NASHUA, N.H. — During remarks at the First in the Nation Town Hall in New Hampshire, Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio joked about the positive aspects of the snowstorm bearing down on Washington, D.C.
“In Washington right now, they are being buried in this snow blizzard,” the Florida senator said. “Which means that federal agencies were not able to work all day yesterday at issuing new regulations.”
NASHUA, NH - JANUARY 23: Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio speaks at the NHGOP First In The Nation Town Hall January 23, 2016 in Nashua, New Hampshire. The convention was a day long affair and featured presidential candidates looking to win the first in the nation primary. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
“Apparently Barack Obama’s executive order pen has frozen,” Rubio joked. “Come to think of it, that’s probably one of the best things to happen to the republic in quite a while.”
Rubio went on to discuss the president’s “unconstitutional” executive orders and said that if he is sworn in as president, he will take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. He also said that “unlike Barack Obama, I’ll mean it.”
Rubio was asked by an attendee why he is characterized as “establishment” — a label Rubio rejected.
NASHUA, NH - JANUARY 23: Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio speaks at the NHGOP First In The Nation Town Hall January 23, 2016 in Nashua, New Hampshire. The convention was a day long affair and featured presidential candidates looking to win the first in the nation primary. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Without naming Republican rival former Gov. Jeb Bush, also of Florida, Rubio said that the “establishment” has spent $25 million on attack ads against him because they think it’s not his “turn” to run for president.
“That’s not grassroots money,” Rubio said. “That’s multi-million dollar checks written by people who thought I need to wait in line, to wait my turn,” Rubio said. “This is not a time for waiting, this is not a time for patience. After seven years of Barack Obama, this is a time of urgency.”
Rubio also rejected the notion that he believes in “amnesty” and said there should be “consequences” for violating federal immigration law.
