Rand Paul for president?
(CNN) - Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said he will "think about" running for president in 2012 if his father, Republican Texas Rep. Ron Paul, decides not to launch a bid.
"The only decision that I've made is that I won't run against my father," Paul said Thursday speaking to the Louisville, Kentucky Rotary Club. "If he does not run, I have not ruled it out and I will think about it."
The Tea Party favorite's travel to early presidential nominating states has raised questions about the freshman senator's political intentions. Paul, who is scheduled to make trips to Iowa and New Hampshire in the coming weeks, said he's traveling to promote Tea Party stances and his book, "The Tea Party Goes to Washington."
But regardless of his ultimate decision, he said he wants his platform and the platform of the Tea Party represented in the next election.
"Our debt is a very serious problem and we need to address it," Paul said. "I think that position or platform needs to be represented by some candidate in 2012 and I want to at the very least influence who that candidate will be."
The elder Paul has said he is considering making a third presidential bid, but has yet to make a final decision.
Paul, an ophthalmologist, won election to the Senate in November beating Democrat Jack Conway with nearly 56 percent of the vote.
I was hoping for Rue Paul!!
He hasn't been in office long enough to find the men's room in the Capitol. What makes anyone think he deserves a look at the highest office in our nation. These clowns are risking making the US the laughing stock of the entire world!
The whole Paul family should just go home and never appear in politics again. They are a joke,
I'm with you on this one, Sniffit; I have a caption for that gesture too! But maybe Paul's just trying to show how much confidence anyone would have in him....next to none.
I would fully support Rand Paul running for President; he conveys a clear message that targets not just the Democrats spending but also targets the enormous Republican spending problem. While Ron Paul has some good ideas he also has many stigmas attached to his name, Rand Paul presents a common sense, fiscally responsible perspective with a fresh face.
I think republican are afraid that if Obama win this Libya war than it will be very difficult for them to win 2012.
Did not in recent poll republicans approve 77% for No fly zone.
But in the same poll they approve obama's handling of no fly zone in libya only 47%
So conclusion is that he is black.
Except Hally barbour all republican candidate and republicans in congress critisize president in the time of war.
what a patriot people.
I like rand paul cos he believes in free market and does not support bailouts and coporate socialism and he speaks emphatically bout wat he believes however I don't like the small govt bs repubs spout eliminating regulations until disaster strikes over regulation is bad too. And he seems cold hearted when comes to social programs that help the poor and disadvantaged u might be well off now but u dnt knw the future might have rely on sone assistance doesn't mean ur lazy however its wrong continously give welfare to able bodied ppl without end. Right now Obama seems like the rational best choice go wit gotta give him sum credit he did turn the economy around and save us from a depression cause of the slow recovery can be debated and I don't trust repubs with economy so far not single jobs bill or anything help economy all they focused on is social wedge issues and burstin unions under guise balancing budget
Rand Paul in the U.S. Senate has been a stretch. It would take vast amounts of ego and imagination for him to make a serious run for the White House. When your only qualification is that you have the same last name as your father, you're not that special.
Jeez!! What is happening to America??? Who keeps letting the dogs out???
Electing ANYONE from the RIGHT is like voting for the KOCH BROTHERS!!!!!!!!!! $88M is being pumped into the 2012 election by the Koch Brothers!!! They are BUYING America – trying to take the country FAR RIGHT – Eliminating the Middle Class and they're doing it through the Republicans – take WALKER in WI, for instance – BUSTED!!!!!
America – PLEASE wake up and SMELL the corruption coming from the RIGHT!!! It’s so obvious what they are doing!!
All the TP republicans are treating the presidency like a reality TV competition. They are just narcissists who have no idea on earth what is required of an American president. They are making America a laughingstock to the rest of the world.
Candidate with one issue of spending cut is not good for USA.
USA is the world leader, all countries are looking for our leadership in world problems, and we can not run away from that.
Obama is most thoughtful president we have who takes all decision with all consideration.
if i were a person from kentucky i would feel used right now because they are being used. you would think that this unproven nobody would try to do the job his states voters sent him to do! kentucky now has no one working for them in the senate. mitch mcconnell is just a guy who says no to anything that the democrats want to do even if its right. his number one goal said from his own libs is to make the president a one term president and rand doesn't seem to give one hoot about the people in his state. john boehner wants to ask question about libya! really! didn't seem to care about asking bush about the other two wars that have just about broke this country.
Just a few more Reps. in the race and there won't be any left in congress. That would be a good thing-since not one of them can defeat our president. He's far more intelligent than all those in congress combined!
Rand Paul, Ron Paul.........I don't care...just get somebody in there besides the incompetent Barry Obama.
That picture of Rand Paul shows him bragging about how much he really cares about the people of Kentucky who elected him to serve THEIR interests!
As a 2-year Senator with no community organizing experience, he isn't even as "qualified" as Obama was in '08.
Oh Hell No!!