Florida Sen. Marco Rubio launched a blistering attack against
front-runner Donald Trump over his position on illegal immigration on
Thursday, quickly accusing Trump of switching positions on illegal
immigration for political gain.
The senator said that the New York billionaire talks tough on the issue
now, but previously said 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romney lost his
race against President Barack Obama for saying illegal immigration could
be solved by self-deportation.
"A lot of these positions that he's taken now are new to him," Rubio said during the debate in Houston.
Trump - who has won three out of four contests in the Republicans'
selection of a presidential nominee and may reap big gains when 11
states make their choices on Tuesday - scoffed at Rubio's charge.
He said Romney lost in 2012 because he was a terrible candidate.
"Excuse me, he ran one terrible campaign," Trump said.
Rubio attacked Trump over a New York Times report that he hired people
on HB-1 visas to work at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort when 300
Americans had applied for the jobs.
Trump took credit for introducing illegal immigration into the debate,
but Rubio challenged that, saying if he wants to make that claim he must
also "acknowledge that, for example, you're only person on this stage
that's ever been find for hiring people to work on your projects
illegally."
"No, no, I'm the only one at this stage that's hired people," Trump shot
back. "You haven't hired anybody. … You've had nothing but problems
with your credit cards, etc."
"He hired workers from Poland," Rubio said, referring to the Times story.
Saturday, February 27th, from 11am to 1pm EST, Right Side Patriots Craig Andresen and
Diane Sori discuss Why Trump?, Closing Gitmo, and give their take on the
winners and losers from Thursday's Republican presidential debate.