Pardon me while I don my tin foil hat, but something doesn't add up

[nobody's_hero]

I mean if you've been paying attention, you'll notice that everyone from Glenn Beck to Frank Luntz to Chris Matthews (?!?!) to Rush Limbaugh has been oozing with nothing but praise for Rand Paul. I mean $#@!, I practically expect by next week Barack Obama and John McCain will join hands and announce their unwavering support of Rand Paul for president.

I'm absolutely thrilled that feedback from his announcement shows that average voters among both democrat and republican ranks support Rand, that bodes well for his campaign, but to see all these media personalities essentially in agreement about Rand Paul just seems . . . unreal?

That is all.

[Mr.NoSmile]

Maybe they like him over his father, or maybe it's just because he happened to announce at this time and the cycle will continue once the next candidate announces. Who knows?

[robertwerden]

Ya it is a bit surreal

[nobody's_hero]

Well in past races, someone like Glenn Beck would look at Chris Matthews and say, 'hmm, if that guy likes what Rand said, I should disagree with what Rand said.' Everyone just seems to be oblivious to what the 'other side' is saying they like about Rand, and by sheer coincidence everyone is lining up in agreement. Pretty damn weird if you ask me, but I guess Rand should milk it for all he can before people start picking apart the details and dwelling on things they don't like.

[65fastback2+2]

i'll tell you exactly why:

Majority of Americans want a principled and trustworthy president. This is EXACTLY how obama won. "Hope and Change"...he felt trustworthy and that he would be different from bush, clinton, etc.

He failed. He isnt and wasnt different, he isnt trustworthy, he is a liar.

Enter GOP field. Name them all...cruz, bush, christie, graham, etc. etc.

Does the public actually trust them? Nope. Cruz is probably the most, but even your average voter is scared he's just a talker and probably more of the same.

Enter Rand: principled, trustworthy, etc. Shoot, people that dont even fully agree with him are on board that victory ship. Why?

Trustworthy.

What Rand says, you know and feel its what he's going to do. He isnt some random obama smooth talker. He'll walk the talk.

You wont get that out of ANYONE else in the field, and its the one thing that Americans want most: stop the lying.

[tony m]

Rand is speaking the foreign policy they want to hear.

[65fastback2+2]

Well in past races, someone like Glenn Beck would look at Chris Matthews and say, 'hmm, if that guy likes what Rand said, I should disagree with what Rand said.' Everyone just seems to be oblivious to what the 'other side' is saying they like about Rand, and by sheer coincidence everyone is lining up in agreement. Pretty damn weird if you ask me, but I guess Rand should milk it for all he can before people start picking apart the details and dwelling on things they don't like.

Thats the other key aspect.

Take this chart:



Your dems are being willing to give up the stuff just in their bubble to get the stuff in the overlapping bubble with libertarians. You're having the same effect.

Rand is literally bring them together on liberty principles that both sides agree on:

No more wars, but a strong national defense....appeals to both sides.
Ending corporate welfare, but driving an economy that works towards eliminating even the need for welfare....appeals to both sides.

[65fastback2+2]

Rand is speaking the foreign policy they want to hear.

this one is huge!

Rand is literally bring them together on liberty principles that both sides agree on:

No more wars, but a strong national defense....appeals to both sides.

[specsaregood]

Rand is speaking the foreign policy they want to hear.

Not exactly what they want to hear; but he is couching his foreign policy in a way that it is tough to disagree with, without completely exposing their insanity at the same time.

[acptulsa]

You wont get that out of ANYONE else in the field, and its the one thing that Americans want most: stop the lying.

Couldn't be because they don't want to differentiate between them, but want Rand to be perceived as being just as unprincipled and crooked as the rest--so they're treating them all the same for now...?

[newbitech]

its one of two faces with those people.

[adelina]

Luntz is an opportunist. Although Rand is not his favorite, Beck has never hated Rand. Matthews kind of likes Rand, as much as an msnbc host can like a Republican anyway. Rush is a snake.

[specsaregood]

Luntz is an opportunist.

Thing about Luntz is; he gave the exact same raving review in Randal's 2010 ads.
Harken back to 2011 when he reviewed political ads, then live tested an audience as Randal did a Q&A.



@5:35 Luntz says, "How many people had a favorable reaction to what he is saying?" Everybody raises their hand. "These people are NEVER that unified"

And he is saying the same things he has been saying all along and still is.

[euphemia]

Rand Paul is a breath of fresh air. He is talking about issues that resonate with people, with solutions that make sense.

[adelina]

Thing about Luntz is; he gave the exact same raving review in Randal's 2010 ads.
Harken back to 2011 when he reviewed political ads, then live tested an audience as Randal did a Q&A.



@5:35 Luntz says, "How many people had a favorable reaction to what he is saying?" Everybody raises their hand. "These people are NEVER that unified"

And he is saying the same things he has been saying all along and still is.

I don't dispute that. I'm just saying that his response is not so much that he likes Rand but rather he sees that Rand has the potential to win. Luntz doesn't care about ideology, he cares about making himself look good.

[Deborah K]

Frankly, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop as well. The MSM knows he is his Father's son. I have no doubt at some point, they'll turn on him. And when they do, it'll be: "Wow, I'm sooo disappointed he [said/did] that! I really liked him until then, but this is over the top!" Bastards. You know it's coming, and we need to be ready for it.

[Deborah K]

This needs to be our new mantra:

[CPUd]

It will even out some when more candidates get in the race. Enjoy the 1 or 2 weeks where tons of people can find out who Rand is without having to spend millions on ads. If he can go the distance and get elected, he will be getting bad press every day for the next 1 or 2 terms, so when it gets bad on the campaign, it is good training.

[Ronin Truth]

It probably helps a lot that Rand is NOT A LAWYER.

[donnay]

This needs to be our new mantra:

Rand's theme song:

[specsaregood]

It probably helps a lot that Rand is NOT A LAWYER.

I agree; I think he should start working that line into his standard stump speech and interviews. "Ya know, I'm not a lawyer but..."

[jllundqu]

It's very early. He's getting positive spin now, but in a couple months, they will latch on to something Rand says and claim "Oh I can't support this... let's go cheer for Walker!"

This $#@! writes itself

[jllundqu]

i'll tell you exactly why:

Majority of Americans want a principled and trustworthy president. This is EXACTLY how obama won. "Hope and Change"...he felt trustworthy and that he would be different from bush, clinton, etc.

He failed. He isnt and wasnt different, he isnt trustworthy, he is a liar.

Enter GOP field. Name them all...cruz, bush, christie, graham, etc. etc.

Does the public actually trust them? Nope. Cruz is probably the most, but even your average voter is scared he's just a talker and probably more of the same.

Enter Rand: principled, trustworthy, etc. Shoot, people that dont even fully agree with him are on board that victory ship. Why?

Trustworthy.

What Rand says, you know and feel its what he's going to do. He isnt some random obama smooth talker. He'll walk the talk.

You wont get that out of ANYONE else in the field, and its the one thing that Americans want most: stop the lying.

One thing Rand needs to be VERY careful about is pandering. He has been pandering a lot lately for the GOP crowd (increase defense spending, abortion, Iran, etc... basically GOP red meat), and if he's not careful he won't be seen as trustworthy very long. They are already trying to lay the flip flopper ring around his neck.

[ctiger2]

It's simply because it doesn't matter at this point. They just draw people in with the praise and when the timing is right, they'll flip to Sheldon Adelson's chosen candidate(s). When push comes to shove it will most likely be Bush or Walker vs Clinton, and Adelson will be backing both of them.

[LibertyExtremist]

Don't worry, this CNN "journalist" thought Rand got off to a bumpy start:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/10/politi...ampaign-bumps/

[georgiaboy]

It does add up.

Rand is a legitimate contender for the nomination.

He has big money donors backing him, as well as strong grassroots.

He has a strong record.

He has the gift of gab.

He and his wife make a power couple.

He has a thoroughbred campaign organization.

His trendline favors upward momentum.

He's going big tent on the issues, with crossover appeal.

He has the opposition on its heels.

He's the smart bet for folks right now; he's giving everyone wiggle room, backed by strength.

[thoughtomator]

Take this chart:

Chart is full of myths.

The left doesn't believe in personal freedom, the secular jihad against businesses that don't buy into the gay agenda is just one example, illustrative of their outright hostility to personal freedom. Nor are they non-interventionist, they're fully on board with all the war propaganda as long as it's their man doing it. Nor do they believe in privacy, they are mostly silent about the outrageous current situation with the surveillance state, again because it's their man in charge. Nor are they serious about ending corporate welfare, when it's subsidies for their own agenda items and businesses controlled by their political allies.

Likewise, the right doesn't believe in any real economic freedom and supports few measures that would create prosperous economic conditions, as they love Wall Street and can't get enough war or police state. Their commitment to other economic and personal freedoms is also suspect, based on the list of criminals that they put into office.

No, left and right basically agree these days on a completely Fascist system, differing only in who gets to rule it and whose ox gets gored. Neither one supports any real liberty for individuals.

Our winning coalition is libertarians + independents (who are a larger segment of the electorate than ever), marginalizing both the left and the right, or more accurately, allowing them to continue to marginalize themselves.

[ARealConservative]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/0...up-116207.html

msnbc is in the process of changing its spots. If they have good business sense, they will adjust their programming to try to siphon off the fox viewers, and using Rand Paul as the ideological wedge would be a brilliant way to do it.

[orenbus]

Frankly, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop as well. The MSM knows he is his Father's son. I have no doubt at some point, they'll turn on him. And when they do, it'll be: "Wow, I'm sooo disappointed he [said/did] that! I really liked him until then, but this is over the top!" Bastards. You know it's coming, and we need to be ready for it.

Yep, exactly.

[NY-Dano]

Frankly, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop as well. The MSM knows he is his Father's son. I have no doubt at some point, they'll turn on him. And when they do, it'll be: "Wow, I'm sooo disappointed he [said/did] that! I really liked him until then, but this is over the top!" Bastards. You know it's coming, and we need to be ready for it.

Yup. They have no credibility if they bash right out of the gate.

This way the average joe will think Rand got a fair shake and be more inclined to side with [insert media personality].