Rand Paul, advisers meet to strategize on 2016 Presidential bid

[devil21]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rand-paul-advisers-meet-to-strategize-on-a-2016-presidential-bid/

In preparation for his all-but-announced 2016 presidential bid, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, gathered staffers and political advisers from across the country for a meeting in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

The meeting, just eight days after midterm elections that saw Republicans seize the Senate majority and strengthen their grip on the House, was described as an opportunity for Paul and his advisers to pivot from the midterms to the next presidential cycle.

"As I understand it, this meeting is to both literally and symbolically change focus after the November election," one person who was invited told National Journal, "and begin to take deliberate action toward a potential 2016 run."

"This is the come-to-Jesus before the planned launch," added another adviser.

Doug Wead, a presidential historian and adviser to Paul who attended Wednesday's meeting, told CBS News the gathering was "mind-blowing" in its organization.

"Have been a part of nine presidential campaigns in one way or another, this is the best organized, most intelligent I have seen yet," he said. "This crew has a sense of making history, of impacting the system, of ending corruption. They are young, attractive, smart, tech savvy, black, white, male, female. This event is supposed to be working on organizing the upcoming work, but this event itself is a model of efficiency."

The gathering of talent was perhaps the most obvious sign yet that Paul is on the cusp of announcing a presidential bid, but the Kentucky senator hasn't exactly made a secret of his ambition.

He kept a busy schedule during the 2014 midterms, helping Republicans up and down ballot in an attempt to build relationships--and earn favors--before the 2016 race begins in earnest. He's hired key staffers in early caucus and primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire. And he's made an effort to build credibility among the Republican establishment, which has occasionally looked askance at his quick rise in the party.

That skepticism can be blamed, at least in part, on Paul's father, former Texas congressman and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul, a hero among conservative libertarians due to his opposition to foreign military intervention and his push to audit the Federal Reserve. The elder Paul, according to the Wall Street Journal, was not expected to attend Wednesday's strategy session.

Ron Paul's presidential campaigns were powered by a devoted core of disciples who were never quite able to turn their candidate into a genuine contender. Rand Paul has been steadily working at avoiding his father's more marginal appeal by hewing closer to the party's center on foreign policy and economic issues.

There are signs that his courtship of the old guard is paying off. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Paul's colleague from Kentucky and the leader of the Senate GOP, is about as establishment as a Republican can get. McConnell has said Paul can count on his support if he runs in 2016.

 

[Vanguard101]

Are any of his advisers in our camp?

 

[devil21]

Are any of his advisers in our camp?

The only name mentioned, Doug Wead, is a pretty good example and he seemed complimentary of those in attendance. I just don't want to see Benton and his associates and any Mike Rothfeld/Saber Communications scammers.

I want to see people that want to win for the right reasons, not to make money and pad their own nest.

 

[PatriotOne]

Rand's going all in. I feel like I've been watching Rand play a brilliant chess match for 4 yrs. now. Getting ready to checkmate the freaking King.

 

[francisco]

...Doug Wead, a presidential historian and adviser to Paul who attended Wednesday's meeting, told CBS News the gathering was "mind-blowing" in its organization.

"Have been a part of nine presidential campaigns in one way or another, this is the best organized, most intelligent I have seen yet," he said. "This crew has a sense of making history, of impacting the system, of ending corruption. They are young, attractive, smart, tech savvy, black, white, male, female. This event is supposed to be working on organizing the upcoming work, but this event itself is a model of efficiency."

Giving me a very good vibe.

 

[RabbitMan]

I'm so psyched that Doug Wead is a part of this. His moments on "For Liberty" were among my favorite. At the same time, he was a big fan of Bush Sr.. What I see in Rand is a suave blend of George Bush 'mainstream realism' with Ron Paul 'libertarian skepticism'. I think that is a winning formula and can't wait to see it play out.

 

[anaconda]

Wead for Press Secretary, 2017.

 

[alucard13mm]

Wead for Press Secretary, 2017.

Aye I agree. Doug should be one of the main spokesman for the campaign and for the administration. Doug makes up for the "other" people involved.

 

[jct74]

here's some more coverage. apparently Justin Amash was there too.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/a...pauls-political-circle-meets-in-dc-talks-2016
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2014/11/12/rand-paul-outlines-a-2016-game-plan

 

[specsaregood]

Aye I agree. Doug should be one of the main spokesman for the campaign and for the administration. Doug makes up for the "other" people involved.

I do find it interesting that people here have so much love for a guy that runs annoying MLM networks and secretly tapes phone conversations releasing them years later without any advance knowledge or permission.

 

[Jan2017]

Are any of his advisers in our camp?

Rand's going all in. I feel like I've been watching Rand play a brilliant chess match for 4 yrs. now. Getting ready to checkmate the freaking King.

RP's forum here includes bunches of grassroots supporters, money bomb contributors and/or volunteers and 2007-8 "meet-up" group organizers yada-yada-yada
as well as some peeps both in and out of the great state of Kentucky involved in the defeat of Tray Grayson for Rand's GOP Senate primary win - for examples.

 

[anaconda]

RP's forum here includes bunches of grassroots supporters, money bomb contributors and/or volunteers and 2007-8 "meet-up" group organizers yada-yada-yada
as well as some peeps both in and out of the great state of Kentucky involved in the defeat of Tray Grayson for Rand's GOP Senate primary win - for examples.

Welcome to you, Jan2017.

 

[KingNothing]

Rand's going all in. I feel like I've been watching Rand play a brilliant chess match for 4 yrs. now. Getting ready to checkmate the freaking King.

Agreed, but I think you're under-selling how brilliant he's been so far --- he isn't just playing chess, he's playing 3-dimensional chess and no one who has challenged him so far has been capable of even playing checkers. He's in a class of his own, politically, at this point. Rand is a stunning politician. I've never seen anyone maneuver like this before.

 

[KingNothing]

Wead for Press Secretary, 2017.

I think Doug's too nice of a guy for that. He seems like a genuinely great guy.

 

[anaconda]

I do find it interesting that people here have so much love for a guy that runs annoying MLM networks and secretly tapes phone conversations releasing them years later without any advance knowledge or permission.

I didn't know about the tapes. Here's an interesting article from 2005:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/politics/20talk.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

And a racier looking piece:

http://mlmtheamericandreammadenight...3/doug-wead-patrick-buisson-blackmailers.html

 

[specsaregood]

I didn't know about the tapes. Here's an interesting article from 2005:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/politics/20talk.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

And a racier looking piece:

http://mlmtheamericandreammadenight...3/doug-wead-patrick-buisson-blackmailers.html

Exactly. While I admit the guy is very personable and is great in interviews at the same time you have to ask yourself: does that seem like somebody you should trust if you are running for president?

 

[anaconda]

Exactly. While I admit the guy is very personable and is great in interviews at the same time you have to ask yourself: does that seem like somebody you should trust if you are running for president?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but secretly taping Bush when he's an "adviser" seems completely creepy and underhanded, and a monumental breach of trust. What am I missing, here? If it was some kind of planned infiltration that would be different. But that does not appear to be the case.