A MAJOR EVENT? – AT 8:34 A.M. ET:  As readers know, this site has argued that the GOP should skip a generation and look to its young bench for a presidential candidate for 2012, upsetting the usual Republican practice of nominating the next guy in line, dead or alive, or in between.  One of the names we've boosted is freshman Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.  So this item from RealClearPolitics caught our attention:

Florida Republican Marco Rubio, the only freshman senator yet to deliver a maiden speech on the Senate floor, will take that step on Tuesday afternoon, according to his advisers.

For Rubio, a rock star of both the GOP and the tea party movement, the moment is an important one. The young Cuban-American is seen as a rising star in the Republican Party, and his victory in November was arguably the biggest of the midterm elections.

Rubio's team will release a video to supporters tonight describing the speech, which he calls important to his Senate career because he will explain why he ran for the office and what he wants to do in his tenure. For a 40-year-old with unlimited national potential, the speech is certain to draw oodles of attention.

Maiden speeches are rarely noticed.  This is a big deal, and Rubio isn't hesitant about increasing the size of the deal.

The senator wrote the speech himself and edits are still being made, but in the video he notes that it comes at an important time, explaining, "We're debating the future of our country."

And you may be it, fella.

He goes on to note that the United States has been the most exceptional nation "in all of human history," adding, "We have to decide if we want to continue to be that or decline."

The speech will be viewable on C-SPAN, which carries coverage of the Senate, but Rubio's team also will offer it on his website and Facebook page.

His family, including his wife and four children, will travel to Washington next week for the address. They will stay for the entire week.

In other words, plenty of photo ops.

Rubio has sworn off running for president in 2012.  But most of them play that game.  He is timing his speech right at the beginning of the election season.  He could have made it months ago.  He is making the speech into a major media event.  That doesn't sound like a guy trying to avoid the presidential spotlight.

He will of course continue to deny, but I suspect he'll also be assessing whether a "wanting of Marco" will start to build. 

He is also being mentioned as everyone's choice for vice president, a possibly smart move that could introduce him to the American people and make him a household name for the 2016 election.  But, as a vice presidential candidate, not in control of the overall campaign, things can also go wrong.  The recent history of vice presidential nominees hasn't been encouraging.  President Mondale can talk about that.  As can President Gore.  As for President John Edwards, nothing need be said.

Watch the speech.  Rubio is an Obama-level speaker, which is one reason for all the attention.

June 10, 2011