In case you missed it, which may mean you don't watch or read much mainstream media, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio took a sip of water one night last week. From the reaction in certain quarters, he might just as well have belched, broken wind, or beaten his wife.


Liberals pounced, saying that this was the young Florida senator's "Watergate'' and it had pretty much washed him out of consideration for President, as serious spokesman for the GOP, or dog catcher. Seriously?

National Sandinista Radio (also known as NPR), was a bit more subtle, but not much. Eschewing the waterboarding technique, its alleged "news'' item told supposedly shocked listeners that Rubio "sounded like Mitt Romney.''

No doubt Rubio's defense of private enterprise and the like made him sound like Romney to the NPR reporter, but wouldn't it have been nice if Rubio were simply quoted so a listener could decide for himself how he "sounded?''

In fact, Rubio's official Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address was an informative, impassioned defense of conservative political philosophy about life and free enterprise, mixed with a rich, admirable personal story.

He not only warned of big government, he explained what private enterprise can do to help the human condition.

Rubio was, in point of fact, perfectly reasonable and likeable.

These are qualities that liberals fear most from conservatives. What to do? Why, reach for Rubio reaching for a water bottle (Poland Springs, by the way). Talk about grasping at straws.