鈥淭he party,鈥� says Doherty, 鈥渉ates him.鈥�
Paul is the kooky uncle in the GOP family, the one who flouts political conventions, represents the fringes of Republican ideology, and refuses to walk the GOP line, says Professor Hanson.
鈥淢any of Paul鈥檚 views are considered eccentric or downright unacceptable,鈥� he says. 鈥淔or example, he鈥檚 suggested that Social Security and Medicare may be unconstitutional and should be phased out. National Republicans look at a Paul candidacy as a recipe for disaster.鈥�
It will be easy for rivals to paint Paul 鈥� who once said the 9/11 attacks were the Muslim world鈥檚 response to American military intervention overseas 鈥� as extremist or radical.
He鈥檚 also 75 and will be 77 by the time the 2012 election rolls around, making him the oldest GOP contender by a long shot.
If nothing else, says Doherty, 鈥渉e can convincingly run as a true outsider.鈥�
