It's make or break on Super Tuesday

(THESTRAITSTIMES)Itisthekindofcampaignhesaidhewouldneverrun.ButSenatorMarcoRubio,seeinghispathtotheRepublicannominationfortheUSpresidentialelectiongrowingnarrower,hasdecidedthattheonlywaytodefeatMrDonaldTrumpistofightlikehim:rough,dirtyandmean.

TheaciditycomingfromMrRubiothesedays,andthegleefullysavagewayMrTrumphasresponded,hassentanalreadysurrealpresidentialcampaignlurchingintothegutterwithtauntsoverperspiration,urinationandself-tanning.

InadebateonSunday,thehitsweremoresubstantivebutnolessaggressive:MrRubioscoffedatMrTrump'sclothingandcriticisedhimformakinghis"tackyties"inChina.HesaidMrTrump'seducationbusiness,TrumpUniversity,wasascamthatessentiallystoletensofthousandsofdollarsfromitsstudents.AndheexpressedastonishmentthatMrTrumphadrefusedtorepudiatesupportfromwhitesupremacistDavidDuke.

TheRepublicanestablishmentisnowquicklyrallyingbehindMrRubioinalast-minuteattempttoderailMrTrump,fearingthattoday'sSuperTuesdayprimariescouldtightenthebillionaire'sgripontheparty'snomination.

MrRubio'srecentperformancesappeartobepitchedmostdirectlyatthosescepticalpartyelitesanddonorswhoarebankingonhimasanalternativeandwhoareincreasinglyimpatientwithhissometimespassiveperformances.

ManymainstreamRepublicansbelieveMrTrumpwouldstruggletodefeatMrsHillaryClinton,theDemocraticfrontrunner.ThemasterstrategistofMrGeorgeW.Bush'scampaigns,MrKarlRove,warnedaluncheonofRepublicangovernorsanddonorsinWashingtononFeb19thatMrTrump'sincreasinglylikelynominationwouldbecatastrophicfortheparty.

RepublicanshaveruefullyacknowledgedthattherewereampleopportunitiestobattleMrTrumpearlier;morethanoneplanwasdrawnuponlytoberejected.

However,MrTrumponSundayissuedawarningofhisown-thathecouldyetconsiderrunningasanindependentifthepartyeventuallychoosesanothercandidate.

"TheRepublicanestablishmenthasbeenpushingforlightweightSenatorMarcoRubiotosayanythingto'hit'Trump.Isignedthepledge-careful,"hetweeted,referringtoapledgethatallcandidatessignedtobacktheparty'seventualnominee.

MrRubio'sheadfirstlungeintoaboutwithMrTrumpwasastrikingturnaroundthattheFloridasenatorhimselfcallsdisappointing.Butitreflectsaconclusionthathisabove-the-frayapproachwasineffectiveagainstafrontrunnerwhoseemstogainpopularitywitheachfighthepicks.

"Ihadhopedthiswouldbeacampaignonlyaboutideas,"MrRubiotoldacrowdofmorethan3,000hereasheaccusedMrTrumpofbeingafraud,athreattonationalsecurityandpossiblyaracist.

RubioadviserToddHarrissaid:"Wecametotheconclusionthatifbeingapartofthecircusisthepriceyouhavetopayinorderforustoultimatelybeabletotalkaboutsubstantivepolicy,thenthat'swhatwe'regoingtodo."

Sofar,Rubiosupportersseemsurprisedby,ifopento,hischangeintone.RetireeAlisonWhiteley,whosawhimspeakinOklahomaCitylastweek,saidtheracehadturneduglierbutshedidnotblameMrRubio."Rubiowouldnotbeactinglikethisifitwasn'tforTrump,"shesaid.

ClosebehindMrRubio,SenatorTedCruzofTexastriedtokeephimselfinthethickoftheRepublicanfightbyattackingMrTrumpoverhisuseofforeignworkers.

"Theonlycampaign,theonlycandidate,inpositiontobeatTrumponSuperTuesdayisus,"hesaid.

ButcandidateJohnKasich,theOhiogovernor,allbutconcedinghisSuperTuesdaychances,lamentedthedemolitionderby-likeprimarycontest."Frankly,"hesaid,"itisdisgraceful."