What It Is Like for Me Trying to Ask Rand Paul a Question

I recently reported that I attended an event Saturday at the TechStartUp House in San Francisco where Rand Paul announced that he was setting up a desk, or something, at the House. No one made clear exactly what was being set up.

Martin Hill emailed me in reference to the post:

Bob, you made a passing reference to seeing rand in ca, yet offered no exclusives with him. Surely he knows who you are?? Guaranteed he sees your criticisms.
Did you speak with him ?? Did he evade?

Seems like a classic opportunity, missed? I mean, I don't expect anything too hostile ,since you're a respectable libertarian but at least something.

Here's what you need to know about Rand events. They are very controlled. Rand always travels with this guy, Sergio Gor:

Sergio Gor

Gor is the communications director for the Rand Paul presidential campaign. He makes sure questions are directed at Rand only by those Rand wants to handle questions from. It does not appear I am part of that group.

When I attended the Rand speech on the campus of University of California Berkeley, after the speech I went to a Rand Paul media availability.

Here's what I wrote about that:

Following the speech, Rand held an "availability" with the press.

It was a more controlled press event than even presidential press conferences at the White House. A Rand aide [Gor] announced that he would go in order around the room and give every one a chance to ask questions. He then went around the room and called on mainstream media, including a New York Times reporter and one from the Huffington Post, but pretty much skipped  everyone else, including me (with my very interesting questions). At one point the aide went out of his way to look for the Fortune Magazine reporter, whom he didn't spot right away (Expect a puff piece from Fortune in the not too distant future.). MSM threw mostly softballs at Rand, the only half interesting question was by a local MSM television reporter who asked Rand his view on California separating into six different states. 

At Saturday's event, my name somehow did not make it on the press list,even though I was cleared for the event, but I managed to get in and I got myself a front row seat right next to the platform that Rand would be speaking from, After the speech, he would have to pass by me.

Rand Paul

And pass by me is pretty much what he did. As he came down the steps, I extended my hand. he shook it. I introduced myself by saying, "Hi Senator, Bob Wenzel. I am really enjoying following your campaign." At that very moment Gor showed up, sort of put his body in a position so that Rand could move ahead, and Rand took off quicker than when Henry Kissinger took off after I asked the war-criminal about China.

This should be contrasted by the way Ron Paul dealt with things on the campaoign trail with me. He once reached out to me and proposed a meeting. It was scheduled for a half hour, but went on for the good part of the day as Dr. Paul invited me to tag along with him while he campaigned and all the way to the airport.

Robert Wenzel and Ron Paul, Reno, Nevada

I wrote up two stories on my visit with Dr. Paul, here and here. And I got to see the plane he traveled in:

The Ron Paul Campaign plane

 -RW