Senator Rubio (R-Fla) gives foreign policy speech at Brookings Institute, reactions mixed

You can also follow along using the hash tag #BIrubio. Buzzfeed reporter @ZekeJMiller is live tweeting the event at Brookings Institute.

Senator Lieberman (I-CT) introduced Senator Rubio.

Lieberman says Rubio’s FP is principled, patriotic, and practical.—
Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 25, 2012

Some highlights from Rubio’s speech:

Rubio speech as a word cloud http://t.co/CaVQs7mZ—
Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 25, 2012

Rubio: But effective international coalitions don’t form themselves. They need to be instigated and led.—
Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 25, 2012

And not “from behind.”

RT @keithurbahn: Rubio on coalitions reminiscent of @RumsfeldOffice rule: "Mission determines the coalition; not the other way around."—
Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 25, 2012

Rubio added word "tragically" before talking about possibility of military operations to prevent nuclear Iran. Variation from prep text—
Andrew Rafferty (@AndrewNBCNews) April 25, 2012

MT @brookingsfp: Rubio: "I feel like we have gotten precious little from Russia in exchange for concessions on nuclear weapons." #BIRubio—
Brookings (@BrookingsInst) April 25, 2012

Rubio: Millions of human beings are alive today because the US and others in the global com are paying for their anti-viral medications.—
Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 25, 2012

There was some not so favorable reaction to the Senator’s speech.

If Rubio truly does believe that "no global problem can be solved without us," he is actually further than even I thought…—
Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 25, 2012

#facepalm RT @bdomenech Rubio: "virtually no global problems can be solved without us."—
Meaty McButcher (@MeatyMcButcher) April 25, 2012

I get why Rubio gave a foreign policy speech now, to set himself up for 2016. But why such a surprisingly moderate speech?—
Patrick Disney (@TalkingWarheads) April 25, 2012

If Rubio really wanted to provoke a confrontation, he'd be giving this speech to an audience of the Republican base – not Brookings.—
Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 25, 2012

Sounds like Rubio's speech isn't a hit with righties on twitter.—
Meaty McButcher (@MeatyMcButcher) April 25, 2012

!!! #rubiofail RT @ZekeJMiller: YIKES! Rubio: "I left my last page of the speech. Does anybody have my last page? Did I leave it with you?"—
southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 25, 2012

Guess he just lost the GOP VP spot. RT @BenjySarlin Notably in Rubio's prepared remarks: "We should be open to negotiations with Iran."—
Trevor Timm (@WLLegal) April 25, 2012

Still, this likely won’t stop the rampant speculation that Rubio is on the “short list” for Vice President.

And for a little head hurt-y mind blowing:

Rubio mentions Twitter while we tweet about Rubio as Rubio hashtag gets hijacked by spammers. We've come full circle.—
Ashley Wood (@awoodbrookings) April 25, 2012

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