Rubio Roasted For Video on Florida Gas Shortage: ‘Maybe He Could Call His United States Senator?’

Florida’s senior U.S. senator, Marco Rubio (R-FL), received a bevy of criticism on Wednesday and Thursday after he posted a clip raging against the ongoing gas shortages in parts of his state and voiced frustration that “they still can’t figure” it out.

Rubio tweeted the clip on Wednesday with the caption, “FOUR DAYS and they still can’t figure out how to get enough gasoline to South #Florida #GasShortage.” As of Thursday afternoon, the video had received nearly 2 million views and gone viral — although probably not for the reasons Rubio was hoping.

“What’s happening right now in Miami and in Fort Lauderdale with gasoline is crazy. You can’t find gasoline anywhere. This has been going on since Sunday and they’re blaming it on the floods that impacted the port. And I know that was a factor, but it’s been four days. They should have been figured out by now,” Rubio says in the clip.

“And they’re blaming it on consumer panic. Yeah, people are panicked because they’ve got to get to work. They got places to go and you either can’t find gas or you have to wait in line for like 2 hours down the street,” Rubio continued, concluding:

Where you’re probably going to run out of gas while you’re waiting. So yeah, people are panicked and of course, they’re filling up saying don’t fill up because you’re going to fill up because you don’t want to. You don’t know the next time. You can have to make a two-hour line. They keep saying it’s going to get better, but it’s not.

Many journalists and critics were quick to pounce on Rubio for both not offering any particular solutions or updates on the work being done to solve the crisis and his use of “they” to refer to those in power who are to blame.

Journalist Molly Jong-Fast reacted to the clip and quipped, “Maybe he could call his United States senator?”

“Have you tried calling the governor’s office. Actually, they might be in South Carolina today,” replied HuffPost’s S.V. Dáte.

“Sir, the “they” here is you. You work in the government,” jabbed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Even figures on the right jumped in as Ian Miles Cheong replied, “Does Marco Rubio want the government to step in and stop people from being able to buy gas so the panic buying stops? That seems pretty leftist. C’mon man.”

Inevitably, as the 2024 primary season is well underway, presidential politics entered into the mix as many observers interpreted Rubio’s comments as a swipe at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Below are some additional replied to Rubio’s video:

__