Senator Rand Paul Stops at Mammoth Cave, Discusses Tourism, Presidential Race, Secret Service Controversies

Says His Homeland Security Committee Will Get to the Bottom of Secret Service Issue

KY Senator Rand Paul (R) speaks to members of the press today at Mammoth Cave National Park.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R) made a stop today at Mammoth Cave National Park to discuss several topics with members of the media.

Mammoth Cave was Dr. Paul's third stop of the day while also visiting Falls of Rough and Brandenburg.

He first took questions alongside MCNP Superintendent Barclay Trimble about recent improvements to the park. He joked that Supt. Trimble tried to get him to do the "8-hour crawl through the fat man's squeeze and all that," but they chose to walk around the grounds near the visitor center and new and improved lodge.

Tremble spoke of the new lodge remodel, improvements to trails through the park, and told how he enjoyed showing the Senator around the park.

KY Senator Rand Paul with MCNP Supt. Barclay Trimble today at MCNP.

Dr. Paul discussed how important Mammoth Cave NP is important to tourism in Kentucky, but the conversation quickly turned to the current events surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden dropping out of the Presidential race, and the current situation with the U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle.

Dr. Paul was asked his thoughts if Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic Presidential nominee.

He responded by saying there were questions looming whether or not President Biden was getting to old to both serve as President and continue with the race.

"The average taxpayer is about $2,000 less rich after the Biden administration because their money's not going as far," he said. "Inflation if stealing from people's paychecks; she has the same responsibility that he will have from that responsibility. The same sort of questions will be asked about that, so I think in some ways, it removes an obstacle for them (democrats), but she's also brand-new and in some opinion polls, (she) isn't necessarily polling much better. But in the end, it will probably move back to a more even race now. I think Trump is definitely trending ahead of Biden and this may even it out some."

Dr. Paul was then asked about Biden dropping out of the race after the debate and the possibilities of KY Governor Andy Beshear's name being thrown into the mix of possible VP picks.

"You know, I don't think it was planned in any way. I think his performance was so bad that they had to consider it," he replied. "This didn't just spring up at the debate. I think there has been some appearance of him being somewhat befuddled and lost on stage when he leaves, things like that. But I think as far as the process of it, let's just see how it unfolds, but I think it's pretty much becoming decided...she'll be the nominee."

"Some have pointed toward some hypocrisy and say well, you know, they're talking about the other side--the Republicans are going to destroy democracy, and yet, there's not going to be a vote for their side and they excluded all the other candidates..." 

He said it didn't look like a great demonstration of democracy and that many people feel like they didn't get a choice.

His thoughts on Beshear's name being discussed:

"We'd be happy to see him doing something other than being governor. You know, try again and see who is replacement would be."

Dr. Paul spoke highly of J.D. Vance, Trump's Vice Presidential pick, and said he'd worked with him positively in different ways.

We asked him his thoughts on the current situation of the U.S. Secret Service with Director Kim Cheatle comments about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

"I think there are certain jobs where if you make a mistake, you get a second chance. I think when you're protecting someone's life and you make a mistake, an egregious mistake, you gotta go. For example, the building that's only 130 yards away, where the shooter was, apparently they identified him on the roof at 5:50(PM). The former President began speaking at 6(PM). Why was the President allowed to come out? He speaks for 10 more minutes, so for 20 minutes the snipers are looking at a guy with a gun and nothing happens. Now, we don't yet know why. Maybe they thought he could've been local police and they didn't want to shoot a local policeman. If that's true, we got a serious amount of confusion--we don't know who's the police and who's the shooter. That question is going to have to be answered. But if you are the agent in charge of setting this up and you left the roof unattended, it doesn't mean you're a bad person, if you're a human you make mistakes, but you don't get a second chance. It may even be you're allowed to retire, you go to a desk job, but that person, man or woman, can't be in charge again."

He said it was a big problem and he would say the same whether it's Democrat or Republican.

"We have to be able to guard against something like this. Nothing's perfect. There are ways people can come up in a crowd and things, but we're talking about a planned event with a stage that a roof can be direct to the stage and nobody was on the roof. And the head of the Secret Service's first comment was, 'well, the roof was slanted and we thought it would be dangerous. REALLY? Dangerous for the Secret Service?? Then they showed them on a barn and the barn is sloped like this, and this roof is like this, and the whole explanation didn't make sense. But we're going to get to the bottom of it. The Homeland Security Committee I'm on is going to have an investigation on this as well. I go back to Washington tomorrow, we hope to meet with them this week and we hope to have public hearings the following week."