News

Actions

Ron Paul: Rand ‘probably will’ run in 2016

Posted at 5:27 PM, Dec 10, 2013
and last updated 2013-12-10 17:27:50-05
(CNN) — Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul indicted Monday that his son, Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky, will likely run for president in 2016.

“I think he probably will. I mean, he’s been on TV hinting that he very well might,” Paul, a former congressman from Texas, said of his son’s presidential aspirations on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront.”

A junior senator and tea party favorite, Rand Paul has said that he hasn’t decided on a possible run.

Paul, also a doctor whose bids in 2008 and 2012 for the GOP nomination were fueled largely by a strong Libertarian backing, said his son would ultimately make up his own mind but said he jokes that he should be careful what he wishes for.

“I kiddingly say that advice I give him (is) he better be very careful; (if) he’s doing well, he might get elected, and that’s a great burden and a major responsibility,” Paul said, adding that he thinks Rand Paul is “handling himself quite well.”

Paul was also the Libertarian candidate in 1988.

Paul, who agrees with President Barack Obama on very little, also said he backs the President in the ongoing negotiations with Iran about the country’s nuclear program.

“I hope the President is going to be successful in this,” he said. “I’m cheering him on.”

Paul called the interim deal reached last month with Iran “a great breakthrough” and only wishes talks had “started a lot sooner.” He also said he’s wary of Congress’ attempts to add more sanctions.

A bipartisan group of senators is in talks to draft an agreement to impose new, stricter sanctions on the Iranians, beginning in about six months at the end of the interim deal. The White House and Secretary of State John Kerry say new sanctions could undermine the current deal.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.