Rand Paul: Lack Of Political Experience Can Be An Asset In Washington

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. speaks to reporters in front of federal court in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014. Claiming the Obama administration is violating Americans’ constitutional rights, Paul and a conservative ... Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. speaks to reporters in front of federal court in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014. Claiming the Obama administration is violating Americans’ constitutional rights, Paul and a conservative political group are filing a lawsuit over the National Security Agency’s surveillance program. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) MORE LESS
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Tuesday that a lack of political experience can be an asset in Washington.

Paul told reporters after a speech on school choice in Chicago that his own transition from physician to U.S. senator proves that lawmakers do not have to work their way up through various public service jobs, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“I absolutely disagree with that because I think in some ways, when you have people who are career politicians, they’ve been beaten down by the system and are so part of the system that they can’t see all the problems of the system,” he said, as quoted by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Paul’s comments followed an interview former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole gave to the Wichita Eagle, in which he criticized a number of potential 2016 presidential contenders for being too green for that office.

“A number of the younger members, first-termers like Rand Paul, (Marco) Rubio and that extreme-right-wing guy – Ted Cruz? All running for president now,” Dole told the newspaper. “I don’t think they’ve got enough experience yet.”

Paul told the reporters in Chicago that he wasn’t directly responding to Dole, although he criticized career Washington types who have “too much” experience.

He added that he never criticized then-Sen. Barack Obama for being a first-term Illinois lawmaker seeking the presidency in 2008.

h/t The Hill

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