It’s rare to see Neil Cavuto – or any other Fox News host – criticize a Republican the way Cavuto went after Senator Rand Paul yesterday. Even odder, it was over Paul’s attacks on Democrat Hillary Clinton.
In his Common Sense commentary that ended yesterday's show, Cavuto slammed Paul for making ageist comments about likely opponent Hillary Clinton as he prepares his own run for president.
Cavuto started out on fire:
What’s worse than a Presidential candidate telling people to shut up? How about another one all but saying Hillary Clinton is all but washed up? That she’s too old and tired to run. Well, give Rand a hand he just out Chris Christied for shooting himself in the foot!
Cavuto was referring to Paul’s comments to Politico in which he said, “I think all the polls show if she does run, she’ll win the Democrat nomination. But I don’t think it’s for certain. It’s a very taxing undertaking to go through. It’s a rigorous physical ordeal, I think, to be able to campaign for the presidency.”
Cavuto shot back by noting that Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill were well into their sixties when they became national leaders. Cavuto added,
By your math, your own dad, Ron Paul, was practically Popeye a couple of years ago when he was running for President at 77. And you know something? I’ve met few sharper at 27!
So are you going after Hillary because she’s a Democrat, or a woman, or both? Either way, you have done more damage with that condescending swipe than Chris Christie could – well, shaking a thousand ice cream cones in critics’ faces.
Then Cavuto really went for the jugular:
By all means, go after Hillary Clinton on the issues that matter, not the silly ones that don’t. You’d hate it if it were done to you, Senator, so don’t pull this nonsense with her. Because she’s no more Methuselah than you are Mensa material. Say whatever you will about her days of Secretary of State, and plenty do and should, but I think it is fair to say Hillary Clinton was up to the physical rigors of the job and then some.”
…It just seems odd for a Republican who talks about expanding the base, you, Senator, could say something so base and so cheap.”
…After all, what are you, 52? A little older than Franklin Roosevelt was when he became President. No one doubted he was up to the task, polio and all. Suffice it to say, Senator, with comments like these, no one is going to make that Presidential comparison, certainly not yet.
It’s worth pointing out that the same Politico article points out that many of Paul’s libertarian views are “at odds with the views of many in the party’s establishment.” Even so, wow.
