Dems: Paul's trade remarks 'out of line'

[jct74]

Dems: Paul's trade remarks 'out of line'

By Justin Sink
June 06, 2014, 06:44 pm


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXToPDkPtzY


Democrats pounced on Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) joke Friday that the president should trade five members of his own party in the next prisoner exchange, blasting his comments as "completely out of line."

While addressing the Texas Republican Party convention earlier in the day, Paul said that Obama should propose a trade to bring back Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who was arrested earlier this year in Mexico after accidentally crossing the border with firearms that were illegal in Mexico.

"Here's what I'm thinking, Mr. President, you love to trade people — Why don't we set up a trade, but this time instead of five Taliban, how about five Democrats?" Paul said to the crowd. "I'm thinking John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi — couldn't we send them to Mexico."

The Kentucky lawmaker was riffing on the president's decision to trade five Taliban detainees being kept at the Guantanamo Bay prison in exchange for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the lone U.S. soldier captured during the Afghan conflict.

Republicans have criticized the decision, arguing the president has endangered the U.S. by freeing the Taliban militants.

Paul's joke quickly earned the ire of Democratic National Committee spokesman Michael Czin, who called the suggestion "completely out of line."

...

read more:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/208561-dems-pauls-prison-trade-remarks-out-of-line

[supermario21]

Probably not a popular opinion here, but I thought they were way out of line, especially when you're twitter account tweeted the quote out of context...

[francisco]

Love it!

You can tell a lot about someone, by who they earn the emnity of.

[francisco]

The folks over at Hot Air and Free Republic will love this.

Very clever of Rand to insidiously worm himself into their consciousness this way

[Brett85]

I know this was just a joke, but in today's atmosphere of extreme political correctness, it's probably not a good idea to make a joke like that. And this isn't going to win over the Free Republic/Hot Air people when they still remember and have a problem with some of Rand's recent comments about voter ID and other issues.

[francisco]

I know this was just a joke, but in today's atmosphere of extreme political correctness, it's probably not a good idea to make a joke like that. And this isn't going to win over the Free Republic/Hot Air people when they still remember and have a problem with some of Rand's recent comments about voter ID and other issues.

The folks over at Free Republic/Hot Air are extremely anti-political correctness. I think you'll see more and more of Rand gaining their acceptance, precisely from appearances like this. They are more visceral than the typical libertarian/Ron Paul types and this is actually more how they make judgements--their reaction to what a politician jokes about, and how he carries himself.

[ctiger2]

Liberal statists have ZERO sense of humor. My brother is one of them.

[kathy88]

Good one, Rand.

[alucard13mm]

Politically correctness shall be the death of this country... Shit, if you don't like it, dont watch it or read it. I mean you have the right to voice your opinion in public, but geez golly... dont have to exercise it 24/7.

Back on topic... Pretty damn funny. Send 5 democrats to go fight taliban and to get rid of their libery corroding toxic thinking.

[Brett85]

The folks over at Free Republic/Hot Air are extremely anti-political correctness. I think you'll see more and more of Rand gaining their acceptance, precisely from appearances like this. They are more visceral than the typical libertarian/Ron Paul types and this is actually more how they make judgements--their reaction to what a politician jokes about, and how he carries himself.

He won't gain their acceptance because of his more moderate rhetoric on issues like immigration, abortion, voter ID laws, etc. They'll still prefer someone like Cruz over him. And people were telling me that Rand's strategy is now to focus on winning over moderate voters and portray himself as the "electable" candidate in a general election, and this joke that Rand made seems to go against that strategy.

[anaconda]

Good one, Rand.

I usually resist the false "two party" enmity, but this was very funny to me.

[serenityrick]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/06/sen-rand-pauls-joke-at-texas-gop-convention-is-not-going-over-well-with-the-left-mr-president-you-love-to-trade-people/

The comments from the Blaze (Probably a similar site in terms of users/commenters from Hot Air, et al, seem to overwhelmingly support Rand which is awesome considering it wasn't too long ago those same people were pretty upset with Rand's McConnell endorsement.

Which is exactly how I took that joke.. to try and win over some of the conservatives he lost with said endorsement (and voter ID comment).

[puppetmaster]

Bravo....no more Mr nice guy. These people have DESTROYED our country

[puppetmaster]

He won't gain their acceptance because of his more moderate rhetoric on issues like immigration, abortion, voter ID laws, etc. They'll still prefer someone like Cruz over him. And people were telling me that Rand's strategy is now to focus on winning over moderate voters and portray himself as the "electable" candidate in a general election, and this joke that Rand made seems to go against that strategy.

This comment will only piss off the hard core dems. Everyone else will enjoy it or won't care.

[Brian4Liberty]

Good one, Rand.

I believe this response was circulating before Rand used it...

[LibertyEagle]

hehe. I think it's funny.

[francisco]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/06/sen-rand-pauls-joke-at-texas-gop-convention-is-not-going-over-well-with-the-left-mr-president-you-love-to-trade-people/

The comments from the Blaze (Probably a similar site in terms of users/commenters from Hot Air, et al, seem to overwhelmingly support Rand which is awesome considering it wasn't too long ago those same people were pretty upset with Rand's McConnell endorsement...



Toldja, TC :p

[klamath]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/06/sen-rand-pauls-joke-at-texas-gop-convention-is-not-going-over-well-with-the-left-mr-president-you-love-to-trade-people/

The comments from the Blaze (Probably a similar site in terms of users/commenters from Hot Air, et al, seem to overwhelmingly support Rand which is awesome considering it wasn't too long ago those same people were pretty upset with Rand's McConnell endorsement.

Which is exactly how I took that joke.. to try and win over some of the conservatives he lost with said endorsement (and voter ID comment).
The worst comment was a typical libertarian Rand basher. Obviously he just runs around pasting his list of Rand transgressions everywhere he can..

[cajuncocoa]

Why would Dems get their panties in a knot over this? It's not like they don't say similar things.

[Dogsoldier]

Obama, Reed,Pelosi, Hillary....I'm completely serious when I say I would trade them for 1 marine.....Or Santorum, Christie, Romney, Huckabee

There are quite a few in government that I would trade in a heart beat.

[Henry Rogue]

Do democrats have protected status now too?

[Brett85]

Toldja, TC :p

But I thought the strategy had shifted, that Rand was trying to make himself more electable by appealing to moderates and independents? That's what everyone has told me.

[francisco]

But I thought the strategy had shifted, that Rand was trying to make himself more electable by appealing to moderates and independents? That's what everyone has told me.

Moderates and independents are anti-PC too. The only people who aren't are found over at DU.

[fr33]

But I thought the strategy had shifted, that Rand was trying to make himself more electable by appealing to moderates and independents? That's what everyone has told me.

The modus operandi now is to win the nomination. After that then we can worry about the panty-waist PC crowd.

[Vanguard101]

Your statist policies are out of line

[Spikender]

Trade?

I'd give them for free.

[puppetmaster]

read more:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/208561-dems-pauls-prison-trade-remarks-out-of-line

I like the fact that he brought up sending them to Mexico. ...for the soldier imprisoned there.

[serenityrick]

Why would Dems get their panties in a knot over this? It's not like they don't say similar things.

This. Chris Matthew's "When are they gonna write a book called Killing O'Reilly?" Was way more over the line in my opinion and nary a peep from either side. Partially because Matthews is so insignificant but also because most on the right saw it as a joke that was in poor taste and immediately moved on.

[Working Poor]

Why would Dems get their panties in a knot over this? It's not like they don't say similar things.

Liberal news groups talk about rounding us up and killing us which to me is way out of line.

[RM918]

Anyone who'd get angry over this would have to be a hardcore Dem who already thinks Rand is Satan and is plotting to purge the poor and outlaw contraception.

[juleswin]

First of all, the joke wasn't even funny and secondly there is nothing wrong with the trade Obama did. So he released a bunch of people who have no capacity of hurting Americans not involved in occupation of a foreign land, I say big fucking deal. The joke is anti liberty because it presumes the govt had ownership of people not in their custody and tie everything in with Rand denouncing Ted Nugent for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" and it has shades of hypocrisy in it.

And no, democrats also do it is not a valid defense. If its wrong when the democrats make jokes about killing republicans and such, its also wrong when republicans make jokes about seizing democratic politicians and sending them off to Mexico. Bad bad rand, I am not liking this at all.

[ChristianAnarchist]

Well, it sure can't be said that I'm one who believes in "government" or it's "right" to trade or free people, but I still found it funny...

[Guitarzan]

Anyone who'd get angry over this would have to be a hardcore Dem who already thinks Rand is Satan and is plotting to purge the poor and outlaw contraception.

Right RM. Here's example #1, as was easily predicted...


I know this was just a joke, but in today's atmosphere of extreme political correctness, it's probably not a good idea to make a joke like that. And this isn't going to win over the Free Republic/Hot Air people when they still remember and have a problem with some of Rand's recent comments about voter ID and other issues.

[Brett85]

Right RM. Here's example #1, as was easily predicted...

Nothing I said indicated anger. I think it was just a poor strategic move. People always liked Ron Paul because he was a very non partisan person. He didn't make partisan comments and criticized Republicans and Democrats equally. I don't think it's good for a Presidential candidate to appear partisan. They should be principled on the issues and take correct and principled positions, but not partisan.

[YesI'mALiberal]

First of all, the joke wasn't even funny and secondly there is nothing wrong with the trade Obama did. So he released a bunch of people who have no capacity of hurting Americans not involved in occupation of a foreign land, I say big fucking deal. The joke is anti liberty because it presumes the govt had ownership of people not in their custody and tie everything in with Rand denouncing Ted Nugent for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" and it has shades of hypocrisy in it.

And no, democrats also do it is not a valid defense. If its wrong when the democrats make jokes about killing republicans and such, its also wrong when republicans make jokes about seizing democratic politicians and sending them off to Mexico. Bad bad rand, I am not liking this at all.

I think you - and a lot of other people - are reading more into the joke than is there. But that is Team Paul's intent. Paul didn't say he would trade the Democrats to the Taliban, just to Mexico. There is no actual criticism of the Bergdahl trade to be found there, just a little pandering to the anything-Obama-does-is-evil crowd, plus some gratuitous shots at Pelosi, Kerry, Clinton - always an applause line at any GOP rally.

Actually, it was very astute. He has plausible deniability on the Bergdahl matter (for the non-interventionists) while allowing everyone else to assume he actually criticized the trade. Thus completely avoiding saying anything substantive about the matter.

Much better than the lead balloons he's tried to send aloft in the past (king of pork, en garde). Team Paul's game-playing is stepping up a notch.

[Brett85]

Right RM. Here's example #1, as was easily predicted...

I feel that I need to refute your false assertion that I always criticize Rand in what he says and does. That's simply not the case. I probably defend him against people who are criticizing him more than I criticize him myself. But you just believe that any criticism at all is off limits, even if it's constructive. But I can point to all kinds of examples where I've defended Rand here on this forum.


This is just nonsensical. Mitch is the incumbent Senator in the state of Kentucky running against a liberal Democrat. The race might determine whether or not the Republicans take control of the Senate. Of course Rand is going to campaign for him and do everything possible to help get him reelected.


I think Rand is opposed to having a perpetual drone war in the Middle East where we basically target people in their homes or in cafes who only have a minor connection to terrorist organizations at best. He just said that he would support using drones in a situation where people were actively plotting to attack us, where there was an imminent threat to our national security. That's consistent with the principle of self defense. If someone pulls out a gun and holds it to your head, you don't have to wait until he shoots to get out your gun and shoot him first. You have the right to shoot him first since he's threatening your life.


Mr. Paul bristles at an adjective often used to describe his foreign policy: isolationist. “Not only am I for being involved, I’m actually for more involvement than the neocons,” he said, referring to the branch of conservatism that supports an interventionist foreign policy.

“The neocons are really neoisolationists,” he added, “in the sense that they are so hardened — that everybody should behave like us, and everybody in the world should be in our image — that they discount the concept of looking at things realistically and negotiating with people who don’t have our point of view.”


That's a great comment.


It's good policy and the pro liberty position to support cutting foreign aid, and it's smart politically because it helps him with pro Israel conservative voters without needing to stray from the non interventionist message.

[Vanguard101]

First of all, the joke wasn't even funny and secondly there is nothing wrong with the trade Obama did. So he released a bunch of people who have no capacity of hurting Americans not involved in occupation of a foreign land, I say big fucking deal. The joke is anti liberty because it presumes the govt had ownership of people not in their custody and tie everything in with Rand denouncing Ted Nugent for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" and it has shades of hypocrisy in it.

And no, democrats also do it is not a valid defense. If its wrong when the democrats make jokes about killing republicans and such, its also wrong when republicans make jokes about seizing democratic politicians and sending them off to Mexico. Bad bad rand, I am not liking this at all.

You took this too far....

[puppetmaster]

I think you - and a lot of other people - are reading more into the joke than is there. But that is Team Paul's intent. Paul didn't say he would trade the Democrats to the Taliban, just to Mexico. There is no actual criticism of the Bergdahl trade to be found there, just a little pandering to the anything-Obama-does-is-evil crowd, plus some gratuitous shots at Pelosi, Kerry, Clinton - always an applause line at any GOP rally.

Actually, it was very astute. He has plausible deniability on the Bergdahl matter (for the non-interventionists) while allowing everyone else to assume he actually criticized the trade. Thus completely avoiding saying anything substantive about the matter.

Much better than the lead balloons he's tried to send aloft in the past (king of pork, en garde). Team Paul's game-playing is stepping up a notch.


damn....I agree....shit...wash my mouth out with soap....yuk....lol

[asurfaholic]

First of all, the joke wasn't even funny and secondly there is nothing wrong with the trade Obama did. So he released a bunch of people who have no capacity of hurting Americans not involved in occupation of a foreign land, I say big fucking deal. The joke is anti liberty because it presumes the govt had ownership of people not in their custody and tie everything in with Rand denouncing Ted Nugent for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" and it has shades of hypocrisy in it.

And no, democrats also do it is not a valid defense. If its wrong when the democrats make jokes about killing republicans and such, its also wrong when republicans make jokes about seizing democratic politicians and sending them off to Mexico. Bad bad rand, I am not liking this at all.

Some people here are getting way too predictable...

[angelatc]

I know this was just a joke, but in today's atmosphere of extreme political correctness, it's probably not a good idea to make a joke like that. And this isn't going to win over the Free Republic/Hot Air people when they still remember and have a problem with some of Rand's recent comments about voter ID and other issues.

Screw that. The Democrats say the most outlandish things possible. They call us unhinged, obstructionists (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/09/29/wasserman_schultz_on_tea_party_opposition_to_obama care_these_people_have_come_unhinged.html), arsonists (http://on.aol.com/video/harry-reid--republicans-have-lost-their-minds-517952064), terrorists, (http://thelead.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/26/pfeiffer-white-house-is-not-negotiating-with-people-with-a-bomb-strapped-to-their-chest/)extortionists, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW_1eP34Ta4&feature=youtu.be) tea baggers, racists and every other slur the media allows them to get away with.

And then they get all outraged over a joke?

[angelatc]

Some people here are getting way too predictable...

Yes, the liberals have pretty much taken over the site. It's a shame.

[Crashland]

I think an equivalent joke would be if a dem said if the GOP likes deportation so much, they should start by deporting (insert names). I think many of us would have considered it unfunny and distasteful.

[juleswin]

Some people here are getting way too predictable...

Not exactly sure which people are the predictable ones. Me or the people condoning what they would have otherwise denounced if it had come from the mouth of a democrat?

[angelatc]

Not exactly sure which people are the predictable ones. Me or the people condoning what they would have otherwise denounced if it had come from the mouth of a democrat?

Fuck the Democrats.

[puppetmaster]

Not exactly sure which people are the predictable ones. Me or the people condoning what they would have otherwise denounced if it had come from the mouth of a democrat?

Hey I would approve if the dems said deport mcain, graham, king....etc

[thoughtomator]

The folks over at Free Republic/Hot Air are extremely anti-political correctness.

No they ain't. They're every bit as politically correct as their counterparts on the Left. Only difference is that they adhere to a slightly different doctrine.

[thoughtomator]

First of all, the joke wasn't even funny and secondly there is nothing wrong with the trade Obama did. So he released a bunch of people who have no capacity of hurting Americans not involved in occupation of a foreign land, I say big fucking deal. The joke is anti liberty because it presumes the govt had ownership of people not in their custody and tie everything in with Rand denouncing Ted Nugent for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel" and it has shades of hypocrisy in it.

And no, democrats also do it is not a valid defense. If its wrong when the democrats make jokes about killing republicans and such, its also wrong when republicans make jokes about seizing democratic politicians and sending them off to Mexico. Bad bad rand, I am not liking this at all.

... is 'eternal torment' in there anywhere? Lighten up, Francis.

[NewRightLibertarian]

This was a good zinger. Political correctness has made half the board into squeemish wimps. We need more of this. Rand must attack these bums and put them on the defensive as much as possible. The bums at the top of the GOP as well.

[jct74]

Was Rand Paul's red meat joke a bit too raw?

By Ashley Killough, CNN
Tue June 10, 2014

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than any other Republican lawmaker, Sen. Rand Paul has aggressively gone after nontraditional GOP voters in the past year, trying to lure Democrats and independents into his party's column as he considers a presidential bid.

So it seemed odd last week when the libertarian-leaning senator from Kentucky made a partisan joke about the prisoner swap that secured U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release.

...

As would be expected, Paul's joke ignited a firestorm.

His comment made national headlines, and the Democratic National Committee called his remarks "completely out of line" and uncivilized.

...

Political experts say Paul is testing out his campaign language before it starts to count in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

"He's really trying to figure out what he can and can't get away with on the stump," said GOP operative Ford O'Connell. "If he can't broaden his appeal in the GOP primary, there is no general election."

...

Six analysts agreed that Paul's comment is unlikely to have a long-term effect if he decides to run for president. It's still early, they say, and almost all candidates make controversial statements along the way.

"I can't imagine that this will have an impact on Rand Paul's political career, one way or another," said Republican strategist John Feehery, adding the joke wasn't all that funny. "When you are serving red meat to a crowd, sometimes it is served very raw. This was pretty raw."

...

read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/10/politics/rand-paul-joke/

[acptulsa]

There's no such thing as bad free publicity...

[limequat]

Is it any worse than the jokes Obama makes at republican's expense in those awful press diners?

[Liberty74]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/06/sen-rand-pauls-joke-at-texas-gop-convention-is-not-going-over-well-with-the-left-mr-president-you-love-to-trade-people/

The comments from the Blaze (Probably a similar site in terms of users/commenters from Hot Air, et al, seem to overwhelmingly support Rand which is awesome considering it wasn't too long ago those same people were pretty upset with Rand's McConnell endorsement.

Which is exactly how I took that joke.. to try and win over some of the conservatives he lost with said endorsement (and voter ID comment).

This has nothing to do with winning over the "conservative" vote. I'm not sure what that strategy would mean since the word conservative has been hijacked by the big Republican establishment folks that when they all run for President decide to use such term.

Listen, when you run for President, this is the shit you have to do. Something Ron just wasn't that good at, politicking. Ron was a messenger and educator. Rand will come in and take that Liberty message via politicking, rub shoulders and do much more than needed to put himself in good running for all Republican caucuses and primaries especially the "closed" ones that Ron got destroyed in. Rand is going to bring to the table a hybrid philosophy of libertarianism and conservatism. It's going to be a tough act to do because many social conservatives aren't really libertarian. And like with his father's opinion of war and defense, a similar issue of such could cause a knee jerk reaction against Rand because of his hybrid views despite them agreeing with him on 90% of the issues i.e. Voter ID.

I have too many coworkers and friends that could not bear themselves voting for Ron. But his son, they LOVE RAND for some reason.

Keep the jokes coming Rand and keep jabbing away at Hitlery.

[mosquitobite]

Huckabee & Pence both plagiarized the joke this weekend at the Indiana GOP convention.

[acptulsa]

John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi

Well?

Don't they all hate us for our freedoms?

[kathy88]

I wish I could find the article I read the day after the remarks, he was asked about it, and said, "It was only a joke... except the part about Nancy Pelosi, I meant that..." LMAO

[Occam's Banana]

There's no such thing as bad free publicity...

"Publicity is good. Good publicity is even better." - attributed to Samuel Goldwyn (he of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) fame, so he oughta know)

[r3volution 3.0]

The recent furor in the Republican media about Obama's prisoner exchange has nothing to do with the prisoner exchange (which was both appropriate and trivial), and everything to do with reviving fear of terrorism (and therefore support for warmongering). But that's not Rand's game vis a vis this joke; he's just throwing red meat to the GOP mob. Don't read anything more into this.

[RonPaulGeorge&Ringo]

Rand's remarks weren't focused enough. He should have named five Dems who were complicit in the Fast & Furious gunrunning operation. Conspiring to import illegal weapons to Mexico is surely a crime there. The Mexican government should be glad to get five bigger fish in exchange for that one guy who got lost on the border highway.

We should trade:
1. Eric Holder
2. Hillary Clinton
3. Kenneth E. Melson (head of BATF first Obama term)
4. _____ ? (head of Phoenix ATF office?)
5. ______ ? (one of Holder's deputy AGs?)