WASHINGTON -- Marco Rubio walks alone these days.
After delivering a Senate speech last week, the former Republican presidential hopeful made the long walk back to his office.
No entourage. No scrum. Trailed by just a few reporters.
But go quietly he will not, and Rubio made a couple of points during the basement stroll.
First, thanks, but no thanks, to Ted Cruz's suggestion that Rubio could be his presidential running mate.
"I'm not going to be vice president," Rubio said, the same disinterest he showed after dropping out of the presidential race.
Perhaps it's tough to envision being the veep when you aimed for the presidency?
"No, that's not the thought process for me. The vice president is important," he said. "It's just not what I'm focused on. I ran for president."
Another White House run?
"I haven't thought about running for anything else right now," he said.
"I want to be pr -- I ran for president -- now I'm going to focus on two things: finishing strong here in the U.S. Senate -- I'm really enjoying being back and representing the state -- and then I'll be a private citizen in January, and I'll continue to try and contribute any way I can."
Rubio still has a role to play in presidential politics, even though he has yet to endorse a rival and declined to do so Thursday. His delegates remain bound to him on the first convention vote, despite efforts by Cruz and Donald Trump to peel them off for subsequent ballots.
While other GOP lawmakers are avoiding the party's convention in Cleveland, he'll likely be there.
"I haven't reserved a plane ticket or anything yet, but sure ... it would be great to go."
As for Trump's complaints of a "rigged" nominating system, forget it, Rubio said.
"The process has been what it's always been, which is political parties elect their nominees," Rubio said. "If you don't get a majority of the delegates in the primary, then delegates decide the nomination. ... Political parties are private organizations who can choose their nominees, basically, any way they want."
At the end of the long basement hallway, Rubio sought to dispel the impression that he finds the Senate dreary.
"I never said I hated the Senate," he said, showing off his notebook full of trips and initiatives planned in his remaining months.
"I've enjoyed very much being a senator. It's been a tremendous honor," he said. "It's even more fun now than it was before because I have more time to do it."
But White House dreams are tough to shake.
"I enjoy being a senator, but I really believed the best place for me to contribute was as a president," he said.
"Senators can help shape the agenda but only presidents can set the agenda, and I thought we had something meaningful to offer in that regard."
Voters, at least for now, thought otherwise.
About the Author
