Libertarians give Paul a pass

Rand Paul insists hes not an isolationist. Luckily for him, many in his libertarian base are willing to let him keep saying that.

A movement that often demands ideological purity is, for now, largely giving the potential 2016 presidential contender a pass, even as he appears to take some foreign policy positions well beyond traditional libertarian limits.

Libertarians say theyre willing to look the other way because the Kentucky Republican the son of isolationist iconoclast Ron Paul is their best hope for taking their views into the mainstream and all the way to the White House. In more than a dozen interviews at a libertarian conference this week in Alexandria, Virginia, many attendees said they understand if Paul, who recently came out in favor of airstrikes against militants in Iraq, has to hedge on some issues to gain broader appeal but that they still believe hes one of them at heart.

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Hes playing two games, said John Walsh, a former professor of physiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Hes trying to position himself so he doesnt get tripped up and ruled out [of 2016], and at the same time, maintain his anti-interventionism.

Paul already faces deep skepticism from many establishment Republicans. They are quick to note that he once espoused isolationist-leaning views, including arguing for ending all foreign aid, including to Israel; reining in defense spending and expressing deep reluctance to intervene in the Middle East. He has since distanced himself from some of those positions saying, for instance, that he would not support ending aid to Israel anytime soon but hawkish members of the GOP donor class remain unconvinced.

When people meet Sen. Paul in person, theyre impressed by him, and he exceeds the expectations they have based upon the rantings of his father, said one Republican who works closely with hawkish GOP donors. He can change his positions now and come across as friendly in one-on-one meetings, but he still, at some point, is going to have to explain for his previous positions. And by the way, if he actually flips to a pro-Israel or more interventionist foreign policy, hes going to lose a lot of his base libertarian isolationist supporters.

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But at this weeks Liberty Political Action Conference, it was clear that, for now, Paul maintains a large reservoir of support even among the most hardcore libertarians.

More than 600 ardent libertarian activists gathered for the event, which is tied to Ron Paul, who is idolized at LPAC. Those gathered were far from mainstream Republicans: Many are deeply anti-war and pro-pot; several could be heard muttering conspiracy theories about how past presidential elections were stolen from Ron Paul; one screamed at a reporter for ruining America. Yet they represent an energetic segment of the grass roots that would be vital to a Rand Paul presidential bid.

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Libertarians give Paul a pass