Marco Rubio getting more pushback from protestors than Senators during confirmation hearing

Florida’s senior Senator appears to have a smooth path toward Foggy Bottom.

That’s the major takeaway from the early part of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of State position

Rubio positioned himself as someone willing to commit to an overdue reconsideration of how America’s strategic adversaries and competitors are seen, and garnered bipartisan praise even before he began to speak.

In his intro, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott lauded the “exceptional nominee” whose family moved from Cuba as an “incredible asset” for the Trump administration who is “clear-eyed” about threats and willing to hold communist regimes and others accountable.

“Marco will always put America’s best interests first,” Scott said.

Ranking member Jeanne Shaheen wanted Rubio’s hearing to happen as quickly as possible so American embassies can be “fully staffed,” and the New Hampshire Democrat noted the “good working relationship” she’s had across the aisle with the Senator in her remarks.

It wasn’t all kumbaya from the more radical elements of the general public though. It soon enough got interesting, as demonstrators made their presence known.

As Rubio contrasted the “global order” forged at the end of World War II with today’s eroded dynamic that threatens America and leverages “adversaries and rivals” and “jihadists,” a protester decried “forever war ever since.” Soon enough, that would be followed by a second, Spanish-speaking demonstrator.

“I get bilingual protestors,” Rubio quipped.

Turning to matters of substance, Shaheen pressed Rubio on protecting the North American Treaty Organization (NATO).

“The NATO alliance is a very important alliance,” Rubio said, but wondered if America should have a “primary defense role” in the alliance.

“We have to have alliances. But we have to have alliances with strong, capable partners,” Rubio said, noting that American largesse has funded European “safety net” social programs as our taxpayers have shouldered their burdens.

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This piece will be updated as the hearing continues.

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