Not only has Rand Paul's presidential campaign failed to take off, but he had to suffer the indignity of watching his fellow senatorial rabble-rouser Ted Cruz race past him to claim the mantle of Iowa frontrunner. But Paul is taking one last whack at Cruz in hopes of impressing the libertarian faction of the Republican Party that has been fans of both candidates.
Paul's tactical choice, a childishly drawn and robotically voiced cartoon titled "Audit The Ted," may appear odd to most. But it is directly inspired by a 2010 animated video criticizing the Federal Reserve's low interest rate policy that went viral in the libertarian circles.
Paul's "Audit the Ted" has a similar set up, though humans are used instead of bears. The Fed is once again the enemy, but Cruz is mocked for failing to show up for a vote that could have subjected the Fed to expansive auditing, and for an old, unreported campaign loan from Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street bank that libertarians deride for being saved by a Federal Reserve bailout.
The two characters praise Paul for his "Audit The Fed" legislation, but quickly turn their attention to Cruz. Upon hearing that Cruz missed the "Audit the Fed" vote while fundraising, one asks, "Campaigning costs money. Where does the Ted Cruz get his money from?" The other responds, "I hear Wall Street money. Millions. Even one million from the Goldman Sachs." They delve deeper:
"I don't think so. They are the Fed."
"Why does Ted Cruz take their money if they are the Fed?"
"I don't know. That is strange."
Their logic leads to them conclude that Cruz "receives favors from the special candidates" and cannot be "the grassroots candidate."
Who is the grassroots candidate? "I hear good things about the Rand Paul" one says in closing. The other concurs, "I like this Rand Paul. And his hair."
Libertarian inside jokes are probably not enough to change the political dynamic late in a campaign. But Paul is at least leaving the dance with who brought him.
Paul's tactical choice, a childishly drawn and robotically voiced cartoon titled "Audit The Ted," may appear odd to most. But it is directly inspired by a 2010 animated video criticizing the Federal Reserve's low interest rate policy that went viral in the libertarian circles.
Rand Paul's "Audit The Ted" Spoofs "Quantitative Easing Explained"
That satiric video, "Quantitative Easing Explained" was created through the now-defunct "do-it-yourself" animation service called Xtranormal, known for simplistic visuals and voiceovers that sound like space aliens trying to learn the English language. In it, two bears have a stilted conversation about monetary policy designed to make the Federal Reserve look like it lacks common sense.Paul's "Audit the Ted" has a similar set up, though humans are used instead of bears. The Fed is once again the enemy, but Cruz is mocked for failing to show up for a vote that could have subjected the Fed to expansive auditing, and for an old, unreported campaign loan from Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street bank that libertarians deride for being saved by a Federal Reserve bailout.
The two characters praise Paul for his "Audit The Fed" legislation, but quickly turn their attention to Cruz. Upon hearing that Cruz missed the "Audit the Fed" vote while fundraising, one asks, "Campaigning costs money. Where does the Ted Cruz get his money from?" The other responds, "I hear Wall Street money. Millions. Even one million from the Goldman Sachs." They delve deeper:
Rand Paul Tags Ted Cruz As The Establishment Candidate
"Does the Goldman Sachs want to audit the Fed?""I don't think so. They are the Fed."
"Why does Ted Cruz take their money if they are the Fed?"
"I don't know. That is strange."
Their logic leads to them conclude that Cruz "receives favors from the special candidates" and cannot be "the grassroots candidate."
Who is the grassroots candidate? "I hear good things about the Rand Paul" one says in closing. The other concurs, "I like this Rand Paul. And his hair."
Libertarian inside jokes are probably not enough to change the political dynamic late in a campaign. But Paul is at least leaving the dance with who brought him.