Mitch McConnell On Rand Paul: 'He's Said Quite Enough' To The National Media

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) insisted this week that his fellow Kentuckian, Republican Senate Candidate Rand Paul, needs to take a hiatus from the press circuit.

In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, John King asked McConnell if he had "convinced [Paul] not to show up on 'Meet The Press' this past Sunday, to go dark for a little bit."

McConnell responded that he would advise that Paul spend more time talking to Kentucky voters and less to the national media.

"He's said quite enough for the time being in terms of national press coverage," McConnell said.

Last week, Paul garnered widespread criticism for his comments on the Civil Rights Act and the Gulf oil spill.

But despite McConnell's recommendation that Rand Paul may have spoken imprudently last week, the minority leader remained optimistic about Paul's chances in November.

"Well look, according to the polls that came out after the primary he has a 25 point lead going in to the general election," McConnell pointed out. "He's in a very good position to put this Senate race in Kentucky in Republican hands."

Watch McConnell's CNN interview:

Comments

[RonRutherford]

12:09 PM on 05/29/2010

Let's be honest, anyone who was following the primary knows McConnell has detested Paul for a while now. He actively campaigned for Rand's opponent, attacked Paul, and it must've hurt his ego when Rand's victory was trumpted in the media as a slap in the face to McConnell. I'm sure for political reasons they DO want him to pipe down, but I think someone besides McConnell has more credibility on being neutral when criticizing Rand within the GOP.

http://therationalreport.blogspot.com/

[murphyj87]

12:23 PM on 05/29/2010

And MConnells statement came out before Rand Paul's statement to Russian TV (after he ran away from American Meet the Press) that he wanted to trample the 14th Amendment.

Let's see, Rand Paul, is a closet racist and bigot. He thinks that holding BP responsible for cleaning up the oil spill it caused is unAmercian. He would rather talk to the "commies" at Russian TV than to Americans on Meet the Press about his wanting to trample the US Constiution, 14th Amemendment at least, maybe the 13th, if not more. And he wants to spread his anti-Amercian views throughout the nation from a seat in the U.S. Senate?

[ZeraLee]

10:58 PM on 05/28/2010

The devil that toes the party line is better than an opposing ideology. Sounds like a republican. Or a mercenary.

Statesmen need not apply.

[linksteroh]

09:28 PM on 05/28/2010

I really like Rand...Keep talking and it will be a great November for the Dem's.

[mollybeejay]

09:21 PM on 05/28/2010

Obviously, from his latest comments, Rand didn't see this.

[Christopher Carr]

02:30 PM on 05/28/2010

For Obama supporters honestly hoping for a post-partisan politics, a focused and de-radicalized tea party, working together with conservatives to solve problems, and political disagreement based in difference of values instead of Orwellian arguments about facts, Rand Paul is exactly what this country needs. For those who value heterodoxy, whether Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, Rand Paul should be a welcome addition to the U.S. Senate.

Rachel Maddow’s contention that Paul supports racism because he believes private businesses should be able to discriminate, is like saying that anyone who supports states’s rights supports slavery.

http://www.theinductive.com/blog/2010/5/19/a-victory-for-heterodoxy-in-kentucky.html

[mollybeejay]

09:20 PM on 05/28/2010

And that is basically true.

[bagelmaven]

12:35 PM on 05/29/2010

Well, Christopher everyone who DOES support states right supported slavery and now since slavery is not in fashion .... yet, it just means deny rights to minorities. States rights is a joke....yeah it's states rights until a state does something the red states don't like then they ban it with a supreme court decision OR an attempt at a constitutional amendment.or like Citizens United case they overturn decades of settled law. so much for states rights...what a hypocritical JOKE...it's states right when you want racist, bigoted pro HUGE corporate interests to be enshrined but it's not when you don't. States rights is a JOKE!

[RonRutherford]

01:02 PM on 05/28/2010

The article should at least mention McConnell NEVER supported Paul and actively campaigned for his against, and specifically against Rand Paul. I don't think the GOP establishment hurts him about teabaggers/partiers/whatever, it may even help.

http://therationalreport.blogspot.com/

[Timothy Beauchamp]

02:40 AM on 05/28/2010

Yes, screw what is good for America. Dough faced McConnell can only lick his chops because the seat might fall to Republican hands. Doesn't matter that Rand Paul's views are damaging for America... just the fact it will be one more Republican in McConnell's caucus. If someone like Rand Paul were part of the Democratic Party, I'd rather the other party when but that just goes to show ya Republicans want to win at the expense of what is good for Americans.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

02:54 PM on 05/27/2010

Neo-racism a Growing Trend
by John Lake

"...Now we see within the extremist right wing of the "Tea Party" movement, blatant and ongoing racism. Rand Paul, Libertarian and Republican, would allow businesses to discriminate against groups of their choice. In effect, consider a crowd of young people, let’s say college students. The students approach a tavern, a bar, perhaps a restaurant, seeking admission. Rand Paul would advocate the bar owner's privilege to usher in the white students, saying to the blacks among the group, “I’m sorry! Whites only!” Rand Paul is the Republican Senate nominee from Kentucky..."

http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/neo-racism-a-growing-trend/

[liberalOrgonian]

12:50 PM on 05/27/2010

A gag order from Mich to Rand, now that is funny.
I have a feeling Rand can't stop saying things.
He reminds me of S Palin.
Rambling on and on and getting deeper into hot water with every word.
YET, we are very interested in his views on private lawlessness.

[Blackwing]

12:38 PM on 05/27/2010

After November Kentucky will likely have two idiots representing their state in the US Senate.

[Grunty1]

01:03 PM on 05/27/2010

I thought they did already?

[blinkthink]

06:26 PM on 05/27/2010

I think it is worse than that!

[trucker guy]

11:52 AM on 05/27/2010

"The Sestak Affair - Obama's Watergate?", the ranking member on the Oversight and Government Reform committee focused on "long-standing questions" about the offer Sestak says was made to him to urge him to drop out of the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary.

allegations would amount to three felony charges of bribery and corruption.

[Waltb31]

03:04 PM on 05/27/2010

Bull. NOTHING HAPPENED despite you sorry teabaggers insistence.
There is NO PROOF that Sestak was offered anything.
Pathetic .

[Timothy Beauchamp]

02:43 AM on 05/28/2010

So what? Ronald Reagan did the same thing? Are you saying Reagan deserved to be impeached for doing the EXACT same thing? This kind of thing has happened forever and Tea Baggers are delusional if they think it is somehow illegal for a job to be offered in an administration to get them to not split the vote. Happens and HAS happened all the time.

The problem with teabaggers is you don't ever do the research to determine if you've just been fed a bunch of propaganda. When you receive something from another ignorant teabagger and simply like what it says you spread it around like it is the truth when it is just a pack of propaganda and lies.

[blady]

11:43 AM on 05/27/2010

But Palin is still on the clock? Does me smell a little gender bias here?

[Bflogal99]

11:41 AM on 05/27/2010

Does anyone else see a pattern here?

1. Republicans select a new rising star to convey the party's message.

2. Rising star makes a complete ass of him/herself in interviews.

3. Republicans gently take rising star by the hand and lead him/her away from having to answer any tough questions.

[Privatepractice]

12:38 PM on 05/27/2010

Yes I see a pattern (speaking for myself of course) but it might be a little too late for them. They wanted an easily programmed space cadet but ended up with one who is easily programed but too stupid to know when to shut up. Honestly I am very happy Paul spoke his mind this early one but we will see with the KY voters if his view are horrible to them. So maybe McChinless should shut up and allow us to hear more views from his crew. Palin, Paul, Steele, the chicken woman in NV and the rest of the posse are priceless. Heck SNL and John Stewart will have material for months.

[DoctorGreeves]

11:23 AM on 05/27/2010

Hmmm . . . Mitch's hand-picked boy got the voters' boots put to him, so Mitch is grumpy now.

Why is it, that we must have senators and representatives in congress that look and talk like monsters from Central Casting? Is there a law that keeps normal people from being sent to Washington to represent us?

Just asking . . .

[Privatepractice]

12:39 PM on 05/27/2010

LOL. What is normal?

[blinkthink]

06:30 PM on 05/27/2010

Have we lost our 'normal' compass?

[ZeraLee]

08:54 PM on 05/28/2010

Paul Wellstone was our "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." It took a plane crash to remove him from office. 8-(

[General Public]

05:39 AM on 05/29/2010

Paul Wellstone was a great progressive, and I still think his plane crash happened under suspicious circumstances... rather suspicious that the most liberal and progressive Senator would die right before an election... and the Republicans made a big deal out of the funeral being allegedly "politicized" and managed to elect Norm Coleman. Luckily Al Franken took care of former Senator Coleman, although Republican obstructionism kept Senator Franken from being seated for half a year. Sometimes it's hard NOT to be suspicious about certain things (like the fate of Paul Wellstone), although I almost always frown upon conspiracy theories (truthers, birthers, death panel rumors, etc.) and those who spread them. I suppose I just am suspicious of Republicans since they constantly demonstrate their ill will, lack of morals, and the fact that they cannot be trusted through their actions to help the rich and powerful special interests at the expense of ordinary folks, their warmongering and hatred for anyone different from them, and their increasing radicalism in general.

[Batousghost]

11:20 AM on 05/27/2010

Looks like the Rethugs are just as strongly in favor of free speech as they are in favor of free religious expression, freedom of dissention.. a free society, in fact. Don't go off talking points again, Rand Brownshirt, or we may lose momentum...