[420 Girl]

Many of you saw a story we posted the other day about KY Senate Candidate Rand Paul’s position on medial marijuana “changing.” We received a lot of great comments, some of which said that the AP story that was the basis for ours was flawed. Looking to clear things up, I contacted the Rand Paul campaign website to get a comment. Even before my query was sent, the Paul campaign contacted our editor Dave Brian, wanting to clear up the issue as well.

Assistant Campaign Manager for Rand Paul – Nena Bartlett – had a discussion with our editor. I also had a discussion with her, but I had technical issues with the recording, so I currently have an email into her office asking for quotes to use in an article. Nena’s discussion with my editor was recorded however – probably because he is slightly more “on the ball” than his blogger.

The AP story contained the following paragraph:

Paul, a tea party favorite, shows libertarian leanings on drugs. He said he is opposed to the legalization of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes. But he also has called drug sentences of 10 to 20 years too harsh.

From that a multitude of stories – including ours – flowed onto the internet, reporting that Rand Paul had changed his position and was now opposed to medical marijuana. But according to Nena Bartlett, Dr. Paul’s Position “has remained the same,” and that if he were going to come out against medical marijuana, he would “have done it in the primary.”

In her conversation with me she said she didn’t know where that “quote” could have come from, also calling the AP story “sloppy reporting.” Our editor is currently waiting on a comment from the AP reporter, who is on vacation.

Nena told our editor that Dr. Paul is “for state’s rights to have their laws reflect what the people want,” and when I asked her if Kentucky (my home state) legalized medical marijuana, would Dr. Paul support the federal government staying out of the issue, she told me that was “correct.”

As I said, I’ll revisit this issue when I get quotes back in my email. Until then I’m convinced that Dr. Paul sees medical marijuana as a state by state issue, his position on the matter from the start. While I would like him to come out publicly for nationwide medical marijuana legalization, no one is perfect. I agree with him totally that states should be able to decide the issue on their own, without interference from the federal government.

For now that fact alone makes him a better candidate in my eyes than his opponent, Democrat Jack Conway. He will get my vote this November, and hopefully this issue has been clarified for our readers.


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: http://the420times.com
Author: Joe Klare
Contact: http://the420times.com
Copyright: The 420 Times 2010
Website:http://the420times.com/2010/08/rand-...ined-the-same/


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