Kentucky Senate Debate: Best Thing Ever

Jillian Bandes | October 18, 2010 9:07 AM

Rand Paul questioned Jack Conway's manhood, went on the attack like a raging bulldog, and didn't shake Conway's hand when he left the auditorium. Why? Pauls' Christian faith is so essential to his identity that when Conway attacked it there wasn't room to talk about anything else.

Conway tried to start the debate as a "matter between right and wrong," touching on minimum wage laws and mine safety regulations. Paul would have none of it. He jumped out with an attack on Conway's attack of his religious beliefs, which recently came out in an advertisement that alleged Paul was in a secret brotherhood while in college at Baylor University. This brotherhood was allegedly anti-Christian, and embraced something called an "Aqua Buddha" and female abuse. Paul's repeated rebuttals were mostly incredulous: "How ridiculous are you?"

The candidates tried to talk about finance reform, the war in Afghanistan, and health care, but no one was really paying attention. Besides, it was mostly talking points on both sides — the format of the debate was such that there wasn't time to get in-depth about the issues. Then, of course, was the money quote, which came from Paul towards the end

You know how we tell your lying. It’s when your lips are moving. You’re accusing me of crimes. Do you nothing about the process? You are going to stand over there and accuse me of a crime from 30 years ago from some anonymous source.

Zing.