Rand Paul says he wants to kill journalists.

[DLnyc]

38. Maybe he is trying, maybe not.

Last edited Mon Nov 4, 2013, 09:20 PM - Edit history (1)

I think it sounds like his handlers told him to show personal outrage about his ethics being questioned, and perhaps he latched on to the "duel" image as his idea of what intense outrage might look like. When you say he "clearly" is trying to intimidate journalists, I guess that "clarity" is kind of in the eye of the beholder. I don't find it that clear at all.

Don't get me wrong, I think the guy is a first-class asshole and I don't doubt that he is capable of threatening his critics with violence. But I think, for instance, that calling his words &quot t)hreats of violence" is a bit of a stretch. I think it is more effective to criticize these characters on what they actually say, which tends to be outrageously bad, rather than resort to statements that might seem like a stretch. IMHO.

That said, though, I think it says something about his mindset that he would come up with an image that, particularly in Kentucky, connects to a remarkably violent and bloody past. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually is fantasizing about killing his detractors. I just don't feel that he actually said he wanted to, in this particular instance.