Sen. Rand Paul had another disastrous interview with a member of the media today. Watch Sen. Paul walk out on an interview with The Guardian just as he was being pressed on his flawed campaign strategy.
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As you can see, in the video above, The Guardian’s Paul Lewis was in the middle of asking Sen. Paul about how he plans on winning the Republican nomination on a platform of criminal justice reform when the vast majority of Republicans believe that the law is being applied fairly to all Americans. Sen. Paul didn’t say goodbye, or excuse himself from the interview. He just walked out.
The media initially reported that Paul campaign staffers turned out the lights on Lewis, but the Paul folks claim that it was a CNN producer who was setting for Paul’s next interview that left the scene in darkness.
We didn't turn the lights off and neither did my staff. CNN producers did. It was time for my interview with @DanaBashCNN – Team Rand
— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 10, 2015
Rand Paul is getting a taste of what happens when journalists hold him accountable for his policy inconsistencies. Sen. Paul seems to be running a very entitled campaign for a family that has perpetually run for president and never come remotely close to winning anything of consequence.
Paul has defined himself as the angry lightweight who is going to deflect from his flip-flops by either attacking or running away from the media. If Sen. Paul wants people to vote for him, media engagement is a free way to reach millions of potential voters. So far, Paul has hit the 2016 campaign trail and fallen flat on his face.
Sen. Paul may not have had the time to answer Lewis’s question, but there are more graceful ways of ending an interview than walking out. If Paul had excused himself politely from the interview, there would be no story, but if Rand Paul can’t handle NBC’s Today show and Paul Lewis from The Guardian, voters shouldn’t have any faith that he can handle being president.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
