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Rand Paul walks out on live interview in third testy media exchange this week

Republican presidential candidate abruptly ends live Guardian interview when pressed for details on white Republicans’ opinion of criminal justice reform

Republican senator Rand Paul walked out of a live interview with the Guardian on Friday, in the third testy exchange he has had with a journalist since launching his campaign for president three days ago.

Paul, who said during his campaign launch on Tuesday he would like to see “any law that disproportionately incarcerates people of color is repealed”, responded awkwardly when asked which specific piece of legislation he would repeal.

In a live broadcast via the smartphone app Periscope, Paul said he had “a host of bills” that would amend or repeal part of the statute.

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Midway through his answer, he added: “Let me answer the question, you complain I don’t answer the question … I am giving you the specifics.”

Paul spoke about the various pieces of bipartisan legislation he has brought to reform the criminal justice system, but did not point to a specific criminal law that he would repeal.

In his final question, he was asked about research showing that white Republicans do not agree with his view that the criminal law is applied in an unequal fashion.

“I think your premise is incorrect,” he said. “Actually I think I can take that message into a white evangelical church anywhere in Iowa and give exactly the same speech and be received well.”

When the reporter attempted a follow-up remark quoting a Washington Post-ABC poll about Republican views on criminal justice, Paul walked off camera.

Dr. Rand Paul ? @RandPaul
We didn't turn the lights off and neither did my staff. CNN producers did. It was time for my interview with @DanaBashCNN - Team Rand

Seconds later, the lights were turned off by a CNN crew about to conduct another interview.

The abrupt ending to the interview followed two heated exchanges with reporters in New Hampshire, with NBC’s Today show and the Associated Press, on Wednesday.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/10/rand-paul-walks-out-live-interview