Rand Paul ribs Trump about birth certificate flap

by Seth McLaughlin
Published on April 28, 2011

Speaking to a crowd in Concord, N.H., Sen. Rand Paul took at playful swipe at Donald Trump's aggressive pursuit of the president's birth certificate, opening his remarks this morning by saying he wanted to see the paper trail of the real estate mogul's Republican credentials.

"I want Donald Trump's long form Republican registration certificate," the Kentucky Republican quipped during a breakfast fundraiser for the Merrimack County Republican Committee at a hotel blocks from the state capitol building. The dig drew chuckles from the 50 or so people in attendance.

Mr. Paul noted that Mr. Trump has given thousands in campaign donations to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, and Rep. Charles Rangel, New York Democrat.

During a stop Wednesday in nearby Portsmouth, Mr. Trump, who has flirted with a presidential bid for months, took credit for pushing President Obama to release his long form birth certificate.

Mr. Paul's jab came during a swing through New Hampshire where he's basically ruled out a presidential bid now that his father, Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Republican, has opened an exploratory committee. He also told The Washington Times that people could probably also rule out a father-son presidential ticket, saying it could come off as "hokey."

During his trip here, the tea party has called for entitlement reforms, in part by gradually raising the age of Social Security eligibility and making cuts to every part of the national budget, including military spending.

Mr. Paul said his some of his colleagues have warned him that if he wants to get re-elected he should stay away from talking about entitlements.

"I'm not afraid to be unelected," Mr. Paul said this morning.

He later added that No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D prescription drug program are blemishes on the party's conservative brand and that the country now not only needs Republicans who talk the talk, but those who "walk the walk."

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/im ... -4-29-2011