Josh Hafner

USA TODAY

Rand Paul's not invited to tonight's Republican debate in South Carolina. His poll numbers weren't high enough, per rules for the Fox Business Network's debate. And Paul, ever the rebel within his own party, declined to join Thursday's undercard debate with Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina, and Rick Santorum.

No matter, Paul decided. He instead publicized the debate snub, using it as a springboard to gain appearances on Fox News, CNN, and even The Dr. Oz Show this week.

On Wednesday, Paul parlayed an appearance on The Daily Show Wednesday into his own one-man debate moderated by host Trevor Noah.

In the segment, the two flipped around a podium to reveal a bar fully stocked with Kentucky bourbon, the favorite export of Paul's home state.

Each bottle bore a label with a campaign issue, which the men discussed as they drank from it.

Noah, representing the American public, said he'd sip every time Paul dodged a question.

Rand Paul: Iowa Poll should qualify me for main debate

"I like to call it 'Issues Bourbon,'" said Noah, picking up a bottle labeled "War In The Middle East"

"Everyone has to bomb the Middle East," Noah said of Republicans. "Everyone has to destroy ISIS at all costs. Do you agree with this?"

Paul, who wants America to meddle less in foreign affairs, responded: "The question is: If you bomb civil centers and you kill civilians, will there be more terrorists or less terrorists?"

"I thought I'd be drinking already," Noah said. "This is going well."

Many experts expected Paul to make a big splash in 2016 with a libertarian message that would capture younger voters. That hasn't happened.



Paul claims his top-5 showing in the latest major Iowa Poll shows he should have made Thursday's debate.

Yet his Daily Show appearance gave him far more camera time than he would have gotten tonight in North Charleston, S.C.

Watch the video here.

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