Rubio still has time to redeem himself

A couple of commentators suggested that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham may have planned to redeem himself after President Donald Trump is out of the picture — that Graham might eventually explain his years of inexplicable back-and-forth fealty to Trump hoping for redemption. We’ll never know, of course.

But what about the still very much alive and active Secretary of State Marco Rubio?

Many have speculated that Rubio doesn’t fit as neatly into the typical MAGA mold as other Trump administration officials. Is he really on board with our public handling of the Iran war? Have you noticed how testy and defensive he is when journalists pepper him with questions about Trump’s curious Middle East strategy?

I’ve often wondered how a Trump-free Rubio would deal with Iranian leaders and reason with NATO countries over the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio doesn’t strike me as an agent of chaos like his boss. We voters might want to keep an eye on how things play out between now and 2028. I’m not sure how enamored conservatives, including some MAGA voters, are of Vice President JD Vance. It may take a minor miracle, but if Rubio can distinguish himself the next two years, and stealthily distance himself from Trump, maybe we’ll see a side of him we can actually tolerate.