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Criticizing BP Is 'Un-American': Rand Paul

Candidate faults Obama for remarks, makes more headlines

By John Johnson, Newser Staff | Suggested by mikech

Posted May 21, 2010 10:42 AM CDT

(Newser) – Rand Paul continued his campaign to get the public back on his side today with a rousing defense of ... BP? Appearing on Good Morning America to further clarify his civil rights comments, Paul criticized President Obama for demonizing the company behind the Gulf oil spill. "What I don't like from the president's administration is this sort of, 'I'll put my boot heel on the throat of BP,'" he told George Stephanopoulos. "I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business."

Paul said it's part of the "blame game" too often played in Washington, reports the AP. As for the civil rights flap: "I've just been trashed up and down and they have been saying things that are untrue. And when they say I'm for repealing the Civil Rights Act, it's absolutely false. It's never been my position and something that I basically just think is politics."

Rand Paul is shown during an interview at his campaign headquarters in Bowling Green, Ky., Wednesday, May 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

Oil booms collect oil on Elmer's Island in Grand Isle, La. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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Showing 3 of 82 comments

cognitivefilter

May 23, 2010 4:06 AM CDT

stupid libertarian

JonmarkP

May 22, 2010 10:42 PM CDT

Libertarians believe that "business" is holy; profit is their God. They claim to be about "freedom," but they mean their freedom to make money without constraint, not my freedom, or yours, or ours to have a clean environment for our children. They don't give a rat's ass about a Gulf fisherman's freedom to make a living for his family. What Libertarians don't get is that their freedom stops where my freedom begins. If they have to be taught that while looking down the barrel of a Colt, so be it.

793tango

May 22, 2010 4:52 PM CDT

It's un AMERICAN to criticize a BRITISH petroleum company that just blew up a well in one of our most popular fishing areas? We're Americans, we criticize EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. Big Business is a wonderful target because their greed makes life so hard for us little guys. What possible BENEFIT can there be from NOT criticizing BP? After all they're FOREIGNERS and an OIL COMPANY.

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Civil Rights Act • President Obama • British Petroleum • Rand Paul • Gulf oil spill • Rand Paul Civil Rights Act

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Rand Paul: Let Joe Barton Explain Himself

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(NEWSER) - Rand Paul's been in enough hot water lately, so he stops short of endorsing Joe Barton's infamous apology to BP. But he feels his pain, notes Think Progress . "I don't know about that," he said when asked about the statement. "I don't want to pile on him (because) I know what that feels like." He reiterated that he doesn't like to hear the White House talking about how it will "put the boot on the throat of BP" and suggested Barton's critics should settle down. "I do know that people sometimes can go over the top and I think he should be given the chance to explain himself." More»

On Spill, We Need 'Barack and Tony Show'

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(NEWSER) - Great, President Obama finally met face to face today with BP's Tony Hayward. Only about 6 weeks too late, complains Steven Pearlstein. These guys should have realized from day one that "they were in this mess together," he writes in the Washington Post . Obama has been publicly hostile toward Hayward, but his attitude should have been, "Your guys screwed up, my guys screwed up, so we better both roll up our sleeves and fix this thing before we're both out of a job." More»

Obama Acting Like a 'Dictator' on BP

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(NEWSER) - Everyone is egging on the president to get tough on BP, but Obama simply has no legal or legislative authority to force the company to set up a multi-billion dollar fund for victims, writes Ben Stein. BP no doubt "acted irresponsibly," but Obama is going well beyond the scope of his presidential powers as spelled out in the Constitution by demanding "this immense transfer of the stockholders' wealth," writes Stein. It's akin to his decision to fire the head of the GM with a phone call. More»

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(AP) - President Obama accused BP of "recklessness" in the first Oval Office address of his presidency tonight and swore not to rest until the company has paid for the damage it has caused to lives, businesses, and shorelines. He announced that he had asked former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus to develop a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan—to be funded by BP—in concert with local states, communities, fishermen, conservationists and residents "as soon as possible." (Read the full text of his speech here .) More»

Obama to Demand Billions From BP in 1st Oval Office Speech

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(NEWSER) - In his first-ever Oval Office speech tomorrow night, President Obama will demand that BP hand over billions of dollars to an independent mediator who will handle the claims of people and businesses affected by the Gulf oil spill. The White House hasn't named a sum, but House Dems asked BP for $20 billion for the escrow fund yesterday. The speech will come amid a week of activities that the president hopes will convince the public he's in control of the oil spill crisis, the New York Times reports. More»

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Criticizing BP Is 'Un-American': Rand Paul

Candidate faults Obama for remarks, makes more headlines

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Civil Rights Act • President Obama • British Petroleum • Rand Paul • Gulf oil spill • Rand Paul Civil Rights Act

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Rand Paul: Let Joe Barton Explain Himself

Limbaugh, others say 'shakedown' is accurate term

On Spill, We Need 'Barack and Tony Show'

The president and BP's CEO should be allies, at least for now

Obama Acting Like a 'Dictator' on BP

Victims' fund may be popular, but it violates the Constitution

Obama: 'We Will Make BP Pay'

He accuses company of 'recklessness'

Obama to Demand Billions From BP in 1st Oval Office Speech

Prez wants all oil industry workers compensated

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Criticizing BP Is 'Un-American': Rand Paul

Candidate faults Obama for remarks, makes more headlines

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Civil Rights Act • President Obama • British Petroleum • Rand Paul • Gulf oil spill • Rand Paul Civil Rights Act

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Rand Paul: Let Joe Barton Explain Himself

Limbaugh, others say 'shakedown' is accurate term

On Spill, We Need 'Barack and Tony Show'

The president and BP's CEO should be allies, at least for now

Obama Acting Like a 'Dictator' on BP

Victims' fund may be popular, but it violates the Constitution

Obama: 'We Will Make BP Pay'

He accuses company of 'recklessness'

Obama to Demand Billions From BP in 1st Oval Office Speech

Prez wants all oil industry workers compensated

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?