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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

The Rand Paul Filibuster: A Point Not to be Missed

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  March 7th, 2013 at 04:30 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

John McCain, Lindsey Graham

Rand Paul has done a brilliant thing filibustering the President’s appointment to the CIA.

By keeping the filibuster going through prime time, Rand Paul forced ABC, CBS, and NBC — chief sources of news for low information voters — to cover the issue.

Along the way, Rand Paul had help giving him time to rest his voice. Ted Cruz came down a few hours in to give Paul a break. Mike Lee and Jerry Moran came in. Cruz read tweets in support of Paul.

Mark Kirk, who returned to the Senate a short while back after a very bad stroke, came in to support Rand Paul.

Even Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon joined in the filibuster.

Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham and John McCain went to eat dinner with the President. That speaks for itself.

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COMMENTS

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  • daniel22

    I will never understand why Arizona re-elected McCain this last time around. He courted the Tea Party just long enough to get elected then through them away like yesterdays’ news. With him it is a case of you never know what side he is on. For that I don’t trust him. I realize that there are times when he does seem to stand for something such as with Benghazi. There again does he speak out just to grab some headlines or does he really believe what he says. He has made too many questionable deals in the past and this dinner is just the kind of warning that he has something in the works.
    Lindsey Graham makes me think of the neighbor you never want over for BBQ. How many times has he broke ranks with conservatives in the past? He is nothing more than a RINO and never will be. He too likes to make the deal.
    I think Rand Paul doing a fillibuster was great. I could almost see Harry Reid’s face as someone else used his favorite tactic against him. We need more conservatives to take a stand like Rand Paul and Ted Cruz especially during prime time. Maybe that way conservatives can get their message out to more people.

  • Red_in_SC

    I have whole new admiration for Rand Paul. Finally a Republican who doesn’t worry what the New York Times is going to say about him. He took a principled stance and did what he believed in. If all Republicans acted this honorably, their perception problem with independents would be on the mend.

  • politicalqrm

    And along with John McCain was his newest protege: Sen Kelly Ayotte. I don’t know why she aligned herself with him; it’s a disappointment to those of us in NH who bought her line she was a conservative. The fact that she wasn’t there with Rand Paul who was showing leadership and guts shows she has neither.

    Sen Rand Paul is an American who understands what this country stands for. He is in the minority in the GOP, however.

  • celador2

    I liked the part where Sen Paul said to the Senate,
    “Maybe we should be the ones telling the president when he can use drones againstt Americans.”
    I am in a hotel and saw the lesson in the constitution with so many fine men stepping up to help Paul. Whenever the US constitution is the topic, well, we all soar. The tea party candidates believe in limited government and ennumerated duties of the president. We saw hours of tha vital constitutional lawt lesson yesterday.
    Guide us , Lord and shiw us the way..

  • carolb

    So many of us wish we could have been there standing behind Sen. Paul. Guess I’ll go over to his webpage and make another donation. Sen. McCain……..yeah, I’m gonna start calling him Sen. Gollum.

  • celador2

    . Divide and conquer is an age old strategy.

    Obama will try to steal Paul’s power, and it is immemce now, by undermining his lesson in constitutional law that points critically to Obama and his unlawful use of drones. AG Holder said he might use them against noncombatants on US soil. We now learn hawk Sen Kirk joined the fillibuster

    Obama wants the Senate McCain gang of two or three to join Obama’s drone use anywhere, any time on anyone for any reason view as determined by the president of US , CIC. Obama wants the gang to trash mouth Sen Paul and the fillibuster Senators who stand up to abuses of power. and total lack of accountabilty.

    Whatever, an inevitable dinner among bipartisan friends sends a message that its still business as usual for the poitical class. But,

    . Cruz took up delaying funding Ocare in Senate after 16 brave members in House said NO. Obama did not have such a good day afterall.
    EE, excellent reports from the beat. Heavy with facts and breaking updates to an eager public. Thanks.

  • celador2

    McCain brought in Sarah Palin and she gave him credibilty as well as cover. His opponent never stood much of a chance after her rally support and Mac toured a border fence with a tough shefiff.

    McCain mastered the art of Divide and Conquer just as did the Romans who busted apart the Celtic confederates from 43-73AD.

  • txeric

    Keep it up Sen Paul.Between him, Sen Cruz,and other Constitution minded Congressmen and women there is hope ! Last evenings filibuster was a delight to watch and it was a great lesson for my kids to see. As far as John “just build the d$%^ fence” McLame and Lindsey Gramnesty go, their true colors ar definetely showing.They really need to be primaried.More bad comes from them than good.

  • http://conservativemormonmom.blogspot.com ew88

    Ugh. Why are Graham and McCain still in office, again?

  • celador2

    I was proud of him and proud to be an American. I wanted the world to see and hear it, how our laws work.

  • gyakuzuki

    Yesterday was an important day for our party in that Paul is showing the way to reconstructing a core built around a more libertarian version of the party. Similar to the way Obama pressed Guantanamo and other national security issues in 2008, this is a perfect issue for us to champion as Obama has little flexibility here other than to cling to his current position which is just absurd to even low information voters.

    It was also the first time I had listened to Paul at any length and after a while, he’s not bad to listen to and could actually be a contender.

  • plumely

    well then let’s send them help in 2014… what do ya say?

  • wlcjr

    Well, dinner with the President looks bad in this situation for sure. But if that dinner was planned before Ran decided to filibuster (and the appearance is that this is true), then they were right to continue with the dinner. If they had cancelled then they would have been open to charges of partisanship. The dinner would be portrayed as a budget meeting and the Reps both unwilling to work out compromises on that and the filibuster as a anti-Obama thing, which it is not really. The filibuster should remain non-partisan. The proper action for McCain and Graham would have been to support the filibuster and have the dinner with the President both.

  • lineholder

    Rand took a stand for the Constitution on the behalf of we the people yesterday. And it wasn’t just McCain and Graham who had better things to do than to join Rand in our behalf.

    Breitbart has a complete list up of those who chose not to participate, along with business phone numbers and email addresses of each. Perhaps we should give them a call and let them know how much we would have appreciated it and respected it had they been willing to sacrifice a few hours of their time to protect their constituents.

    http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/03/07/GOP-Senators-Who-Did-Not-Stand-With-Rand

  • capeconservative

    It would send a unifying message to the country if every Republican who dined with the president last night took part in a new filibuster today. With the added speakers, surely it could last even longer…WHO WILL BE THE BRAVE SENATOR TO STEP UP NEXT?

    MANY thanks, Senator Paul…you set a very important example yesterday. COUNTRY FIRST! I salute you!

  • calthorpe

    I don’t believe in Rand Paul anymore. Does everyone forget he voted to confirm Hagel and Kerry? His explanation revealed he is not a man of principles. Was this grandstanding meant to recover conservative credentials all the while knowing that his filibuster was not going to stop Brennan? There are very few Senators who are true conservatives who merit our trust.

  • calthorpe

    I will never understand how Nevada re-elected Harry Dweeb!

  • ernielane1

    In that regard, I think what the Republicans should do is be firmly and consistently conservative, and convince the American people that that’s the way to go. Not only is this closer to the majority position, but we _know_ trying to be “moderate” doesn’t work. See McCain and Romney. By comparison, there’s the 2010 midterms.

  • wumingren

    But no one ever asked the critical question: who ordered the stand-down? And no one but the FBI has been able to question the surviors. Giving Congress heavily redacted transcripts is just plain insulting.

  • celador2

    I’d like to see rep Joe Wilson step up and Graham be put down and out of the primary. Graham is never there when we need him.

  • bgmacaw

    Look for the union label…

  • bgmacaw

    So, Erick, is it still too early to think about primarying Johnny “No Show” Isakson in 2016? Or, do you think he’ll quietly retire like Taxby?

  • gyakuzuki

    I think we are missing another rhetorical opportunity here. A vote today for John Brennan is a vote for allowing President Obama to kill Americans on American soil without a warrant, a trial, or a jury. R’s should band together and stop the nomination and extract the maximum rhetorical value from this moment. Rand Paul just give us a huge gift.

    Force Obama to recant his current policy. Huge victory for us if this happens.

    If he does not recant, no Brennan confirmation and the debate can just continue to fester into our next fiscal negotiation with his approval ratings in the 30′s.

    Oh wait, I’m giving advice to the Republican party. Pearls before swine.

  • Melody Warbington

    He also exposed Obama as the power grabber he is and highlighted more issues than the question at hand. Brilliant move.

  • Melody Warbington

    Because dinner and appearances are so much more important than the Constitution, or American lives, or the country.

    I’m tired of playing nice and worrying about what the SCUM (so-called unbiased media) thinks.

  • calthorpe

    But you forgot he voted for Hagel and Kerry. Why did he do that? Where are his principles and where was the honor in that? Now everyone is Rah Rah about Rand Paul – great political move for Rand Paul but it still did not stop Brennan and the other two communists from being confirmed by the Senate.

  • inaudiblenoise

    Looks like Lindsey didn’t appreciate the filibuster. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/03/ugh-lindsey-graham-slams-rand-paul-for-holding-13-hour-filibuster-on-obamas-domestic-drone-policy-video/

  • celador2

    2011-12 Sn Rand Paul has taken a lead in educaton and alerting Americans to the UN revived global gun control treaty that Hillary and Obama seemed to like but which the Bush admin rejected. This global treaty written by tyrants is bad law whether it has an impact on US or not.

    It returned for a vote 2012 and was passed into another UN arena but still lives in some form, waiting.

  • celador2

    McCain and the gang are just jealout a constitutional conservative and Obama critic got so much attention.

  • sgtken

    You would think as much as these two fools love the cameras they would be there. But it was better to be seen with the dictator in chief. But I think they like free food more then the United States.

  • Repair_Man_Jack

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MwgaOPMrOFU
    Linsey wishes Rand would get with the program and stop being silly.

  • sgtken

    Judge you Senators by the company they keep. If they are seen with McCain or Graham, look out for them. Remember when Brown came from Mass. the first person he met with was McCain and was not worth anything after that.

  • capeconservative

    Go to the breitbart link above to see that senators johnson, toomey, and chambliss did do both.

  • capeconservative

    Go to the breitbart link to see that senators johnson, toomey and chambliss did participate in the filibuster after dinner.

  • mherren

    He actually addressed that directly – as a general rule, the President should be able to pick his staff. While he may disagree with Kerry and to a lesser extent, Hagel… it is ultimately the President’s prerogative. He won in November. The reason for this filibuster was specific to this nominee’s refusal to directly answer questions – and to the responses on the matter from others in the administration (e.g. Eric Holder) being simply unacceptable and out-of-touch with what the American people see as appropriate.

  • Ari

    Long over due “REVOLT” in a proper and peaceful direct confrontation with those intent on burying the Constitution and likely many citizens.

  • celador2

    A dream ticket might be Rick Perry and Rand Paul VP 2016. Or visa versa.

  • Ari

    The difference?
    Wisdom and
    Clarity on knife edge point.

  • Ari

    McCain? Apathy did nothing. We have, perhaps, one last chance.
    Read “Force Multiplier” and CW’s reasons… then DO!
    Be busy within your own precincts, county, and state party to gain control. “NEVER AGAIN!” should replace the classic cry of Paul Revere.

  • Ari

    This is the Final “WAKE UP!” Call.
    We finally have leadership stepping forward.
    WE ARE THE TROOPS… If we don’t gut up and DO… it is now our fault.
    Only 20 months to the first major battle at the polls.
    Lots to do besides pontificate.
    Many to educate!
    and enlist in defense of freedom and our nation.

  • celador2

    Oh no
    Brennan has been confirmed?

  • Ari

    Watch them get “compromise” from BHO and try to take credit!
    Can we recall Boehner?

  • Ari

    oink oink oink,, great food, eating their insides up!

  • Ari

    If this is not pure ignorance,We must note this naivite and correct it somehow.

  • celador2

    They swung both ways?

    Why dinner wtth the drone man, leaker and man of mystery 9/11 when four were murdered? Did Obama whisper a secret about Bengahzi into their ears no one else saw or read about Brennan and Benghazi?

    Did you enjoy the chow, gentlemen, Senators Toomey, Johnson and Chambliss.

    You dined while the constitution burned it looks to me.

  • Ari

    It is clear that L Graham has no discernment about our “liar in chief” leader.

    EVERYTHING he claims to be for he (BHO) he is actually against.
    All he (BHO) claims to believe in, in reality, he INTENDS to DESTROY.
    That pattern is EVIDENT! A so-called Republican who believes we are safe with BHO at the red button. Can’t see the forrest for the trees.
    How do we RECALL him (Graham) for mental incompetance?
    Contrast BHO’s actions with his words. Truth is not in him.

  • grumpyKoz

    Correct, so let us start a push for Voter Id Now (VIN). If we don’t, we are just crying in our soup. A hushed noise that no one will hear.

  • littlehouse18

    Mostly agree. At least Priebus called on all R senators to go to the floor to support Paul. Smarter than McCain.

  • Ari

    This fillibuster is a good time to ask and TELL the real story while the world is focused.
    Also ask “Who approved and reviewed Fast and Furious?” Then itemize the whistle blower’s statements for review.
    JUXTAPOSITION the LIAR IN CHIEF with the TRUTH all need to know.
    This fillibuster is an opening volley of a national debate.
    Finally getting a smidgen of media attention.

  • littlehouse18

    That’s fine but they could have shown up before or after the dinner.

  • littlehouse18

    Ted Cruz looked great last night. Incredibly poised like Reagan. I know he’s new, but he’s got what it takes to be Prez.

  • Ari

    Then lets see GRAHAM EXPLAIN, “CLASSIFIED” re OBAMA CARE with states like Michigan!!!!
    Inundate the Old F.rt with demands for explaination!
    BTW: NC, refused Fed funding this week!

  • gmat

    He’s good, isn’t he? Very comfortable on his feet.

    He was the top debater in the country in 92, and one of the top 4 in the world in 95.

  • celador2

    Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
    –Old time words of wisdom

  • keepcoolwithcoolidge

    Chuck Hagel and John Kerry are Communists?

  • westcoastpatriette

    Erick, I wish you would take this picture down. Seeing the two of them conspiring together and then hearing them condemn Rand this morning is making me sick. Literally sick.

  • celador2

    Ahhhh—
    Those two Fools who dined with a devil may also cut a deal with one. But guess what happens, every time, fools, Guess who always wins?

  • adair

    McCain spent a lot of time walking the border and expounding on how it had to be protected. He has a habit of being Conservative for about 6 months out of each 6-year term, and it happens in the 6 months preceding elections.

  • celador2

    Lets make sure it does not happen again.

  • cdriver

    Of course McCain and Graham was AWOL. What would you expect from those two RINOS? Hopefully their constituents will see them out when their term is over.

  • mrsemptybucket

    you are so right! the ego, the arrogant posture toward Americans, the…oh you know what I mean Mel

  • calthorpe

    Brennan has not been confirmed yet but there is nothing now to stop it.

  • calthorpe

    ok, you caught me using shorthand. To be more precise and correct, Hagel is an Islamic totalitarian sympathizer and Kerry proved himself to be a political ally of the Vietcong Communists opposing the US military at home.

  • celador2

    The emails and papers from WH showed Brennan edited talking points about 9/11. How much did Brennan edit?

    WH says his edits were only ‘stylistic’ and that the real changes were done by ‘Intel community’, on that video and a a demo being what happened 9/11 when four were murdered by al q.

    If Brennan is placed as Dir CIA, oh what a poor choice. He is compromised since working for Obama imo.

    Wasn’t Graham going to stop Brennan unless he saw documents that cleared Brennan?
    .

  • whitetop

    Re: Item 7, it seems like we are so starved for leadership in Washington DC that every time someone does something out of the ordinary we are touting them for president during the next election. Let’s clear the deadwood from both the House and Senate in 2014 then work on finding a conservative candidate for 2016.

  • duncer

    Dining with obama is consorting with the enemy, it is not like they did not have something more important to do.

  • calthorpe

    I think it is ignorant and naive to trust any politician. Look at the results, not the stage play. The results are that Kerry and Hagel have been confirmed with the vote of Rand Paul, and Brennan is on his way to confirmation.

  • http://www.stridentconservative.com stridentconservative

    Bravo, Rand!!

    As far as McCain and Graham are concerned. . . McCain was enshrined in the GOP (Gutless on Principles) Hall of Shame in December http://www.stridentconservative.com/john-mccain-enshrined-in-the-g-o-p-hall-of-shame/

    Graham is the Feb. winner and will be enshrined in the next few days.
    They both represent the unprincipled, inside-the-beltway politicians who are destroying American liberty.

  • pete5

    Ron Johnson (R-WI) Came back from the Presidential dinner(he had steak and Mashed potatoes, Michele not around), to support Sen. Rand. Please be accurate.

  • electconstitutionalists

    Rand generally will allow the President to pick his employees. The President eventually will get who he wants and in the end these people just follow the President’s orders. Brennan was an extraordinary exception due to his willingness to put American’s directly in the firing line. Make note that Paul has said that the standard is different for judicial appointments, for they are not employees and instead are free-thinking, power-wielding lifetime appointments.

  • electconstitutionalists

    Rick Perry is not very good, just stood out in a field of incredibly intellectually bankrupt candidates. When it comes down to it he would be decent but the bar must be higher.

  • celador2

    Both men believe in Tenth amendment and states authority over control from DC. Both have little or no use for UN. They would bring a refreshing approach to the WH and DC governance that grows government and debt.
    What good is having a genius or insider as prepsident and VP if he or she is more of the same?

  • electconstitutionalists

    There is a lot of dirt on Perry that was dug up last time. I prefer someone more conservative. And while I support the Tenth Amendment I don’t know that Perry supports the whole document. There are other options, not many but there are some excellent choices.

  • aehjr1

    Makes me ashamed I voted for McCain. I could understand not supporting the filibuster for some deranged principle, but going to *dinner* with that uh, fellow–that’s too much.

  • keepcoolwithcoolidge

    I’ll give you that.

  • keepcoolwithcoolidge

    Made all the worse by McCain’s classless decision to read MSM op-eds this morning critical of Sen. Paul.

  • capeconservative

    Which is exactly why SB lost to princess lies-a-lot, the fake indian! Where were those who stand up for minorities when it was learned that she FALSIFIED her application to two universities, one being Harvard where she makes $350k for one class! – how many LEGITIMATE native americans lost the opportunity to become a professor at an ivy league school because of her deception?
    ‘
    Had SB remembered those of us who stood out in the freezing rain on that cold day before he won ‘the people’s seat’ instead of biking with J Fn Kerry and hanging out with McCain, Snowe and Collins, he just may have pulled it off.

  • capeconservative

    Thanks for the debate info. I figured after his 50-minute question, he had to have quite an interesting background to pull that off. I agree…he has made a MOST FAVORABLE start in his freshman year…can’t wait to observe the next 5 years. America will be the better for his service to our country!

  • capeconservative

    I believe their negative comments yesterday will come back to haunt them in the future. Perhaps they will both wise up and step down.
    A
    All their harsh questions in the Hagel hearing failed to do what Senator Paul did…LET AMERICANS KNOW THERE IS SOMEONE in Washington who will stand up for our CONSTITUTION!

  • barfaulkner

    No.. Rick Perry is back and forth and not trustworthy. Yes, he has done some good things but is he dependable? That’s a stretch. He did say NO to Bush on Medilin not meeting his maker. But again.. maybe with a little aid from us all we can get Perry to walk the walk.

  • barfaulkner

    It’s only for show! He won’t go the for the throat on Benghazi.

  • celador2

    Lets try to get him to walk the walk. I like what I have seen and heard compared to some others.

    Perry seems to really believe in Tenth and states doing things on their own. Newt was making a big deal of having Perry’s backing after Perry dropped out. And Perry has little use for SOP foreign aid and UN. UN is a tool of world controllers and usurps nations more and more. I do not always talk like this but i have seen a coordination of global laws that are troubling in last few years.

    Perry said he’d exit UN. That won me.

  • celador2

    I have my eyes wide open and am open to all of them. I like many who might run. We want the best and must win presidency 2016.

  • jaykali

    Ya you might be right but its nice to hear somebody have some pointed remarks.