Rubio Sticks To Script, Takes Heat In New Hampshire
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MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBSMiami) -- Less than 48 hours away from the primary and the campaigns spent Super Bowl Sunday working overtime to reach voters. One campaign, in particular, is on the defense.
Sunday night was an opportunity to mix Super Bowl football with the Super Bowl of politics. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was out to win New Hampshire voters over with a watch party of his own.
"Enjoy the Super Bowl. It doesn't really matter to me," said Sen. Rubio. "The Dolphins haven't been there since 1984-85. Well, I guess they were in it in Ace Ventura Pet Detective. But that's a movie. It's not real. And even there the guy missed the kick."
Rubio is taking a lot of heat for Saturday night's Republican debate where he stuck to his talking points.
"There it is. The memorized 25-second speech," Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey mocked as Rubio seemingly couldn't help continuing to divert back into scripted talking points.
On Sunday morning, the Boston Herald headline said it all -- "Choke!"
And Rubio's mentor, Former Governor Jeb Bush kept the attacks going.
"He's so gifted and a great speaker but he came across as totally scripted and kind of robotic," said Bush.
A new poll shows Trump pulling ahead in New Hampshire while Rubio and Bush fall further back. Rubio still holds onto second place barely with Jeb Bush slipping in 5th place.
"I don't care about the media or how much it annoys people on Twitter and I am going to keep on saying it. This President is trying to change America. We are going to be America again," said Sen. Rubio.
Meanwhile, the Democrats may have themselves a run-away race.
CBS4's David Sutta spoke to Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, who was also in New Hampshire.
"Well it's a very important primary," said Mayor Levine.
The Miami Beach mayor traded sand for snow to campaign for Hillary Clinton who is trailing in polls there 2 to 1.
"Although home court advantage is going to Senator Sanders, he's been here for 30 years. It doesn't make a difference. Secretary Clinton is here because she's a fighter," said Mayor Levine.
Believe it or not there are still undecided voters out there. Many are like David Stotler, a former Coconut Grove resident, taking advantage of New Hampshire's intimate campaigning.
"Florida is not the retail politics like it is in New Hampshire. Here, you can meet the candidates face to face, shake their hand and ask them a question close up," said Stotler.
New Hampshire is expecting up to six inches of snow by Tuesday morning -- Primary Day.