Rubio to deliver State of the Union response

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at the BuzzFeed Brews newsmaker event in Washington, D.C., on February 5, 2013. / NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP / Getty Images

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has been selected to deliver the Republican Party's response to President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night, congressional GOP leaders announced today.

The selection marks another milestone in Rubio's rapid rise among national Republicans. The Cuban-American senator, who first arrived on Capitol Hill after the GOP landslide of 2010, is a favorite among the tea party who commonly tops conservatives' 2016 presidential candidate wish lists.

In announcing the selection, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, praised Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, as "one of our party's most dynamic and inspiring leaders" whose family story "is a testament to the promise and greatness of America."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Rubio "a natural choice to deliver" the GOP message because he "embodies the optimism that lies at the heart of the Republican vision of America."

For his part, the 41-year-old Rubio said he was "honored to have this opportunity to discuss how limited government and free enterprise have helped make my family's dreams come true in America."

"I look forward to laying out the Republican case of how our ideas can help people close the gap between their dreams and the opportunities to realize them," he said.

A Rubio aide tells CBS News that Rubio is writing the response himself and that he started writing it a few weeks ago. He was initially asked by McConnell whether he would be interested and immediately accepted the offer.

Being selected to deliver the response to a sitting president's State of the Union is a rarified honor - a high-profile gig typically reserved for emerging leaders viewed by the party apparatus as especially promising.

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But the opportunity is not without its peril: while a strong performance can elevate, a disappointing performance can humiliate, burdening the career of a rising star with the long memory of a missed opportunity.

Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., thought to be eyeing a 2016 bid himself, was selected to deliver the Republican response to Mr. Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress in 2009.

The result was not pretty: Jindal's singsong delivery came across as overly forced, his message was criticized by both sides as uninspired and the talk of his lackluster performance lingered for years, resurfacing periodically in otherwise unrelated stories about Jindal's national political future.

If Rubio, a skilled orator, manages to avoid Jindal's fate, he may have his experience to thank: the GOP has elevated the Florida senator before as a spokesman for the party. Roughly a month after the 2012 election, Rubio accepted the Kemp Foundation Leadership Award and instructed a crowd of disconsolate Republicans to mind the "opportunity gap" in American society.

CBS News' Caroline Horn contributed to this report.

[OldTimeTruth]

The GOP must be hurting to do this one. Now we have to hear from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla and a tea bager to boot. God help America.

[TJphoto]

Limited government and free enterprise? Really Marco? Over 1,000,000 new Federal Workers hired during the Bush Admin. TSA, Homeland Security to name a few. Free Enterprise? Let's just let Wall Street do what they want, after all, they know best. I've seen and experienced the Republican Vision first hand and I want nothing to do with it.

[LosAngelesCA]

I really despise Rubio but I hope the GOP keeps trotting him out because everyone who doesn't know who he is, will soon despise him as much as I do.

[650-hp-sohc]

put him in a hoody and send him to zimmerman.

[KansasCity-2012]

As usual, the Republican Party wants to show the country how they can publicly devalue and defame their political party, by displaying an agenda that the majority of the nation doesn't want to pursue.

As usual, the Republican Party wants to hold the economic recovery hostage by strangling the conditions needed to feed the recovery.

As usual, the Republican Party wants the nation to rewrite history in their favor and blame nothing on them selves.

The Tea Party is welcomed to thrive and divide the Republican Party.

Latinos don't buy into Rubio's voice on matters. It's wishful that they would.

When Louisiana Governor Jindle tells his own party, "We have to stop being and acting like the 'Stupid' party", the Republicans were getting the best advice possible.

When the Bush Administration was in power, the Republicans drove the nation like a car that didn't have a reverse gear or brakes.


Now, that the Obama Administration IS in power, the Republicans drive a car that only HAS a reverse and brakes. They will either run out of rubber or brake pads!!

[650-hp-sohc]

grand old party is not any more .they scramble like rats from a sinking ship.whats wrong they say .well when the poor get no recognition from you what do you expect?come aboard the sinking ship of the working poor.live like we do.

[Weallhaveone]

Why does any one that is not the POTUS speaking to the "state of the union" ? JUst another fluffer from the losers.

[CarsonCitySteve]

Afraid of dissent?

[CarsonCitySteve]

No change. Don't care about the "blame," I'm sick of both sides blaming each other. But no talk of "change," please. I don't want the Republicans becoming the Right Wing of the Democratic Party.

[filmguy107]

El supriso!

[MTATL670]

I can hear it now. Insincere promises of change and the usual blame Obama

[two-cats]

Ditto! He's the GOP token Hispanic who's supposed to convince the group that the GOP is on their side. Republicans think Hispanics will believe anything.