Cenk calls Rand Paul a 'constitutional hero' for Brennan filibuster

Appearing on "The Young Turks" Wednesday night, host Cenk Uygur called Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) a "constitutional hero" for his filibuster of President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Paul's 13-hour talking filibuster, a rarity in the U.S. Senate, was joined Wednesday by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), all of whom spoke in opposition to the secrecy surrounding the CIA's drone program.

The confirmation of John Brennan, President Obama's nominee to lead the CIA, was advanced Wednesday by a 12-3 vote of Senate Intelligence Committee members -- a tally brokered by the administration's disclosure of secret legal memos underpinning the president's so-called terrorist "kill list," including justifications for killing American citizens abroad.

“I don’t care what [Rand Paul's] opinions on other things are," Uygur told "Young Turks" co-host Michael Shure. "You can call him anything you like, but here he happens to be a constitutional hero."

Shure objected, saying police can shoot at criminal suspects who they think pose an imminent threat and that is often not disputed under the law.

"We're talking about a scenario where we say, 'I'm not giving you a chance to surrender, I'm not giving you your rights. I'm dropping a bomb on you and executing you,'" Uygur said. "That's a totally different scenario."

Despite Paul's filibuster, the longest talking filibuster in recent history, Brennan is still likely to be confirmed by the Senate to head the CIA.

This video is from "The Young Turks," aired Wednesday, March 6, 2013.