U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) once again is under fire, this time for recording a video complaining that “they” haven’t solved a temporary gasoline shortage affecting South Florida. But his complaining is also creating a headache for Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been MIA for weeks from the Sunshine State as he promotes his book – and unannounced presidential candidacy.
“FOUR DAYS and they still can’t figure out how to get enough gasoline to South Florida,” Sen. Rubio tweeted late Wednesday night.
“What’s happening right now in Miami and to Fort Lauderdale with gasoline is crazy,” he said in his video (below).
“You can’t find gasoline anywhere,” Rubio continued, which is at best misleading. Some gas stations reportedly have closed due in part to panic buying in the wake of a massive storm that hit South Florida a week ago, dropping more than two feet of water on cities like Fort Lauderdale in just seven hours.
Patrick De Haan, head of Gasbuddy’s petroleum analysis, told CBS News there are “millions of gallons of gasoline still waiting to be delivered.” CBS says he “estimated it would take about a week for things to get back to normal.”
But De Haan also responded to the Florida senator’s complaining video, all but indicting Governor DeSantis: “glad there’s no denial here that there’s a *lot* of stations without gasoline in SE FL,” he wrote, retweeting Rubio. “yes, pumps should have been put back in order by now and facilities brought back. but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet.”
He added, “we have data and insights, but no one in Florida has asked for it.”
That would appear to include Florida’s GOP governor and two GOP senators.
Rubio continued his complaining.
“This has been going on since Sunday. And they’re blaming it on the floods that impacted the ports, and I know that was a factor but it’s been four days,” he repeated. “This should have been figured out by now.”
He noted consumer panic as another reason for the problem. Noting long lines to the pumps, he said, “of course people are panic buying, because you don’t know the next time you’re going to have to make a two-hour line.”
“They keep saying it’s going to get better but it’s not,” Rubio said, again complaining. “They got to get this thing fixed. This is crazy.”
If the Senator thought his “everyman” approach would win him fans, he appears to have miscalculated.
“Sir, the ‘they’ here is you. You work in the government,” responded U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
“Maybe he could call his United States senator?” mocked Vanity Fair’s Molly Jong-Fast.
“Who is ‘they’ Marco? Aren’t you part of ‘they?’ If a U.S. senator can’t get things moving, what use are you? You’re of no use. You’re useless,” said writer Carter Gaddis. He continued: “I mean, really. You might be the most useless senator in Florida history.”
“There’s always a ‘they’ responsible for your problems. You’re a *senator*. You’re literally the guy people send to DC to fix this stuff,” tweeted writer and political analyst Brett Pransky. “Do some work already and get your people what they need. Buck stops with you, Sparky.”
Social media users also went after Governor DeSantis, who in addition to ignoring the gas shortage, initially ignored the massive flooding in Fort Lauderdale that helped cause it. DeSantis stuck to his book tour while flying into the Sunshine State just along enough to quietly sign a six-week abortion ban, before heading out of state just hours later.
“Have you tried calling the governor’s office,” asked Huffpost White House correspondent S.V. Dáte. “Actually, they might be in South Carolina today.”
“Marco Rubio using pronouns like a boss to avoid calling out Ron DeSantis,” observed Democratic strategist Max Burns.
Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch scorched DeSantis: “Perhaps @GovRonDeSantis should be heading to South Florida this weekend rather than South Korea.”
Media Matters’ Craig Harrington mocked Rubio – and DeSantis: “Who is the ‘they’ here that Lil’ Marco is complaining about? Who is in charge of the State of Florida? Who is the no-show leader who can’t be bothered to tackle these challenges?”
Watch the video here or at this link.