CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript

Interview

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IM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Give us a little bit of the back story on why you decided to endorse Governor Romney now.

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA: Well there's no back story. The primary is over, I mean by the admission of the candidates who have admitted they can't win the primary. They've said the only way they can win is at a floor fight in Tampa. And I think that a floor fight in Tampa would be the worst possible thing we can do in terms of winning in November. So I think Mitt Romney by the admission of his opponents has won the primary and it's time for us to get behind our nominee.

ACOSTA: And you're comfortable he's a true conservative?

RUBIO: Yes, Mitt Romney is going to govern as a conservative president. I'm confident of that and he'll be a significant upgrade over the current occupant of the office.

ACOSTA: Part of your rationale for coming out and endorsing is what President Obama said to the Russian president.

RUBIO: Well look I think what happened this week is a reminder of some of the thought processes you see at the White House and I always try to keep foreign bipartisan or non partisan. I think we should always be a part of Team USA, but when you have the president of the United States telling a foreign leader to work with him because he'll have more flexibility after he's elected I think it's a worrisome indication of not just on foreign policy, but what other issues is the president intend to pursue his flexibility once the election is over?

ACOSTA: Do you think something sinister was going --

RUBIO: (INAUDIBLE) sinister. I just think that quite frankly there are issues that he doesn't want to admit where he stands on them, because he doesn't think he can get reelected if he admits it, but after the election he intends to pursue and those are the kinds of things that we're concerned about.

ACOSTA: And last year on "Meet the Press" you said under no circumstances would you appear on the ticket this year --

RUBIO: (INAUDIBLE) has changed on the vice presidential stuff. I know people keep asking, but my answer hasn't changed.

ACOSTA: Still under no circumstances --

RUBIO: Yes, I'm not going to be the vice president. All right, thanks.

ACOSTA: Thanks.

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