on that bill on April 17 while the House will do the same on April 26.


Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nguy%E1%BB%85n_Ph%C3%BA_Tr%E1%BB%8Dng#/media/File:Nguy%E1%BB%85n_Ph%C3%BA_Tr%E1%BB%8Dng_092916_(cropped).jpg
-President Rubio and the First Lady arrive in Saigon where they meet Vietnamese President Nguyễn Phú Trọng who declared, during their joint press conference, that despite being led by a communist government Vietnam has went on to open its economy to the rest of the world and hopes that North Korea will do the same after the US-North Korea summit that will be held tomorrow in Saigon.

April 11-12 :

(Own creation - modification)
-President Rubio meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Saigon, Vietnam in the context of the so-waited US-North Korea Summit. During this summit, the two leaders ratified the Nuclear Peace and Security Treaty, an arms control treaty aiming the nuclear disarmament of North Korea through the ban of North Korean land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and missile launchers and the use of nuclear energy only for the sake of economic development, thus further strengthening peace, stability and security in the Korean peninsula and in the Pacific. In exchange, the United States declared that they're going to support Pyongyang's access to the WTO, which requires North Korea to open its economy to the rest of the world.

April 13 :
-International leaders react positively the success of the US-North Korea Summit held yesterday, praising the effects of the ratification of the Nuclear Peace and Security Treaty, including North Korea's denuclearization, strong progress towards global nuclear security and the opening of North Korea's economy to the rest of the world which, as many leaders declared, will eventually lead to political reform in Pyongyang and to expanded freedom there.

[Huey Long is a Republican]

I made a TVTropes Page for this Timeline because I do think it deserves it. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/IowaisRubioCountry

I'm not going to look through all 57 pages for examples of tropes but I think there are plenty of them in Timelines. If UWS requests it to go down though, I'll delete the page. Also, please, no trolling.

[UWS]

CNN BREAKING NEWS

„SPECIAL COVERAGE“

„THE U.S./NORTH KOREA SUMMIT“

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

It's 9pm April 12th 2023 in Washington, 2am April 13th in London, 3am in Berlin and 11am in Hong Kong. I'm Wolf Blitzer and we welcome our Viewers in the United States and around the World for our „CNN Special Coverage The U.S./North Korea Summit“. I'm here at the famous Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong with a whole host of CNN Panelists reporting on what happened over the last two Days in Saigon, Vietnam.

CNN PLAYS THE BREAKING NEWS INTRO

Source(s) : (Own Creation - modification); (Own Creation - modification)

Over the past 48 Hours the United States & North Korg[ea and theirgur.com/IdOf6yG.jp respective Leaders President Rubio and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un together with their Delegations have met in the long awaited United States/North Korea Summit in Saigon, Vietnam. The two Leaders discussed important matters in archieving Peace & Prosperity in the Korean Peninsula, ratified an Nuclear Peace & Security Treaty and signed an arms control treaty aiming at disarming North Korea from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles as well as missile launchers and using its Nuclear Power only for Economic Development. For the latest Developments we sent now to our CNN Chief White House Correspondent Michelle Kosinski who is with the President in Saigon. Michelle, any more late Developments over there?

Michelle Kosinski, „CNN Chief White House Correspondent“ reporting from Saigon, Vietnam

Source(s) : (Own Creation - modification); (Own Creation - modification)

Good Morning Wolf! Business between the two Leaders wrapped up here in Saigon late last Night after an 8-Hour long Discussion amongst themselves and their Delegations and the signings of the Treaty's. This is quite an historic moment not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for the entire Asia-Pacific Region. President Rubio pledged that he will do everything he can to help & support North Koreas Economic Development over the next year and a half until his Term ends. This Summit was quite unique also as President Rubio was accompanied by his entire National Security Team, Secretary of State Lindsay Graham, National Security Adviser Dina Powell & Vice President Nikki R. Haley raising the the hopes of future Summits beyond his Presidency. Mr. Rubio & Mr. Kim will have a Luncheon with their Vietnamese Host Nguyễn Phú Trọng before the President plans to fly back to Washington. It's unclear if he makes a short trip to Japan to brief Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on these latest Developments or flies directly back to the United States via Anchorage, Alaska. Back to your in Hong Kong Wolf!

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Thank You Michelle! Well, we have quite a unique setting here in Hong Kong too. Joining me now to discuss is former Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta, CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent Christiane Amanpour, former Obama Admistration Official Jen Psaki as well as Kristie Lou Stout who is the leading Anchor of CNN Asia here in Hong Kong. My 1st Question goes to Kristie: This is quite an extraordinary Development, isn't it?

Kristie Lu Stout, Chief Anchor „CNN Hong Kong & CNN Asia“

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RtZPY4K5Do

It is pretty incredible! I've covered Asia & it's Region for the better Part of the last 15 years and we never had Developments like this, not during the Bush Administration and neither during the Obama Administration. Given the Tensions between the two Countries to think that we will have a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula quite possible by the end of 2024 was unthinkable. Waking up every morning having to come to terms that something could explode 8 Hours to the north was not a welcomed sign for me and the people I live with. I also think North Korea's growing Economic Development over the next 5-6 years will be a huge boost for the Region.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

My next Question goes to Jim: Jim, who do think is most responsible bringing the two Countries, United States and North Korea together?

Jim Acosta „Former CNN Chief White House Correspondent“

Source : (Own Creation - modification)

Wolf, I think having worked in the White House from 2008 to 2020 first during the Obama Administration and then during the Rubio Administration we have to give huge credit to the People's Republic of China and their Leaders for bringing North Korea back to the negotiation table. Without China's Support we wouldn't be sitting here looking at the recent Developments that culminated in this U.S./North Korea Summit. This is also where the previous two Presidential Administrations failed. President Bush & President Obama had a really akward Relationship with the Chinese Leaders and were never able to get them come around fully. Credit should be given to President Rubio's National Security Team in that regard. This is definitly a huge Milestone for them.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Christiane, having covered Foreign Affairs and Hot Spots around the World for the last 25 years what's your take on this?

Christiane Amanpour, „CNN Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent“

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABx4hfVJrTc&list=PLaAWnxiakvvUSO5hnUkiyBWDKZgZCQq4Z&index=16&t=0s

First of all Wolf we should celebrate the Milestone that happened last Night. Having talked to a lot of Foreign Leaders & Diplomats during my time as Foreign Affairs Correspondent I can tell you this: It's not easy to reach a consensus. When President Marco Rubio was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in January 2017 we really had two incredible big Hot Spots in the World. One here in North Korea in Asia, the other with Iran in the Middle East. That this Administration could deal with both speaks to their tenacity and perseverance. They did something that the two previous Administrations couldn't do in 16 years. North Korea will be open to the world soon and every Country particularly in this Region will benefit from that.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Jen, having worked within the State Department during the previous Administration: Are there some things you could have done differently?

Jen Psaki, „Former Obama Administration Official“

Source : (Own Creation - modification)

Well Wolf before I speak I agree with Christiane: Let's just give credit where there is credit due. President Rubio's National Security Team have done a fantastic job. Sure, there were some things we could have done better between 2009-2016. Our problem was that Congress was pretty divided on National Security Matters. Every time President Obama and then Secretary of State's Hillary Clinton & John Kerry reached a consensus what they wanted to do they got rebuked mainly by Republicans in Congress. The failed Iraq/Afghanistan Policy by the Bush Admistration left over some scars and therefore it was very difficult for us to negotiate things.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Thank You Kristie, Jim, Christiane & Jen. That will do it for our Special Coverage. Please be sure to stay with CNN for more BREAKING Developments. I will see you next Monday, April 17th in the Situation Room from Washington. Bye from Hong Kong!

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
April 2023, Part 2

-After his successful summit with Kim Jong-un, President Rubio makes a visit to Japan where he meets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who praises his U.S. ally's diplomatic leadership and wisdom to bring parties together in order to get things done by getting North Korea to denuclearize in exchange of allowing Pyongyang to integrate the WTO through an opening of the North Korean economy to the rest of the world. Abe also declared that thanks to these great accomplishments, we can turn the page on a remnant of World War II (referring to the Hiroshima bombings) and of the Cold War (referring to the nuclear arms race) and restore peace, stability and prosperity in the Korean peninsula and in the Pacific.

April 15 :

-Illinois Governor Chris Kennedy announces during a rally in Chicago, Illinois that he's running for  President in 2024. Comparing President Rubio's accomplishment to denuclearize North Korea to his uncle JFK's leadership of handling of the Cuban missile crisis, he declared that a peaceful world is possible, which will be one of his main priorities.

April 17 :
-The Senate votes 81-19 for the Sugar Subsidies Act. The House of Representatives has yet to vote on that bill next week.

April 18-19 :

-Sentenced to death, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the 2 perpetrators of the terrorist bombings during the 2013 Boston Marathon, has been executed by electric chair.


Source : https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/
-President Rubio declares that justice has been done for the victims of 2013 Boston Marathon bombings through the execution of Tsarnaev.

April 21 :

-Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton declares during a rally in Hope, Arkansas that he's running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Touting President Rubio's foreign policy accomplishments such as strong progress in the War on Terror, democratization of Venezuela and Syria and the denuclearization of Iran and North Korea, he argues that his foreign policy experience will allow a continuation of these successes and a peaceful world as well as nuclear security.

April 22 :

Source : https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/
-As a mean to condemn Russia's seizing of the Norwegian oil tanker in the Brents Sea, President Rubio declares that during the Arctic Council next month he will support Norway's territorial claim in the Loop Hole (in the Barents Sea) and in the Banana Hole (in the Norwegian Sea) and will consider making the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard a buffer state in order to prevent any Russian incursion and agression in the Arctic.

April 24 :
[img width=360
-The U.S.-Syrian troops led a military assault on an ISIS base in the Idlib Governorate, killing 40 jihadists.

April 26 :

-The House of Representatives votes 300-126 for the Sugar Subsidies Act that would encourage sugar production through subsidies to sugar businesses to boost agricultural activities as well as economic growth and to strengthen national security due to a reduction of dependence towards sugar foreigners. The bill is later signed into law by President Rubio.

April 29 :

-President Rubio hosts Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde at the White House. Both leaders praised the potential of an increase of Ethiopians' access to heat and electricity thanks to the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The US President declared that by joining a U.S.-Africa Free Trade Agreement, Ethiopia could further increase that potential thanks to an increase of U.S. investments in Ethiopia for the construction of energy infrastructure and through an increase of exports of U.S. hydroelectricity, convincing Ethiopia to join the proposed free trade deal.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I know she hasnt announced yet, but Haley 2024!!! both in this timeline and in real life.

[UWS]

CNN

„SITUATION ROOM“

„Friday 28th of April 2023“

NEW NATIONAL POLL RELEASE...HALEY REMAINS FRONTRUNNER...HARRIS/KENNEDY IN STATISTICAL TIE

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

It's 5pm in Washington, 2pm in Los Angeles, 10pm in London and 11pm in Berlin. From whereever you watching from thanks for joining CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer and you are in the „SITUATION ROOM“

CNN PLAYS THE SITUATION ROOM INTRO

Over the past week CNN in conjunction with Opinion Research Corporation have conducted extensive National Polling on the Overall Direction of the Country, Job Approvals of President Rubio & Republican-led U.S. Congress as well as Hot Button Issues facing the Nation. We also dived into Presidential Politics to gauge how several Presidential Candidates are doing. We're now 54 Days away from the 1st Republican Primary Presidential Debate & 60 Days away from the 1st Democratic Presidential Debate as the 2024 Nominations will kick into higher gear. Alongside me here in the Studio to discuss is our Chief Political Analyst Dana Bash, our Senior Political Analyst & Special Correspondent Cecilia Vega, CNN Correspondent Rebecca Berg who will handicap the Democratic Primary Field for us, CNN Correspondent Sara Murray who will handicap the Republican Field for us, David Axelrod, Democratic Strategist & former Senior Adviser to President Obama and Kevin Madden, Republican Strategist & former Senior Adviser during Mitt Romney's 2012 Presidential Bid. Before we discuss I'll toss it to our own John King, Senior Election Analyst & Anchor of „INSIDE POLITICS“ for a Rundown on the Numbers. John, take it from here!

Own creation

John King, Senior Election Analyst & Anchor „Inside Politics“

Let's look first at some General Approval Ratings and then I'll dig into the Presidential Politics!

Do you think the Country is on the Right Track or Wrong Track?

Right Track 54%
Wrong Track 42%
Unsure 4%

Do you Approve or Disapprove how President Rubio is doing his Job?

Approve 58%
Disapprove 40%
Unsure 2%

Do you Approve or Disapprove how Congress is doing its Job?

Approve 43%
Disapprove 55%
Unsure 2%

Speaking of Trustworthiness, whom do you trust the most in the Country?

President Rubio 54%
Republicans in Congress 18%
Democrats in Congress 28%

As you may know, late last year Congress confirmed Amy Comet Barrett as new Associate Justice to the Supreme Court. Do you approve or disapprove of that Confirmation?

Approve 43%
Disapprove 50%
Unsure 7%

Own creation

As you may know recently the United States and North Korea held their 2nd Summit in Saigon, Vietnam. Do you think that Summit was a Success or a Failure?

Success 66%
Failure 25%
Unsure 9%

Following up on U.S./North Korea who do you think is most responsible bringing North Korea back to the Negotiation Table?

United States and their Allies 45%
People's Republic of China 35%
Both Equally 20%

Do you have a Favorable/Unfavorable View of the following Leaders [NAMES ROTATED]?

President Marco Rubio 64/36
Vice-President Nikki Haley 59/41
House Speaker Paul Ryan 48/52
Senate Majority Leader Cory Gardner 45/55
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries 55/45
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer 53/47

Own creation

The Country is still in a positive mood Wolf. The Right/Wrong Track Numbers are virtually unchanged from our last Poll at the back end of last year. 54 % say the Country is going in the Right Direction while 42 % saying its going in the Wrong Direction. President Rubio got an uptick in his Job Approvals. Nearly 6 in 10 Voters (58 %) approve of the Job he is doing while 4 in 10 (40 %) disapprove. His uptick may have come from the successful US/North Korea Summit. Speaking of that, 2/3 of Americans (66 %) saying that the Negotiations between the United States and North Korea were a success while a Quarter (25 %) deemed it as Failure. Slightly more than 4 in 10 Voters (45 %) say the United States and their allies are responsible for bringing North Korea back to the Table while slightly more than 3 in 10 (35 %) saying China is responsible. About 1 in 5 Voters (20 %) are holding them equally responsible. That's the good News in this Poll.
 
The worrying sign if you're a Republican Representative or a Senator is that the Congressional JA dipped even further. Only 43 % approve of the Job Congress is doing while 55 % disapprove and alomost all of it coming at the Republicans expense. 68 % of Independents disapprove of the Job Republicans are doing in Congress. It could be that the One-Party Rule, which persisted since 2018 is taking its toll. Also, more Americans trusting their President (54 %) and Democrats in Congress (28 %) while only 18 % trusting Republican Leaders in Congress. This is going to be interesting how Senators Cotton & Sasse who announced for POTUS will navigate through it.
Speaking of the new SCOTUS Justice Amy Comet Barrett 43 % of Voters approve of her Confirmation to the Supreme Court while 50 % disapprove which may have contributed to the low Favorables by Senate Majority Leader Cory Gardner.

Let's take a peak at the Republican & Democratic Presidential Nominations:

If your Primary or Caucus for the Republican Nomination would be held today whom would you support [NAMES ROTATED]?

Vice President Nikki Haley 33 %
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton 18 %
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker 15 %
Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse 11 %
Ohio Governor Mary Taylor 10 %
New Mexico Senator Susana Martinez 3 %
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu 2 %
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan 2 %
Unsure 6 %

If your Primary or Caucus for the Democratic Nomination would be held today whom would you support [NAMES ROTATED]?

California Senator Kamala Harris 30 %
Illinois Governor Chris Kennedy 27 %
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards 13 %
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe 12 %
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey 11 %
Unsure 7 %

If the 2024 Presidential Election would be held today and the Candidates were Vice President Nikki R. Haley and California Senator Kamala D. Harris, whom would you vote for [NAMES ROTATED]?

Vice President Nikki R. Haley 48 %
California Senator Kamala D. Harris 45 %
Unsure 7 %

If the 2024 Presidential Election would be held today and the Candidates were Vice President Nikki R. Haley and Illinois Governor Chris Kennedy, whom would you vote for [NAMES ROTATED]?

Vice President Nikki R. Haley 46 %
Illinois Governor Chris Kennedy 46 %
Unsure 8 %

Although she hasn't officially announced her Candidacy yet Vice President Haley remains the Frontrunner among Republican Primary & Caucus-Goers for the 2024 Republican Presidential Nomination. Her share of Voter Intentions dropped insignificantly from 36 % to 33 %. Behind her the GOP Primary Field got a little reshuffled since Arkansas Senator & Senate Majority Whip Tom Cotton declared his Candidacy a week ago. He is now at 18 % of Voting Intentions followed by former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker at 15 %, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse at 11 % and Ohio Governor Mary Taylor who remains at 10 %. Everyone else stays in low single digits. What I said above applies here. Since Cotton is the right-hand Man of Senate Majority Leader Gardner it remains to be seen if he can stay there or if particularly Republican-leaning Independents take their displeasure with Congress out on the Arkansas Senator during these Primaries & Caucuses. In that case Republicans might be better served by nominating a VP or a Governor.

Among Democratic Primary & Caucus-Goers Illinois Governor Chris Kennedy, who declared his Candidacy for President on April 15th, has vaulted into a statistical Tie with California Senator Kamala Harris. Harris gets 30 % of Voting Intentions, a 5-Point drop from our previous Poll and Kennedy gets 27 %, a slight 2-Point uptick from our previous Poll. Those two are the Frontrunners. We're now seeing a distant 2nd Group of Candidates with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards at 13 %, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe at 12 % and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey at 11 %. Kennedy's Support almost entirely comes from his universal Name Recognition so it's still an Open Question if he can stay there once the Nomination begins in earnest with the 1st Debate in rougly two months. Senator Harris we know has a nationwide Network established already and campaigned for Midterm Candidates all over the Country last year. As for the 2nd Group it gets a bit harder to make up some Ground.
As far as General Election is concerned VP Haley is in a statistical tie with both Democratic Frontrunners. She leads Senator Harris by a statistical insignificant 3 Points, (48-45) and she is dead even with Governor Kennedy at 46 % each suggesting that we might have a very competitive and close Election on our hands next year. Back to you Wolf!

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Thanks John. These are some very interesting Numbers particular the Congressional JA, Views on the new SCOTUS Justice & the U.S./North Korea Summit. Let's get started with some Analysis. Dana, what do make of these Numbers John is telling us?

Own creation

Dana Bash, Chief Political Analyst

These are some very interesting Numbers indeed. The President & his Team managed to stay above the fray while the Congressional Job Approval took a bit of a nosedive. The same Problems Republicans had during last years MidTerm Elections still persist: Independent Voters have grown pretty sour on them. John makes a good Point that particular Republican Senators trying to run for the Presidency have a huge challenge on their hands trying to navigate through it with Approval on them in Congress being very low. And there is one Issue which we haven't talked a lot in Polls and Public Opinion and that is the Economy. Thus far it's still doing decent but after having 7 years of continuous Job Growth I think it is pretty safe to say that we will experience somewhat of a slow down and that could upend the Political Landscape for 2024. Right now most Voters talk about Iran & National Security Issues and that plays a bit into the Republican hands especially someone like Tom Cotton who is an Iraq War Veteran. I also think the President missed a bit of a chance early in the new Congress to pass an Infrastructure Bill as well as an Income Inquality Bill. If you look at Public Opinion most People would like the Minimum Wage raised to about 12 $ Nationally.

Cecilia Vega, CNN Senior Political Analyst & Special Correspondent

Well Dana, I think one of the big reasons why Congressional JA dipped so significantly is the mishandling of the Confirmation of Amy Comet Barrett to the Supreme Court. Our Poll here shows that only 43 % Voters approve of that confirmation while 50 % disapprove. Republicans know that they mishandled that. The President though is a very smart Politician by immediatedly changing the subject to the U.S./North Korea Summit so I'm not sure he entirely succeeded in that. Ginsburg was one of the most liberal SCOTUS Justices. Replacing her with an Arch-Conservative was bound to have some backslash. You're right on the Economy. Not much has been talked about it but it could become the biggest Wild Card during the 2024 Election Cycle depending how it does. A dip in Economic Conditions would almost certainly help Democrats. Everything is kind of going slowly on the Presidential Nomination though I expect that to heat up once we get closer to the 1st Debates in June.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Thank You Dana & Cecilia! We're now going into a short Commercial Break. When we come back our CNN Correspondents in the Field as well as our Strategist will weigh in. Stay tuned and don't go away.

CNN COMMERCIAL BREAK

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

And we're back from our Commercial. I'm now joined by CNN Correspondents Sara Murray & Rebecca Berg. Both travelled extensivly with Republican & Democratic Candidates for the last few months. We're also joined by David Axelrod, Democratic Strategist & former Senior Advisor to President Obama and Kevin Madden, Republican Strategist and Senior Advisor to Mitt Romney's 2012 Presidential Campaign. First to you Sara & Rebecca: How is the Republican & Democratic Field shaping up?

Own creation

Sara Murray, CNN Correspondent handicapping the Republican Primary Field

Thank You Wolf! We currently have 3 announced Candidates, Senators Sasse and Cotton and Governor Baker. Sources telling me that Vice President Haley is planning to enter the Race for the 2024 Republican Presidential Nomination in the next two to three weeks. Her Official Announcement as you might have expected had been pushed back because of the U.S./North Korea Summit where she accompanied President Rubio. There could be some more Candidacies looming though, in particular former Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland & Governor Chris Sununu thinking seriously about pulling the trigger. Governor Taylor of Ohio though seems to have indicated to my Sources that she trends to stay put and Senator Susana Martinez of New Mexico has a seriously challenging Re-Election on her hands so she is unlikely to run as well.
While VP Haley remains the Frontrunner nationally the Race is very tight in Iowa, the 1st in the Nation Caucus State. Early Polls are showing a Three-Way Race between Haley and the two Senators Cotton & Sasse as they're vying for the Conservative Vote.

Own creation

Rebecca Berg, CNN Correspondent handicapping the Democratic Primary Field

Similar to the Republican Field we have 3 announced Candidates on the Democratic Side: Governor Kennedy of Illinois, former Governor McAuliffe of Virginia and Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Rank & File Democrats on Capitol Hill as well as Sources out of California telling me that the Announcement of Senator Kamala Harris is imminent and may even come next week. Governor Kennedy got a nice bump after he announced a couple of weeks ago and the Harris' Campaign is keen to stop that Momentum. To give you an extend how serious Harris is about running for President Independent Sources telling me that she will likely tap Jim Messina, the Architect of former President Obamas successful 2012 Re-Election Campaign as her Campaign Manager. That's very indicative of her running and I wouldn't be surprised if other Campaign Staff from Obama 2012 will join her Campaign. Although Iowa is still 9 1/2 months away not only is the Democratic Race deadlocked nationally but also in that early Caucus State according to early Polling. Speaking of popular Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, its becoming more and more unclear if he runs. His Support has dropped from 20 % in late December to 13 % now in our Poll and in some other National Polling he even dropped behind McAuliffe & Casey. Lastly, for the 1st Time since 1980 we've a Kennedy running for the White House.

David Axelrod, Democratic Strategist & fmr. Obama Senior Adviser

Tapping Jim Messina as Campaign Manager would be a very smart thing to do as he knows how to manage successful Campaigns if that's the case. Honestly I'm not putting a huge stock in Polling these early Days. We haven't had any Debates at all and things are still very fluid in my opinion. That goes for both Parties. I do want to say this: Having spent a lot of time in Illinois where Governor Kennedy is from despite two successful Elections he is still very much an unknown quantity especially on Foreign Policy and I doubt he can get the Nomination purely on his Name ID. Similarly on the Republican Side despite being the Vice President for nearly 6 1/2 years Nikki Haley is still very much untested on Foreign Policy & National Security since that has been the Hot Topic over the last couple of months so we'll see how that goes once we get to the Debates.

As far as the General Election is concerned it's very important that the Democrats choose the right Strategy this time. Holding the DNC in Phoenix was a good move. The Democratic Strategy next year should be centered around the Sun Belt in my opinion. As been mentioned by Dana & Cecilia the Economy will hold one of the Keys to this Election.

Kevin Madden, Republican Strategist & former Romney Senior Adviser

I agree with David on Polling. It's way too early to draw to any conclusions before any Debates occured. One interesting sidenote I'm looking forward in this Campaign is how VP Haley triangulates around running for President Rubio's 3rd Term and how much she strikes an Independent tone. Getting that Balance right is not going to be easy. Democrats are certainly going to label her running for a 3rd Term of the current President and as we have seen in 2016 Hillary Clinton struggled with that and didn't adapt to the Change the American Electorate wanted. I think Iowa & South Carolina will hold the Key to Republican Nomination.
The General Election will be a Challenge for Republicans. Many Key Advantages we had during 2016 could potentially be reversed. Then Candidate Rubio hailed from the biggest Swing State in the Nation so how quickly the eventual Republican Nominee adapt back to the Center will be key. While for Democrats it will be all about the Sunbelt for Republicans it will all be about the Rustbelt and keeping States like Wisconsin and Michigan. One thing seems for sure though is that we are not going to have a landslide like 2020. I expect a very competitive Race and looking forward to it.

Wolf Blitzer, Chief Anchor „Wolf“ & „Situation Room“

Thank You all for your Analysis & Insights. Be sure to stay with CNN throughout the weekend. I'll see you tomorrow same place, same time. „OUTFRONT“ with Erin Burnett starts right now.

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
May 2023, Part 1

May 1 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRCTTxjG-WM
-The U.S. Army's deep strike missile system firing two missiles from a single weapons pod executed its first act of war in Syria where it fired double-missile projectiles on an ISIS training base in the north of Al-Sukhnah, killing 96 jihadists.

May 3 :

Own creation
-When asked during a press conference at the White House about the potential effects of North Korea's move to open its economy to the rest of the world on global peace, President Rubio declared that this will favor the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the Pacific and in the Korean peninsula, reminding the audience that it were tariffs and protectionism that gave the Great Depression and then, eventually, World War II (as the economic effects of the Great Depression helped Hitler in his rise to power in Germany in the 1930s).

May 4 :
-A new jobs report indicates that 169 000 new jobs were created in the United States in April.

May 6 :

-Vice-President Nikki Haley holds a rally in Charleston, South Carolina where she announced her presidential candidacy in 2024, pledging to pursue President Rubio's legacy that is the economy and led to the lowest unemployment rate since 1969 thanks to tax reform and free enterprise and is keeping America safe thanks to a strong military and strong American leadership.

May 7 :
-After Vice-President Haley anounced her candidacy for 2024, the Conservative Solutions PAC that backed President Rubio's successful presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, announced its endorsement to Haley and will raise funds for her campaign.

May 9-10 :

-President Rubio arrives in Oslo, Norway in the context of the 2023 Arctic Council where he meets with his Arctic allies (including Canada, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Sweden) and Russia. The U.S. President and his allies in the Council agreed to delineate the border the Norwegian exclusive economic zone and Russia's at Svalbard (Norway) in order to prevent an increase of Russia's agression in his ambitions in the Arctic; to recognize the Chukchi Plateau to be part of the United States' exclusive economic zone in the Arctic by delineating the border between the U.S. EEZ and Russia's at the Herald Island (Russia), which will give America access to the Chukchi Plateau's abundant natural resources (especially oil, natural gas and manganese); and to officially put in place military partnership between the United States and Canada in the Arctic to deter Russia from threatening the Arctic's territorial integrity and to defend their common goals to exploit the Arctic region's natural resources (especially oil resources in the Chuckchi Sea coveted by the United States and the mineral resources in the Mackenzie Delta coveted by Canada).

May 11 :

-During a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, Governor Chris Sununu announces that he's running for President in 2024.

May 12 :

-Facing pressure from Chris Kennedy's rise in the Democratic primary polls, which is threatening her status as frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in 2024, California Senator Kamala Harris announces her presidential bid during a rally in San Francisco, California.

May 14 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVukFXXyh80
-The U.S. Space Force successfully tested the Lockheed Martin SR-72 in the American Samoa where hypersonic missiles fired by the new engine from space hit an empty cruiser.

May 15 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUPoq-j0aBw
-President Rubio praised the success of the testings of the Lockheed Martin SR-72, declaring that this accomplishment marks a giant step for space security and for national security and peace in general and announces that the stealth fighter program officially enters into service.

[UWS]

Vice-President Nikki Haley's Announcement Speech

Location : Charleston, South Carolina

Date : May 6 2023


Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=250&offset=0&profile=default&search=nikki+haley&advancedSearch-current={}&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Nikki_Haley_at_Shaw.jpg

Thank you. Thank you so very much.

Much like so many Americans, I came out of nowhere. I was born to an Indian Sikh family that came from India to America before my birth. At the age of 12, I began helping with the bookkeeping in Exotica International, my mother's ladies' clothing shop. Then I joined Exotica International ten years later grew to become a multimillion-dollar company. I was named to the board of directors of directors of the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce before being named to the board of directors of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce and becoming president of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Under my leadership as Governor of South Carolina, we fixed the Palmetto State. We defended the life of the unborn as well as your Second Amendment rights. I reduced the cost of doing business in the Palmetto State, reduced corporate income tax rate to 5 %, abolished state property tax, local income tax, inventory tax, sales tax on manufacturing equipment, wholesale tax and unitary tax on worldwide profits, which helped my state to have industrial power or materials for finished products and boosted job creation and innovation. These pro-growth policies made South Carolina the best place to open a new business and reduced the local unemployment rate from 12 % to 5 % during my governorship. And in that same period, we witnessed the terrible tragedy of the shooting here in Charleston in 2015 that took away the lives of 9 African-Americans because of the evil of extremism and racism. In the aftermath of this shooting, I successfully called for the removal of the Confederate flag from South Carolina's State Capitol.

It was also in that period that America was facing a big mess due to the slowest economic progress our country has ever known because of big government and tax hike policies and also due to strong terrorist threat caused by weak foreign policy promoting withdrawal instead of engagement and leadership. It was in that context that Marco Rubio launched his crusade to fix America and I'm proud to have been selected as his running mate. When elected, President Rubio and I restored the American Dream. By cutting taxes for all Americans, including the middle class, and for all businesses across this country, including small businesses, we made America the best place in the world to do business. We encouraged oil drilling and used a part of the revenues from oil exploitation into the development of renewable energies, ensuring both job creation and an improvement of our ecological footprint, which finally led our country to energy independence. We ratified free trade agreements with the European Union, Latin America and India while reducing our corporate tax rate to 15 % in order to make our trade deals more favorable for American workers and to keep our jobs here in this country, making America the most competitive nation in the world economy and making us number one in auto production. And a year and a half ago, we balanced the budget through the adoption of a balanced budget amendment, thus ensuring budget surpluses, which some them have been invested into the development of new infrastructure across this country, facilitating economic activities and favoring the implementation of new businesses here in America. We brought Republicans and Democrats together to fix our broken immigration system by passing the Opportunity Act that reformed immigration, secured our borders and allowed millions of immigrants coming to this country the opportunity to work, to earn higher education and to live the American Dream. Our economic policies created 17 million new jobs and reduced our unemployment rate at its lowest rate in more than 50 years.

President Rubio and I restored American leadership. By rebuilding, strengthening and modernizing our military as well as our security measures and by reinforcing and expanding our alliances, we made strong progress in the War on Terror. We liberated all the territory occupied by ISIS, we eliminated Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, defeated ISIS and Al Qaida in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Yemen, North Africa and Somalia and are about to do so in Syria. By standing up with our allies in Eastern Europe, we stood up to Vladimir Putin's insanity and expansionist policies. By emboldening our diplomacy, we led the world to the denuclearization of North Korea and Iran and we normalized our relations with those 2 nations and even more recently, President Rubio and Kim Jong-un ratified the Nuclear Peace and Security Treaty aiming the nuclear disarmament of North Korea through the ban of North Korean land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and missile launchers and the use of nuclear energy only for the sake of economic development, thus further strengthening peace, stability and security in the Korean peninsula and in the Pacific. And the ratification of the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty by President Rubio and our allies even further reinforced global peace by preventing the use of fissile material to build nuclear weapons. By establishing the U.S. Space Force, we ensured the protection of our satellites from Russian and Chinese anti-satellite weaponry as well as the guidance of our troops in counter-terrorism operations.

My friends, we now have a great opportunity that we absolutely must not miss. We have the opportunity of long-term economic prosperity by getting this country to full employment through the continuation of our pro-growth policies. We have the opportunity of permanent defense of our constitutional rights as we now have the most conservative Supreme Court of the United States in history. And we have the opportunity of long-term global peace, which requires pursuing our fight against radical islamic terrorism and our successful efforts to get the world to nuclear security. I have the right experience to do so, I know how to get us there and so it's in order to pursue the progress of the last 7 years to keep moving America forward that I announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

Thank you! God bless you and God bless America!

[OSR stands with Israel]

Haley 2024!!!

[Huey Long is a Republican]

I'd support Baker over Haley in the R Primary but if Haley wins the Nomination, I'd probably vote Kamala or Kennedy (Even if I wouldn't feel well afterwards) if this actually happened.

[OSR stands with Israel]

I'd support Baker over Haley in the R Primary but if Haley wins the Nomination, I'd probably vote Kamala or Kennedy (Even if I wouldn't feel well afterwards) if this actually happened.

Why do you dislike Establishment Republicans so much

[Huey Long is a Republican]

I'd support Baker over Haley in the R Primary but if Haley wins the Nomination, I'd probably vote Kamala or Kennedy (Even if I wouldn't feel well afterwards) if this actually happened.

Why do you dislike Establishment Republicans so much

I have plenty of reason (I almost wrote an entire essay on why but I decided you didn't need to deal with it), but it really boils down to the Establishment's Free Trade Policies that damaged the middle class, the belief that we should be the World's Police Force when I believe its time we focus inward once again (We've been focusing outside of the US since WW2. It's time we focus internally for a change), and so many other things that would take me hours to list. I know you will never get what I mean and I respect your opinion for that and I won't try and convince you otherwise, but don't think you can convert me to support Neocons like the Bushes, Reagan, Rubio, Haley, or otherwise. It's not happening. ever. Understand?

EDIT : Apologies if I seem a bit like a jerk in this post. I've been stressed due to things happening in my private life as well as writing my book. There's a reason why I don't post much on forums any more and it mainly has to do with my emotions.

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
May 2023, Part 2

May 16 :

-During a speech, President Rubio praised the success of the 2023 Arctic Council, declaring that the recognition of the Chukchi Plateau to be part of the United States' exclusive economic zone in the Arctic by delineating the border between the U.S. EEZ and Russia's at the Herald Island (Russia) will make sure that America's energy dominance will remain uncontested through the exploitation of the Chukchi Plateau's oil, natural gas and manganese, thus further strengthening America's energy independence and prosperity.

May 18 :

-Nikki Haley's 2024 presidential campaign opens its first campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, analyzing that Iowa will be the most important state to focus on among the 4 early states (as the South Carolina primary is already safely guaranteed to Haley and as New Hampshire will more likely be won by either Chris Sununu or Charlie Baker) and as most of the time whoever won 2 of the first 3 early states (Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina) has went on to win the Republican nomination.

May 19 :

-President Rubio hosts Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the White House where they discussed issues such as counter-terrorism, human rights and democracy, economic ties, energy and free trade. During their joint press conference, they each declared that both of their countries will benefit from a membership in the proposed US-Africa Free Trade Agreement through an increase of US exports and an increase of the role of the Suez Canal region in international trading (along with the completion of the Suez Canal Area Development Project in 2022 which involved the building of a new city (new Ismailia city), an industrial zone, fish farms, completing the technology valley, building seven new tunnels between Sinai and Ismailia and Port Said, improving five existing ports, and digging a new canal parallel to the Suez Canal).

May 20 :

-In the context of the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election, Kentucky voters go to the polls for the gubernatorial primary. On the Republican side, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron wins the Republican primary with 52 % of the vote over State Treasurer Allison Ball's 34  % and David L. Williams' 14 %, making this race historical as he would become the first African-American Kentucky Governor if he wins in November. On the Democratic side, former Attorney General Andy Beshear wins the Democratic primary with 44 % of the vote over Amy McGrath's 38 % and Rocky Adkins' 18 %.

May 22 :

-Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announces his presidential bid for 2024 during a rally in Baltimore, Maryland.

May 23 :

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK9LTFnZ9Z8
-Former Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards announces that he's running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024, calling on the Democrats to run further to the center after Bernie Sanders' landslide loss to President Rubio in 2020.

May 25 :

Source : Own creation
-The Lockheed Martin SR-72 orchestrated its first act of war. The new military engine launched hypersonic missiles against an ISIS training base located 15 km from Al-Yaarubiyah (near the Syria-Iraq border), killing 135 jihadists and destroying a supply route for ISIS between Iraq and Syria.

May 26 :

Source(s) : Own creation; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Space_Command#/media/File:United_States_Space_Command_emblem_2019.png
-During a press conference in the White House, President Rubio praises the success of the U.S. Space Force's first military operation that has been orchestrated yesterday and declares that this success indicates the imminency of America's and their allies' victory against terrorism through a modernization of military technology. He announces that the Space Force is ordered to draw up plans for any future ships of war, with the first blueprints being laid out. The classes for those blueprints are Guncraft (Smallest ships, but bigger than fighters and Bombers), Destroyers, Stealthcraft (Space Submarines), Carrier Craft, and Battlecrafts.

May 28 :

-President Rubio, his family and his Cabinet celebrate the President's 52nd birthday in the White House.

May 30 :

-Tennessee Senator Bill Haslam introduces the Healthcare Reimbursement Act that would allow small employers to offer flexible coverage options using Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), stating that HRAs typically cost less for employers than group plans and as a result the addition of HRAs to the health care ecosystem could result in 11 million workers seeking coverage from them. The Senate is expected to vote on that bill on June 6. Should it pass the Senate, the House vote will be held on June 14.

[UWS]

POLITICAL NEWS AROUND THE COUNTRY
JUNE EDITION

PRESIDENTIAL NEWS

Declared Candidates

REPUBLICANS

Charles Duane Baker Jr. (Former Governor of Massachusetts)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Boston, MA February 5th 2023

Benjamin „Ben“ Eric Sasse (Senator from Nebraska)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Plainview, NE March 2nd 2023

Thomas „Tom“ Bryant Cotton (Senator from Arkanas, Majority Whip)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Hope, AR April 21st 2023

Nikki R. Haley (Vice President, Former South Carolina Governor)
Declared her Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Charleston, SC May 6th 2023

Christopher T. Sununu (Governor of New Hampshire)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Manchester, NH May 11th 2023

Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. (Former Governor of Maryland)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Baltimore, MD May 22nd 2023

DEMOCRATS

Robert Patrick Casey Jr. (Senator from Pennsylvania)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Allentown, PA February 2nd 2023
Terence Richard „Terry“ McAuliffe (Former Governor of Virginia)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Alexandria, VA February 19th 2023

Christopher George Kennedy (Governor of Illinois)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Chicago, IL April 15th 2023

Kamala Devi Harris (Senator from California)
Declared her Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in San Francisco, CA May 12th 2023

John Bel Edwards (Governor of Louisiana)
Declared his Candidacy at a Campaign Rally in Baton Rouge, LA May 23th 2023

PRIMARIES & CAUCUSES SCHEDULE 2024

FEBRUARY

• February 5th 2024: Iowa (C) [R] & [D]
• February 13th 2024: New Hampshire (P) [R] & [D]
• February 24th 2024: Nevada (C) [D] & South Carolina (P) [R]
• February 27th 2024: South Carolina (P) [D]
• February 28th 2024: Nevada (C) [R]

MARCH

• March 5th 2024: „SUPER TUESDAY“ [17] & [20]
  
  Alaska (C) [D]
  Alabama (P) [R] & [D]
  Arkansas (P) [R] & [D]
  American Samoa (C) [D]
  Arizona (P) [R] & [D]
  California (P) [R] & [D]
  Colorado (P) [R] & [D]
  Georgia (P) [R] & [D]
  Massachusetts (P) [R] & [D]
  Minnesota (P) [R] & [D]
  Missouri (P) [R] & [D]
  North Carolina (P) [R] & [D]
  North Dakota (C) [D]
  New Mexico (P) [R] & [D]
  Oklahoma (P) [R] & [D]
  Tennessee (P) [R] & [D]
  Texas (P) [R] & [D]
  Utah (P) [R] & [D]
  Virginia (P) [R] & [D]
  Vermont (P) [R] & [D]
• March 9th 2024: Louisiana (P) [R] & [D]
• March 10th 2024: Maine (C) [R] & [D]
• March 12th 2024: Mini „SUPER TUESDAY“ [6] & [6]
  
  Hawaii (C) [R] & [D]
  Idaho (P) [R] & [D]
  Michigan (P) [R] & [D]
  Mississippi (P) [R] & [D]
  Ohio (P) [R] & [D]
  Washington (P) [R] & [D]
• March 19th 2024: CONTESTS [3] & [3]
  
  Florida (P) [R] & [D]
  Illinois (P) [R] & [D]
  Wisconsin (P) [R] & [D]

APRIL

• March 5th 2024: „SUPER TUESDAY 2“ [7] & [7]
  
  Connecticut (P) [R] & [D]
  Delaware (P) [R] & [D]
  Maryland (P) [R] & [D]
  New Jersey (P) [R] & [D]
  New York (P) [R] & [D]
  Pennsylvania (P) [R] & [D]
  Rhode Island (P) [R] & [D]

MAY

• May 7th 2024: CONTESTS [6] & [5]
  
  Alaska (C) [R]
  Guam (C) [R] & [D]
  Indiana (P) [R] & [D]
  Kansas (P) [R] & [D]
  Nebraska (P) [R] & [D]
  West Virginia (P) [R] & [D]
• May 14th 2024: Kentucky (P) [R] & [D], North Dakota (C) [R], Oregon (P) [R] & [D]

JUNE

• June 4th 2024: Montana (P) [R] & [D], South Dakota (P) [R] & [D]
• June 8th 2024: American Samoa (C) [R], Virgin Islands (C) [R] & [D]
• June 9th 2024: Puerto Rico (P) [R] & [D]
• June 11th 2024: District of Columbia (P) [R] & [D]

(P) = Primary
(C) = Caucus
[R] = REPUBLICAN
[D] = DEMOCRAT

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATES NEWS

The REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE announced that all Six Canidates running for 2024 Republican Presidential Nomination have met the threshold to qualify for the 1st Republican Presidential Primary Debate Wednesday June 21st 2023 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan hosted by the FOX NEWS CHANNEL and FACEBOOK.

Debate Moderators: Chris Wallace, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum

Those Candidates are:

Former Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas
Vice President Nikki Haley of South Carolina
Former Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland
Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire

The Podium was determined by Candidates Standing in the National Polling

Sununu   Baker   Haley   Cotton   Sasse   Hogan

Likewise the DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE announced that all Five Canidates running for 2024 Democratic Presidential Nomination have met the threshold to qualify for the 1st Democratic Presidential Primary Debate Wednesday June 28th 2023 at the University of Georgia Campus in Athens, Georgia hosted by NBC NEWS, MSNBC and YOUTUBE.

Debate Moderators: Lester Holt, Andrea Mitchell and Chuck Todd

Those Candidates are:

Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania
Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana
Senator Kamala Harris of California
Governor Chris Kennedy of Illinois
Former Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia

The Podium was determined by Candidates Standing in the National Polling

McAuliffe  Kennedy  Harris   Casey   Edwards

CNN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATES

CNN announced that „State of the Union“ Anchor Jake Tapper, and Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash will moderate the 2nd Republican Presidential Primary Debate from the Campus of St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire on July 20th 2023.

The Network also announced that the Host of „AC360“ Anderson Cooper, and Special Political Correspondent Cecilia Vega will moderate the 2nd Democratic Presidential Primary Debate from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri on July 27th 2023. Both Debates can also seen on CNN INTERNATIONAL as well as on the Network's Social Media Platforms.
These will be the last two Primary Debates before the Summer Break.

The next Presidential Primary Debates will be held in September.

FIRST LOOK AT THE 2024 ELECTORAL MAP (June 2023)

SOLID REPUBLICAN (114 Electoral Votes)
LEAN REPUBLICAN (57 Electoral Votes)
TOSS UP (168 Electoral Votes)
LEAN DEMOCRAT (20 Electoral Votes)
SOLID DEMOCRAT (179 Electoral Votes)

This Electoral Map is a combined Map from Larry Sabato, Cook Political Report, Nathan Gonzales Political Report, CNN Political Unit, NBC Political Unit & ABC's „The Note“ exploring Opportunities for both the eventual Republican & Democratic Nominees. Based on this „Combined Map“ the Democratic Nominee would start with 199 Electoral Votes and the Republican Nominee would start with 171 Electoral Votes and there would be 168 Electoral Votes up for grabs.
As we move through the Primary Season the „The State of Play“ will become more clear. The overlying Theme of the 2024 Presidential Election will be „Rust Belt“ vs „Sun Belt“ just as many Political Handicappers predicted six months ago.

SENATE NEWS

Senate Recruitment

The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC) announced that the 2021 Virginia Governor Nominee Jill Vogel (R, VA) is considering challenging Incumbent Democrat Senator Tim Kaine (D, VA). Virginia is considered one of the few States where Republicans can play some offense during the 2024 Senate Election in a very unfavorable year for the GOP.
Meanwhile their counterparts, the National Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) have identified already four targets for the 2024 Elections: Arizona (where the DNC will be held), California, Nevada and New Mexico. In Arizona Mark Kelly (D, AZ) is considering challenging Incumbent Republican Senator Jeff Flake (R, AZ), in California former California Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D, CA), former Secretary of State Debra Brown (D, CA) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D, CA) are considering challenging Incumbent Senator Condoleeza Rice (R, CA), in Nevada former NV Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto (D, NV) is considering challenging Incumbent Senator Dean Heller (R, NV) and in New Mexico no more than five Democrats are considering challenging Incumbent Republican Senator Susana Martinez (R, NM) including two from the popular Lujan Family.

POTENTIAL RETIREMENTS

Senator Jeffry Lane Flake (Arizona)
Senator Condoleeza Rice (California)
Senator Dean Arthur Heller (Nevada)
Senator Robert Phillipps Corker Jr. (Tennessee)
Senator Thomas Richard Carper (Delaware)
Senator Mazie Keiko Hirono (Hawaii)
Senator Angus Stanley King Jr. (Maine; Independent caucusing with Democrats)
Senator Benjamin Louis Cardin (Maryland)
Senator Robert Menendez (New Jersey)
Senator Bernard Sanders (Vermont, Independent caucusing with Democrats)

FIRST LOOK AT THE 2024 SENATE MAP (June 2023)

SOLID REPUBLICAN (9 Seats)
LEAN REPUBLICAN (4 Seats)
TOSS UP (6 Seats)
LEAN DEMOCRAT (3 Seats)
SOLID DEMOCRAT (11 Seats)

The Senate Landscape 2024 mirrors the Presidential Race. Democrats have some very strong Pick Up Opportunities in the West with Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico. Although Michigan and Wisconsin are currently Toss Up Races those two States will depend heavily which Presidential Nominee wins the two States. If Republicans win the two Upper Midwest States on the Presidential Level they will likely carry Senators Green and James over the Finish Line. Senators Kasich (Ohio), Wagner (Missouri), Gianforte (Montana) and Scott (Florida) will start as Leaners but could be moved into Toss Up Category. Senator Kasich is considered to have the safest of the four Races. Political Handicappers are particularly keeping an eye on that Montana Race where Senator Gianforte isn't without controversy. Democrats are at greatest risk in Minnesota & Pennsylvania. Those States just like the entire Upper Midwest and Rust Belt have been trending Republican so they will start as Leaners. That is also the case in Virginia although Republicans are unsure if they can make that competitive given the Demographic Changes in Northern Virginia and the Norfolk/Hampton Roads Area. There could be some Democratic Retirements in Safe Democratic States such as Vermont, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and Hawaii.

GOVERNOR NEWS

Up for ELECTION 2023

KENTUCKY (OPEN SEAT)

Incumbent Governor Matt Bevin (R) is term-limited.
Declared Candidates
Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R)
Former Attorney General Andy Beshear (D)
RATING: TOSS UP

LOUISIANA (OPEN SEAT)

Incumbent Governor John Bel Edwards (D) is term-limited.
Declared Candidates
Former Rep. Charles Boustany (R)
Lieutnant Governor Billy Nungesser (R)
Former New Orleans Mayor & Lt. Govenor Mitch Landrieu (D)
RATING: LEAN REPUBLICAN

MISSISSIPPI

Incumbent Governor Tate Reeves (R) will seek Re-Election to a 2nd Term as Governor.
Declared Candidates
Incumbent Governor Tate Reeves (R)
State Representative Jay Hughes (D)
RATING: SOLID REPUBLICAN

2023/2024 GOVERNOR MAP (June 2023)

SOLID REPUBLICAN (3 Seats)
LEAN REPUBLICAN (5 Seats)
TOSS UP (4 Seats)
LEAN DEMOCRAT (1 Seats)
SOLID DEMOCRAT (1 Seats)

[UWS]

Marco Rubio's Presidency
June 2023, Part 1

June 1, 2023

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?sort=relevance&search=tim+scott&title=Special:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advancedSearch-current=%7B%7D&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Tim_Scott_113th_Congress.jpg
-As expected, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott announces his endorsement to his fellow South Carolinian Vice-President Nikki Haley for President.

June 2, 2023
 
Source : https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/miami-office-opening
-During a press conference in Alexandria, Virginia, President Rubio, accompanied by his Secretary of Energy Harold Hamm, announces that in an effort to strengthen America’s status as the leader in nuclear energy export as well as this country’s energy independence that his administration put forward an objective to get the total number of nuclear power plants in America to 100 by 2050 through the building of new nuclear power plants with the ultimate goal of building 100 new nuclear power plants, which will be done through tax credits for advanced nuclear projects, subsidies for building new nuclear power plants and the investment of a part of the revenues from oil drilling into the development of renewable energies.

June 4, 2023
-A new jobs report indicates that 242 000 new jobs were created in May.

June 6, 2023
 
Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Medicare.gif
-The Senate votes 62-35 for the Healthcare Reimbursement Act sponsored by Bill Haslam. The bill has now yet to pass the House of Representatives on June 14.

June 7, 2023
-During a press conference in the White House, President Rubio declares that thanks to the normalization of the US-Iran relations and to the nuclear disarmament of Iran, it could be soon be possible to ratify a civil nuclear agreement between the 2 countries, similar to the one signed between the US and India under George W. Bush, by placing all civil nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and, in exchange, the United States would agree to work toward full civil nuclear cooperation with Iran and to increase trade exchanges of nuclear energy.

June 9, 2023

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9say1jGFFQ
-During a rally in New York City, New York, entrepreneur Andrew Yang announces that he’s running for the Democratic nomination in 2024 based on a very progressive agenda.

June 11-12, 2023

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&search=promenade+des+anglais&fulltext=1&profile=default&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Nice_Promenade_des_Anglais_FRANCE.jpg
- President Rubio and  First Lady Jeanette Rubio arrive in Nice, France where they meet other G7 leaders ahead of the 49th G7 summit. President Rubio and his allies unanimously recognized the importance of promoting free trade and open markets for the sake of economic competition and prosperity as higher tariffs and protectionism led to the Great Depression and then to World War II due to the effects of the Great Depression on the international economy (which helped dictatorships like Hitler’s to rise to power). In the context of the recently unveiled nuclear energy plan put forward by the Rubio Administration, the G7 allies agreed that America’s energy independence is a great opportunity to further prioritize the development of renewable energies through tax credits for the exploitation of renewable energy in order to favor both economic growth and a clean environment.

June 14, 2023

Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?sort=relevance&search=United+States+House+of+Representatives&title=Special:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advancedSearch-current=%7B%7D&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1#/media/File:Seal_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives.svg
-The House of Representatives votes 245-190 for the Healthcare Reimbursement Act that is later signed into law by President Rubio, thus allowing small employers to offer flexible coverage options using Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), stating that HRAs typically cost less for employers than group plans and resulting that the addition of HRAs to the health care ecosystem would result in 11 million workers seeking coverage from them.

June 15, 2023

Own creation
-President Rubio hosts Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid at the White House, discussing issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, economic issues, counter-terrorism, religious freedom and human rights. During their joint press conference, the President of the United States unveiled his peace plan for Israel that would envision the creation of a Palestinian state in about 70 percent of the West Bank, a handful of neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, most of Gaza and some areas of southern Israel — if the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state, disarm Hamas and other terror groups in the coastal enclave, and fulfill other conditions. The plan also allows Israel to annex settlements and grants the Jewish state sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and overriding security control west of the Jordan River.

[Amtrak Joe]

As much as I did support Rubio in 2016, this timeline seems a bit of a stretch.

[538Electoral]

Interesting.