Ron Paul Exclusion Gets Ridiculous

The audience had to literally browbeat CNN into allowing Ron Paul to have a chance to get in on the “who has what abortion record.”

“I’m a doctor,” Paul said, not for the first time, in asking to get in on a vaguely health care-related question. Paul, as you may know, is pro-life. That said, his unique take on the role of the federal government trumps his moral disposition. (This, he endeavored to explain, by suggesting that laws cannot correct a person’s moral failings.) He went on to contend that whenever the federal government expands their powers into health care, all of the side issues related to health care get more complicated.

Something in Paul’s answer touched off Rick Santorum, and he was given the opportunity to assail Paul for his mere “50 percent record” as a pro-life voter — “about the same as Harry Reid,” said Santorum — as adjudicated by the National Right to Life Committee.

But that’s really beside the point when you are talking about a lawmaker who votes the way Paul does. “It’s true we have a disagreement on how we deal with it,” Paul said to Santorum, explaining that he votes according to his interpretation of the Constitution — if the matter is something he feels is best left to the states, that’s how he votes. That principle trumps his pro-life stance, full stop.

Paul also didn’t understand why Santorum was so agitated by his answer. “I didn’t direct any part of my answer to you,” Paul said, “I think you’re just over-sensitive.”

— Jason Linkins