http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lifq9J4dO6k

Everyone knows that MSNBC is a gigantic Sarlacc Pit full of leftist wet dreams, which is the main reason why most level-headed Republicans avoid the network at all costs…apart from the occasional Morning Joe appearance. But after watching Rand Paul’s visit to The Cycle this week, one begins to wonder whether entering the belly of the beast and lighting a fire once in a while might be good for conservatives. At the very least, it has entertainment potential.

Though Senator Paul had been booked to discuss his push for criminal justice reform with Corey Booker, Ari Melber made sure to pivot to comments Paul made four years ago about the Civil Rights Act. Aside from being slightly irrelevant to the topic at hand, it was clear Melber was playing a “gotcha game” with the Kentucky doctor, and lucky for us, Rand wasn’t having any of it:

“To come on MSNBC and have a philosophical discussion, the liberals will come out of the woodwork and go crazy and say you’re against the Civil Rights Act, and you’re some terrible racist,” said Paul. “And I take great objection to that, because, in Congress, I think there is nobody else trying harder to get people back their voting rights, to get people back and make the criminal justice system fair. So I take great offense to people who want to portray me as something that I’m not.”

After several more follow-up questions that were clearly crafted in order to badger the senator, Rand had finally had enough. And that’s when he said this:

“When your network does 24-hour news telling the truth, then maybe we can get somewhere with the discussion.”

And…BOOM.

I don’t purport to know all the ins and outs of Rand Paul’s record on civil rights and every comment he may have ever delivered on the matter, but I’m always up for a good thrashing aimed at the dopes of MSNBC. In this instance, I think I’ll Stand With Rand.