On Thursday's CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose took issue with Senator Marco Rubio recently attacking President Barack Obama for being 'divisive.' When Rubio tried to point to the President's State of the Union address as an example, Rose interrupted and replied, "I saw him honoring the military of America and a lot other things where we should be coming together. That doesn't seem to be divisive."
The Florida Republican continued by trying to cite the chief executive's use of class warfare as a tactic "What about the part that basically implies...that the only way that some people in America can be better off is for other people to be worse off? And that's not true to our heritage." The CBS anchor, however, cut the potential vice presidential candidate short just 11 seconds after he began his answer, in an apparent rush to get to the local weather reports.
Rubio blasted President Obama during an interview on Fox News on Tuesday night [1], just hours after the Democrat's speech before Congress, and used similar language as he did on CBS:
RUBIO: I don't think that ever in modern American history, have we ever seen a national leader so blatantly try to divide Americans against each other- stand up before the country and basically say that the only way that some of us can be better off is to make other people worse off.
The CBS personality likely had this remark in mind when he raised the issue with the Florida senator near the end of the segment.
The transcript of the relevant portion of Charlie Rose's interview of Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday's CBS This Morning, starting at the 17 minutes into 7 am Eastern hour mark:
ROSE: You have often- you have also called him [President Obama], Senator, 'divisive.' What is it about this president that you think is divisive?
RUBIO: Did you see the State of the Union speech where he's basically-
ROSE: Yes- and indeed, and I saw him honoring the military of America and a lot other things where we should be coming together-
RUBIO: Sure-
ROSE: That doesn't seem to be divisive-
RUBIO: Yeah. Well, that part everyone agrees with. But what about the part that basically implies- and not just at the State of the Union, but consistently in his career- that the only way that some people in America can be better off is for other people to be worse off?
ROSE: Thank you-
RUBIO: And that's not true to our heritage.
ROSE: We've got- are up against the clock. I hope you'll understand, and I hope you'll come back. Thanks so much.
RUBIO: Absolutely- thank you.
ERICA HILL: It is 18 minutes past the hour now- time for your first check of your local weather.