No-Show Rubio Can’t Be Counted On

• Marco Rubio abruptly canceled an appearance at a South Carolina conservative rally on Thursday night.
• Ted Cruz seized the opportunity  and support of the crowd calling Rubio, No-Show Rubio.
• Cruz's campaign attacked Rubio after the Rally for missing it, saying Rubio ” isn’t even going to try to compete for the votes of conservatives in South Carolina.”

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Mark Levin, the conservative radio mega-host, looked out on the crowd in an arena here, searching for his missing senator.

“Marco Rubio, would you raise your hand?” he asked. The crowd appeared confused.

“He was supposed to be here,” Mr. Levin said over some grumbling. “Probably went to McDonald’s.”

Scheduled to speak at a conservative forum here — stocked, by the looks and sounds of it, with supporters of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas — Mr. Rubio abruptly canceled late on Thursday.

His spokesman, Alex Conant, expressed regrets about the no-show. “Our schedule got screwed up and we were running super late,” he said in an email.

The Cruz campaign immediately seized on Mr. Rubio’s absence, setting off the latest in a string of blistering attacks between the candidates ahead of Saturday’s primary here.

“This is a final admission that Marco Rubio isn’t even going to try to compete for the votes of conservatives in South Carolina or anywhere else,” said Rick Tyler, a Cruz spokesman. “And who can blame him? Rubio isn’t a conservative. Instead Rubio and his campaign would rather hide behind their deceptive campaign tactics and liberal record on amnesty for illegals and voting to nominate John Kerry.”

Mr. Conant, shown the Cruz campaign’s response, issued his own: “Did the Cruz campaign really take a break from Photoshopping pictures and recording false robocalls to send out this false press release? This ridiculous attack is just the latest example of Ted Cruz’s willingness to do or say anything in this campaign.”

Mr. Cruz’s campaign has defended its behavior, including the use of an altered image depicting Mr. Rubio shaking hands with President Obama.

With Mr. Rubio absent, the event, hosted by Conservative Review, quickly became a de facto celebration of Mr. Cruz.

The Texas senator, taking the stage to a rousing ovation, took aim at another rival, Donald J. Trump, alluding to his history of disparaging comments about George W. Bush.

“Unlike some people in this race, I don’t think he should have been impeached,” Mr. Cruz said.

Earlier, Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas, a Cruz supporter, described his disappointment in Mr. Rubio’s work on immigration legislation in 2013, after campaigning as a Tea Party favorite.

“We were devastated,” Mr. Gohmert said.

Then there was Mr. Levin. He is the editor in chief of Conservative Review and a frequent Cruz booster and Rubio adversary.

Speaking to reporters after the event, which also included Ben Carson and the television host Sean Hannity, Mr. Levin said it was “pretty damn rude of Rubio” to cancel.

“This is a conservative convention,” he said. “First he said he was coming. Then he didn’t come. So the voters can draw their own conclusions.”

Mr. Conant said the campaign had sent two top South Carolina surrogates, Representative Trey Gowdy and Senator Tim Scott, in Mr. Rubio’s place.

Organizers did not appear impressed. Representatives were not allowed to speak in place of their candidates, they said. And indeed, no one was permitted to speak on Mr. Rubio’s behalf.

“This isn’t about surrogates speaking,” Mr. Levin said. “Are they running for president of the United States?”