Rubio conveniently forgets history as he defends Trump's bogus 'concerns' about the 2020 election

In justifying Donald Trump’s attempts to defy and deny election results that clearly demonstrate he lost by the same “landslide” electoral-vote margin that he won in 2016--Trump's words--Rubio seems to have gotten his dates mixed up. Here’s what he tweeted today.

“I remember when Democrats & some in the media demanded the indictment of people in the incoming Trump administration for “having phone calls” with foreign leaders to discuss upcoming changes in U.S. foreign policy,” Rubio posted.

Well, yes, they did. But that was after a December 9, 2016 report by the Washington Post revealing that the CIA believed Russia was trying to help Trump win the election. It turns out they were: Dozens of individuals plead guilty or were convicted of serious crimes related to that whole thing.

But to equate those concerns with Trump’s current re-enactment of Hitler in the bunker is a bit of a stretch. One day after Trump was elected in 2016, his opponent, Hillary Clinton, made the traditional concession phone call and President Barack Obama invited the Trumps to the White House as part of the normal transition protocols.

None of that’s happening today.

Rubio seems to have misremembered the 2016 post-election period as somehow resembling the current one. He also cited Democrats demanding recounts in close races in the past. That’s true. And no one is suggesting that Trump isn’t entitled to recounts where they are legally appropriate in this election, although they wouldn’t affect the outcome.

Rubio’s memory has always been a bit spotty. The most-viewed moment of his life took place at a March 7, 2016 rally in which he questioned the size of Trump’s penis:

“He’s always calling me Little Marco and I’ll admit the guy he’s taller than me, he’s like 6’2, which is why I don’t understand why his hands are the size of someone who’s 5’2” Rubio told a large crowd of roaring supporters. “Have you seen his hands? There like this (gesturing a tiny thing). And you know what they say about men with small hands? You can’t trust them.”

To be fair, Rubio did get at least the last line right, at a minimum. If you’d like to revisit, search “Marco Rubio Says Trump Has a Small Penis” at YouTube. Or if you prefer a more intellectual review of the matter, there’s always “Trump Defends His Penis Size. What does science say?” at www.cnet.com.

Rubio doesn’t appear to remember any of that in his present roles of sycophant and enabler to Trump. So, to refresh his memory--and those of his fellow Republicans--here’s an actual timeline from www.factcheck.org that sums up the events of November 2016. None of it suggests any resistance to the outcome of the election that year:

Nov. 3 — The Internet Research Agency-controlled Instagram account “Blacktivist” posts a message that is part of a larger campaign by Russia to suppress the minority vote in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. “Choose peace and vote for Jill Stein. Trust me, it’s not a wasted vote.” (This is from the Feb. 16, 2018, indictment of the Internet Research Agency and 13 Russian nationals.)

Nov. 8 — Donald J. Trump is elected 45th president of the United States.

Nov. 10 — Trump meets with President Barack Obama at the White House. Obama reportedly warns Trump against hiring Flynn.

Nov. 18 — The president-elect selects Flynn as his national security adviser.

Nov. 28 — Trump reiterates his lack of confidence in the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment that Russia was responsible for the computer hacks. Trump tells Time magazine, “It could be Russia. And it could be China. And it could be some guy in his home in New Jersey.”

Nov. 30 — Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, and Flynn meet with Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, at Trump Tower. (The Trump White House did not acknowledge the meeting occurred until it was disclosed in March 2017. The content of the conversation was not disclosed at that time, but in May 2017 the Washington Post reported that Kushner and Kislyak “discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trump’s transition team and the Kremlin.” In a statement to congressional investigators on July 24, 2017, Kushner says Kislyak “wanted to convey information from what he called his ‘generals’” about “U.S. policy in Syria.” Kushner said the exchange of information did not occur during the transition because neither party could arrange a secure line of communication.

The bottom line is that no matter how many times Republicans like Rubio repeat the lie, the reaction of the mainstream media and the Democratic Party in 2016 bears absolutely no resemblance to what Trump and enablers are trying to do with their assault on the foundations of democracy today.

“The fact that 70 percent of Republicans don’t believe the 2020 election was free and free fair, that should be of concern to everyone,” Rubio said today in a video on his Twitter account.

Yes, it should, Marco. Yes, it should.