HOUSTON—Ron Paul, a mild-mannered grandfather from Lake Jackson, has been in Congress for 22 years—but he doesn’t have any kind words for politicians.
"I see politicians as pretty weak people, because they just follow prevailing attitudes," Paul, a Republican, said.
Paul has always followed his convictions. He believes in less government, so he opposed the stimulus plan, the bank bailout at the war in Iraq.
It’s a message now embraced by the growing Tea Party movement, making Paul en vogue. Time magazine called him the godfather of the Tea Party.
"I guess what they are implying is that we did get this thing started. We might not have control of it. We might not own it, but maybe we helped start it," Paul said. "What I say to Washington is, watch out – here we come."
Now, Paul’s son has become a darling of the Tea Party.
In May, Rand Paul, an eye surgeon in Kentucky, won his very first political race in a GOP primary for a U.S. Senate seat.
The elder Paul said of all his five kids, Rand was the most likely to end up in politics.
"He was energetic and eager and showed initiative and wanted to be an organizer," Ron Paul said.
In a satellite interview from Bowling Green, Ky., Rand Paul said he got started in politics early, working for his dad.
"When I was 11 years old, I knocked on my first doors for my dad," he said. "When people would come over to the house and have a political discussion, even as a child, I was very comfortable in the conversation of adults. I guess for a while I listened, but then I wanted to participate in the conversation."
But Rand dismissed talk of he and his dad as a budding political dynasty. After all, he said, he still needs to win in November.
