Michael Strain writes for National Review Online about the secretary of state’s latest remarks.
Marco Rubio filled in yesterday as the temporary White House press secretary. He was asked by a reporter: “You’ve had a deep faith for God and country. . . . What is your hope for America at a time such as this?”
The secretary of state didn’t miss a beat: “My hope for America? It’s the same as it’s always been”:
“We want [America] to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. Where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity. But frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.”
Rubio continued:
“I think in the U.S. we’re not perfect. Our history is not one of perfection. But it’s still better than anybody else’s history. And ours is a story of perpetual improvement. Each generation has left the next generation of Americans freer, more prosperous, safer. And that is our goal as well.
“[America] is a unique and exceptional country. And as we come upon this 250-year anniversary, I think we have a lot to learn and be proud of in our history. It is one of perpetual and continuous improvement, where each generation has done its part to bring us closer to fulfilling the vision that the founders of this country had upon its founding.”
There you have it. Though he didn’t use the phrase, Rubio argued for the health of the American Dream. He affirmed American exceptionalism. He defended both the meritocratic ideal and the realities of meritocracy and upward economic mobility. He articulated a commitment to human flourishing as a goal of politics. His argument that our history “is one of perpetual and continuous improvement” suggests that our political and economic systems are not fundamentally broken or ill-founded. Indeed, Rubio reverenced the Founding. All in less than 60 seconds.
