Top Obama Aide: Rand Paul Is ‘Most Intriguing’ Republican

[zolace]

"He's the only Republican I think who has articulated a message that is potentially appealing to younger Americans"

A senior aide to President Barack Obama suggested Friday that Sen. Rand Paul would be the greatest threat to Democrats’ hopes to retain the White House in 2016.

Speaking to reporters, counselor to the president Dan Pfeiffer said the Kentucky Republican is “one of the most intriguing candidates” in the field because of his appeal to younger voters of both parties.

“He’s the only Republican I think who has articulated a message that is potentially appealing to younger Americans,” Pfeiffer said at a breakfast organized by the Christian Science Monitor. “Every other Republican running is basically just Romney-lite when it comes to younger Americans.” Rand has made reaching out to non-traditional voters a signature component of his political agenda, most recently delivering a speech Friday to the National Urban League.

As for the senator’s presidential hopes, Pfeiffer questioned whether Paul has the organization to be a real threat and acknowledged that he would have to first make it through a tough primary where some of his positions are problematic to voters. But, he added, “there’s a germ of something there.”

Among Paul’s potential rivals, Pfeiffer suggested that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz would be one of the weakest candidates Republicans could field. “I think that Sen. Cruz would be a really interesting candidate for Democrats,” he said. “He is deeply out of step with the country on a wide array of issues.”

Asked whether he would prefer to run a candidate against Cruz or Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Pfeiffer laughed, “That’s like, would you rather have ice cream or cake.”

One of the longest-serving Obama aides, Pfeiffer brushed away the suggestion that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the odds-on favorite to be the Democratic presidential nominee, has tried to distance herself from Obama in recent weeks as she travels the country on her book tour.

“I don’t think that we should presume that Secretary Clinton or anyone else must agree 100% with the president on every single decision that was ever made, either before or since,” Pfeiffer said. “But she has been incredibly loyal to this president.”

“On the long list of concerns that I have in my life, political and otherwise, this is pretty low on the list,” he added. “I don’t think that she’s trying to distance herself.”

http://time.com/3033968/rand-paul-in...-dan-pfeiffer/

[Ron~Popeil]

This was an interesting read. Now we will see the operatives from both parties start pounding on Rand 24/7. He is a threat to the establishment. 

[Rigon]

Well let's be fair though: against the background of the current GOP, having any message other than 'fuck Obama' will make a person pop.

[noviapriani]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

[Ron~Popeil]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

You are absolutely right. I don't specifically vote GOP or Democrat, but the GOP candidates are almost always the closest to my ideology. If they would just get away from the social control stuff I would feel better about pressing the button for them each cycle.

[Lethn]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

You are absolutely right. I don't specifically vote GOP or Democrat, but the GOP candidates are almost always the closest to my ideology. If they would just get away from the social control stuff I would feel better about pressing the button for them each cycle.

Don't either of you realise how insulting that is to people who would want genuine change in a government? Personally I think voting for a bunch of closet racists, blatant homophobes and warmongering morons is just as damaging to the country, but sure, be short sighted.

[zolace]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

Republican Californian lecturing people about throwing away vote for President. That's rich. Asked whether he would prefer to run a candidate   against Cruz or Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Pfeiffer laughed, “That’s like, would you rather have ice cream or cake.”

[Ron~Popeil]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

You are absolutely right. I don't specifically vote GOP or Democrat, but the GOP candidates are almost always the closest to my ideology. If they would just get away from the social control stuff I would feel better about pressing the button for them each cycle.

Don't either of you realise how insulting that is to people who would want genuine change in a government? Personally I think voting for a bunch of closet racists, blatant homophobes and warmongering morons is just as damaging to the country, but sure, be short sighted.

How many republicans do you actually know personally? There are good and bad people in all walks of life politically or otherwise. If you form your opinions of other people based on what you hear in your political echo chamber you might be missing some important information.

[Rigon]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

Republican Californian lecturing people about throwing away vote for President. That's rich. Asked whether he would prefer to run a candidate   against Cruz or Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Pfeiffer laughed, “That’s like, would you rather have ice cream or cake.”

pretty sad but true. CA, IL, NY, MASS, etc. When you have the brainwashed or those dependent on government handouts in big cities like LA, Chicago, NYC, etc I feel sorry for the people in the rest of the state. Their votes mean nothing.

[Lethn]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

You are absolutely right. I don't specifically vote GOP or Democrat, but the GOP candidates are almost always the closest to my ideology. If they would just get away from the social control stuff I would feel better about pressing the button for them each cycle.

Don't either of you realise how insulting that is to people who would want genuine change in a government? Personally I think voting for a bunch of closet racists, blatant homophobes and warmongering morons is just as damaging to the country, but sure, be short sighted.

How many republicans do you actually know personally? There are good and bad people in all walks of life politically or otherwise. If you form your opinions of other people based on what you hear in your political echo chamber you might be missing some important information.

Not really, do you support gay marriage then?

[Ron~Popeil]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

Republican Californian lecturing people about throwing away vote for President. That's rich. Asked whether he would prefer to run a candidate   against Cruz or Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Pfeiffer laughed, “That’s like, would you rather have ice cream or cake.”

pretty sad but true. CA, IL, NY, MASS, etc. When you have the brainwashed or those dependent on government handouts in big cities like LA, Chicago, NYC, etc I feel sorry for the people in the rest of the state. Their votes mean nothing.

We get that in PA as well. Most of the state is actually very conservative/libertarian. Our votes get drowned out by the eastern big cities. They make doubly sure by having 100%+ voter turnout in some of these areas each cycle.  

[umair127]

He certainly has a way with words. He's also a bit of a douche though and seems willing to compromise good policy formulation for the sake of political posturing. But I guess that is everyone on the hill.

[Ron~Popeil]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

You are absolutely right. I don't specifically vote GOP or Democrat, but the GOP candidates are almost always the closest to my ideology. If they would just get away from the social control stuff I would feel better about pressing the button for them each cycle.

Don't either of you realise how insulting that is to people who would want genuine change in a government? Personally I think voting for a bunch of closet racists, blatant homophobes and warmongering morons is just as damaging to the country, but sure, be short sighted.

How many republicans do you actually know personally? There are good and bad people in all walks of life politically or otherwise. If you form your opinions of other people based on what you hear in your political echo chamber you might be missing some important information.

Not really, do you support gay marriage then?

I do support gay marriage. I also support the decriminalization of drugs and prostitution. The political parties are sort of a group think nightmare. I don't belong to any one party and I think the way they demonize the people they disagree with is a manipulative stunt to get people like you and I to argue about minutia instead of seeing the real problems they create.    

[Lethn]

That's exactly why I think those kind of main parties need to be destroyed, I don't consider the Republicans any better than the Democrats, they're both just as bad, people vote for the ones they hate the less, just like here in the UK we have the Labour and Conservative party which are basically the same thing as what you guys have in America.

[Ron~Popeil]

That's exactly why I think those kind of main parties need to be destroyed.

Agreed. They like to keep us arguing about what kind of cereal to buy so we don't notice that the milk is spoiled.

[zolace]

He certainly has a way with words. He's also a bit of a douche though and seems willing to compromise good policy formulation for the sake of political posturing. But I guess that is everyone on the hill.

I'm not so sure I would agree with this, but I can't see how he could possibly win a republican primary, so I doubt it matters.

[Lethn]

That's exactly why I think those kind of main parties need to be destroyed.

Agreed. They like to keep us arguing about what kind of cereal to buy so we don't notice that the milk is spoiled.

I wish we had a Democracy like India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_India

[pungopete468]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

So you vote for the one you think will win instead of the one you want to win? That's a waste of a vote and it perpetuates the problem, it also undermines the purpose of hosting an election at all... Officials could just be appointed based on "popular opinion."

An honest vote is never wasted. To give up without effort is weak minded and feeble. If you want to vote Republican, then vote Republican... Don't tell Libertarians not to vote Libertarian.

Please vote honestly.

[noviapriani]

He certainly has a way with words. He's also a bit of a douche though and seems willing to compromise good policy formulation for the sake of political posturing. But I guess that is everyone on the hill.

I'm not so sure I would agree with this, but I can't see how he could possibly win a republican primary, so I doubt it matters.

I focus mostly on foreign affairs, so his politicking in that area has been my main exposure to him and there he has waged a rather (in my opinion) dishonest campaign which seems largely aimed at winning him political points by bashing Hillary Clinton as soundly as he can, facts be damned. I'm not really a fan of using serious issues for such means. Then again, I would never survive on the hill.

[Chef Ramsay]

If you vote Libertarian then you're throwing away your vote. In other words, if you vote Libertarian then you don't care about the election results.

Voting isn't about choosing the perfect candidate. Its about doing everything you can to help your country. In this country the GOP is the only decent option.

So you vote for the one you think will win instead of the one you want to win? That's a waste of a vote and it perpetuates the problem, it also undermines the purpose of hosting an election at all... Officials could just be appointed based on "popular opinion."

An honest vote is never wasted. To give up without effort is weak minded and feeble. If you want to vote Republican, then vote Republican... Don't tell Libertarians not to vote Libertarian.

Please vote honestly.

I used to be of that mindset until Ron Paul ran for President in '08 and created the Campaign for Liberty with the expressed plan of restoring the GOP to its roots of the non-intervention era of Mr. Republican Sen. Taft. And also, there was sound monetary and fiscal policies in the GOP back then where it was the Democrats stemming from the Wilson era that were the big government growers leading to Roosevelt's New Deal.

Many formerly libertarians that thought they were all alone became energized and began working w/i the GOP by getting elected as precinct delegates then going to county, district and state conventions to pick national delegates, nat'l cmte-persons, and state and local party leaderships. Since then, there's been a fair amount of libertarian republicans elected to local, state and federal offices more so than ever before in modern times. I spend 10 years of my youth meandering in the Libertarian Party and was so excited to get a few %s more in the next election for whatever office. But now, I'm seeing much more success spending my money and time to push for getting libertarian republicans elected. Things won't change overnight but like a marathon, you take it steady and never quit especially if you're achieving results and making the power money fight you and still winning. Just got reelected to my delegate position in last week's primary and will be active in picking nat'l delegates to go to the RNC for the Presidential nomination in 2016.