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Title: Has Rand Paul missed his moment?
Source:
CNN Money
URL Source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/politics/rand-paul-2016-missed-moment/
Published: Apr 8, 2015
Author: Stephen Collinson
Post Date: 2015-04-08 12:09:26 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 7190
Comments: 17
It wasn't long ago that the Kentucky senator seemed perfectly matched to the times: a Republican who reflected the nation's reluctance to keep launching wars but clung to a stinging critique of an intrusive, dysfunctional Big Government. But for Paul, who formally announced his presidential campaign Tuesday, that balancing act may not be enough to build a coalition that can carry him to the White House. A cascading list of horrifying headlines from abroad is convincing many Americans that the national interest again requires the United States to project power in the chaotic Middle East. In particular, the gruesome actions of ISIS -- including beheading Americans -- could undercut the anti-interventionist philosophy that is central to Paul's political persona. "From the end of the Bush years up through 2013 and '14, there was a war weariness that was permeating even Republicans," said David Boaz, author of a new book "The Libertarian Mind." "However, the videos of ISIS beheading Americans and other people have certainly made it more difficult to stick to a noninterventionist argument." After doing penance after the debacle in Iraq, it suddenly seems acceptable for the GOP to be hawkish again. Republicans like Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz have lacerated the Obama administration's national security policy and managed to get to Paul's right on national security. "The anti- interventionist wave I do think has crested and those issues are moving away from Rand Paul now," said Fergus Cullen, the former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. READ: For Rand Paul, it's all led to this moment The change in the public mood is reflected in Paul's polling. A year ago, he led the Republican field in a CNN/ORC International Poll with 16%. In the latest survey, he was back in third place at 12 points. That same poll in March also reflected the level of public concern about ISIS. Eighty percent of those polled thought the organization posed a serious threat to the United Sates. And a similar percentage were worried that current military action against ISIS could develop into a wider war. "The Republican Party, because of the rise of ISIS, because of national security becoming so prominent ... has become much more hawkish," said Kevin Madden, a former spokesman for GOP nominee for Mitt Romney. Paul "has a resume of statements and a resume of positions that might be out of step with many national security conservatives." The key for Paul will be whether he has the political dexterity to build a bridge from his previous positions to where the party is now. His announcement speech was full of clues about how he plans to do it as he moved hard to the right on national security, but with a caveat that he plans to steer clear of foreign quagmires. "The enemy is radical Islam and not only will I name the enemy, I will do whatever it takes to defend America from these haters of mankind," Paul said. "I envision an America with a national defense unparalleled, undefeatable, and unencumbered by overseas nation building." Paul's speech was also an implicit admission that he must build a more durable coalition in his run for president than the one that has sustained him in his single Senate term. He sought to keep libertarians aboard with paeans to liberty and the Constitution. But Paul also aligned himself with Republican hawks by articulating a tough message on the Iran nuclear deal. And he tried to appeal to minorities by bemoaning the "daily ugliness that dashes hope" in inner cities and working- class whites by slamming income inequality. His approach suggests that trouble with his political brand isn't just limited to foreign policy. The tea party wave that the accomplished eye surgeon expertly surfed to the Senate six years ago is not the force it once was. While there's always an opening for an assault on the size of government in the Republican primary, such a tack hardly differentiates Paul from his rivals. The improving economy, meanwhile, has slaked some of the fury about government bailouts and stimulus plans he used to such effect to confound the establishment and win in Kentucky. READ: Can Rand Paul escape his father's shadow? "I think that clearly some of the tea party wave and some of that enthusiasm has waned somewhat," said Dewey Clayton, a professor of political science from the University of Louisville who has studied Paul's rise. The shift is a reminder that timing is everything in presidential politics. Successful campaigns are akin to catching lightning in a bottle -- and represent a rare convergence between a candidate's personality, policy ideas and the political demands of a unique moment in time. Obama managed it in 2008, when his hope and change mantra captivated a nation weary of war and fearing economic collapse. Likewise, in 1980, Ronald Reagan's certitude in America's goodness wooed voters tired of U.S. humiliation abroad and economic stagnation under Jimmy Carter. But it's just as possible that the moment in history when a candidate with Paul's potential and profile could win came during the anti-Big Government backlash that took place at a time of huge bank bailouts and foreign military excursions -- when he was not yet a national figure. Of course, another key ingredient in White House campaigns is political skill. Paul has shown that he's got a talent for capturing the political Zeitgeist -- with a 13-hour Senate filibuster on drone strikes and by working on issues like drug sentencing and criminal justice other Republicans barely touch. And the first two GOP nominating contests look like a good fit for someone who leans libertarian. READ: Ted Cruz knocks Rand Paul on NSA vote Paul has come a long way from the Wall Street Journal article he penned in June 2014 when he warned America should not get involved in Iraq's civil war and asked "what would airstrikes accomplish?" Even by September, that position was untenable for a potential presidential candidate and Paul began to argue that ISIS "required destruction." Such a shift from Paul, who enjoys a reputation as a politician who takes stands based on principle, not politics, did not go unnoticed by his GOP rivals. "What is unfortunate, is that too many leaders in both parties, including our President and some who aspire to be president, have shown they would rather wait for poll numbers to change than demonstrate the leadership necessary to shape them," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said in a national security speech last September. In many ways, Paul's campaign will be an exercise in proving that a limited U.S. footprint overseas is still what voters want -- though actions by ISIS may mean the American appetite for overseas action may be more robust than he originally foresaw. But it is not all about national security. His campaign also represents the most authentic test yet of whether libertarian politics is ready for the mainstream. No one would argue that Paul, who has positions in line with social conservatives on same-sex marriage and abortion, is a straight down the line libertarian. But his support for low taxes, a "restrained" IRS, plans to eliminate a string of government departments and privacy rights sit clearly in the libertarian creed. "He is going to offer the most libertarian policy platform of any major presidential candidate in memory," said Boaz, adding that previous libertarian presidential candidates like Gary Johnson and Ron Paul were more classically libertarian but had no chance of the nomination. Boaz says there may be a larger potential pool of Rand Paul voters than many analysts think. He points to the 2014 Governance Survey by Gallup, which finds that 24% of respondents could be characterized as libertarians. A Zogby poll found that 44% of voters defined themselves as "fiscally conservative and socially liberal" and while they may not classify themselves as libertarians, they could at least give Paul a hearing. But Paul also knows -- and the 2008 and 2012 campaigns by his father Ron Paul prove it -- that relying on the libertarian base will not be enough to win the nomination. That's why efforts he's already made to reach out to minorities and younger voters will be so crucial in what is shaping up as an intensely competitive race. 'More difficult'
Clues
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#1. To: Gatlin (#0)
Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, SPAM! The wonderful Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam....... Just a bitter troll OP, move along.....
The scandal that could blow up Rand Paul's machine, a criminal probe involving his father's 2012 campaign....is inching dangerously close to Paul's inner circle.
How could Rand's "moment" have passed already?? The guy juuust put the key in the ignition. Who posted this comical dreck??!? Lol...
You're really being goofy here. Old habits die hard, I know.
You're really being goofy here. Yea, probably nothing will happen. Although the DOJ will not say who is in its crosshairs while they are “making progress” on a “larger investigation” into the Sorenson saga scandal. We will have to just wait and see how it plays out.
We will have to just wait and see how it plays out. Aren't you aiding and abetting a rogue goob dept by helping them catapult the propaganda and rumor-mongering? Why "wait and see" how this political hit on Rand Paul "plays out" when it's much easier to indict him via allegations, rumor and innuendo? Even a ham sandwich can be "investigated" by this politically motivated admin and Dem Party. Just ask Robert Menendez (D-NJ) about that. Btw -- who was it that characterized this as "scandal" and fingered Paul as a culprit? Do you have a working link?
Btw -- who was it that characterized this as "scandal" and fingered Paul as a culprit? Do you have a working link? I have to LOL at the left trying to find dirt on Rand Paul. Don't these leftos have a mirror in their house? If they did they would 'see' Hitlery and Obola staring at them. The scandal of the Muslim in chief and his jizyah loving former half-wit Sec State is piled so high, yet the leftos make stuff up about Rand. There's a word for this pathology.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3)
The scandal of the Muslim in chief and his jizyah loving former half-wit Sec State is piled so high, yet the leftos make stuff up about Rand. I hear ya. If Paul is taking on this kind of ridiculous heat, then I like him even more. The Muzzie-in-Chief and Jizyah Hitlery: two are THE two most blatantly self-indicting criminals EVER seen in US history. Their real scandals are piled sky-high because none of their scandals have actually ever been addressed where they should -- in prison. Democrats and liberals have a warped sense of morals and ethics that...well...is relative. They have broken moral compasses. As noted when the secular humanist Left clamored that Bubba's "private life" (aka repeat-offender rape) had nothing to do with conducting his duties as CiC. So how does the Left define "filthy"? On what planet are these delusional bunch of lunatics that they so readily ignore the mansion of hard-core corruption, lies, and treachery of their own? Yet they get all self-righteous and declare "GUILTY!!", demand "JUSTICE!!" for the political jaywalking of the Right?? The Left as it judges of a beauty contest: On Helen Thomas: "Ooooh...aaaah....Girlfriend has such inner-beauty and outer-beauty!!" *swoon* She is ROCKING that bikini!" On Gina Lollobrigida: "Ugggh....YUCK!! Just look at her breasts -- they're CROOKED!!"
Clinically, aren't they lying psychopaths? I enjoy Robert's clinical characterizations and psychological profiling...Sir, how would you do so regarding either 0bola or Hitlery? (and for that matter, their respective Dem/Liberal apologists and defenders?)
Ah, don’t worry about it or spend any time with it. It could just be someone insinuating they have some dirt and trying to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. The use of fear as a strong emotion to manipulate and steer people into making emotional rather than reasoned choices has proven to be an effective tool. There's a word for this, you know….it is called scaremongering. We see attempts to use it all the time here on LF. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were just some dystopian protagonist feeling trapped and struggling to show something is terribly wrong with the political system and with the society in which he or she lives.
We switched to coffee?
Well, I guess we can expect to see a lot more of this.
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Yep, it's that time again. Good news though is that he was busted pretty quickly creating zombie accounts here, and the mods let him know that sort of dishonest BS wasn't gonna fly here. So now, all his Tourette's like Paul postings need to come from his single account. He's such a POS, this restraint on him must be driving him even more insane. His obsession is now just incredibly peculiar. Hey Gatlin? why you such a loser who needs to resort to making zombie accounts? Spit!
C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3)
I don't understand the problem. Tater is an invited guest to LP and operates his esteemed status as he sees fit. He is one lucky muther-fucker that I am not an OP.
#2. To: Gatlin (#0)
#3. To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
Rand Paul missed his moment...
Rand Paul faces a foreign-policy world turned upside down for him. A year ago, it was safe to call Rand Paul the closest thing Republicans had to a presidential frontrunner. One of the reasons why: He found a GOP audience more in step with his libertarian-leaning and less-hawkish views. After all, it was the time of Edward Snowden, concerns about drone warfare, and troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan. And the polling told the story: Per a July 2013 NBC/WSJ survey, 57% of Republicans say they were more concerned that the government would go too far in violating the privacy rights of American citizens, versus just 37% who were more worried that the U.S. wouldn’t go far enough to monitor the activities of potential terrorists living in the country. But flash forward to today as Paul announces his presidential bid at noon ET from Louisville, KY. He now faces a world – especially in the Middle East – that’s turned upside down for him, with ISIS and Iran dominating the foreign-policy/national security landscape. A Jan. 2015 NBC/WSJ poll found the numbers essentially reversed on the same privacy-terrorism question: 60% of Republicans were more concerned the U.S. wouldn’t go far enough, compared with 36% more worried that the government would go too far. In other words, as the GOP has moved on national security, the “Different Kind of Republican” Paul represents has lost some mojo. *
#4. To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
#5. To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
(Edited)
#6. To: Gatlin (#4)
The scandal that could blow up Rand Paul's machine, a criminal probe involving his father's 2012 campaign....is inching dangerously close to Paul's inner circle.
#7. To: Liberator (#6)
The scandal that could blow up Rand Paul's machine, a criminal probe involving his father's 2012 campaign....is inching dangerously close to Paul's inner circle.
Old habits die hard, I know.
Yea....and: "Good habits are worth being fanatical about.” ― John Irving
#8. To: Gatlin (#7)
Although the DOJ will not say who is in its crosshairs while they are “making progress” on a “larger investigation” into the Sorenson saga scandal.
#9. To: Liberator (#8)
Even a ham sandwich can be "investigated" by this politically motivated admin and Dem Party. Just ask Robert Menendez (D-NJ) about that.
#10. To: redleghunter (#9)
I have to LOL at the left trying to find dirt on Rand Paul. Don't these leftos have a mirror in their house? If they did they would 'see' Hitlery and Obola staring at them.
#11. To: redleghunter, rlk (#9)
There's a word for this pathology.
#12. To: Liberator (#8)
Do you have a working link?
#13. To: BobCeleste (#2)
What Happened?!
#14. To: Dead Culture Watch (#1)
" Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, SPAM! The wonderful Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam......."
#15. To: Stoner, Gatlin the angry dbag. (#14)
Well, I guess we can expect to see a lot more of this.
#16. To: Liberator (#10)
So how does the Left define "filthy"?
#17. To: Dead Culture Watch, tater (#1)
Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam, SPAM! The wonderful Spam Spam Spam Spam Spam.......
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