Rand Paul facing more intense criticism from right and left — which he says is 'a sign of success'
BY SAM YOUNGMAN
April 19, 2014
EDMONTON — After responding to an audience question about Medicare reform and calling for "tough love," Rand Paul laughed at the suggestion that he better "be ready to duck."
Heeding a recent lesson from another potential 2016 presidential contender — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — Paul gripped the sides of the podium and moved his head and shoulders from side to side. "You notice I'm pretty agile," Paul said to laughs. "I'm looking for shoes."
While Clinton quite literally dodged a shoe thrown at her earlier this month, Paul has in recent weeks seen a metaphorical Payless showroom thrown at him as critics to his right and left step up their attacks, both putting Paul in the hot seat and erasing any remaining doubt about whether Kentucky's junior senator is a serious candidate for 2016.
After a string of positive news and a rocket ride to front-runner status at least seven months — and probably longer — before he would make any kind of official announcement, Paul has in the last few weeks felt the harsh lights of the spotlight that come with his preseason number one ranking.
Reporters' inboxes are increasingly filled with press releases targeting Paul's record and remarks from Democratic groups, including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), a video tracker from the pro-Clinton group American Bridge films his events when he does swings through the state, and hawkish establishment Republicans have launched an all-out media blitz to damage Paul as foreign policy has retaken a top spot in the national dialogue.
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