--- title: Marco Rubio: No Hard Feelings Over Chris Christie description: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said there are no hard feelings towards Chris Christie for his damaging attack during the last Republican debate. canonical: https://time.com/4215977/marco-rubio-chris-christie-debate/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-10T19:45:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:57.430Z article:section: Politics og:title: Rubio: No Hard Feelings Over Christie's Debate Tactics og:description: "He was trying to win. … I respect that." og:url: https://time.com/4215977/marco-rubio-chris-christie-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt014f4527a8df1074/69887cfda988cacbb86b6889/chris-christie-marco-rubio.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Republican presidential candidates New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (2nd R) and Donald Trump visit as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) (L) stands close by during a commercial break in the Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College February 6, 2016 in og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Rubio: No Hard Feelings Over Christie's Debate Tactics twitter:description: "He was trying to win. … I respect that." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt014f4527a8df1074/69887cfda988cacbb86b6889/chris-christie-marco-rubio.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Rubio: No Hard Feelings Over Christie's Debate Tactics > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f50a857f-3ec7-481f-9c71-ea99c3fe82f5&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: ABC GOP Debate: Watch Chris Christie Call Marco Rubio Out On Accountability [Watch (HLS stream): ABC GOP Debate: Watch Chris Christie Call Marco Rubio Out On Accountability](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/clzan31i.m3u8) (1:02)  _Published 2016-02-07_  by [Tessa Berenson / Greenville, S.C.](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson / Greenville, S.C. Feb 10, 2016 7:45 PM UTC  Republican presidential candidates New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (2nd R) and Donald Trump visit as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) (L) stands close by during a commercial break in the Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College February 6, 2016 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Republican presidential candidates New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (2nd R) and Donald Trump visit as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) (L) stands close by during a commercial break in the Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College February 6, 2016 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle—Getty Images  by [Tessa Berenson / Greenville, S.C.](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson / Greenville, S.C. Feb 10, 2016 7:45 PM UTC On the day New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie [dropped out of the presidential race](http://time.com/4215559/chris-christie-drops-out-new-hampshire-primary-results/?xid=homepage), Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said there are no hard feelings towards him for his damaging attack during the last Republican debate. “I like Chris,” Florida Sen. Rubio said, speaking to reporters aboard a plane to South Carolina Wednesday morning. “Despite all this stuff, I’ve always liked Chris and I still like Chris. I think he has a future in public service beyond what he’s doing now in New Jersey. The only thing I don’t like about him is he’s a Dallas Cowboys fan, but we can’t all be perfect.” Christie, a former federal prosecutor, is widely credited with hobbling a surging Rubio right before the New Hampshire primary with questions about his experience and a pointed remark that his answers were scripted and repetitive. Rubio ended up coming in fifth place. “He was trying to win,” Rubio said of the debate. “And in order to win he made a decision that he had to come after me. I respect that.” ## Transcript Marco you shouldn't compare yourself to Joe Biden. And you shouldn't say that that's what we're doing. Here's exactly what we're doing. You have not been involved in a consequential decision where you had to be held accountable. You just simply haven't. [ APPLAUSE ] And the fact is [ APPLAUSE ] Fact is when you talk about Hezbollah sanctions act that you list as one of your accomplishments and just did. You weren't even there to vote for it, that's not leadership that's truancy. The fact is that what we need to do [ APPLAUSE ] What we need to have in this country is not to make the same mistake we made eight years ago. In fact as it does matter when you have to make decisions to be held accountable for them. It does matter when the challenges don't come on a list of a piece of paper of what to vote yes or no every day. But when the problems come in from the people that you serve. I like Marco Rubio, and he's a smart person and a good guy. But he simply does not have the experience to be President of the United States and make these decisions. We've watched it happen, everybody. For the last seven years, the people of New Hampshire are smart. Do not make the same mistake again. [ APPLAUSE ] If I may respond- Thank you. 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