Flail of the Day.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is calling 2016 rival Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) a “natural-born Canadian” and saying the Supreme Court may need to weigh in on his eligibility for the presidency. “I think without question, everybody would accept that, you know, Cruz is a natural-born Canadian, that he was naturally born there,” Paul said in an interview on Fox News on Monday. “The question is can you be a natural-born Canadian and a natural-born American at the same time, maybe, but I think the courts will have to decide it, because it’s never really been decided.”

There was a time when Scott Walker would have easily won the “Most Disappointing Flame-Out” award for this Republican primary, simply because of how quickly he was forced to exit. Rand Paul’s staying power may now give him the title.

As we get closer to actual votes being cast (or caucused or whatever it is they do up in Iowa), the candidates at the back of this crowded pack have to start throwing anything they can find against the wall to see what sticks. This week, Cruz birtherism is all the rage. Rand Paul had a lot of promise, but jumping on the Trump Wagon for an attack point is as close to a white flag as we’ll see from him until the real thing comes out.

What makes all of this more pathetic to watch is that the people co-opting Trump are being so timid about it. Paul, Carly Fiorina, and even Reince Priebus (who fears a Cruz nomination as much as do Cruz’s opponents) are playing a coy, “Golly gosh, we just don’t know if he’s eligible…” game. It’s truly amazing; you’re watching a bunch of Republicans hoping that the press will do their dirty work for them.

Just like the Democrats do.

And they’re wondering why the outsiders are doing so well.