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Rand Paul Live Tweets The Debate ...

by Seth Millstein

After failing to get enough support to make the main stage at the Republican Debate, Rand Paul live tweeted the Democratic debate instead. It was a sad sight to behold for a number of reasons, but more than anything else, it was a reminder of how irrelevant the senator has become over the course of the last year. The man who many thought had a legitimate shot at winning the presidency and fundamentally transforming the Republican Party is now reduced to making lame jokes about Democrats on Twitter.

Paul, who TIME once called "the most interesting man in politics," is now polling at under 3 percent in the Republican primary, and as a result, he didn't get an invitation to the main stage at the last GOP debate. Rather than simply taking his place at the undercard debate like the other low-polling candidates, Paul indignantly claimed that he wouldn't "stand for it." He insisted, against all evidence, that that he's "got a first-tier campaign," and decided to sit the night out entirely.

During Sunday's Democratic debate, Paul attempted to reenter the conversation by teasing the Democrats over Twitter. Many of his remarks were disingenuous, but in totality, they were just sad.

The "D-" comment was in reference to Sanders' "grade" from the NRA, which has nothing to do with education policy.

To answer that last question: No, Rand, that's just for you and the rest of the Republicans, since you're the ones who pledged to support Trump if he wins the GOP nomination. In any event, Paul closed out the exercise with a fundraising pitch.