Chuck Todd Says Ron Paul is the "Godfather" of the Tea Party

On MSNBC's Hardball, Chris Matthews and Chuck Todd discuss the primary victory of Rand Paul, son of Representative Ron Paul (R-TX). Chuck Todd goes on to say that Ron Paul is the "Godfather" of the Tea Party movement.

MATTHEWS: Let‘s go down to Rand Paul, on
the other side where you

have another establishment candidate defeated,
Trey Grayson, who was

sort of anointed by Senate Republican leader
Mitch McConnell. Here‘s

Rand Paul, the upstart, the hero, I must say,
of the tea party people,

the son of Ron Paul who ran for president
last time. Here he is

delivering his message on behalf of the tea
party. Here he is sort of

accepting the crown from them, let‘s listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAND PAUL, KENTUCKY SENATE CANDIDATE: I have
a message, a

message from the tea party, a message that
is loud and clear and does

not mince words. We‘ve come to take our
government back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: Can he win as a tea party guy per
se, or is he going to move to the center?

TODD: Rand Paul did something Mitch McConnell
has never down in the state of Kentucky,

Rand Paul has earned more votes in a Republican
primary,

turned out more Republicans in a Republican
primary in the history of Republican politics

in Kentucky.

This was Mitch McConnell‘s party, it‘s
not Mitch McConnell‘s party,

it‘s Rand Paul‘s party as far as what
you look like tonight.

TODD: Really quickly, who would have thought
that Ron Paul would be the Republican presidential

candidate

with more influence on the Republican Party
in 2010 than any of those other guys that

we covered in ‘08.

Not Fred Thompson, not Mitt Romney, not John
McCain, but Ron Paul? Godfather of the tea

party movement?

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: Ron Paul, who Rudy Giuliani mocked
in every debate.