Rand Paul wows Berkeley. Can his anti-NSA fire draw youths to GOP? (+video)
Rand Paul got a standing ovation after his address at a crowded Berkeley auditorium. Hiscamp hopes that as an issue for young people, Paul's NSA-bashing will top GOP opposition to gay marriage.
Will Rand Paul be able to attract a substantial number of new young voters to the Republican Party? Its become increasingly clear that may be one of his main political goals as the libertarian-leaning Kentucky senator looks towards a potential 2016 presidential run.
Washington Editor
Peter Grier is The Christian Science Monitor's Washington editor. In this capacity, he helps direct coverage for the paper on most news events in the nation's capital.
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In his latest attempt at youth outreach, Senator Paul traveled to the famously liberal University of California at Berkeley on Wednesday to deliver a scathing speech warning of the dangers of unchecked National Security Agency surveillance.
Im not here to tell you what to be, Paul told a crowded Berkeley auditorium. But I am here to tell you ... that your rights, especially your right to privacy, [are] under assault.
Invoking one of the talismans of the digital age, Paul told the audience that if they own a cell phone, they are under surveillance, as the NSA collects metadata such as time and number called on all US cellular communications.
I believe that what you do on your cell phone is none of their damn business, said Paul, repeating an applause line hes used in previous speeches.
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Rand Paul wows Berkeley. Can his anti-NSA fire draw youths to GOP? (+video)