Not the endorsement someone heading into the Republican primaries would normally want, but it's the one Rand Paul got. On today's This Week [hosted by Jonathan Karl in the absence of Stephanopoulos], far-left Rep. Keith Ellison declared that on a variety of issues he is "proud to stand" with Rand Paul.
Roll the video and watch Bill Kristol look on benignly as Ellison praises Paul. Let's read Bill's mind: every Ellison accolade was another chunk of GOP primary voters lost for Kristol's least-favorite Republican candidate. In the unkindest cut, Kristol claimed that it was Paul standing with Ellison, not the other way around, since Ellison and his fellow lefties were first to stake out those positions and Paul has now decided to become a "liberal Democrat" on them. Ouch!
Karl, interestingly, seemed to be egging Ellison on, twice suggesting that he stood with Paul and was "secretly applauding" him. You can imagine the other Republican candidates watching the show: "you go, Jonathan! Please, Keith, keep praising Paul!"
S.E. CUPP: I remember a time when Democrats were having this debate, when Democrats had problems with the Patriot Act.
JONATHAN KARL: They still do. Right now the Democrats are standing with Rand Paul on this . . . You [Keith Ellison] stand with Rand on this, don't you?
KEITH ELLISON: I have to respectfully disagree with S.E. on this. Because I think there's a lot of folks on the liberal left end of the party who definitely think that section 215, this bulk collection, probably should expire . . .
KARL: Did you find yourself kind of quietly cheering Rand Paul? As he went on for ten hours.
ELLISON: Let me tell you, I'm worked with Rand Paul on civil forfeiture reform, on the reset act to look at drug sentencing laws, he agrees that we should get rid of mandatory minimum sentencing. I think he's right about that. I've been proud to stand with him at press conferences talking about these very issues. Why? Because at the end of the day for me, it's about trying to do the best we can by our constitution and the American people. We might cut the cake differently on tax policy, but on these basic core issues of freedom, we agree.
BILL KRISTOL: Keith doesn't stand with Rand, that's not fair to Keith. Rand stands with Keith. Seriously. They had these positions first. Rand Paul has now decided that he wants to be a liberal Democrat. Undercut necessary intelligence collection. Weaken the police officers and our intelligence services, and Rand Paul thinks that's going to sell in the Republican primary. I think he's deeply misguided about that. But I guess he sincerely believes it and he's welcome to make the case.
