Marco Rubio's high-fashion, high-heeled boots brought some ridicule from the Ted Cruz camp for being "booties," but nothing like the fun the MSNBC's
"Morning Joe" program had with what they called his "Austin Powers" fashion sense.
"Oh my God, look at that," show host Joe Scarborough shouted, when a tweet from the New York Times Michael Barbaro was shown on the screen, along with a story about squabbling between Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz.
"They're shagalicious!" Scarborough said, laughing that they were like the boots often worn by teen idol Harry Styles of the British band One Direction.
"No, no, he didn't do that! He did not wear those!" co-host Mika Brzezinski joined in, as the theme music from the Austin Powers movie series played in the background.
"Stop the presses!" replied Scarborough. "I really don't believe he wore those boots. This is straight out of an Austin Powers movie. This is swinging one to 1966 . . . and you're wearing that in New Hampshire? This is Austin Powers, baby!"
But even though the conversation steered back to politics, Brzezinski couldn't resist a parting shot as the show ended, once again with the Austin Powers music: She declared she might just wear the same boots on the program Thursday morning.
On Tuesday, Cruz' campaign communications director, Rick Tyler, tweeted a link to an article in
New York Magazine, repeating its title that "A Vote for Marco Rubio is a Vote for Men's High-Heeled Booties."
The boots, which appeared to have a two-inch heel, were worn by Rubio, who stands at 5 feet, 10 inches, and have a Cuban heel, which ironically does not refer to the senator's Cuban background, but is the actual style name.
Rubio's campaign put an end to speculation on the price of the stylish boots, saying they were a pair of Florsheims that retail for around $100, reports
Politico.
Cruz' campaign had more fun with the boots, with rapid response director Brian Phillips tweeting that Rubio "supports Italian boots on the ground."
Cruz, though, also likes to sport fancy footwear, including a favorite pair of black ostrich boots that he calls his "argument boots" and wears to court to argue cases, and he admitted he's superstitious about them.
"When I had the great honor of serving in this body, of being sworn into the Senate, when I was sworn in standing on the steps just in front of us, I wore my argument boots. I have worn them every day since," he said in a 2013 interview.
"I don't believe there has been a day on this Senate floor that I haven't worn my argument boots."
Except, for on Sept. 25, 2013, during his 21-hour Obamacare filibuster, when he was "pretty embarrassed" he wasn't wearing his special boots.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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