The libertarian faithful — antitax activists and war protesters, John Birch Society members and a smattering of “truthers” who suspect the government’s hand in the 2001 terrorist attacks — gathered last September, eager to see the rising star of their movement.I'm sure he is very familiar with his father's views, but what's the deal with a meeting with the evil Karl Rove?
With top billing on the opening night of the Liberty Political Action Conference, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told the audience at a Marriott in Virginia that a viable Republican Party must reach out to young people and minorities.
But not long after the applause died down, Mr. Paul was out the door. He skipped an address by his father, former Representative Ron Paul, as well as closing remarks by his own former Senate aide, an ex-radio host who had once celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and extolled white pride.
The senator was off to an exclusive resort on Mackinac Island, Mich., where he again talked about the future of the party. But this time he was in the company of Karl Rove and other power brokers, and his audience was of Republican stalwarts who were sizing up possible presidential candidates.
It's probably not a good sign. More from NYT:
Mr. Paul had already begun a subtle makeover. His second book, “Government Bullies,” published in 2012, does not mention the Mises Institute or its affiliated scholars. (The book proved embarrassing last fall when journalists discovered that it included plagiarized material, which Mr. Paul attributed to sloppiness.) He emphasized his support for Israel with a visit there last year and told a black audience that he had “never wavered” in support for the Civil Rights Act.
These shifts have alarmed some followers, as has Mr. Paul’s increasingly cordial relationship with Senator McConnell, whom he once depicted as the embodiment of the Republican establishment.
In recent months, Mr. Paul has dined with Karl Rove and the donors of the major Republican “super PAC,” American Crossroads. He also met with Rupert Murdoch, whose properties include Fox News and The Wall Street Journal.
Some foreign policy “realists,” who think the Republican Party should temper its approach, have praised Mr. Paul’s emphasis on diplomacy over belligerence. After hearing Mr. Paul make that case in a Washington speech this month, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said in a brief interview, “I was surprised and impressed.”
Keep in mind, Rand is about hermetically sealed compartments. Libertarians aren't going to hear what he tells Rove and Murdoch.
They're trying to figure out how to use Rand to get the Tea baggers excited about whoever the GOP nominates in 2016. No way is Rand a serious contender.
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