Marco Rubio Goes After Rachel Maddow, Ed Schultz In Fundraising Pitch

Florida Senator Marco Rubio is continuing his war of words with Ed Schultz and Rachel Maddow, seizing on their recent criticism of his remarks for a fundraising pitch. (h/t St. Petersburg Times)

The MSNBC hosts had both bashed Rubio's recent speech at the Reagan Library. He had said that entitlement programs "actually weakened us as a people," suggesting that the programs made people more dependent on government.

Last Thursday, Ed Schultz responded on his show. "I'll tell what's weakening our society: political hacks like Marco Rubio, who want to get rid of social safety nets," he thundered.

Likewise, Rachel Maddow accused Rubio of flip-flopping on Medicare, comparing his statement to earlier remarks about the importance of Medicare for his family. She asked, "What would he run as, the guy who says Medicare saved his father and his family but it's also turned you weak and helpless?"

On Wednesday, Rubio's political action committee, Reclaiming America, issued a fundraising pitch centered around the remarks, saying, "The speech drove extreme liberals crazy, and they are on the attack.” The email alleges:

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow chopped up Marco's words and distorted them, even weaving in mentions of Marco's parents to attack him.

Ed Schultz attacked Marco's speech as "psycho talk" and called Marco a "political hack".

These are the typical attacks that are routinely launched against those who are standing up for our conservative principles.

It's not the first time that the conservative senator has pit himself against MSNBC anchors for fundraising purposes. As a Senate candidate in July 2010, he released a web video about his economic platform that read, "How can you know the plan is right? Rachel Maddow thinks it's wrong." It sparked a brief war of words between Rubio and Maddow.

The full text of Wednesday's email:

Dear,

Last week, Marco gave a historic speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library that's been called an "important", "powerful", and "thoughtful" step in promoting a conservative path forward.

But not everyone was impressed. The speech drove extreme liberals crazy, and they are on the attack. We need your help to fight back and support limited government candidates who share Marco"s conservative vision for America.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow chopped up Marco's words and distorted them, even weaving in mentions of Marco's parents to attack him.

Ed Schultz attacked Marco's speech as "psycho talk" and called Marco a "political hack".

These are the typical attacks that are routinely launched against those who are standing up for our conservative principles.

These extreme liberals have no interest in finding common sense solutions to the challenges facing our country. They just want to attack and tear down anyone who doesn't share their extreme ideology.

Which is why we need your help us fight back. Your contribution of $100, $50, or even $25 will help us defend conservatives like Marco all across the country.

Reclaim America PAC will stand up for candidates who take tough positions and challenging the politics-as-usual in Washington, D.C.

Thank you for your continued support,

Team Reclaim

Comments

[ladyxx]

03:29 PM on 09/06/2011

Go Marco!!

[deminmo]

02:33 PM on 09/06/2011

Mr. Rubio gets lots of free advertising on these shows he should be grateful.

[Jose Amram]

12:14 PM on 09/06/2011

What does "conservative path forward" imply? I am not sure but if Bachman, Palin, Perry, Rubio, and others are any indication, it will be the undoing of what's left of our democracy, erosion of our civil rights, etc. I believe the goal is to move the country in a retrograde fashion, undue civil rights, remove most social services, and continue a massive military buildup. Up with the corporation (after all, they are people too) and down with the working American.

[lesterbud]

11:59 AM on 09/06/2011

"Those liberals are at it again, using our own ridiculous statements and mindless dogma against us. Typical lefty tactics - quoting us and using facts. They must be stopped or all Americans will die. Please send us money."

[theiFyoU]

01:51 PM on 09/06/2011

Death to the facts................F+ F

[hopeisalive]

08:53 AM on 09/06/2011

When I hear or read the words "Conservative Principles", I always want to as the politician who said or wrote them to please clearly write or say them specifically. I heard these same words from 2001 through 2008 during President Bush's Administration and then it seemed that these were to deregulate everything, give tax cuts to all---but especially the upper 2% and Corporations------and spend money on wars and any thing that may or may not be useful for defense. What do these "Principles" mean today is my question to them.

[moneelove]

05:31 AM on 09/06/2011

Isn't it funny how government is so bad for the people who have poured their hard earned dollars into it and when they have need of assistance from the programs they have paid into, it is so wrong according to the GOP/tp. However these same people who attack this system, always have their hands in the pot steadily taking monies that they rail against, out. Why is it okay for their family and friends, but wrong for the rest of the country . . . just asking

[indjoe]

09:26 PM on 09/05/2011

Rubio is just as phony as they come it all about how much money he can con
you out of.

[sfsunst]

12:29 AM on 09/06/2011

I saw that as soon as I saw him on t.v. Interesting how his mind can change so drastically after the promise of him being a potential running mate for the Republican nominee.

[andrewlgm]

07:04 PM on 09/05/2011

America would be the only modern, industrialized nation to give preference to helping the wealthy absolutely, instead of the poor and stuttering middle class. This is the America envisioned by conservatives.

Tax cuts to create jobs that never come. They never come due to lack of confidence. Meanwhile, these companies sit with trillions in their coffers. When does all of this start sounding ridiculous?

The government needs to raise taxes from the wealthy (not the middle class), use that money to fund job programs and infrastructure, thus creating jobs and putting money in the hands of people who work for a living, and who spend their money daily. That's how economics work. Unemployment benefits work better for stimulating the economy than any tax cut out there. How do we know this? Look at every economic recovery since the great depression. The middle class needs jobs.

[jimchap]

05:07 PM on 09/05/2011

Rubio is intellectually incapable of being an intern for either broadcaster. He is simply walking talking points.

[zest]

04:55 PM on 09/05/2011

Rubio is obviously posturing for the vp slot in 2012. He rails against entitlements and yet his Cuban immigrant parents and grandsparents have benefited mightily from them.

[MathIsTruth]

10:37 AM on 09/05/2011

Interesting.

Schultz and Maddow attacked Rubio's political positions.

Rubio simply attacked Schultz and Maddow.

As usual, Conservatives have NOTHING in their "intellectual" arsenal except ad hominems and other lies and logical fallacies.

[somearelost]

01:13 PM on 09/06/2011

Loony liberal word of the day = "ad hominem"

[MathIsTruth]

08:01 PM on 09/06/2011

Um, that's two words.

Outstanding that you replied to my comment with an ad hominem.

[BlackWidowPilot]

06:59 PM on 09/07/2011

Can you even define the term "ad hominem," citizen?

Do tell.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Dr Bob]

10:09 AM on 09/05/2011

If Rubio had a sense of honor, he would not be hiding behind others or responding via e-mail. Schultz invited him on his show "anytime, anywhere" to have a professional discourse and air his true views. The dual videos did not appear to be taken out of context and, like a true pol, Rubio's positions are completely contradictory. Suspect the earlier one, where he is supporting the BIG 3, was when he was running for election in FL.

It is easier to hide behind a podium, where people pay money to hear your views, then to face fair questions in a public forum on TV........without a fee.

[Rick4646]

09:38 AM on 09/05/2011

Rubio and the rest of the GOP put up this elitist front and think they are above any pointing of their lies, hypocrisies, catering to the rich, and not helping working class families.

[Madbunny]

03:44 AM on 09/05/2011

"These extreme liberals have no interest in finding common sense solutions to the challenges facing our country. They just want to attack and tear down anyone who doesn't share their extreme ideology."

How well these conservatives project. They couldn't have described themselves any better if they'd had a team working on it for a year. This is a typical attack right out of their playbook. Blame the other guy for what you've been doing, deny everything.

Tell you want Cons, show me some examples of conservatives working with people who don't share their ideology. Go for it, show me what bipartisanship, and compromise looks like to a conservative. Prove me wrong, prove that the statement above shouldn't look like this:

These extreme *conservatives* have no interest in finding common sense solutions to the challenges facing our country. They just want to attack and tear down anyone who doesn't share their extreme ideology.

Because, from where I'm sitting, it looks like you guys have it backwards and just don't want to admit it.

[rudyhome]

10:52 PM on 09/04/2011

After reading the e-mail fro Rubio's PC I would like some clarity on what they think Rubio said as compared to how he was interpreted by Maddow et.al. It appears they did not disagree with what was said, they just didn't like it. Too bad....

[smartmama]

01:11 AM on 09/05/2011

One of the problems Shultz had was that everything Rubio said contradicted what he had said before-all on video so tough to deny. He played both tapes to illustrate.