Senator Rubio has been describing Senators Cruz and Paul as “isolationists.” Earlier this week, I argued that this line of attack was unlikely to sway Republican primary voters against Cruz. While there are some similarities between Paul and Cruz on foreign policy, there are enough differences that conservatives are likely to distinguish the two of them. And on some of the issues Rubio has raised, Cruz and Paul are aligned many other Republicans, including prominent Rubio backers.
Roger Zakheim, a Rubio supporter, responds to me by . . . pointing out that there are some similarities between Paul and Cruz on foreign policy.
Zakheim says that Cruz’s record is weak “even if one were to set aside the charge that his record reflects an isolationist philosophy.” It’s a phrase that enables Zakheim to proceed without ever making the case that Cruz deserves the “isolationist” label. Zakheim couldn’t, that is, bring himself to defend Rubio’s charge. Which rather backs up my point that making that charge stick won’t be possible.