CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript

Interview

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Senator, thanks very much for coming in. SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: Thank you, Wolf, for having me.

BLITZER: I know you've got a lot of senators on this resolution. More are jumping aboard I think each hour.

What's the single most important thing you think President Obama should be doing vis-a-vis Bashar al-Assad that he is not doing?

RUBIO: Well, a number of things. I think, first, he needs to call to the fact that Assad is no longer the legitimate ruler of that country and that he needs to step down. And I hope he'll do that sooner rather than later.

I think, also, use the power and prestige and voice of the United States to encourage the European Union to continue to do things to punish the Syrian government and protect the Syrian people, encourage Turkey to use its growing influence in the world to help the Syrian people transition to a peaceful future. Look to the Arab League and ask the Arab League to speak out as well the same way they did in Libya.

And ultimately, go to the United Nations Security Council and say it's time for the United Nations Security Council on this issue to step up and fulfill the purpose of its existence, and that is to protect innocent life and allow the people of Syria to craft a new future for themselves. So the U.S. is an important voice in the world, and I hope the president will lead us in making the cause of the Syrian people America's cause as well.

BLITZER: I noticed -- I just came back from the Europe -- the European Union did impose new sanctions against many top officials in Syria, but not Bashar al-Assad himself. I think the U.S. has imposed sanctions, economic sanctions against officials, but not Bashar al- Assad.

Why is that?

RUBIO: Well, I don't know. That's an important question that I hope the administration would answer. I think we've imposed sanctions on three individuals, but clearly he's the one calling the shots.

Look, I mean, Assad is -- like his father before him, he's a criminal. He's a murderer with a well-documented history of not just supporting terrorism abroad, but also of human rights abuses at home -- torture, abductions, murder. That's what he's doing.

We need to call him out for what he is. We need to impose sanctions.

And let me tell you, the most useful sanctions are the ones from Europe, because Europe does so much economic activity with Syria. So it's encouraging that the European Union is taking these measures, and we should use our influence in the world to encourage them to continue to do that. But we also have to lead by example, and I hope the president will lead on this issue. BLITZER: So what I hear you saying is you want the U.S., the Obama administration, to treat Bashar al-Assad as it does the Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi.

RUBIO: Well, in terms of saying he's illegitimate, absolutely. He's not the legitimate leader of Syria. He forfeited that the day he ordered his armed forces to fire on innocent, unarmed civilians in Syria.

And the most important message we have to send is that the United States is on the side of the Syrian people, a people who have a right to the same freedoms that we have, a people that have a right to peacefully pursue a better future for their country. That's whose side we are on. We are on the side of the Syrian people, and we should call, by the way, on patriots in the Syrian armed forces to ask for him to leave. And if he doesn't leave, to remove him.

BLITZER: I remember that when Moammar Gadhafi ordered his troops to start killing fellow Libyans, the U.S. immediately shut down the embassy there, recalled the ambassador, closed up shop.

Is it time for the U.S. to shut down the embassy in Damascus, recall the ambassador?

RUBIO: Yes, because it's not the legitimate government of Syria anymore. The Assad regime is not the legitimate ruler of Syria any longer. They have forfeited that, and we should recognize that they forfeited that by recalling our ambassador, shutting down our embassy, and setting an example, and using our role in the world to call attention to the fact that what is happening in Syria is completely unacceptable. And I think if America and this president leads, the world will follow.

BLITZER: Anthony Shadid, the "New York Times" Beirut correspondent, was allowed into Syria for a few hours this week. He interviewed Rami Makhlouf, who's one of the top advisers, an aide. He's a cousin to Bashar al-Assad. He's the richest guy, I think, in the country.

And he said this to "The New York Times," Rami Makhlouf -- he said, "If there is no stability here, there's no way there will be stability in Israel. And nobody can guarantee what will happen after, God forbid, anything happens to this regime."

"Don't let us suffer. Don't put a lot of pressure on the president. Don't push Syria to do anything it is not happy to do."

Here is the question to you. As bad as Bashar al-Assad may be for his own people and for the region, that border between the Israelis and the Syrians has been quiet since '73. Could it get worse?

RUBIO: Well, first of all, it's hard to imagine it getting worse. How can you be worse than a murderer like Assad, who's like a criminal like his father before him? Second of all, that's their talking points. That's exactly the leverage they use to justify their tyranny. That's exactly the leverage that they use to justify and stay in power.

And the things they do, they try to blackmail the world with threats like that.

Here is the reality. We either believe the founding principles of this nation or we do not. The founding principles of the United States are simple, and that is that our rights don't come from our laws or from our government. They come from our creator, and that these rights extend to all men. And any government who denies these rights is an illegitimate government.

Anywhere in the world where that is challenged, the United States has to speak out against it. Otherwise, the very essence of our founding, our purpose for existing as a nation and our founding, is gone. This is an important issue.

An entire generation of people in the Middle East, young people, are forming their opinions about the United States for a generation to come based on how we act here. And we can't just be interested in things from a geopolitical perspective.

We have to care about human rights, we have to care about the freedom and liberty of other people. And we have to use our voice, our prestige, and our power in the world to speak out on behalf of people who are being systematically oppressed and abused by criminals like Assad.

BLITZER: Well, how do you know, Senator, that if Bashar al-Assad leaves, whoever might replace him might -- could possibly be worse?

RUBIO: Well, here is the bottom line. First of all, it's hard to imagine anybody being worse than a criminal like Assad.

The second thing, we don't know anything about anything. That's why -- we can't guarantee anything about the future.

What we need to guarantee is that we are engaged in that process so we can influence that process. And that's why it is important that we be a leading voice in that regard.

If we are engaged on behalf and on the side of the Syrian people on this issue, if we are engaged on their behalf on this issue, then I think we have credibility with the Syrian people to influence what happens in Syria after Assad is removed or leaves.

BLITZER: Let me switch gears quickly because I know you've got to go to politics. Everybody asks you this question because you are such a rising star in the GOP.

Running for president, running for the Republican presidential nomination this time around, that's out of the question from your perspective. Is that right?

RUBIO: I have answered that so many times.

BLITZER: I know you have, but I want to hear it from you.

RUBIO: No. Well, the answer is, yes, it is out of the question.

I'm focused on this job here in the U.S. Senate. We have a lot of major issues our country is confronting. The U.S. Senate, I hope, will play a major role in that regard, and I hope to be a part of that.

BLITZER: Who do you like?

RUBIO: In terms of the --

BLITZER: The Republican presidential nomination.

RUBIO: Well, you know, I'm probably not going to endorse a candidate, as I said. In fact, I know I'm not going to endorse a candidate.

I look forward to helping whoever the nominee is. I have faith in the nomination process. These guys are going to work hard over the next year, and gals are going to work hard over the next year, and we're going to have a nominee who I hope is going to have a very good chance to be the new occupant of the White House in 2012.

BLITZER: You know, Barack Obama was only in the Senate for a very short period of time before he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. And some of your fans are saying you should do the same thing.

RUBIO: Well, I'm flattered and honored by that. But the truth is I'm really focused on this job here in the Senate.

As I said, we are taking on some major issues that are impacting the future of our country. The Senate will play a leading role in that regard. And that's why I ran for the U.S. Senate. I want to be a part of that process.

BLITZER: All right. Senator Rubio, thanks very much for coming in.

RUBIO: Thank you.

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