Posted on 08/24/2015 4:51:20 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he stands by his outspoken criticism of fellow candidate and reality show star Donald Trump because he is worried about the country succumbing to an obsession with celebrity over substance.
"My fear ... is that there are countries that do succumb to celebrity... often in the developing world, celebrities and very wealthy people will win," said Paul during a 22-minute pre-taped interview posted on the web site of NBC's "Meet the Press." "I worry about the country because I don't believe that there's any sincerity to what [Trump's] message is."
"And even when the message is sincere, it's so garbled that now, here we have this great opponent of immigration [in Donald Trump] who's going to ship everybody home, but then he says things like 'oh yeah, but then I'm going to let them all back in,'" said Paul.
"For two months the Trump mania has been soaking up votes from many of the candidates," said Paul, who explained that Trump's appeal taps into anger at Washington.
"You can disapprove and simply have anger at Washington," said Paul. "He's tapping into the anger. But I think his message is empty anger. It's an anger without substance. Whereas I think people are rightly angry at government and angry at big government and debt. And really frankly, the biggest anger I feel ... was anger at Republicans who promised to make government smaller and then it didn't become smaller, it actually became bigger."
"So I mean the real question is, are conservatives comfortable enough to say ... Donald Trump's been against Obamacare long enough that he's not going to expand it, or will you start [to] have a suspicion that he still kind of sounds like he's for single-payer," said Paul. "I think we could be well on our way to single-payer if we elect Donald Trump."
Democrats "are applauding" Trump's front-runner status, Paul said, because polls show that Trump would do worst in a head-to-head match-up with Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton. Some polls show Paul performing best in swing states against Clinton, he said.
Paul said he truly believes that Trump is a "fake conservative" and that he will not walk back criticism of the current Republican front-runner "because he has been on every side of every issue in the last five years."
"We have to decide whether we want sort of empty platitudes or whether we are going to look at substance," said Paul.
Arguing that voters should look at more than just anger, Paul said: "I've put forward a flat tax, I've put forward a plan to balance the budget in five years, and I've been part of an intellectual movement that's been around really since World War II, that has been fighting against large government that is all consuming and all involved in our lives."
The interview was pre-taped from Haiti where Paul, an ophthalmologist, was doing charity eye surgery.
Is Rand Paul still running?
Evidently more substance than you offer.
Who is Rand Paul?
Rand must be jealous. No one swoons over him.
Oh I’ll take celebrity over questionable intentions anyday.
Which reminds me: I'm gonna have to get my CPAC reservations cause Trumpster will be front and center, I'm sure.
He's a United States Senator, for Pete's sake.
I think he's just jealous.
Paul sounds like Linda Graham when says catty stuff like that.
Not celebrity. Anti Wahington establishment.
I’m concerned that Rand Paul would turn into Ron Paul.
No, Rand, its not empty anger. Unfortunately you didn’t understand our anger and you certainty have no idea how to tap into it and help. You might have been able had you not cozied up to the establishment or by wasting your time trying to get felons their voting rights back. You missed your chance. So go away and play now.
You gotta feel for these candidates. They’ve played the game for years just for this moment that they get to run for President. and then BOOM...upstaged by a charasmatic billionaire who just may be our next President. It’s gotta hurt, but they have nobody to blame but themselves.
Li’l Randy is just pissed because he was really counting on having that screwed-up hairdo set him apart from the rest of the GOP field. Then along comes The Donald, and Li’l Randy is just sure Trump’s lead in the polls confirms his hairdo theory...
Rand Paul who?
He’s at least partly right on this. The other part though, is that Trump really does know how to tell the press to piss off in a way that really resonates in much of the country.
The Trump immigration plan has more substance than anything any of the others have said or done.
Bye, Rand. The black vote wasn’t happening, anyway. Ask President Kemp.
Great idea, insult 25% of the GOP voters. We’re just to stupid to appreciate you, huh? Go away, Rand.
Businessman over politician.
YOU DID BUILD THIS, Rand…(feeling empowered now that TPTB gave you the fallback Senator job?)
Socialism IS Legal Plunder - Bastiat
He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.
It’s funny... if ANY of the other candidates had simply and consistently said and done what Trump said and did, they could be where he is today.
But no, they hemmed and hawed and hedged and talked out of both sides of their mouths and apologized and pandered for cash, just like usual.
And now, Paul and some of the others want us to just shut up, surrender our principles, swallow our pride, forget our own self interest, screw the best interests of the country, and side with them.
What planet are they from, exactly?
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