Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who has run for president three times as a Libertarian and as a Republican, was never more than a dark horse candidate. His son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, on the other had, is viewed as having a better chance.
Some of that is likely due to Rand Paul's views that are closer to the mainstream, but his 79-year-old father is still on the scene making statements that could hinder his son's chances,
The Washington Post reports.
The contrasts were sharp this weekend as Rand Paul attended a Koch brothers retreat in California in an effort to lure donors for an expected 2016 White House run. At the same time, Ron Paul was at a Houston hotel ballroom speaking at a conference on seceding.
As a presidential hopeful, Rand Paul must sound just that – hopeful – about the country while selling his vision on how to make America prosperous. But it was all doom and gloom from Ron Paul, who said that a series of inevitable crises, including a financial collapse, are probably the only thing that will shake America enough to turn it around.
Ron Paul was asked if he was concerned his rhetoric might hurt his son's chances.
"If we had decent reporters, there would never be any problems," Ron Paul said. "You think you could ever meet one? Have a heart, buddy."
Rand Paul wouldn't comment for the Post's story, though both have said Ron Paul will not join his son on the campaign trail if he runs for president.
"If I were Ron, and my son were running for president, and we were in the same situation, I would shut up," Walter Block, an economics professor at Loyola University," told the Post. "Ron is a millstone around Rand’s neck, in the sense that he’s not helping him — or, at least, he’s not helping him be Rand."
It was always evident Ron Paul's presidential candidacies were intended to garner attention on his libertarian issues. He even gave victory speeches in 2012 after merely showing better than expected in primaries.
But Rand Paul actually would like to be president. He shares many of his father's libertarian views, but isn't as hard-core.
Ron Paul wants America out of the Middle East. Rand Paul supports American airstrikes on the Islamic State (ISIS.)
Last fall, during the Ebola virus scare, Ron Paul told
Newsmax TV that a travel ban was useless and more "politically motivated" than medically necessary – while Rand Paul was advocating for a ban.
Rand Paul told
The Daily Caller last year he was no longer answering questions about his father.
"Over time, people will notice there are distinctions and differences," he said. "I've been in the Senate for three years, and I have created a record for myself. And I have my opinions."
Rand Paul told the Caller compared himself to George W. Bush when he first ran for president in 2000.
Did he get tons of questions about his dad?" Rand Paul asked. "I don’t know that he did, to tell you the truth.
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