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 ...
There is no going back now.....Rand must seize this opportunity to take the reins of the party......it cannot wait.
Have to say McCain really showed his arse on this one.
I’m with him if he does.
I’m not going to belong to the go along, get along lapdog party.
[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.
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.
You are of course right, but so is Paul.
And as well, Palin.
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!
And the wind of public opinion blew it right back in his face. Priceless.
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?
It’s not the changing of the guard. It’s just another wedge between the Conservatives and the Republicans.
I completely agree. She is great with the twitter and facebook 'instant' messages. Sarah, this one is due ... and soon.
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.
[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
“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.
Rand Paul needs to show me that he is not anti-Semitic.
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?”
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!
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.
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