Thursday, 1 July 2010
Rand Paul - Just Another Pol
For those who think Rand Paul is a not like other politicians, it might be time to reconsider that opinion. Exhibit A - During the primary Rand Paul went to great lengths to beat Grayson over the head for accepting money from Washington insiders. At the time, I thought the tactic was stupid for two reasons. First, if the money was coming to Paul I am sure he would have gladly accepted it. Secondly, if he is elected he will have to work with these "insiders". Why piss them off unnecessarily?
Guess what? Looks like Paul had a change of heart.
Another part of the problem is that the Paul campaign was never seriously challenged by the media during the primary season. As such, it hasn't had to demostrate skill at managing the media's bias. Now that the general election is rolling around, the Paul campaign has done a very poor job under the spotlight. Fortunately, they still have another month or two to clean it up before the electorate starts paying attention. Hopefully they have learned their lesson and will be more focused in the future.
The good news for Rand Paul. Even with the recent run of poor decision making, the Paul campaign still has a comfortable 49 - 42 lead in the polls.
Guess what? Looks like Paul had a change of heart.
Ten months ago, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul said he would not accept campaign donations from U.S. senators who voted for the 2008 financial institutions bailout.Of course this opened him up to obvious attacks from Conway's team.
But on Thursday evening Paul, now the Kentucky GOP's nominee as well as a tea party favorite, will benefit from the Republican Party's fundraising machine at a Washington event hosted by senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who voted for the bailout.
For the Democrats, the Paul fundraiser at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, just blocks from the Capitol, is delicious hypocrisy.The worst part was the Paul campaign's defense of the fund raiser.
Allison Haley, spokeswoman for Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, Paul's Democratic opponent in the Senate race, said Paul wasn't the anti-establishment candidate he portrayed himself to be.
"The last thing Kentucky needs is another politician who says one thing and does another," she said.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called Paul's Washington event a "major campaign flip-flop."
Does anyone honestly believe this? No. It was a tenous position in the primary and now he is paying the price for it. It is a major reason I have never liked the running on the theme as a non-politician. It just can't be maintained. At the end of the day, the candidate will always be a politician. It just comes with running for office.Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul says that his decision to accept campaign contributions from congressman who voted for the bank bailouts is not a reversal of an earlier pledge.
Instead, Paul says it is a sign that the Republican establishment has come around to his way of thinking.
Another part of the problem is that the Paul campaign was never seriously challenged by the media during the primary season. As such, it hasn't had to demostrate skill at managing the media's bias. Now that the general election is rolling around, the Paul campaign has done a very poor job under the spotlight. Fortunately, they still have another month or two to clean it up before the electorate starts paying attention. Hopefully they have learned their lesson and will be more focused in the future.
The good news for Rand Paul. Even with the recent run of poor decision making, the Paul campaign still has a comfortable 49 - 42 lead in the polls.
Posted by at 2:32 PM in Kentucky Politics
