Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) will say something about the 2024 race. Will it be an endorsement? Some didn’t get that impression, though it’s impossible to glean anything from his tweet yesterday, which is barely 15 seconds long. The Kentucky Republican said he’d been keeping his mouth shut about the state of the race until now. He teased that we should all tune in today and see what he was about to say about the upcoming election:
I’ve stayed out of the Republican Presidential Primary so far - but I’ve seen enough.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 11, 2024
That’s why tomorrow morning I will have something important to say.
Don’t miss it! pic.twitter.com/HBnMnSy4Bc
Based on past remarks, he might not endorse anyone, though he’s met with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, where he spoke glowingly about the latter’s opposition to crony capitalism (via The Hill):
“I’ve stayed out of the Republican Presidential Primary so far – but I’ve seen enough,” Paul wrote Thursday in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That’s why tomorrow morning I will have something important to say. Don’t miss it!”
Paul attached a short clip to his online post Thursday, conveying a similar message.
“As you know, I’ve been pretty quiet about the presidential race, which is kind of unusual for me,” he said.
[…]
In an interview with Politico on Wednesday, after meeting with Kennedy, Paul praised Kennedy’s “skepticism of crony capitalism, I like his skepticism that large parts of the regulatory apparatus of the government have been taken over by big business.”
“There are a lot of things that he talks about that he and I agree on, and my father has known him,” Paul told Politico. “The conversation is useful, and we’re gonna continue to talk to him.”
Paul also told Politico that he’s met with most GOP presidential candidates at this point and that he wasn’t ready to make an endorsement, as of the interview Wednesday.
Let’s hope he steers clear of endorsing Kennedy. It will be the usual stump speech about how this is a critical election and that our economic and individual freedoms hang in the balance, as his father has done countless times. He won’t give a firm endorsement but will hope that all parties involved will seek to unite their supporters around the eventual nominee, Donald Trump. There might be some COVID swipes at Fauci and how this medical regime has destroyed American education, among other things, which should provide for some entertaining sound bites.
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UPDATE: It's none of that. It's something better. There was a brutal swipe, but it was directed at Nikki Haley. This morning, Paul unleashed a nasty thread on Twitter about the former South Carolina governor. He's proudly 'Never Nikki' and hopes you are too:
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I’m interested in the ideas of some independents too, such as @RobertKennedyJr.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
Based on her record and campaign, I don’t see how any thoughtful or informed libertarian or conservative should vote for @NikkiHaley. If you agree, let your voice be heard.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
.@NikkiHaley supports Biden and McConnell and the forever-war crowd on funding for the war in Ukraine.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
She even personally received millions of dollars from the arms merchants who benefit from the war, a conflict of interest that undergirds her eagerness for foreign military intervention.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
While most others were decrying the mistakes of the past 20 years, and fighting for an America First foreign policy, @NikkiHaley was aligning herself with and declaring her foreign policy allies to be John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
In her book With All Due Respect, she wrote “Humanitarian Assistance will always be a priority for the United States, we will always be generous.”
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
Beyond the issues of endless wars, @NikkiHaley’s lack of respect for freedom of speech is shocking to anyone who believes in the constitution.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
Anyone who doesn’t fully believe in free speech or who wants endless wars has no business anywhere near the White House. Go to https://t.co/rwxbUMKKBh to show you agree!
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
First up, her quote “I believe the U.N. does valuable work.” By that she means your tax dollars since the US is the primary funder of UN.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
Did I mention that I am #NeverNikki? ➡️ https://t.co/rwxbUMKKBh
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024
If you want to move quickly to domestic policy, in South Carolina, @NikkiHaley advocated for a gas tax hike, a state-run vaccine registry and never lifted a finger for school choice.
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 12, 2024