Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are both set to speech at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting, but Paul says he thinks his message will be better received than Bush's.
During an appearance Wednesday on Fox News Channel's
"The Kelly File," Paul noted that CPAC draws a more conservative crowd. He stressed the word "conservative," which the first "C" in CPAC stands for.
"There's definitely a place for moderates, but it may not be quite the same level of enthusiasm for moderates at this conference," Paul said.
Paul has won the last two presidential straw polls at CPAC, but wouldn't predict whether he would win a third time.
He said he has been taking his message to college campuses, and CPAC draws a younger demographic.
Paul said young people won't like Bush because he is hypocritical on marijuana legalization.
"I think if you talk to young people they're not very tolerant of hypocrisy," Paul said. "And the fact that Jeb admits that when he was in an elite prep school … he smoked pot, but is still willing to put somebody in jail for medical marijuana in Florida...."
Paul said he isn't critical of Bush for his wealth, but for not having compassion on those facing drug charges who are not. Paul said most people who go to jail for drugs are poor minorities, not wealthy white people like Bush who got away with it.
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