Rand Paul: It's a 'misnomer' to say McConnell isn't conservative

Channel3000.com ^ | May 23 2014 03:52:06 PM CDT | Ashley Killough

[SoConPubbie]

Rand Paul is defending his relationship with Mitch McConnell after helping his fellow Kentuckian defeat a tea party-backed challenger in a GOP Senate primary.

"I came out of the tea party movement. I'm very concerned about the debt. I'm very concerned about big government," Paul said on Friday. "But I think the misnomer is to think somehow Senator McConnell isn't. That's what his whole entire career has been predicated upon - fighting against big government."

The comments by Paul, the state's junior senator, came at a news conference with McConnell in Louisville that was focused on building party unity following a bruising campaign in which the minority leader's opponent, Matt Bevin, got 35 percent of the primary vote.

Some in the conservative grassroots movement immediately called for Republican voters to unite and support McConnell.

But Bevin has been noticeably quiet and hasn't said whether he'll back his rival--though he flatly stated on election night that he won't back the Democratic nominee.

That's not stopping Alison Lundergan Grimes, however. She's actively going after Bevin supporters. In an open letter Friday to the 40 percent of Republican voters who didn't vote for McConnell, she argued that a vote for Grimes is a vote for change.

"Yes, we are in different parties, and we have divergent views on some issues. But if you believe that we need a fresh face to shake up Washington, I invite you to join our campaign," the letter stated.

Bevin hit back later Friday with his own letter, saying she doesn't understand "the principles that united my campaign's supporters" and disparaged her stance on a number of items on her agenda.

He agreed with her that Kentucky needs change, but not her kind of change. He made no direct mention of McConnell in the letter.

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[onyx]

[SoConPubbie]

In the words of the beloved Ronald Reagan,

There you go again Rand.

[SoConPubbie]

Rand Paul, once again taking liberties with the truth!

[ansel12]

March, 2013--"Rand Paul endorses Mitch McConnell in 2014 Senate race, won’t back tea party challenge"

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

A severe conservative no less, I would imagine.

[Gene Eric]

Wishful thinking; though, I’m sure McConnell has at one point demonstrated conservatism — not that I’m going to hunt down that moment and cite it.

[entropy12]

McConnell obviously very popular with KY republicans. His Tea Party opponent lost big in KY.

Looks to me like McConnell will defeat the hard lefty Grimes in general.

Rand Paul defeated the GOPe backed candidate in his primary.
We can use all the GOP senators we can get.

The real enemy is Harry Reid as SML. He has blocked every conservative bill passed by the House. Hw won’t even allow debate!

[SoConPubbie]

Rand Paul defeated the GOPe backed candidate in his primary.

Rand Paul is no longer Tea-Party.

He backed the GOP-E candidate McConnell over the Tea-Party Bevin.

He came out with his own Amnesty Plan.

He has decided that the Social Issues are not all that important to him.

He is no longer Tea-Party, he is GOP-E, in fact, he is a traitor to the Tea-Party and to conservatives every where.

Now, Libertarians probably still love him, but tried-and-true conservatives do not.

[SoConPubbie]

The real enemy is Harry Reid as SML. He has blocked every conservative bill passed by the House. Hw won’t even allow debate!

No, you are incorrect.

From the conservative perspective, the Democrats and the GOP-E are the enemy.

[INVAR]

McConnell is a machine politician incumbent with total control of the GOP at the state level.

He is roundly hated in this commonwealth except by party hacks and those beholden to the Chamber of Commerce.

McConnell will be defeated by Grimes in November.

We Conservatives are not going to vote for someone who declared war on us and vowed to crush us wherever he found us. We will write in a candidate or vote 3rd party or sit home.

This seat is Grimes’ to lose.

[entropy12]

That is not a logical viewpoint. And not practical. And not good for my pocketbook or anyone with income.

[entropy12]

I am willing to bet McConnell defeats the hard lefty Grimes in general. He did not win so many times before by being a loser or a sissy. He is tough opponent as the results of primary just demonstrated.

He is good 80% of times in senate votes. That is enough for me. I can live with that over Grimes who will be 90% against my agenda.

[ansel12]

Sure the GOPe is an enemy to conservatives and Reagan republicans.

[ansel12]

The almost 30 year incumbent, McConnell was not facing a difficult challenge in the primary, don’t pretend that he was.

[GeronL]

They don’t live on the same planet as the rest of us

[entropy12]

I have you on ignore.

[GeronL]

I think a lot of Bevin supporters have zero inclination to vote for Mitch

[INVAR]

McConnell won his last General election by LESS THAN 6% .

Look at the total of those who voted Democrat in the Primary vs the GOP.

McConnell loses this seat - unless the General election is like many others run by machine operations.

McConnell works behind the scenes to undermine Conservatives and hand the Democrats what they want and votes against them for appearances sake.

McConnell will not attack Grimes or trash Democrats like he does Conservatives. Hell, he declared WAR on us - or weren’t you paying attention?

Oh that’s right - your pocketbook is more important to you than principles.