Sen. Rand Paul: we have a "tiny, impotent and inconsequential Congress … I'm embarrassed that I'm even a part of it."
— Katie Zezima (@katiezez) October 9, 2015
@katiezez @alexis_levinson And yet he fought to change election rules in Kentucky to make sure that was able to stay part of it :(
— jeffkatzshow (@jeffkatzshow) October 9, 2015
paid a quarter million dollars just to make sure he could keep being a part of it https://t.co/zjY0HC8yWx
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) October 9, 2015
Little Prince Rand, in his hunger for more glamorous pastures, has badly neglected his loyal local fiefdom. And his fellow petty-ante robber barons are getting irked, according to Politico:
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Rand Paul is under increasing pressure from Republicans here and in Washington to pull the plug on his stagnant presidential campaign and instead recommit his resources to keeping his Senate seat in GOP hands.
D.C. Republicans think Paul’s poll numbers have flat-lined — and operatives worried about retaining control of the Senate are ready for him to start spending a lot more time in Kentucky and a lot less time in Iowa and New Hampshire.
“This presidential dream needs to come to an end,” said a national Republican strategist, granted anonymity to discuss Paul’s situation candidly. “Senate Republicans can’t afford to have a competitive race in Kentucky.”
Paul, however, is showing little sign of giving up. Even with poll numbers so low that he might not appear on the main stage for the third GOP debate and his fundraising slowing to a crawl, Paul has a message for those who say it’s time to suspend his run for the White House and focus on his Senate reelection: I can handle both.
“Who would say such a thing? Rebuke them!” Paul sarcastically told reporters after the event who asked about suggestions that he drop out and focus on his Senate reelection. “They don’t know anything about politics. They all write for a living.”
Asked directly if he was worried about his Senate seat, Paul was blunt: “No.”…
Republicans in D.C. aren’t yet panicking about losing Paul’s Senate seat — only about having to spend money to retain it in a year when they need that cash in at least a half-dozen other competitive states…
“Rand Paul’s presidential campaign is going down in flames, and his second-pick Senate bid will no doubt go the same way after he has gone to great lengths to assure Kentucky voters that he views his Senate seat as nothing more than a consolation prize,” DSCC spokeswoman Sadie Weiner said…
The other Repubs may think of Kentucky as his constituency, but Prince Rand is secure in his conviction that his real base is the virtual Galt’s Gulch built up by his father: the angry white mostly male proponents of unfettered capitalism, speech, and gun ownership. Of course, this loyal army never managed to capture the Oval Office for Dr. Ron, but this — they assure each other, and Rand agrees — is a new millenium, where Disruptors will finally reap their due in this Second Gilded Age.
As the saying goes: Jam yesterday, and jam tomorrow, but never jam today…
Some guy
My favorite roadside stand had a nicely drawn”Free Hot Dogs TOMORROW” sign on it. Guy does a land office business at closing time.
Elizabelle
DC peeps: I suggested a meetup tomorrow at a Bernie Sanders debate watch party in Vienna restaurant. Persian food!
Details on morning open thread. No idea if you’re interested, but sounded good to me.
I am voting DEMOCRAT. Hillary or Bernie; it’s all good.
NY Times on CNN’s debate plans. What do you do when it’s likely the Dems won’t be as crazy ass as the GOPers?
I hope the Dems make it clear this is a Democrat vs. Republican election year; it’s not the individual candidates. Obv, one of them has to win. But ….
jeffreyw
Thread needs moar fishing!
jeffreyw
Waxworms for the win!
Amir Khalid
If Rand Paul is paying to be in two races, for President and for Senator, I guess he means to stay in two races. If his faltering presidential run weakens him in the Senate race, so much the better for his Democratic opponent. Who is his likely opposition?
RSA
We are, too, Rand… We are, too.
Elizabelle
From the NYTimes article:
For f*ck’s sake. It’s a presidential election, not a reality show. But — CNN!
Did you notice 60 Minutes’ interview with Obama, which they advertised being about Syria: the soundbite MSM is running with is all about Hills’ email scandal?
Calouste
That’s lil’ Rand’s fault. His dad knew the presidential run was just there for the grift. Rand started believing the bullshit. Maybe his dad can knock some sense in him and not let all those years of building up the grift campaign go to waste.
Frankensteinbeck
@Amir Khalid:
It doesn’t much matter. A jug of mealworms could win Rand Paul’s seat in the State of Hate if it had R scribbled on the lid.
schrodinger's cat
Question for the BJ hive mind unrelated to politics.
I need recommendations for a humidifier. There currently seem to be three types on the market. One type uses filters, then a type based on ultrasonic technology and one that simply boils the water and produces steam. I have tried all three types. The ultrasonic type seems to be the one with the least hassle so I brought a bigger ultrasonic one, however it stopped working in less than a week, the ultrasonic one I have is small and runs out of water in 3 hours or so on high.
So I need a recommendation for a room size humidifier that will last all night.
Sorry, for the book and thanks in advance.
Brachiator
Sounds like Paul is conflating the Congress and another organ.
Sounds like a personal problem.
Frankensteinbeck
@Calouste:
I think this has already happened. Even given his serial dishonesty, the presidential campaign Rand Paul is not the Rand Paul I remember from his Senate race.
BR
@Elizabelle:
I was thinking of watching the debate because I’m genuinely undecided, but if it’s going to be one of these sorts of crappy debates where we get to hear conventional MSM wisdom thrown at Dems for 90 minutes, then forget it…
Baud
@Elizabelle:
Ahem.
Frankensteinbeck
@Baud:
I thought you were running as a Baud. The ballot has check bubbles for ‘All Democrat’, ‘All Republican’, and ‘All Baud, all the time!’
boatboy_srq
I wonder when Rand will realize that his “base” has lined up behind Trump instead of him.
NonyNony
@Baud: I thought you were running in the GOP primary. I was all ready to cross over and make you the first Repubican I’ve voted for since the 90s.
Patricia Kayden
I cannot imagine that Rand Paul’s Kentucky Senate seat is in any type of jeopardy of being lost to a Democratic competitor. I assume he’ll win that handily. Not sure why he ever believed he would win the Republican Presidential candidacy though. He strikes me as a very bland person and certainly whatever craziness he brings to the table is dimmed by the likes of Carson and Trump.
@Elizabelle: “I hope the Dems make it clear this is a Democrat vs. Republican election year;”
Yep. That’s all it comes down to — which party should be in control of the White House, set policies for this country and the world, and nominate SCOTUS Justices.
I really hope that during the debate, Secretary Clinton brings up the Republican who was fired from the Benghazi committee for objecting to its focus on bringing her down. She needs to bring this up every time the Benghazi “scandal” is mentioned.
Baud
@Frankensteinbeck:
I may consider a third party run, given how the Party excluded me from the debates.
@NonyNony:
I wanted to, but I passed the Rorschach test.
amk
@Baud:
forget the dems. what can you do to get the lil paulites?
Paul in KY
@Amir Khalid: Nobody, right now. Maybe Gov. Steve Beshear, who is just finishing up 2 successful terms as governor.
Brachiator
Among the many bills signed into law by California governor Jerry Brown was SB 11:
This bill triples the current training requirement and received support from law enforcement.
It’s the start of what should be a comprehensive revision of how these people and situations should be handled.
jeffreyw
Keep open threads open!
Baud
@amk:
I’ll need to incorporate more gold and weed into my platform.
tsquared2001
@Elizabelle: But – CNN
Truer words have never been spoken.
amk
@Baud:
so, ea$y peezy then?
tsquared2001
@jeffreyw: Nice. That is ALMOST a sammich sunny.
jl
So, Paul will be proud when his Congress lays huge dumps that the country is just not manly enough to flush? If Boehner walks off before the GOP House caucus can find itself a Speaker, then Paul will be really proud.
I’m beginning to wonder whether what really happened is that Boehner finally had the guts to call the crazies’ bluffs and is ready to see it out for another year. I wouldn’t expect that from Johnny Bones, but you never know.
eric
So Paul could….stop running for president; ask to become Speaker to show true leadership.
jeffreyw
@tsquared2001:
Sammich! Soup and sammich!
tsquared2001
@eric: Leading with leadership. I hear it is the new black.
WereBear
I am loving my Logitech keyboard very much. Thanks to all Juicers who made reccommendations on my iPad mini quest for better typing options.
Paul in KY
@eric: What Sen. Aqua Buddha would do is create his own position ‘Ennuciator of the Congress’ or something like that & then elect himself to it.
Yatsuno
@jl: What’s really interesting is Böhner is bailing from Congress period. That says something else is happening beyond just herding the crazies here.
wmd
Rand Paul could win – I mean the Cubs could win the world series. hey The Red Sox have won!
eric
@Yatsuno: he wants his full pension a/k/a “lobbying coin.”
tsquared2001
@jeffreyw: Good Lord – now I am SO jealous. That was a mean move, Jeffrey, some real foul shit.
For the first time in forever, I did not get out fishing this summer. I do miss the taste of a good sunny.
I blame Dad.
Wilson Heath
As long as he’s in long enough that I can modify myself some “Ru Paul for President” yard signs, I’m happy.
jeffreyw
@WereBear: Thanks for helping keep this thread an open thread. Just say no to top down direction! Moar kittehs!
WereBear
@schrodinger’s cat: The one that stopped working in a week can be returned? I like the ultrasonic ones because they are quiet and seem to have less maintenance. Ours has been working for a couple of years now.
The filter ones have the advantage of not going overboard; their rate depends on the dryness of the air.
MattF
@schrodinger’s cat: I bought a humidifier last year, and followed thesweethome’s advice. It’s a pretty good gadget.
jeffreyw
@tsquared2001: Fish sammich! (Jumping up and down) Fish sammich!
schrodinger's cat
@WereBear: I returned it and got a full refund, but I still need to replace it. What humidifier did you buy?
schrodinger's cat
@MattF: How often do you have to change the filter?
WereBear
@schrodinger’s cat: never mind! The one at the Amazon link looks better!
Frankensteinbeck
@Yatsuno:
Occam’s Razor. He is sick of their shit. He’s been the worst speaker in living memory, simultaneously the most wildly partisan (even Hastert didn’t follow the Hastert Rule) and completely incapable of controlling his caucus. How many times has he publicly declared a deal, then been unable to deliver?
MattF
@schrodinger’s cat: I changed the filter once in two months of regular use, and before replacing it, I’d rinsed it out a couple of times with diluted bleach. It didn’t get gunky– there’s a UV bulb inside the humidifier that (possibly) kills the gunk– just sort of stiff from hard water. It’s possible that if I’d been more attentive, I could have used the filter longer.
I expect to start with a new filter when it gets cold and dry again. Note that the replacement filters are a little different from the original filter– it didn’t seem to make a difference.
tsquared2001
@jeffreyw: Dammit. Those two meals look SO good.
Dang, man, your Hater Fu is strong.
Respect.
Grumpy Code Monkey
You know, at least Fox News has an excuse. They’re a wholly owned subsidiary of the GOP.
But CNN? What’s their excuse?
PurpleGirl
@jeffreyw: Hey, an IBEW member. My father was a member of NYC’s IBEW Local 3.
Amir Khalid
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
Nowadays, CNN wants to be Fox News when it grows up.
Ang
My dad’s IBEW 141. Do they have some secret training on how to turn your kid into a lefty DFH or something?
Amir Khalid
@Frankensteinbeck:
Mnd you, the Republican party got thisclose to appointing as Böhner’s successor Kevin McCarthy, a man who doesn’t speak English.
jeffreyw
@Ang: They do have a secret camp! Its location is a closely held secret but I do know that it’s on a hill they call Joe.
PurpleGirl
@Ang: I don’t know. I do know that too many of NYC’s Local 3 members became Reagan Democrats, although the Local 3 did support President Obama and sent out members to canvas for him. (I haven’t followed other Locals, but I talked with a Local 3 guy who was canvasing in my apartment building.)
tsquared2001
@Ang: Once, at a party, I was surrounded by a collection of new age dumbass libertarians railing about taxes, power of the state, all that nonsense.
The ONE guy who pushed back – he was a second generation IBEW man. So yes, there IS some secret training.
Mike in NC
Some polls show Rand Paul ahead of JEB! How embarrassing is that to the Bush Crime Family?
Elizabelle
@Baud: Oh. Right.
Well, it’s kinda a stealth campaign …
Grumpy Code Monkey
@Mike in NC:
It’s still a couple of months before the first primaries, it’s not guaranteed that Trump’s or Carson’s (or anyone else’s) poll numbers will translate into delegates, but…
What if Jeb? comes out of Super Tuesday with only one or two state’s worth of delegates, or none at all? What does the “establishment” wing of the GOP do? Do they throw in behind Rubio (assuming he gets any delegates)?
I mean, I just didn’t expect Jeb? to be quite this awful. Yes, Trump and Carson are stealing everyone’s oxygen at the moment, but even without them in the ring, it’s not like Jeb? would be enjoying a double-digit lead.
Amir Khalid
I suppose one shouldn’t be surprised that Senator Tom Cotton wants Dick bloody Cheney to be Speaker.
burnspbesq
Calendar of Supreme Court oral arguments for December is out.
http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/10/december-arguments-day-by-day-6/#more-233078
Somehow it seems appropriate that Evenwel will be argued on the feast of the Immaculate Conception; the crackpot arguments seem to have sprung fully formed out of nowhere.
burnspbesq
@Mike in NC:
Apparently the power of Brinks trucks full of UNLIMITED CORPORATE CASH!!! from all the right corporations has been misoverestimated.
Luthe
@jeffreyw: Not a hill they call Sam?
FlyingToaster
@burnspbesq: And where is our ¿Jeb? troll RtR? They stop paying him yet?
Grumpy Code Monkey
@FlyingToaster: He (she?) will be along soon enough, talking about trends and momentum and all the other bullshit that was supposed to carry Romney to an easy victory in 2012.
Not that RtR is anything but Doug pretending to be high on Oxy.
Frankensteinbeck
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
Jeb:( is one truly godawful compaigner, but Trump has sucked so much air out of the room, he’s been reduced to ‘Isn’t he the establishment candidate?’ The situation is so chaotic, I could see Trump forcing everyone with a campaign organization but Jeb:( out of the race, then flaming out himself, and Jeb:( wins by default. He couldn’t win if he competes against anyone, but Trump might do it for him. This is one weird, weird primary.
jeffreyw
@Luthe: I heard that Sam hill was close by, but that may be apocryphal.
MattF
@Amir Khalid: Uh, whoa. Didn’t we just have a Hitler thread?
Steeplejack
@jeffreyw:
Look out! Black guy brandishing a fish!
SiubhanDuinne
@Steeplejack:
Sorry, I just can’t help myself.
Denali
@Amir,
Well I want to go on record as supporting American Pharaoh, a Triple Crown winner for Speaker(see a suggestion from a commentor onGail Collins column on this issue). It is not without precedent-the Roman emperor Caligua apppointed a horse- and he couldn’t have been more bat-shit crazy than someone suggesting Dick Cheney for anything beyond a jail term.
sm*t cl*de
@Grumpy Code Monkey:
Shirley the other way around.