Rand Paul to Dems: Please Bring Obama to Kentucky

By: Daniel Carty
Topics: Campaign 2010

Dr. Rand Paul, the Tea Party darling who convincingly won Kentucky's Republican Senate primary Tuesday, has a message for his Democratic foes: "Please, please bring President Obama."

Paul triumphed over Secretary of State Trey Grayson, the GOP establishment candidate, with nearly 60 percent of the vote and said opposition in the state to President Obama gives him an excellent chance in the fall.

"President Obama's less popular in our state than he's ever been. And he never was very popular in Kentucky," he said Wednesday on CBS' "The Early Show".

First up, however, is mending fences within his own party after the hotly contested primary.

"We're going to unify. I'm going to meet with Sen. [Mitch] McConnell on Saturday. We've been talking, actually, for weeks now about unifying. I've been talking with the Republican party structure, and I think we will be unified going in to the fall," Paul said.

Paul, a political newcomer, shot to prominence as a Tea Party favorite - a movement he said "is popular well outside the Republican party" as well.

Rand said he "doesn't see the Tea Party really becoming a political party," but said it would have "ramifications on both parties" and would attract independent voters.

And for his detractors who say his views are too controversial to win a general election, Paul's message is as simple as it is confident:

"I say, bring it on, and please, please bring President Obama to Kentucky. We'd love for him to campaign down here."

Results:

Roundup: All Winners and Losers
Specter Falls in Pa. Dem Primary to Joe Sestak
Rand Paul Wins Kentucky GOP Primary
Blanche Lincoln, Bill Halter Headed for Run-Off
Dem Wins Special Election for Murtha's Seat

Analysis:

The Surprises From Tuesday's Primaries
Specter's Loss Goes Beyond Anti-Incumbent Mood
Where do Tuesday's Winners Go from Here?
Who Had the Better Spin?

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by nearl451 May 21, 2010 1:27 AM EDT: Obama would beat this fellow like a "redheaded step child".

Missed the Healthcare summit, where Obama took the debate to the Repiblican elite. It was embarassing, as would this be.

Obama should take this bait.; Reply to this comment

by clear141 May 19, 2010 4:22 PM EDT

Go Rand, time to send the democrats packing. Good riddance you worthless bunch of fools.

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by dnhines May 19, 2010 6:24 PM EDT: Wait until the seniors discover that Rand wants to get rid of Social Security and Medicare. He is already DOA because you don't screw with the seniors. Wait until the rest of the hurting middle class hears his ideas on alternative taxing schemes. Finally, and most importantly, in this post "Citizens United" world, business will eat his lunch; even though he proposes the elimination of business taxes.


by dnhines May 19, 2010 6:27 PM EDT: I'm going to start calling him "ALSO RAND"

by miles1967-2009 May 19, 2010 3:23 PM EDT

Rand Paul is a delusional, self-centered nutcase like his father Ron Paul.

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by rile1con May 20, 2010 10:56 AM EDT: Better than what we got now. Verdict is still out on Rand, but Ron Paul is the man.


by dnhines May 19, 2010 2:23 PM EDT: Falling in love, falling out of love, fear, and even disdain are all emotions. Repubs have to rely on emotion because their policies stink. The Repugnicants continue to push the same poor cowardice economic arguments like tax cuts without spending cuts so they must rely on emotion to win voters.

Voters, especially young voters see the pattern. The past 3 Republican Presidents have averaged 1 recession for each four year term. Reagan presided over 2, G HW Bush 1, G W Bush 2 (include the Great Recession.)

Repugnicants are great campaigners but horrible when it comes to governing; that is unless you have a net worth north of 2 million.

Thank God for the young folks. In the end, they will be the saviors of our country by take the Repugnicants at face value.; Reply to this comment

by Elli70 May 19, 2010 1:33 PM EDT

Sandy, I enjoy your comments, but pulleeze. Home renters have been subsidizing homeowners on their taxes forever. You get to deduct mortgage interest. Renters therefore have been paying your way all along. This is a socialist concept you forget. Also, most of those folks you claim pay no federal income tax are seniors who I guess you feel have not had paid enough taxes.

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by Lifeson2112 May 19, 2010 2:06 PM EDT: You have no concept of what Socialism is. A renter paying a homeowner is capitalism. The government taking over GM and giving the majority stake in it to the unions is socialism. Big difference.


by dnhines May 19, 2010 6:26 PM EDT: Dittoheads think anything proposed by Democrats by definition is socialism. Listen to Beck, Rush, Shawn, et al. Their minions are juice heads.


by coolbluewater May 19, 2010 1:10 PM EDT: The Republican Party has been infiltrated by Douglas Coe's "The Fellowship" organization (aka "The Family"). There are a few members in the Democratic Party as well.

A lot of voters are not interested in theocracy.; Reply to this comment


by sinepgib May 19, 2010 1:06 PM EDT: Comcast has Xfinity. Republic Party has the Team Party. Same ****, different name. And just because you put syrup on a turd that does not make the turd a pancake. All the racist old white folks (Don't believe me? take a look at a tea party rally and count the number of non-whites or young folks) couldn't deal with even the little bit of progressiveness that the GOP was trying to get to and formed the Team Party. KKK lives!; Reply to this comment


by isanyonefair May 19, 2010 12:58 PM EDT: "I say, bring it on, and please, please bring President Obama to ..."

I'M KING OF THE WORLDDddd ...., what do you its just a primary?

Really small people talk like this. Good work Kentucky, you have a chance to vote for another idiot.

Problem with the primary process is that it tends to bring in the fringe lunatics and the centrist voters end up picking the best of the worst. Thus the state of country. Just another of the things that need fixing.; Reply to this comment

by RainyDayInterns May 19, 2010 12:49 PM EDT

If the Republican can ever find an intelligent candidate...they may actually accomplish something. However, if all they ever propose is to let things sort themselves out, then they will never be able to solve any problems.

Self-interest is self-preservation. It is not for the advancement of civilization or the betterment of the majority. It is certainly a way to exist, but not a way to live.

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by sjc_1 May 19, 2010 2:43 PM EDT: Mitt Romney said that the GOP is the "party of ideas" so let's hear them.

by phdbd May 19, 2010 12:40 PM EDT

Just another rich wingnut who believes that education is not a right, but rather a privilege, and wants to speed our nation along it's path to 2nd (or 3rd) world status. I'm not suggesting he hates america, only americans.

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by caricks25 May 19, 2010 1:01 PM EDT: do you honestly believe education is a right? Was it a right in 1776? Does it say anywhere in the Bible, he who walketh land and hath breath shall have a right to a college education? I don't think so. It IS a privelege.
Also, why would he "speed our nation to 2nd or 3rd world status?" Look at what your buddy Obama is doing right now. Greece is bankrupt because they were a nanny state for so long and ran out of money. Now we are instituting a nanny state, and you think that's going to sned us to top-of-the-world status? Or maybe depleting our weaponry will send us there. We are a land of equal OPPORTUNITY, not equal OUTCOME. That's the problem with this country today, too many people want everything handed to them rather than to earn it.