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Rand Paul Wins: Changing of the Guard?
washingtonpost.com ^ | March 7, 2013 | Jennifer Rubin

Posted on 03/07/2013 1:17:52 PM PST by BarnacleCenturion

Earlier today, I noted that Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) were on opposite sides of a generational divide in the GOP that goes beyond ideology. That flared into an open spat as McCain, along with his closest amigo, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), openly slammed Paul, calling him “uninformed.” Graham pronounced that Paul didn’t deserve an answer. McCain hissed: “The country needs more senators who care about liberty, but if Mr. Paul wants to be taken seriously, he needs to do more than pull political stunts that fire up impressionable libertarian kids in their college dorms. He needs to know what he’s talking about.” That peevish retort may have reflected McCain’s sense that he had been badly upstaged. Or maybe he hadn’t followed the debate.

Then, with near-perfect timing, Paul got his response in a two-sentence letter from Attorney General Eric Holder. The first sentence was dishonest: “It has come to my attention you have now asked an additional question: ‘Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?’” In fact, that was Paul’s question all along. But Holder then admitted, no, the U.S. government doesn’t have the authority to target U.S. citizens at home who are not involved in hostilities.

Rand Paul got to crow in a series of interviews. He had pried an answer out of a White House habitually averse to treating a co-equal branch with respect. He certainly got more done than Graham and McCain did last night by attending a Georgetown dinner with the president, a White House move no doubt intended to reverse the president’s slide in the polls and make it seem like he was reaching out to Republicans.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: paul; randpaul; randpaulfilibuster
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1 posted on 03/07/2013 1:17:53 PM PST by BarnacleCenturion
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To: BarnacleCenturion

There is no going back now.....Rand must seize this opportunity to take the reins of the party......it cannot wait.


2 posted on 03/07/2013 1:20:36 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Have to say McCain really showed his arse on this one.


3 posted on 03/07/2013 1:21:57 PM PST by Andrei Bulba (No Obama, no way)
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To: dfwgator

I’m with him if he does.
I’m not going to belong to the go along, get along lapdog party.


4 posted on 03/07/2013 1:25:53 PM PST by Ouchthatonehurt ("When you're going through hell, keep going." - Sir Winston Churchill)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

[But Holder then admitted, no, the U.S. government doesn’t have the authority to target U.S. citizens at home who are not involved in hostilities.]

...and guess who defines hostilities.


5 posted on 03/07/2013 1:26:47 PM PST by RetSignman ("...a Republic if you can keep it")
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To: BarnacleCenturion
"That flared into an open spat...

I love the passive voice here.

John McCain made it an "open spat" when he decided to spit on the freedoms and protections from Government that many Americans take for granted.

Like judicial review for example. Like that whole "we are a nation of laws not of men" concept.

The only one who "spat" was McCain.

6 posted on 03/07/2013 1:29:45 PM PST by Steely Tom (If the Constitution can be a living document, I guess a corporation can be a person.)
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To: RetSignman

You are of course right, but so is Paul.

And as well, Palin.


7 posted on 03/07/2013 1:30:34 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: Cringing Negativism Network

Palin needs to come out now and break from McCain. She paid her dues to him. She needs to think of her future. McCain is done!


8 posted on 03/07/2013 1:33:42 PM PST by dforest (I have now entered the Twilight Zone.)
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To: Steely Tom
The only one who "spat" was McCain.

And the wind of public opinion blew it right back in his face. Priceless.

9 posted on 03/07/2013 1:33:56 PM PST by Sirius Lee (All that is required for evil to advance is for government to do "something")
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To: dfwgator

Are conservatives willing to go with Paul on some of his more libertarian leaning positions?

His view of the US military’s role in the world, legalization of marijuana/hemp for starters?


10 posted on 03/07/2013 1:35:32 PM PST by MadIsh32 (In order to be pro-market, sometimes you must be anti-big business)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

It’s not the changing of the guard. It’s just another wedge between the Conservatives and the Republicans.


11 posted on 03/07/2013 1:36:33 PM PST by AD from SpringBay (We deserve the government we allow.)
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To: dforest
Palin needs to come out now and break from McCain.

I completely agree. She is great with the twitter and facebook 'instant' messages. Sarah, this one is due ... and soon.

12 posted on 03/07/2013 1:36:37 PM PST by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
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To: dforest

I believe you are right.

That is a tough call though. McCain for all his faults, brought us Palin.

Everything else he’s done before or after, has been a waste of time, but he did just fine with Palin.

Maybe you will forgive me for holding off, however. McCain is infuriating, but he brought us Palin. I think Palin must make that call frankly.


13 posted on 03/07/2013 1:37:21 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: RetSignman

[But Holder then admitted, no, the U.S. government doesn’t have the authority to target U.S. citizens at home who are not involved in hostilities

Axtually the word was combat
which is pretty specific
although if anyone could redefine it for their own purposes it would be 0dumbo


14 posted on 03/07/2013 1:37:53 PM PST by RWGinger
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To: BarnacleCenturion
I wonder if SENATE MAJORITY LEADER wouldn't be a good title for Senator Paul in January 2015?
Then to further dream, “former Senator John McCain in January 2017.
Now that is two things that do give me warm and fuzzy dreams.
15 posted on 03/07/2013 1:37:57 PM PST by Tupelo (Old, Bald, Ugly, Fat and Broke in Arizona)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

“McCain, along with his closest amigo, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), openly slammed Paul, calling him “uninformed”

McStain must have missed the first 12 hours of Rand Paul speaking. Oh wait he was out to dinner with Oblahblah cutting another losing deal to jam down our throats.


16 posted on 03/07/2013 1:43:48 PM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: MadIsh32

Rand Paul needs to show me that he is not anti-Semitic.


17 posted on 03/07/2013 1:44:29 PM PST by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: Steely Tom

I think the problem with McCain is the same problem as most liberals have when it comes to issues we see as infringments on liberty.

He and they have an unassailable assumption of the benevolence of those who get elected to governmental authority.

“They wouldn’t ever abuse the power that they have, so why are you complaining?”


18 posted on 03/07/2013 1:44:52 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: BarnacleCenturion

I stand with Rand. I want my freedom back!

I listened to more than a few hours of the filibuster. Rand sounded like a man who actually believes in the constitution - that is good enough for me.

Finally felt like we had a chance at liberty again - and I haven’t felt that way in YEARS!


19 posted on 03/07/2013 1:46:29 PM PST by LibertyLA (fighting libtards and other giant government enablers!)
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To: RetSignman

Or what IS the target. They can blast a home (and anyone who happens to be in it) because there is a phone - making it a communication center.

I think Clinton used that one against the Serbians.


20 posted on 03/07/2013 1:46:43 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper (RETURN TO MECCA [http://youtu.be/zWQkaDUCJ_Y])
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