Meet the Press executive producer Betsy Fischer tweets:
Sounds like Rand is trying to go rogue, just like Sarah Palin in 2008.
It actually might make sense for him to go into hiding. Ever since his crazy victory speech Tuesday night, every time he opens his mouth he seems to step in it.
Whether he's supporting the right for public businesses to discriminate based on race, calling President Obama "un-American" for criticizing BP, attributing his opposition to the American with Disabilities Act to a government mandate that does not exist, or refusing to declare whether or not he supports having a minimum wage, Rand Paul has become the best argument against his own candidacy.
So maybe it's smart for him to head for the mattresses and avoid public scrutiny and stop answering questions altogether. After all, the next policy he might get asked about is whether or not he supports guaranteed overtime pay -- and we all know if he answers that one honestly, his aspirations for the U.S. Senate will be toast, if they aren't already.
Update (2:04PM): And it's official. He's canceled, citing "exhaustion." He's only the third major guest in the show's 62-year history to do so. (Note: I've changed the headline to reflect this, from "tries to squirm out of" to "squirms out of.")
Update (2:09PM): I wonder when he's going to blame Rachel Maddow. You gotta' figure that excuse will be coming soon, that he just can't stand the "heat" at MSNBC or NBC. You know, tough questions like: "Do you support the civil rights act?" or "Do you support guaranteed overtime pay?"
Update (2:26PM): As several commenters have suggested, NBC should put on Jack Conway instead.
Update (2:30PM): Paul spokesman: "Rand did Good Morning America today, set the record straight, and now we are done talking about it...no more national interviews on the topic." Okay, fine, but aren't there other questions? Like where he stands on the Fair Labor Standards Act which guarantees overtime pay? Why hide from them?
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Please support Rand Paul's Democratic opponent, Jack Conway: he's a good guy, he needs our help, and he can win.
