Jennifer Rubin: Rand Paul is One of the Most Interesting Political Figures Around

Rand Paul seems to be running an interesting strategy which seems to be working.  He is highlighting his views that make him seem bipartisan and fair and that is helping get establishment support for him as well as making others look like kooks for criticizing him (Bill Kristol, John McCain and Lindsey Graham).  Let's hope he can continue to keep it up without selling out his and our principles.  Anyway here is the latest from Jennifer Rubin, who is usually no friend to conservatives (though she calls herself one):

Paul struggled valiantly to tell the media that haggling over terms like "path to citizenship" and "amnesty" gets the debate nowhere. "[The debate] is trapped in a couple of words — 'path to citizenship' and 'amnesty,' " he said. Taking a shot at the anti-immigration advocates, he said later in the call, "Everybody who doesn't want anything to move forward calls anything they don't like a 'path to citizenship' and 'amnesty.'" (He's got that one right.) Sounding a tad forlorn, he then asked, "Can't we just call it reform?"

He tried to keep his eye on the big picture, telling the media that it was a big deal because "I'm a conservative Republican who says we need to go forward."

He also clarified a number of other points. His plan differs from others circulating in requiring a yearly congressional vote to certify border security. But once that is obtained, he would ease the way "to normalize the people here." In response to my question on fines, back taxes and other penalties, he said, "I'm not as a big a stickler" on those items. He noted that at the work visa stage many people are of modest means and such requirements could mean "you'd never be able to do it."

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In confounding both the right and the left on issue after issue, Paul continues to be one of the most interesting political figures around. Whether his brand of legislation makes it into law or he runs for the presidency is in the future. For now, however, he is shaking things up on everything from immigration to marriage to drone warfare.