Rand Paul on Hannity radio today

[cajuncocoa]

In some instances, yes. Hannity had brass to attempt to throw Rand under the bus in the way he did considering his popularity. I'm hoping this is Hannity's undoing which is what I attempted to help w/ my tweet if people wanted to aid the cause. However, using the platform in the past and present despite the nitpicking is helpful. It's wishful thinking that conservatives will accept Rand as the scapegoat here I would think which is what dipshit tried to do.

I hope so too, but I don't think Hannity's audience has been sufficiently educated to side with Rand over Sean. That's why doing this the way everyone here wanted to do it (by pandering to these hypocritical turncoats) was doomed from the start. The voters MUST be educated or nothing we do will stick.

 

[FSP-Rebel]

I hope so too, but I don't think Hannity's audience has been sufficiently educated to side with Rand over Sean. That's why doing this the way everyone here wanted to do it (by pandering to these hypocritical turncoats) was doomed from the start. The voters MUST be educated or nothing we do will stick.

Not really trying to get into all that again but by repackaging the message he has been able to educate more people, to more libertarian ideals, on these programs.

 

[WD-NY]

Nice of Hannity to just cut him off and hang up the line right at the end there. I wonder if Rand made a political miscalculation here?

Wait, did Rand seriously go on Hannity to make the case for why Cruz's filibuster wasn't a good move politically?!? Haven't listened to interview yet, but if it was worse than his interview with Beck earlier in the day, then Rand's media team needs to call a TIME OUT stat.

Assuming that Rand and Cruz are not 100% in cahoots with one another (re: good-cop-bad-cop ftw), the last thing Rand should be doing right now is creating daylight between him and Cruz on this issue with tea party voters. On the contrary, Rand should be working overtime to EMBRACE/CHEERLEAD Cruz & Lee's effort so that tea party voters (and more importantly, conservative talking heads like Hannity who shape grassroots opinion) see Rand as part of the Cruz & Lee-lead fight.

This isn't even a difficult calculation.... it's Alinsky/Machiavelli 101 level game theory/strategy.

/ugh

 

[jj-]

Hannity did a good job. Rand shouldn't get away with siding with the establishment against people doing the right thing. He should at least get criticism.

 

[Warlord]

The polls are not good for a shutdown this explains Rand's position... let Cruz self-destruct if that's what he wants

 

[FSP-Rebel]

Here's what Cruz is facing: http://c.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/brenner-brief/2013/sep/24/calling-out-gop-who-stands-sen-cruz-defund-obamaca/

The good news

It is known that Senators Cruz, Inhofe (R-OK), Lee (R-UT), Paul (R-KY), Roberts (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), Sessions (R-AL) and Vitter (R-LA) oppose cloture.

Where the people could help

Republican Senators Alexander (TN), Barrasso (WY), Boozman (AR), Chambliss (GA), Coats (IN), Cochran (MS), Collins (ME), Hoeven (ND), Isakson (GA), Johanns (NE), Murkowski (AK) and Wicker (MS) voted for a bill earlier this year that funded ObamaCare, according to the Senate Conservative Fund (SCF), and will likely do so again unless they receive enough pressure from constituents.

In addition, Republican Senators Ayotte (NH), Enzi (WY), Grassley (IA), Chiesa (NJ), Crappo (ID), Fischer (NE), Kirk (IL), Moran (KS), Risch (ID) and Thune (SD) said they oppose all funding to ObamaCare, according to the SCF, but need to be encouraged to vote against cloture.

Problems that may be fatal on this and Rand knows it

When asked to join the fight to defund ObamaCare, Sen. Flake (R-AZ) replied in a tweet, “Oh, whatever…”. The senior senator from that same state, John McCain (R), said the push is a “shenanigan.” Sen. Coburn (R-OK) calls the effort “dishonest” and Sen. Corker (TN) said it’s a “silly effort.”

According to the SCF, Sen. Toomey (R-PA) says that defunding Obamacare in the CR will not stop the mandatory spending in the law, but this is not the case. The mandatory spending is halted in the House version of the CR. And, Sen. Graham (SC) says defunding ObamaCare is a “bridge too far.” Also, Sen. Scott (R-SC) says he opposes the CR regardless, but his position on the cloture vote is unsure.

Sen. Hatch (UT) said about defunding ObamaCare, “I don’t think that’s the way to do it.”

Entirely tone deaf to the desires of the American people, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to support the cloture vote along with Sen. John Cornyn (R), the senior senator from Texas. These are two of the six Republican votes the Democrats will need to invoke cloture.

 

[WD-NY]

He's standing w/ Cruz while calling it how it is w/o picking fights w/ RINOs for whatever reason.

eh... Rand was "yeah, but..." to pretty much *every* question/point Hannity made.

I'm getting a strong whiff of sour-apples from Rand - which is completely understandable given the benefits of this to Cruz - BUT, the right response POLITICALLY = to sound like he's as excited about what Cruz & Lee did as they are.

Sigh... where did Rand's superhero-level DISCIPLINE go?? Why make a bunch of unforced errors over something, that if played right, could possibly even work to his advantage long-term.

 

[jj-]

eh... Rand was "yeah, but..." to pretty much *every* question/point Hannity made.

I'm getting a strong whiff of sour-apples from Rand - which is completely understandable given the benefits of this to Cruz - BUT, the right response POLITICALLY = to sound like he's as excited about what Cruz & Lee did as they are.

You must not be aware of Rand's alliance with McConnell. Rand is doing this because he thinks supporting McConnell will benefit him more than supporting Cruz, not because what Cruz is doing isn't the right thing.

 

[Rudeman]

Rand supports Cruz, but the votes likely aren't there (you can thank the usual types) and a shutdown would be unpopular and would be blamed on the Republicans. I'm listening to C-Span right now and it looks like Ayotte won't be supporting Cruz, we know McCain won't, looks like Flake won't, Couburn and Corker won't, I'd imagine Graham won't. That's already 6 Republican votes.

 

[ClydeCoulter]

You must not be aware of Rand's alliance with McConnell. Rand is doing this because he thinks supporting McConnell will benefit him more than supporting Cruz, not because what Cruz is doing isn't the right thing.

And, his career is more important than, say, destroying ObamaCareless? I know, I know...but the democrats will pass it anyway....blah (R's own the house, damn it)

 

[anaconda]

Hannity did a good job. Rand shouldn't get away with siding with the establishment against people doing the right thing. He should at least get criticism.

Rand said in the interview with Hannity that he's not voting for cloture. How is that "siding with the establishment?"

 

[Rudeman]

And, his career is more important than, say, destroying ObamaCareless? I know, I know...but the democrats will pass it anyway....blah (R's own the house, damn it)

Rand has no problem fighting Obamacare, he just won't put himself in a box with the govt shutdown stuff because he knows it would tarnish him quite a bit without much gain.

 

[WD-NY]

Rand supports Cruz, but the votes likely aren't there (you can thank the usual types) and a shutdown would be unpopular and would be blamed on the Republicans. I'm listening to C-Span right now and it looks like Ayotte won't be supporting Cruz, we know McCain won't, looks like Flake won't, Couburn and Corker won't, I'd imagine Graham won't. That's already 6 Republican votes.

If the votes aren't there, then that's all the more reason to PUBLICALLY be 110% behind Cruz & Lee.

Again, this is (or should've been) a no-brainer for Rand.

Why is Rand going out of his way to make Corker, Couburn, Flake's case for them (to Hannity and his 9 million listeners of all people!?)? What's the benefit?

Does Rand think that being openly "supportive/understanding" of those who attacked Cruz & Lee's strategy will win over a few MSM, GOP Establishment, MSNBC, HuffPost or types into his tent?

 

[jj-]

Rand said in the interview with Hannity that he's not voting for cloture. How is that "siding with the establishment?"

He privately opposed Cruz, but will vote Cruz's way because the political cost of doing otherwise would be too high.

 

[ClydeCoulter]

Rand has no problem fighting Obamacare, he just won't put himself in a box with the govt shutdown stuff because he knows it would tarnish him quite a bit without much gain.

It is tarnishing him already. If he does not support Cruz LOUDLY in this, he is tarnished. People are paying attention, they want ObamaCare defunded then destroyed, now!

 

[ClydeCoulter]

Rand should be using his time in public supporting the ideas that Cruz is telling about, the "cover votes" and cloture and other senate procedures. This is a really good time to educate people about how this crap goes down in DC.

 

[jj-]

Rand should be using his time in public supporting the ideas that Cruz is telling about, the "cover votes" and cloture and other senate procedures. This is a really good time to educate people about how this crap goes down in DC.

What Rand has been doing is miseducating people about those procedures, for example, when he gave Glenn Beck the same argument the establishment types have been giving that one shouldn't criticize people for not filibustering the bill they support.

 

[Rudeman]

I keep hearing that Cloture was approved 100-0. Anyone know where that is coming from? Did they already vote? Why would Cruz, Lee, Rand etc. switch to yes?


EDIT: NVM it was the vote to proceed, cloture vote is on Friday or Saturday:

http://www.businessinsider.com/gove...uz-obamacare-senate-filibuster-cloture-2013-9

 

[jj-]

I keep hearing that Cloture was approved 100-0. Anyone know where that is coming from? Did they already vote? Why would Cruz, Lee, Rand etc. switch to yes?

That was the vote to open debate. Cruz wants people to oppose the vote closing debate unless they get a guarantee that amendments will only by approved by 60 votes.

 

[AuH20]

And, his career is more important than, say, destroying ObamaCareless? I know, I know...but the democrats will pass it anyway....blah (R's own the house, damn it)

He's grown too close with McConnell. That's the problem. I hate to say it.