February 13, 2013

"I needed water, what am I going to do? God has a funny way of reminding us we’re human."

"My mouth got dry, and I had to get some water... You know, when you give a speech on a podium and the water is right there — but when you don’t, you start looking around thinking, ‘Where am I going to get the water?’ I figured I was better off just taking that water and taking the hit for it then being unable to pronounce my words. It’d been a long day at work, we’d already done an 18-minute recording in Spanish — and you know, my mouth got dry, what can I say? But I was happy overall with what we were able to deliver."

Rubio had an opportunity last night, responding to the SOTU, and he's got a new opportunity this morning. The most interesting thing — and this is our humanity showing through too — is that he needed water. That was more interesting than his speech and even more interesting than Obama's big, long speech we'd just endured. Something real happened! Spontaneity! We all identify. I love the look on his face as he glances at the camera while drinking:



I read the look to say: Oh, no! Is this going to ruin my political career?! This! A little sip of water?! Meanwhile, it's a big win for Poland Spring in the tiny bottle form. That was a hell of a product endorsement. You can't buy product placement like that.

Rubio and Rubio supporters can make taking a drink from a little water bottle into a thing. It's such an innocent and pure foible, needing a drink of water. It's a nice meme for him. Humanizing. Wholesome. Downside is: Too much plastic waste. So recycle. The best way to deal with the bottles is to refill them with tap water. And the best way to deal with a goof like that is to refill it with humor (and branding).

ADDED: You know, it was pre-recorded. They could have done another recording if they'd wanted to.

What's the most likely reason why they didn't do another recording?
  
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76 comments:

Colonel Angus said...

So yesterday it was awkward but today its humanizing.

Ann Althouse said...

Clue to Colonel Angus: Humans are awkward.

Colonel Angus said...

Speak for yourself.

bagoh20 said...

It would be more humanizing if it was a nice cold beer. That would be awesome. If that happened, I bet nobody would change the station. Geeze, can we have just a sliver of uniqueness in our politics. Even the lies are getting boring.

ByondPolitics said...

Why infantilize him? That look doesn't match your fretting as well as it matches his matter-of-fact words: what-are-you-going-to-do?

Glen Filthie said...

All I know is that when politicos start bloviating I need a drink too!

Several drinks, actually...BIG drinks...

Patrick said...

Maybe it was pre-arranged with Poland Springs. Make Rubio look human, give some pub to the Water Company. Everyone wins. Heh.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Logorrhoea causes dehydration.

MadisonMan said...

I could be all wet, but I'm sensing a theme.

kjbe said...

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Shouting Thomas said...

Could have been re-done with a 10 second shot, and a bit of creative editing.

So, obviously, time wasn't an issue.

Wince said...

It was the way he took the drink that might have sunk his chances if he was in a campaign. Tentative, herky-jerky. Indecisive.

A leader realizes, once he's decided to take a drink, his audience can wait the two or three second. He'll know to do it when he wants them think a little more about the words he just said.

As long as he learns, at this point it can be endearing.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

If it could have been re-recorded -why didn't they? Who told them what and who was in charge of the recording?

Known Unknown said...

It would be more humanizing if it was a nice cold beer

A 40 of King Cobra.

Fuck yeah.

rhhardin said...

Rubio is stupid on illegal immigration, which overrides the water music.

furious_a said...

Althouse: Rubio and Rubio supporters can make taking a drink from a little water bottle into a thing. It's such an innocent and pure foible, needing a drink of water. It's a nice meme for him. Humanizing. Wholesome.

Meant as a compliment -- for a moment here I thought I was reading a Peggy Noonan WSJ Saturday column.

Colonel Angus said...

It was the way he took the drink that might have sunk his chances if he was in a campaign. Tentative, herky-jerky. Indecisive.

It is a wonder more qualified and well meaning people don't enter politics. Perhaps its why we are stuck with the lot we have.

Rusty said...

#5
WGAF

furious_a said...

if it was a nice cold beer. That would be awesome.

...followed by a not-bad-manners-just-good-beer belch.

David Davenport said...

Am I the only one who objects to Marco addressing the American public in Spanish as well as English?

MisterBuddwing said...

My erratic memory strikes again. I remember many, many, many moons ago, Sen. Edmund Muskie delivering some Democratic response while seated in a chair. I recall that it was a longish address, and that in the middle of it, he matter of factly picked up a glass of water and took a sip from it, and it didn't seem the least bit awkward at all.

Brian Brown said...

Awkward is such a white people word.

machine said...

Why doesn't he drink Amurican water?!

Amy said...

Flexible plastic water bottles should not be refilled. The softer the plastic, the more unstable the material, and the cells can start to break down into the water and be ingested. Same reason you should not store cases of those bottles in a sunny or very hot location.
The best thing to do is get a steel or glass water bottle (Kleen Kanteen or similar) and reuse that.
I thought everybody knew this but you mentioned refilling the bottles to cut down on waste so I thought I would mention.

DADvocate said...

I don't care what Rubio said or did. After Obama's sterling speech last night, I'm a new man. Energized and ready to go. The future looks cheery and bright. I'm walking on clouds.

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me down
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Oh yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead there's nothing but blue skies

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
Bri-ri-ri-ri-right
Bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
Oh yeah
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day.

bleh said...

He should have taken his sweet ass time, closed his eyes, slowly gulped the water, and let out a refreshing aaaaaaaaaah. That would have shown confidence, control, etc.

Instead, he looked like a kid who screwed up and just knows his dad's gonna spank him when he gets home.

Philip K. Miles said...

Fifth option: Endorsement Deal.

Smilin' Jack said...

""I needed water, what am I going to do? God has a funny way of reminding us we’re human.""

Oh, please. Humans can go two days without water, while crossing a burning desert and fighting Arabs all the way (see e.g. Lawrence of Arabia.) That wasn't a human moment, that was a pussy moment.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

It's sad that infinitely more energy and attention is paid to nuances of how he drinks some fucking water than the substance of his speech.

The country is rotten throughout almost all segments of society, from the indoctrinating union dominated school systems, to the lockstep conformity of higher academics, to the celebrity obsessed and substance free popular culture disseminated by an Obama fellating media.

bagoh20 said...

Oh Amy. Why? Why did you need to do that? There is nothing wrong with refilling plastic bottles. Maybe if you planned on storing them for 50 years some molecules might migrate, but it still would be safer to drink that water than to drive to work one day sucking in pulverized car tires along the way.

Stop worrying about stuff. None of it is gonna hurt you. And the stuff that will is too fun to give up anyway. You are gonna die whether you worry and obsess or not. Choose Life! Now let's party!

edutcher said...

I went with 4.

It makes him less robotic than Choom.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

I bet 10 liters of Coke would quench that thirst.

Smilin' Jack said...

The best way to deal with the bottles is to refill them with tap water.

And if you're going to fill them with tap water, do it from a tap. Don't block the drinking fountain for ten minutes trickling water into the gallon jug you have to carry everywhere just so everyone will know you're a doofus.

Amy said...

Hey I'm all about fun and love a good party as much as the next guy.

But the phelates and BPA in soft bottles have been shown to leach chemicals into the water, and can cause hormone-like activity in the body.
As someone who survived a hormonally-driven cancer, I err on the side of caution, especially about something so easy.

Yes, I'm going to die one day anyway - I'd just rather it not be soon. I'll use up my risk factors on a good piece of cheesecake, too much keeping my cell phone by my ear, or unprotected sex. :)

YoungHegelian said...

Poland Spring fizzy water with lemon or lime kicks ass!

I also happen to know it's sold in the Senate cafeteria.

Anonymous said...

He should've insisted on a lectern and had the water right next to him on top, sipping as needed deliberately, confidently.

sakredkow said...

The STOTU Response - where young Republicans' presidential ambitions go to die.

Chip Ahoy said...

Didn't watch. Did he do the finger thing? Moment. A Dem would have the 'moment' finger up before their mind would process as if the finger was doing the thinking, and as if it's your fault their mouth is dry for making them speak so long. Okay, hang on, I'm going to watch in another window. No! He did not do the finger thing. He would make a terrible Dem.

Baron Zemo said...

Hey he should have poured it on his back. We want the Hispanic vote this time. Just sayn'

test said...

phx said...
The STOTU Response - where young Republicans' presidential ambitions go to die.


It's funny watching the leftists flail about to find something to criticize. Nevertheless a decades hence freshmen will learn the event was clearly racist and should have been disqualifying from office, much as today's young leftists were taught the SBVT allegations were "disproven".

sakredkow said...

It's funny watching the leftists flail about to find something to criticize.

It's the leftists fault.

Unknown said...

Shudda, cudda, wudda at this point what does it matter?

Palladian said...

I'm unimpressed by this man. I'm not sure how you say that in Spanish.

Palladian said...

Why doesn't he drink Amurican water?!

Poland Spring is in Maine. Did you think it was in Poland? Or were you trying to make a funny? Either way, fail.

sakredkow said...

If it was from Poland check it for horse meat DNA.

Pastafarian said...

I wasn't impressed with him either, til I watched his speech during the nomination this past year.

I remember him recalling how he'd hear his father leave for work every morning before dawn -- he'd hear his keys jingling in the lock as he went out the door, as he tried not to wake the rest of the family. It resonated with me, and you could tell that he really meant what he was saying.

Then again, as Althouse pointed out, we conservatives foolishly fawn over any slightly dusky person who utters anything the least bit conservative.

Known Unknown said...

Flexible plastic water bottles should not be refilled. The softer the plastic, the more unstable the material, and the cells can start to break down into the water and be ingested. Same reason you should not store cases of those bottles in a sunny or very hot location.
The best thing to do is get a steel or glass water bottle (Kleen Kanteen or similar) and reuse that.
I thought everybody knew this but you mentioned refilling the bottles to cut down on waste so I thought I would mention.


Amy is correct.

Rusty said...

Then again, as Althouse pointed out, we conservatives foolishly fawn over any slightly dusky person who utters anything the least bit conservative


Maybe you. Not me.
Judge him by his character.

Chip S. said...

"Senator Rubio--Matt Damon on line 1."

Palladian said...

Amy is correct.

She is? First off, plastic doesn't have "cells".

MayBee said...

Binders full of water!

Palladian said...

I do prefer glass bottles, for aesthetic (flavor) reasons.

bbkingfish said...

Christie, Jindal, now Rubio...all down the tubes.

I wonder who baited Rubio into what should have been Mitch McConnell's job. As political theater, delivering the "response" is a losing proposition...all downside, no upside for the speaker.

cubanbob said...

The democrats have put the country on an express elevator to financial hell and this is the important issue?

furious_a said...

I'm not sure how you say that in Spanish.

Coconut, apparently.

MathMom said...

Amy is correct. Confirmed unexpectedly by Dr. Susan Love. Growing cultures in the lab, some cancer cultures grew fast, some slowly. She exhausted all theories as to the difference in rate of growth. Finally saw this: The ones that grew fast were grown in plastic petri dishes. The others were in glass.

Use glass.

MathMom said...

Now, as to Rubio's drink from a water bottle, I am certain in the future he will have a little table in front of him with a water bottle on it. I hope he lifts a water bottle and holds it up like a priest does the wine during Mass, and then drinks slowly from it whenever he is speaking in public from now on.

I am just freaking glad he wasn't drinking from one of those with a push/pull cap. People suck on those like a baby bottle. Can you imagine the photoshopping that could be done with THAT sort of bottle?

And, you know the Left is worried about the content of his speech, because they are making fun of a human being taking a drink of water. Crikey.

mccullough said...

Maybe it's time to stop doing a "response" to the State of the Union. It might make sense in an election year, but otherwise it's useless.

Republicans need to lay low and let Obama do what he does best -- keep fucking up.

sakredkow said...

The picture is great.

"Veeta Vita Vegamen. It's so tasty, too!"

Alex said...

If Rubio was a real man, he'd a fifth of scotch in his hand.

Amartel said...

Paul Ryan 2016.

Amartel said...

This is it? Ohmigod Rubio had a drink of water during his speech? That's a big deal?

Pathetic.

Amartel said...

I saw him being interviewed by a couple of wankers, excuse me, anchors, on CBS this morning. Dessicated botoxed broad and fulsome fat-faced goon marching in lockstep through the list of wedge issues.

Christy said...

MathMom, interesting anecdote. Any confirming studies?

MayBee said...

Cancer cultures growing in plastic is not plastic leeching into your water and causing cancer.

Known Unknown said...

I would do a response rap. Drop some mad beats. Get all up in Obama's grill and whatnot. It would be unprecedented.


Known Unknown said...

Cancer cultures growing in plastic is not plastic leeching into your water and causing cancer.

I didn't read Amy's comment closely enough. I don't believe the plastic leeches into the water. The plastic is coated in chemicals that can affect the water if left in hot conditions (i.e., sunny summer day inside a car).

Snopes has coverage here.

sakredkow said...

#4 They thought the water move was funny, humanizing, and a good meme.

Funny enough, they thought the same thing about Romney's 47% takers meme.

Known Unknown said...

Funny enough, they thought the same thing about Romney's 47% takers meme.

Who is "they"?

And are "they" the same people?

Smilin' Jack said...

Cancer cultures growing in plastic is not plastic leeching into your water and causing cancer.

I didn't read Amy's comment closely enough. I don't believe the plastic leeches into the water.


I don't believe plastic 'leeches' into water either. Jesus, are public schools really that bad nowadays?

Known Unknown said...

I don't believe plastic 'leeches' into water either. Jesus, are public schools really that bad nowadays?

Leaches! Damn. I hate when I do that.

Paul Kirchner said...

Instead, he looked like a kid who screwed up and just knows his dad's gonna spank him when he gets home.

That was my problem with it too. Rubio doesn't present himself as an adult, he presents himself as an earnest high school student. Grabbing desperately at the water bottle underlined that "not ready for prime time" quality about him. Also, it's really unattractive to see someone sucking on a water bottle on TV. It looks like a baby bottle. He should have had water in a glass nearby.

You can say "Everyone's talking about the water, that's so superficial," but unfortunately our elections are decided on the basis of superficial impressions today. I think a big reason Obama beat Romney is that he came off better; Romney seemed like a big stiff, a square.

MathMom said...

Christy -

A quick search found this in Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book, but it is not the statistic I am referring to.

It has been years since I read that information and I can't remember where it was. I have two chemically sensitive children (now adults), and when I had to learn a new way to live I read everything available. You could probably find it and other research with the correct search terms.

Plastics mimic estrogen, therefore increased rate of cancer growth, in a nutshell.

I'm up against a deadline on a research paper, so I can't get into it more than this until after Feb 23.

MayBee said...

That snopes stuff is some pretty loose stuff. Believe what you choose, but it isn't solid science. At least it isn't yet.

Drago said...

Why didn't Rubio just shove a young staffer into a car and drive her off a bridge into the water to drown instead?!

That's step 1 in how to become a hero to the media and the left (but I repeat myself).

To paraphrase phx: the bottom of the river: where dems presidential ambitions should have died, but the left never cared.

JAL said...

Much ado about nothing.