Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida says there’s “no way” a governor would be ready to manage U.S. foreign policy on Day One of a hypothetical presidency.
“I believe that I take over on Day One as president prepared to lead this country in the most crucial obligation the president faces, as commander in chief,” Mr. Rubio told the Des Moines Register’s editorial board over the weekend. “Governors can certainly read about foreign policy, and take briefings and meet with experts, but there is no way they’ll be ready on Day One to manage U.S. foreign policy.”
A host of 2016 GOP contenders were in the early presidential state of Iowa over the weekend for an event hosted by the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition.
People like Mr. Rubio and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who is considering another run at the White House, have tried to draw a contrast with the governors and former governors in the 2016 field by talking up their foreign policy credentials in a contest where the Republican nominee is likely to square off against former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, told reporters over the weekend that another man with prior experience as governor was certainly ready when he got elected to the White House.
“I think he’s questioning how Ronald Reagan was ready,” Mr. Walker said of Mr. Rubio after speaking at an event for Iowa Rep. David Young in Urbandale, CNN reported.
Mr. Walker argued that, in his lifetime, Mr. Reagan “was the most impactful” president on foreign policy, while President Obama “shows as a first-term senator, [he] isn’t prepared to lead, or at least is not in the case of Barack Obama.”
“I think governors innately have the ability to lead. We are every day required to use our Cabinet to make decisions, not just give speeches,” Mr. Walker continued. “Not to just travel to foreign places but to ultimately make decisions based on using top talent in our Cabinet and our management team.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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