Rand Paul appears on 'Fox and Friends' after lung surgery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul says he's ready to move on from the 2017 attack that left him hospitalized.

"My hope is it's a cure now to have that part of the lung removed," he said. "I'm about a week-and-a-half out and getting stronger each day. I feel like I've been in an auto wreck, but I'm getting better."

Paul appeared on Fox and Friends on the Fox News network this week to talk about his recovery. A neighbor attacked him two years ago while the senator was doing yard work at his home in Bowling Green.

After having more symptoms over the summer, doctors said part of his lung needed to be removed.

Paul said he was saddened by the political nature of the response to his recent operation.

"We announced I was having surgery and thousands of people on twitter swarming to wish me that I either died, or someone would assault me again," Paul said. "And I'm somehow perplexed this is supposed to be a right-wing phenomenon.

"But I see thousands of people on Twitter -- this left-wing movement -- wishing I was dead. I'm like, 'Who are these people?'"

Paul says doctors told him he can't fly for three weeks.

Rene Boucher, Paul's former neighbor, served 30 days in federal prison for the attack, after pleading guilty to assaulting a member of Congress.

Boucher broke Paul's ribs with a hard tackle while he was doing yard work. Boucher said the attack was triggered by Paul stacking yard debris near his property line.

He was also sentenced to a year of supervised release, 100 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine. He also ordered Boucher not to have any intentional contact with Paul or his family.

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