DNC Memo: What we learned about Rand Paul from his Iowa trip

From: Michael Czin, DNC National Press Secretary
To: Interested Parties
Date: August 6, 2014
Re: What we learned about Rand Paul from his Iowa trip

 

This week Iowa voters saw Rand Paul up close and personal – and it wasn’t pretty.

In laying the groundwork for a presidential bid, Paul says he’s a “new” Republican who can reach out to diverse groups and people of different backgrounds – in short, the very groups who have been alienated by the GOP’s rhetoric and agenda in recent years.

But that’s not what we saw over the last few days in Iowa…

Rand Paul showed us that he’s not a new Republican. He’s the same old, far-right, out of touch Republican that voters have kicked to the curb cycle after cycle.

Rand Paul – a Steve King Republican

On Monday, Paul came out to fundraise for far-right wannabe Republican kingmaker Steve King. At the event, King said that he and Paul share similar views on impeaching the President. While sharing a stage with Rand, King also said the President couldn’t pass a citizenship test. (That should go over well with the African American voters Rand is trying to court).

This morning, Paul told Iowa Republicans, “We can’t be the party of hostility to people who don’t look like us.” But actions speak louder than words. On Monday, Paul awkwardly bolted mid-bite from his dinner to avoid talking to a DREAMer. Paul’s Iowa “dine and ditch” quickly became a viral internet sensation. His exit wasn’t just awkward; it showed that Paul isn’t willing to face the people his policy positons would actually affect or do the type of face-to-face legwork with voters that is a hallmark of Iowa politics.

Just take a look at a few of the headlines his exit garnered:

• New York Magazine: Rand Paul Flees in Terror From Mexican Immigrant
• The Courier-Journal: Rand Paul leaves immigration activists mid-bite
• National Journal: Rand Paul’s Evasion Strategy Isn’t Working
• The New Republic: Watch Rand Paul Run for His Life Before Steve King Insults an Immigrant in Iowa

Rand Paul’s Troubling Position on Foreign Aid and Israel

While answering questions from reporters on Monday, Paul denied that he ever opposed ending foreign aid to Israel. The problem is that as a Senator, Rand Paul proposed doing just that, and he repeatedly said he would end aid to Israel.

Here’s what he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer:

Since Paul’s twist backfired, he actually doubled-down on his previsions position admitting he wanting to gut all aid. What is so dangerous about Paul’s plan to end foreign aid is that it’s a symptom of his larger worldview that would have America isolate itself and retreat from our responsibilities around the world. His foreign policy views aren’t new; they’re a relic of a bygone era in America’s history that is ill-equipped to face the challenges of the 21^st century.

Paul Marches to the Right

While Paul continues to try to portray himself as a new type of Republican that can reach out to a broader electorate, he continues to embrace positions that move him even closer to the positions of far-right voters.

Remember when Paul told the New York Times that Republicans were going “too crazy” with voter ID laws and it’s “offending people”? He’s right, it is offensive that his Republicans buddies have been championing laws across the country to make voting harder, especially for people of color. It turns out, Paul wasn’t moderating his position he was just pandering to African-Americans and quickly walked back his remarks with Sean Hannity.

What about with young voters? Paul desperately wants to be seen as the candidate of young voters. Well when it comes to marriage equality, an issue that the vast majority of young voters support, Rand Paul’s position is nothing more than the same-old Republican boilerplate. Just look at what he said this morning when asked if he would sign a federal marriage amendment: “I’m in favor of the concept. I am in favor of traditional marriage.”

The more he talks, and interacts with voters, the more we’re able to see through the charade that he’s a new Republican that can reach out to new voters. Rand Paul is nothing more than a typical Republican with outdated policies who will say anything in an attempt to find a path to his party’s presidential nomination.

As Paul continues to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign and panders to Republican voters in early states, to people of color and the Tea Party all at once – we’ll continue to highlight how despite what he claims, he’s just a typical Republican.