Rand Paul’s Campaign Receives Boost Just Before 2016 Begins
Just prior to last night’s debate, there was some question as to whether Rand Paul would even be included on the main stage. However, his recent ascension in Iowa assured that Paul got the chance to speak in prime time and he certainly made the most of it, receiving praise from everyone from Mark Levin to Katie Couric. Here are his top five moments from the final Republican debate of 2015:
1. Don’t Let Security “Trump” Liberty
Senator Paul got to answer the very first question of the debate, and he made it count. The only candidate to mention that it was “Bill of Rights Day,” Paul asked whether we would allow the terrorists victory by sacrificing our founding principles.
2. Rand Defends the Internet
Hearkening back to his opening statement, Paul hit Trump hard for suggesting that he would shut down the internet to fight terror. After confronting Trump, Paul once again pointed out how many Republicans had supported regime changes that had created chaos in the Middle East.
3. Don’t Reach for Utopia
Often, non-interventionists are branded as overly idealistic for their beliefs. Senator Paul had one of his best lines of the night when he pointed out that neo-conservatives seems completely detached from reality in their ideas that constant intervention has made the US safer or more well-liked.
4. No-Fly Zone: A Bridge to Nowhere
As many of the other Republicans on stage seemed to tempt World War III, Rand Paul stood apart and specifically took on one of his oldest adversaries, Chris Christie. Delivering one of the funniest moments of the debate, Paul calmly zinged Christie on the New Jersey bridge scandal.
5. Don’t Forget About the Debt
In a debate about foreign policy, not much else was discussed among the Presidential candidates. However, Senator Paul wisely used his closing statement to bring up that one of the most important national security topics remains the debt. Repeating that the US borrows nearly $1 million per minute, Paul clearly differentiated himself from the others on stage.