Ron Paul May Quit

WASHINGTON -- GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is hinting to supporters that he is ending his long-shot campaign for the presidency.

The Texas Republican congressman addressed supporters in a 7 1/2-minute video on his campaign Web site Thursday night and did not specifically say he was quitting the race.

He said that although victory in the conventional political sense is not available in the presidential race, many victories have been achieved due to the hard work and enthusiasm of his supporters.

He said that he hoped that one day he and his supporters could look back and say his campaign was a significant first step that signaled a change in direction for the country.

Paul said their job now was to plan for the next phase of their effort.

"Victory in the conventional political sense"?

Good grief.

On his video message, Paul said:

We must remember elections are short term efforts. Revolutions are long term projects. But even with the past year's achievements, we're still in the early stages of bringing about the changes that this revolution is all about. The most significant achievement of our months of dedicated efforts has been the degree to which the message of liberty has spread throughout the country, and in some ways, around the world.

What is Paul talking about? Revolution? I missed it.

I think Paul is trying to justify raking in millions of dollars from supporters.

He should quit screwing around. His plans to continue his revolution by keeping the meet-up groups meeting are bizarre. Give it up!

Paul ended his non-withdrawal withdrawal from the race with this:

Let me close by saying that we live in dangerous and exciting times. And with world events changing rapidly, our efforts are all that much more important.

An issue that I've been talking about for thirty years is now a key issue of the evening news-- that is the dollar crisis and its economic ramifications. The money issue gives our movement credibility and a chance to offer sound solutions. At the rate our economy is slipping, we will likely see the disintegration of the American empire, and that will be no small event.

Yeah, the disintegration of the American empire that Paul predicts will be no small event.

You know, this really has been a strange, strange primary season.

Desperate Jay Leno and Cult Leader Ron Paul

Due to the writers' strike, Jay Leno is having trouble booking guests. The glitterati don't want to cross the picket line.

Enter Ron Paul.

The last time Paul was a guest on The Tonight Show was October 30, 2007.

He had a brief segment then, sandwiched between Tom Cruise and the Sex Pistols.

This time, Leno allowed Paul to blather on and on -- the same old, same old.

The audience was packed with Paul followers, cheering his every word. Wow, I didn't see that coming.

Paul's tired lines aren't worth chronicling here.

Two things of very slight interest:

1.) Paul said that among the Democrat candidates that he likes most is Dennis Kucinich. He said Kucinich is closest to him when it comes to sharing similar views. The Paul groupies in the audience roared their approval.

Paul said, "He understands civil liberties. He understands a lot about foreign policy."

Yes, and Kucinich also understands UFOs.

I wonder if the Paulites will condemn their leader for crossing the picket line.

I can't back that up. I don't really wonder about that at all. Of course, they won't. They'll probably go online and raise a million dollars in honor of Paul's late night appearance.

2.) Leno slammed FOX News for not including Paul in the debate on Sunday night. He concluded Paul's visit with this: "Well, thanks for coming. I just wanted to clear up that thing. I thought it was blatantly unfair and thanks for coming by."

Good grief, Leno is desperate.
__________________

The Ron Paul faithful attacked Sean Hannity when he returned "to his hotel after crazy Ron Paul protesters rallied outside of a restaurant he was visiting in Manchester, New Hampshire."



Watch that and tell me they aren't wackos. Impossible.

Ron Paul should distance himself from those loons and strongly condemn their behavior. By staying silent, he's condoning what they did.

Another reason why Paul cannot be taken seriously.

Ron Paul is Unfit to Serve

I can deal with the fact that Ron Paul is a nutjob.

What's more troubling to me is that he has amassed a group of such committed followers.

I don't understand how they can ignore Paul's positively loony, truly dangerous side.

Posted by Doug, at Free Republic:

For those who have doubts that Ron Paul would be an acceptable commander in chief, your doubts would have been absolutely confirmed if you listened to him this morning on WHO 1040 talk radio in Des Moines, Iowa.

He came on Jan Mickelson's show at about 8:50am, Pacific Time. I was the second caller.

After complimenting him on his commitment to the Constitution, I asked a question about foreign policy. If any of you can pull the podcast, you can hear the conversation.

The question went something like this: Dr. Paul, if a shipment of nuclear tipped missiles was heading from North Korea to Iran, knowing the position of Ahmadinejad and the mullahs, would you stop that ship or sink it?

His answer was stunning. He very quickly answwered, "No, why would we do that?" After that question back to me, he commented that there was almost zero chance of that happening. He said that if he knew they planned to use them against us, he would take action. But they know they would be obliterated.

I wanted to challenge him further over Iran's stated goal of destroying Israel, but I was apparently cut off by the host and couldn't do it.

There you go, folks. Dr. Paul is an unthinkable commander in chief.

And people have donated millions of dollars to get this man elected to be the president of the United States?

Unbelievable.

Ron Paul on Meet the Press

As part of the "Meet the Candidates" series on Meet the Press, Tim Russert gave Ron Paul a meager 30 minute segment.

Russert was very meek and mild in the beginning of the interview. He didn't challenge Paul or ask follow-up questions. Russert seemed to be treating Paul like a goofy, old uncle, outwardly showing a bit of respect for him but not even bothering to take his ramblings seriously.

Russert began with Paul's plan to abolish the IRS.

With the tone of an aide working in a mental hospital, Russert pointed out that would be a huge loss of revenue for the U.S. It would take away half the government's income.

Paul said that we wouldn't need it if we had a responsible foreign policy. He suggested that we bring ALL troops home, including those in Germany and Korea.

He said that because of U.S. troops being stationed around the world, "We get into trouble."

On foreign policy issues, Paul is NOT smarter than a fifth grader.

Paul wants to cut off all aid to Israel. That would be another area of savings for the government. Yeah, that's a good idea, abandon the only thriving democracy in Middle East.

Clearly, Paul's plan for the country requires the sort of isolationism that existed before we had air travel and the telephone.

Another idiotic statement came when Paul said there's a moral equivalency between Islamic radicals who want to take over the world and Americans meddling in the business of other countries.

It's that sort of stuff that really bugs me.

Most of what Paul says I can dismiss as babbling from a harmless extremist eccentric, the old uncle a bit off his rocker. But when he puts terrorists on the same moral plane as our officials and our military men and women, I have a problem.

Russert also noted that Paul wants to abolish the FBI and the CIA and only keep the Defense Department.

Paul definitely wants a bare bones government.

Russert launched many of his questions by referring to things Paul said during his 1988 presidential run as a Libertarian.

Russert slapped up a statement from Paul saying that he would abolish the public schools. Paul said he thought that was a misquote. He said he has no plan to abolish the public schools. It's funny that he wants to get rid of the IRS, the FBI, and the CIA, but he wants to hold on to the failed public school system.

At this point, Russert got a bit more engaged and energized. It was as if the coffee finally kicked in.

He pointed out that Paul voted against aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina, but when it comes to his district, he likes to be Santa Claus. This anti-big government guy consistently puts in dozens of earmarks for his district.

Paul countered, "I've never voted for an earmark in my life."

Russert suggested that he puts earmarks in bills, knowing they will pass. Russert evoked John Kerry's "I voted for it before I voted against it" remark.

Paul claimed it was different. He said the people of his district deserve the funds. "It's like taking a tax credit."

Paul went on to say, "I vote against everything."

hehehe

Russert argued that Paul has no qualms about taking the money when the bills pass.

Paul said, "I don't take it. It's the system."

Good grief.

On term limits, Russert questioned how Paul could run on term limits yet he's been in Congress for 18 years.

Paul said, "But I never ran on voluntary term limits."

HAHAHA

Regarding immigration, in 1988, Paul said, "There shouldn't be any immigration policy at all."

To explain his flip flop, Paul said, "Conditions have changed." He said, "It's an economic issue." Now it's necessary to control immigration.

OK...

In 1988, Paul said, "All drugs should be decriminalized."

He stood by that, saying that the War on Drugs is totally out of control. He said, "I think drugs are horrible... Prescription drugs are worse than hard drugs."

OK, Dr. Paul...

Russert brought up a statement from 2004, when Paul said that he would have voted against the Civil Rights Act because it actually caused racial tensions.

He claims the Civil Rights Act had nothing to do with race relations. It was about private property rights.

OK...

Russert brought up Paul's belief that "Abe Lincoln should never have gone to war." He said there were better ways to get rid of slavery, citing that every other major country in the world got rid of slavery without a civil war.

I hope some fanatical Paulites don't run out and deface the Lincoln memorial.

Some more quotes from Paul that Russert tossed out:

Ron Paul says that Ronald Reagan was a "dramatic failure."

In 1992, he said, "Bush [41] is a bum."

Russert quoted Paul's statement on resigning from the Republican Party before he ran in 1988.

Russert asked, "Why are you running as a Republican?"

Paul said it was because Republicans don't stand for Republican ideals anymore.

OK...

Russert wanted to know, "Will you run as an independent?"

Paul said, "I have no intention of doing that."

Russert wanted to pin him down, saying, "The door's open a little bit."

Paul replied, "Not very much."

Finally, the Huckabee "floating cross" commercial:

On CNN, Paul related Huckabee's campaign commercial to a quote some attribute to Sinclair Lewis, that fascism will come to this country "wrapped in a flag, carrying a cross."

Paul said he was blind-sided during the interview. It was an "instantaneous reflex." He hadn't seen the ad at the time.

Paul tried to make amends with Huckabee, saying the ad doesn't represent fascism. However, Paul insisted that this country has been moving toward fascism in the last 100 years.

"The country's moving in that direction."

OK...

What's stunning to me is that Paul has so many followers.

Listening to the guy talk for 30 minutes, I find that absolutely stunning. STUNNING.

No Respect for Ron Paul

There are some things money can't buy.

Respect is one of them.

From the New York Sun:

Rep. Ron Paul's stunning fundraising prowess may or may not buy him a ticket out of New Hampshire, but there's no sign the Republican presidential candidate has managed to buy any respect from the Washington establishment. Asked for advice on how Dr. Paul could convert his millions to votes, several prominent political consultants and analysts said, in essence, he can't.

"Ron Paul's only option is to buy as many flat screen TVs as he can, put 'Ron Paul' bumper stickers on them, and hand them out to voters in New Hampshire," the manager of Robert Dole's 1996 presidential campaign, Scott Reed, said. "I just don't see where he goes. … He will probably be the only presidential candidate ever to have a surplus when he drops out, because he has an incredible amount of money and no campaign strategy to win."

"I don't think Ron Paul is a serious candidate who will make any significant difference," a political newsletter publisher, Charles Cook, said. "Money or no money, I don't think Paul will be a factor and don't waste time thinking about him."

"I'd tell him to go buy a home in the Bahamas," another top pundit, Stuart Rothenberg, joked.

Paul gets no respect, no respect at all.

He's a sort of the Rodney Dangerfield among the candidates, except Dangerfield was intentionally funny and a success. It's more accurate to say that Paul is like the Rodney "I get no respect" Dangerfield character.

Dangerfield was a well-respected entertainer. Paul is a not a well-respected politician.

But he can raise money.

Dr. Paul, who has languished between 4% and 8% in opinion polls, is drawing attention for reeling in unheard-of amounts of money through one-day online fund-raisers. The first such event last month raised $4.2 million. Another held on Sunday raised $6 million. As of last night, Dr. Paul's campaign reported it had raised almost $18.5 million in the fourth quarter, a figure almost certain to outstrip any other candidate, Republican or Democrat.

...Dr. Paul's campaign did not respond to questions yesterday about any plans for the newly raised funds. However, they have said previously that they would produce new television ads and hire additional staffers in states like California and Florida.

Analysts were dubious that would help Dr. Paul's numbers rise. "The problem with Ron Paul is he doesn't fit his party," Mr. Rothenberg said. "He's barking up the wrong tree," Mr. Reed added. Unlike all the major Republican candidates, Dr. Paul, 72, opposed the Iraq War and the Patriot Act. However, the congressman, who represents the Galveston, Tex., area, also favors abolishing all foreign aid and most of the federal government. He speaks with sincerity about shrinking the government to its size in the early 20th century, doing away with Medicare, Social Security, NASA, and a host of other popular government programs that he contends are unauthorized by the Constitution.

What is Paul going to do with all that money?

It's not like he's serious about being president.

Fringe Ron Paul

Ron Paul is a fringe candidate.

As the Associated Press notes, he finds fans and funds on the fringe.

Those who dismissed Rep. Ron Paul as a joke in the Republican presidential primary campaign aren't laughing so hard these days.

Wrong.

I dismissed him as a joke and I'm still laughing, hard.

...Paul remains a very long shot for the nomination. But as the only Republican candidate backing a prompt troop withdrawal from Iraq — and an airing of possible impeachment charges against Vice President Dick Cheney — he appeals to a mix of liberals and conservatives who feel alienated and deeply distrustful of the government.

I don't think Paul appeals to liberals or conservatives. He appeals to nutjobs. They just happen to call themselves libs or conservatives.

"Where the extreme left and the extreme right meet, you'll find Ron Paul," said Merle Black, an Emory University political scientist and co-author of the book "Divided America."

That is so wrong.

Ron Paul does not represent the middle, the moderate, the center of the extremes.

Paul doesn't fall anywhere along the Left-Right continuum. He's floating off elsewhere, totally disconnected.

...Presidential debate moderators typically pay scant attention to Paul and two other House members seen as fringe candidates. But he has triggered some crackling exchanges on the Iraq war, unusual for primary campaign debates in which most candidates hold similar views.

At a mid-May debate in South Carolina, Paul infuriated Rudy Giuliani and others by saying U.S. troops' presence in Saudi Arabia contributed to al-Qaida's decision to attack the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

"If we think that we can do what we want around the world and not incite hatred, then we have a problem," Paul said. "They don't come here to attack us because we're rich and we're free. They come and they attack us because we're over there."

Many Republicans condemned the remarks. But Paul's supporters rhapsodize about his candor and integrity on Web sites and at "meet ups."

Of course many Republicans condemned Paul's lunacy.

Of course, Giuliani was infuriated by Paul's remarks. Paul was pulling a "blame America first" move.

Byron York describes what happened:

Questioner Wendell Goler, of Fox News, asked, “Are you suggesting we invited the 9/11 attack, sir?”

“I’m suggesting that we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it,” Paul said. “They don’t come here to attack us because we’re rich and we’re free. They come and they attack us because we’re over there.”

Enter Giuliani. “May I comment on that?” the mayor said, interrupting the orderly flow of things for the first time in the debate. “That’s really an extraordinary statement. That’s an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don’t think I’ve heard that before, and I’ve heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th.”

The audience loved it. As the applause built, Giuliani added, “And I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn’t really mean that.”

I think that was a defining moment for Paul.

He marginalized himself as a loon.

I sincerely believe that Paul doesn't have a realistic view of recent history. Studying a simple timeline might be a good first step for him to overcome that serious flaw in his qualifications to be president.

The fact that his supporters "rhapsodize about his candor and integrity on Web sites and at 'meet ups' " reveals that his supporters are out of touch with reality as well.

Ron Paul Supporters Remember the 5th of November

Ron Paul had a good Monday.

According to Paul's website, he's hauled in nearly $4 million in one day.

That's amazing.

It's stunning.

It's frightening.

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, aided by an extraordinary outpouring of Internet support Monday, hauled in more than $4.2 million in nearly 24 hours.

Paul, the Texas congressman with a libertarian tilt and an out-of-Iraq pitch, entered heady fundraising territory with a surge of Web-based giving tied to the commemoration of Guy Fawkes Day.

Fawkes was a British mercenary who failed in his attempt to kill King James I on Nov. 5, 1605. He also was the model for the protagonist in the movie "V for Vendetta." Paul backers motivated donors on the Internet with mashed-up clips of the film on the online video site YouTube as well as the Guy Fawkes Day refrain: "Remember, remember the 5th of November."

Paul's total deposed Mitt Romney as the single-day fundraising record holder in the Republican presidential field. When it comes to sums amassed in one day, Paul now ranks only behind Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton, who raised nearly $6.2 million on June 30, and Barack Obama.

Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the effort began independently about two months ago at the hands of Paul's backers. He said Paul picked up on the movement, mentioning in it speeches and interviews.

The Paulites are basking in their accomplishment. Even they are having troubling comprehending what they've done.

Is it possible to comprehend what we've done today? Earth-shattering, jaw-dropping... No matter which way you phrase it, Ron Paul is for real.

Over $3,800,000 raised.

More than 35,000 total donations.

1 message - and 1 candidate - unlike any other.

Can we keep our momentum going? The most successful fundraising day ever is John Kerry's $5.7 million. And that was on the day he accepted the Democratic nomination.

Let's do it: https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate

Jonathan Bydlak
Fundraising Director
Ron Paul 2008

The Paulites believe that their candidate is no longer a long shot.

They're kidding themselves. It doesn't matter how much money Paul picks up. He won't be the Republican nominee. No way.

Will he try a third party run?

If he does, I don't think it would hurt the Republicans more than it would hurt the Democrats. It would probably be a wash, but more likely to hurt the Dems.

If the '08 election is about the war in Iraq, if that's the defining issue, then a Paul candidacy would likely peel away votes from the Dem nominee.

From ABC News:

"Remember, Remember, the fifth of November," cries the call for cash.

The catchy slogan comes from a nursery rhyme about Guy Fawkes, the 17th-century crusader for Catholics rights caught in the basement of parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He failed in his mission to blow the place up.

ABC News tracked down Trevor Lyman, the man behind the Web site that coordinated Paul's one-day money bomb on his cell phone in line at a Miami Starbucks, where the whir of the barista making his lunchtime latte could be heard in the background.

Lyman, 37, is not your average political fundraiser.

His day job is running a music promotion Web site, but he spends his free time at the helm of the grassroots Web site that conspired in online chat forums and meetup groups to send a fundraising bomb in support of Paul.

But Lyman, who has never worked for a campaign before -- and still doesn't, technically -- describes himself as "mostly apathetic" when it comes to politics, started supporting Paul back when the congressman was just exploring a presidential run.

He started a Web site devoted to Paul videos, the tagline for which is "Televising the Revolution."

The first video featured when we visited showed surfers how to use holiday lights to create and illuminated "Ron Paul Revolution" yard decoration.

Lyman launched his most recent site only on Oct. 18, and he is hoping to move back to New Hampshire soon, not to work on the campaign, just because he went to college there and said it would be a better place than Miami to raise a family.

Asked if it is appropriate to invoke a nursery rhyme about a man who tried to blow up parliament in the 17th-century as a fundraising tool, Lyman said, "Some people want to go that way. We're not going in any way violent."

He said the idea sprang up when he saw someone propose a mass one-day online fundraising drive in a Ron Paul meetup group.

The date Nov. 5 corresponded with the movie "V for Vendetta" and the Guy Fawkes rhyme.

"If you look at the pop culture feel-good message of the movie," Lyman said, "the people in the end say we are the deciders. That's the best way to describe it. And this is a country of and by the people."

"The entire notion of Bush saying he is the decider when 70 or 80 percent of the country wants out of the war is ridiculous. He acts like a dictator."

This Guy Fawkes stuff is pretty weird.

I think of Paul as the leader of a cult, but with a twist. Rather than Paul being a charismatic figure capable of manipulating people to follow him, it seems that his followers have thrust Paul into the role of savior.

Doesn't Paul appear like he's just going along for the ride, like he's confused?

If money is power, than the media might start treating Paul with some respect instead of as an oddity. Paul's fellow Republican candidates might begin to give him a bit of attention.

However, even with Paul's incredibly successful 5th of November, he's not going to gain traction with Republican voters.

Why? Because he acts like a loon.

He's not going to gain traction among the Dems because that party has a stable full of loons to appeal to Leftists.

Paul's fundraising success is the result of having a loyal band of core fanatics coupled with his supporters' ability to harness the Internet to organize a nationwide effort.

What I don't understand is why so many people were willing to throw their money down the drain.

It's sort of scary.



Really weird.
____________________

I thought this was amusing:

Sen. Barack Obama has Oprah Winfrey, Sen. Hillary Clinton has Magic Johnson and Rep. Ron Paul, the online star of the primary race, has Sean Morley, aka Val Venis, the popular WWE pro wrestler who pretends to be an adult film star.

And like many of the Paulites, the Texas congressman's loyal, Web-savvy supporters, Morley is blogging about Paul on his own site. "I can't really say what my support means. But, you know, I first heard about him two years ago, and I've studied his voting record and I'm convinced that more than any candidate, Republican or Democrat, he's the most principled candidate out there," Morley, a libertarian, told The Trail this afternoon. "By the way, I'm at Denny's outside LAX. Here for a fight later tonight. I'm wearing a Ron Paul T-shirt. It's a great day for Ron Paul, you know."

Val Venis is no Oprah.

Ron Paul and Jay Leno

The Tonight Show had an eclectic lineup of guests on Tuesday -- Tom Cruise, Ron Paul, and the Sex Pistols.

Tom Cruise is not a great talk show guest. He always seems uncomfortable to me.

With Ron Paul, it's a different story. I'm uncomfortable with him.

When he was introduced, the audience cheered. The band of Paul supporters were out in force.

Leno began the interview talking about Paul's past jobs.

As a doctor, he delivered 4000 babies.

Paul said he spent five years in the Air Force as a flight surgeon.

Leno said he was in two noble professions. He asked how Paul got in the "sleazy one."

Paul babbled about being fascinated by economics and that led to his political career.

Paul said he's always been a Republican. He just took "a break" for a year when he ran for president as a libertarian.

Explaining his popularity in spite of being way out of the top tier of candidates, Paul said, "My views are very popular."

"Young people love it."

On the subject of taxes, Paul said he wants a flat tax.

"I wanna make it real flat, like zero."

On Iraq, Paul said he wants to get out now and bring the troops home.

"I mean it was a mistake to go in. We shouldn't have gone in. We didn't go in properly."

"Our national defense is in shambles."

"Our troops are disenchanted. The troops are complaining."

"I actually think we're more vulnerable for another attack under the conditions today than we were even before 9/11."

With the War on Terrorism, "our greatest threat is the threat to our civil liberties here at home."

He doesn't sound like a Republican on that issue, not even remotely.

Paul talked about his supporters and the Internet's impact on his campaign.

He said, "The message is powerful."

Paul said, "I have shortcomings, but the message has no shortcomings."

Speaking of his chances for success in the '08 election, he added, "I would say, yes, there's probably a risk I could win."

The audience, packed with the Ron Paul groupies, went nuts.

Leno asked if he'd accept the VP spot.

He said to laughs from the audience that he probably wouldn't be offered.

No kidding. That's one of the most intelligent things I've heard Paul say.

On the subject of the VP spot on the ticket, he said, "It would be real hard for me to accept a vice presidency in an adminstration that endorsed everything I didn't believe in. I wouldn't be able to that."

Question: What is Paul doing running as a Republican?

Leno said he was impressed with the 72-year-old Paul and how he relates to young people.

Leno was a gracious host. He treated him with respect, which was nice.

It would have been nicer if Leno had asked Paul some tougher questions, challenging him on some of his loonier positions; but this is an entertainment show, not Meet the Press. I won't fault Leno for being kind to a senior citizen.

Speaking of senior citizens, the Sex Pistols were awful. "Anarchy in the UK" doesn't have the same edge when it's performed by such old guys. Their music doesn't work as a nostalgia act. It was sad.

Some legends lose their luster when they try to comeback.

"It's better to burn out than to fade away."

I guess the Sex Pistols have opted for fade away. Too bad.

Rabid Mall Rat Ron Paul

John Ziegler of KFI AM 640 interviewed Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Tuesday, the anniversary of 9/11.

The solemn day didn't temper Paul's looniness.

Paul said that 9/11 "wasn't an inside job, but I don't think we've had the real truth either."

Not an inside job. Wow.

Paul gets points for not being as crazy as Rosie O'Donnell or Kevin Barrett.

This exchange was priceless:

Zig: Now, you're running for president, Ron Paul. When would you go to war?

Paul: When it's declared.

What a leader!

Zig: OK, what would be a good cause to declare a war?

Paul: Somebody attacked us.

Zig: And you don't think we were attacked on 9/11.

Paul: Not by a country.

Zig: So unless you're attacked by a country with a flag, and a state, and some boundaries, you don't go to war.

Paul: Well, how can you go to war against a tactic? Terrorism is a tactic.

Zig: I agree with that.

Paul: Timothy, Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist. Did we declare war after that?

Zig: Well, wait a minute. Hold on a second. Timothy McVeigh was not linked to a worldwide...

Paul: You don't know.

Zig: Well, there's no evidence...

Paul: There's some people who think that he might have been.

Zig: There's no evidence that he was.

Paul: But I'm saying that terrorism isn't easy to define.

Zig: To compare 9/11 to Timothy McVeigh, to me, shows an incredible amount of ignorance about the nature of Islamic facism.

Good grief.

I don't understand how Paul has managed to get anyone to support him. He's a nut.

We know Paul is weird.

He's that goofy, inconsequential candidate -- the comic relief.

Some more bizarre, "Dale Gribble" sort of comments:

Paul: Our greatest threat to our freedom is our own government.

Paul: We have done more to undermine our liberties than the al Qaeda has ever done to us.

Typical Ron Paul drivel. It's reckless and irresponsible, the rantings of a fool. He's not a player in this election. He's a joke.

The following comments from Paul, however, aren't the least bit funny. When talking about Iraq, Paul bashes the troops.

It's plain and simple. His words aren't taken out of context. They are what they are -- SICK.

When Ziegler remarks that we haven't been attacked since 9/11, Paul responds:

Paul:No, because we're over there and they get to kill us so much easier, while we're over there in their yard.

Zig:Wait, wait a minute. Get to kill...That's an insult to our military, Congressman. Get to kill us? You don't think that our military...

Paul: It makes it a lot easier to kill Americans when we're in their country than it is to come over here.

Zig:Wait a minute. It's a hell of a lot easier, to use your terminology, to blow up a mall, if they could pull it off, because people in a mall aren't armed.

Paul: But we have security...

Zig: So you're saying security guards in a mall do a better job than U.S. Marines in Iraq?

Paul: So far. So far they're doing pretty well.

This U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE said that mall security guards are doing a better job than Marines in Iraq.

That's inexcusable. It's an absolutely reprehensible remark.

He completely dismisses how honorably the Marines are serving in Iraq, their courage and their sacrifice.

Ron Paul has always been irrelevant on the '08 presidential landscape. The one and only reason he's received any attention at all is because of his band of crazed supporters, the odd phenomenon of Paul's appeal, the Paul cult.

But after this interview, his campaign is dead. It's over.

Paul doesn't deserve to stand on the same stage as the other Republican candidates and debate with them. He doesn't deserve to be included as part of the Republican '08 field.

No reasonable American would support him.

The man isn't just a joke. He's a disgrace, to himself and the nation.

Paul owes the Marines an apology.

He owes their families an apology.

Paul owes every man and woman who has served in Iraq and elsewhere in the War on Terror an apology.

Paul should apologize to all Americans and fade away.

___________________________

Hear the full interview here.

Ron Paul Wins ANOTHER Republican Debate

According to a completely unscientific FOX News online poll, the clear winner of last night's debate was Ron Paul.

Was there any doubt in your mind that would be the case?

FOX has posted debate reaction.

A sample:

"Ron Paul wins all the time because he is the only one who upholds the United States Constitution 100 percent." — Gerrit (Ephrata, PA)

"Ron Paul won last night’s debate. He has the courage to stand alone against seven others who think alike on foreign policy. Ron Paul is the successor to Reagan and "pre 9-11" Bush. From where I sat in the seventh row the crowd seemed to love him. Thanks for hosting a super event." — Lincoln

"The winner of this debate and of the last three Republican debates is Ron Paul. Any time a candidate defends true constitutionalism, he is the winner. I know his position on Iraq is not popular, but he is right. It is an unconstitutional war and one we cannot win." — Scott (Lake City, FL)

"Love Huckabee...but Ron Paul represents the 1776 Gentleman Farmer - a man of common sense who loves this country. I'm changing my support to Ron Paul." — Fred (Dacula, GA)

"I sincerely believe that Congressman Ron Paul won the debate tonight. Since World War II the United States has not declared a war and since that time we have also not won a war. The idea that we can even "win" the war in Iraq is ridiculous because we never declared who it was against or what it was for." — Luke (Florida)

“Thanks for airing this debate. Ron Paul sure blew the doors off that place!” — Christian

”Ron Paul won. The others just stated the same, boring, PC rhetoric. Paul spoke from his heart and it was apparent with all the cheers that Im not the only one who thinks so.” — M.D.

”Ron Paul was the clear winner tonight!” — John

”I think that Ron Paul was the best in the debate! He is someone that speaks truth and isn't a phony, but he doesn't fit the powerful peoples' agendas!” — Matt Holder

“The poll after the debate shows the clear leader of the pack. Ron Paul is the only hope for America.” — Dan

”Clearly, Ron Paul won the debate. He was the only candidate that was honest and straight forward with his answers. He stands for the Constitution and the people of the United States. Giuliani is far from impressing. He has forfeited the second amendment and he answers every question the same way. He talks about how he lowered the crime rate in NYC and how it is the safest large city in the nation, NYC, NYC, NYC....NYC. I want to hear about the nation as a whole, not just one city.” — Christy

”Ron Paul won this debate. He is the only one who set himself apart from the pack. The others were bland and similar in every answer. Ron Paul had the right answers for the debate and the future of our country!” — James (Milford, New Jersey)

”Clearly Ron Paul won the debate, he was the only candidate that seems to be speaking reason up there.” — Daniel

This is sad. These people appear to be clinically delusional and in need of professional help.

Watch Huckabee mop the floor with "clear winner" Ron Paul.



Read the transcript.

MR. WALLACE: Governor Huckabee, the latest National Intelligence Estimate, which is out recently, says that even if we continue the troop surge -- and we're going to put it up on the screen -- Iraq's security will continue to improve modestly during the next six to 12 months, but levels of insurgent and sectarian violence will remain high, and the Iraqi government will continue to struggle to achieve national-level political reconciliation and improved governance.

Governor, if that's the best we can hope for, should we continue the surge?

MR. HUCKABEE: We have to continue the surge. And let me explain why, Chris. When I was a little kid, if I went into a store with my mother, she had a simple rule for me. If I picked something off the shelf of the store and I broke it, I bought it.

I learned don't pick something off the shelf I can't afford to buy.

Well, what we did in Iraq, we essentially broke it. It's our responsibility to do the best we can to try to fix it before we just turn away because something is at stake. Senator McCain made a great point, and let me make this clear. If there's anybody on this stage that understands the word honor, I've got to say Senator McCain understands that word -- (applause, cheers) -- because he has given his country a sacrifice the rest of us don't even comprehend. (Continued applause.)

And on this issue, when he says we can't leave until we've left with honor, I 100 percent agree with him because, Congressman, whether or not we should have gone to Iraq is a discussion that historians can have, but we're there. We bought it because we broke it. We've got a responsibility to the honor of this country and to the honor of every man and woman who has served in Iraq and ever served in our military to not leave them with anything less than the honor that they deserve. (Cheers, applause.)

MR. HUME: Go ahead. You wanted to respond? He just addressed you; you go ahead and respond. (Continued applause.)

REP. PAUL: The American people didn't go in. A few people advising this administration, a small number of people called the neoconservative hijacked our foreign policy. They're responsible, not the American people. They're not responsible. We shouldn't punish them. (Cheers, applause.)

MR. HUCKABEE: Congressman, we are one nation. We can't be divided. We have to be one nation under God. That means if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country, the United States of America, not the divided states of America. (Cheers.)

REP. PAUL: No. When we make a mistake -- (interrupted by applause) -- when we make a mistake, it is the obligation of the people through their representatives to correct the mistake, not to continue the mistake! (Cheers, applause.)

MR. HUCKABEE: And that's what we do on the floor of the --

REP. PAUL: No! We've dug a hole for ourselves and we dug a hole for our party!

We're losing elections and we're going down next year if we don't change it, and it has all to do with foreign policy, and we have to wake up to this fact.

MR. HUCKABEE: Even if we lose elections, we should not lose our honor, and that is more important to the Republican Party.

REP. PAUL: We're losing -- we've lost over -- (cheers, applause) -- we have lost -- we have lost 5,000 Americans killed in -- we've lost over 5,000 Americans over there in Afghanistan and Iraq and plus the civilians killed. How many more do you want to lose? How long are we going to be there? How long -- what do we have to pay to save face? That's all we're doing is saving face. It's time we came home!

Ron Paul is a real winner, isn't he?

Ron Paul Frightened by Followers' Fervor

Hugh Hewitt's brief interview with Ron Paul is an eyeopener.

Some highlights:

--Paul is "flabbergasted" by the energy of his supporters.

--Paul says, "Sometimes it's sort of amazing to me and a little bit frightening that we can galvanize so many people."

--Paul almost rules out the possiblity of a third party candidacy. "To me it's like 99.9 per cent. I have no plans to do that."

--When asked if he'll support whoever the Republican nominee is, Paul replies, "That would very questionable."

--Paul did NOT support George W. Bush in 2000 or 2004.

--Paul doesn't recall if he supported Bob Dole in 1996.

--Paul has supported Libertarian candidates "on occasion."

(h/t Wordsmith at Flopping Aces)
____________________

Watch Hugh Hewitt talk to Ron Paul supporters here and here and here.

Call Ron Paul

Some of Ron Paul's supporters have stepped over the line.

They lie and weasel their way on to talk radio shows.

Since Paul's supporters are being so disrespectful, it's time to alert Paul's office that the tactics his supporters employ actually make the presidential hopeless hopeful appear to be a quack.

The same goes for his supporters' Internet tactics. Very disrespectful.

I'm sure Paul would appreciate hearing how the pro-Pauls are serving to alienate the Americans that Paul wants to win over.

He has no chance of winning the Republican nomination. Zero.

It's time for Paul to drop out of the race. Let him know.

Ron Paul's Washington office:
202-225-2831

Republican Debate: The Ron Paul Cult

UPDATE:

Get enlightened: Go inside "The Cult."

Ronstock '08

"First we're spaming the polls, now we're spaming the audiences. lol"


llepard

"Get in there and add some comments. Her rant should not be allowed to stand unchallenged. No registration required."

________________________

The Republican presidential wannabes spent this Sunday morning participating in a debate aired live on ABC. It was an exteneded version of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Naturally, Stephanopoulos moderated the debate.

"Real Americans" asked the questions. The format was reminiscent of the YouTube debate, without the goofiness factor.

I didn't watch the whole thing, but I watched enough to note that whenever Ron Paul said anything the auditorium erupted in cheers.

What did that indicate? It revealed that nearly every person in the country supporting Paul decided to attend that debate.

I definitely prefer a zero tolerance policy when it comes to applause at political debates.

When cheering is not kept in check, the atmosphere becomes more Jerry Springer than serious discussion by presidential candidates.

Although supporters of each candidate applauded with approval after their man spoke, Paul's group seemed disproportionately louder and more obnoxious.



Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, stands at the podium prior to the ABC News Republican presidential debate at Sheslow Auditorium on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin Sanders)


Of course, the Iraq war was addressed. And of course, Ron Paul was utterly clueless. He's even worse than some Democrats on that issue.

When it comes to matters of foreign policy, he's more naive than Barack Obama, and that's saying a lot.

Mitt Romney got in a good line about Obama. It was scripted, not an off-the-cuff remark, but it still was good.

Romney said:

"I mean, in one week he went from saying he's going to sit down, you know, for tea, with our enemies, but then he's going to bomb our allies. I mean, he's gone from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in one week."

I wonder if Hillary Clinton's campaign forwarded Romney that line.

Anyway, back to Iraq...

QUESTION: If you were president, what would be your strategy for ending the war in Iraq?

RON PAUL: Just come home. We just marched in, we can just come home. We went in there illegally. We did not declare war. It's lasting way too long. We didn't declare war in Korea or Vietnam. The wars were never really ended. We lose those wars. We're losing this one. We shouldn't be there. We ought to just come home.

Good grief.

He has the depth of understanding of a fifth grader. No, that's being unfair to fifth graders.

He speaks with the wisdom of a drunk in the gutter. No, that's being unfair to drunks.

I think Paul is intoxicated with his cult status. He gives his followers what they want and what they want is sheer lunacy.

"Just come home"?

That's insane. Truly.

Look at ABC's unscientific poll on the winner of the debate.

I'm shocked! Ron Paul ran away with it! The public adores Paul.

He's a real contender to be the nominee.

What a joke!

I would vote for Hillary before I'd cast a vote for Ron Paul.

Thank God it will NEVER come to that. No chance. No way.

Longshot Ron Paul

AP reports that Ron Paul is a longshot to win the Republican nomination.

Wow.

That's news.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Ron Paul may be the political butterfly of the 2008 presidential campaign. An obscure congressman from Southeast Texas for most of his political career, Paul has metamorphosed into the favorite of those looking for a candidate outside the political mainstream.

Paul isn't outside the political mainstream. I'd see he's much farther away than that. He's "Roswell" outside.

Legions of die-hard fans formed across the country after Republican candidate debates and Internet blogs exposed his contrarian views.

Paul, 71, remains one of the longest of long shots for the GOP nomination, but that hasn't deterred supporters from making cold calls to voters in early contest states, plastering the Internet with plaudits, and loudly challenging Paul's White House rivals at campaign stops.

"I honestly believe that Congressman Ron Paul, as crazy as it might sound, I believe he is the father of the modern Republican Party," said Jason Stoddard, 31, an Austin, Texas, entrepreneur who has no formal ties to Paul's campaign but has made more than a thousand calls to Iowa voters urging their support.

That worries me a bit, that there are a significant number of die-hard Ron Paul supporters. It's like a cult.

Heaven's Gate and Comet Hale-Bopp come to mind.

...National opinion polls of Republican primary voters generally show his support at about 2 percent. And while he's accumulated a cache of campaign dollars, Paul's not spending most of it. He has spent just $650,000 this year, the third-least of all 2008 presidential candidates, according to federal campaign finance reports.

Two percent -- that's Joe Biden numbers.

That's bad.

GOP Presidential Candidates Get Smart

After Monday's truly embarrassing CNN/YouTube Democrat debate, I commented:

I think the Republicans should boycott the CNN/YouTube debate scheduled for September.

It was so lame.

That upcoming YouTube debate will probably keep Fred Thompson from announcing until it's passed.

Other than John McCain and nutjob Ron Paul, the Republicans aren't signing up to take part.

From the Washington Post:

Four days after the Democratic debate in Charleston, S.C., more than 400 questions directed to the GOP presidential field have been uploaded on YouTube, as Republicans are scheduled to take their turn at video-populism on Sept. 17.

But only Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) have agreed to participate in the debate, co-hosted by the Republican Party of Florida in St. Petersburg.

"Aside from those two candidates, we haven't heard from anyone else," said Sam Feist of CNN, which is co-sponsoring the debate with the popular video-sharing site.

Rudolph W. Giuliani and Mitt Romney, both with dozens of videos on their YouTube channels, have not signed up. Neither have the rest of the Republican candidates, including Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.), whose "Tancredo Takes" on his YouTube channel draw hundreds of views. Sources familiar with the Giuliani campaign said the former New York mayor is unlikely to participate. Kevin Madden, Romney's spokesman, said the former Massachusetts governor has seven debate invitations over a span of 11 days in September.

"We haven't committed to any of them yet," Madden said.

In an interview Wednesday with the New Hampshire Union Leader, Romney said he's not a fan of the CNN/YouTube format. Referring to the video of a snowman asking the Democratic candidates about global warming, Romney quipped, "I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman."

Finally, at least some of the Republican candidates are doing something right.

The CNN/YouTube debate demands that participants check their gravitas at the door.

It's far better not to enter at all.

Conspiracy Nutjob Ron Paul

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul of Texas should drop out of the race immediately.

To say that he gives Republicans a bad name is the kindest thing that I can say about him.

Ron Paul is a conspiracy loon. He's joined the ranks of nutjobs like Kevin Barrett.

Paul claims that the country is in "great danger" of a terror attack staged by the government -- THE U.S. GOVERNMENT!!!

Not surprisingly, Paul was short on specifics.

Paul made the comments on the Alex Jones Show.

Read more.

LISTEN to the interview with Ron Paul.

Warning: It's truly nauseating.

Presidential candidate Ron Paul says the U.S. is in "great danger" of a staged terror attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation while also warning that a major collapse of the American economy is on the horizon and could be precipitated by the bombing of Iran and the closure of the Persian Gulf.

Speaking to The Alex Jones Show, the Texas Congressman was asked his opinion on Cindy Sheehan's recent comments that the U.S. is in danger of a staged terror attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation that will validate the Neo-Con agenda and lead to the implementation of the infrastructure of martial law that Bush recently signed into law via executive order, as well as public pronouncements from prominent officials that the West needs terrorism to save a doomed foreign policy.

In addition to his insane conspiracy theory, he charged the Bush administration with making an "orchestrated effort to blame the Iranians" for everything that goes wrong in Iraq.

Bottom line: Ron Paul's talents are being wasted as a congressman and presidential candidate.

He should teach at UW-Madison, where he'd be welcomed with open arms.

Ron Paul as Rosie O'Donnell

Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, answers questions in the spin room, following the Republican debate at University of South Carolina's Koger Center for the Arts, Tuesday, May 15, 2007, in Columbia, S.C. During the debate with the 10 Republican presidential hopefuls, Paul suggested that U.S. bombing of Iraq had contributed to the terrorist attacks of 2001.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Byron York sums up Ron Paul's bizarre comments at last night's debate.

For a man who had just grabbed the spotlight in a nationally televised presidential debate, Ron Paul seemed a little, well, defensive. A few minutes after the debate ended here at the University of South Carolina, Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas, ventured into the Spin Room to talk to reporters, only to find that they wanted to know whether he really blamed the United States for the September 11 terrorist attacks.

“Who did that?” Paul snapped. “Who blamed America?”

“Well, your critics felt that you did.”

“No, I blamed bad policy over 50 years that leads to anti-Americanism,” Paul said. “That’s little bit different from saying ‘blame America.’ Don’t put those words in my mouth.”

“But the policies were bad American policies?”

“We’ve had an interventionist foreign policy for 50 years that has come back to haunt us,” Paul continued. “So that’s not ‘Blame America’ — that’s demagoguing, distorting issues…That’s deceitful to say those kinds of things.”

To many people, however, it did appear that Paul blamed the U.S. for the attacks. A few feet away from where Paul was meeting reporters, Washington lawyer Ted Olson, at the debate to support his friend Rudy Giuliani, was taken aback at what he heard from Paul. “I find it personally offensive and very disturbing,” said Olson, whose wife Barbara died on September 11, “that an American, especially an American member of Congress, can say those things about what happened to cause 9/11.”

It all started when Paul was asked how September 11 changed American foreign policy. “Have you ever read the reasons they attacked us?” Paul answered. “They attack us because we’ve been over there; we’ve been bombing Iraq for ten years…”

Questioner Wendell Goler, of Fox News, asked, “Are you suggesting we invited the 9/11 attack, sir?”

“I’m suggesting that we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it,” Paul said. “They don’t come here to attack us because we’re rich and we’re free. They come and they attack us because we’re over there.”

Paul really threw himself off a cliff with that.

It's easy to imagine Paul sharing wacko 9/11 conspiracy nutjob theories with his kook brethren.

It seemed like he was at the wrong the debate. He would fit in better with the Democrats.

Paul is the very definition of what it means to "blame America first."

York ends his reflections on the debate and Paul's performance with this:

So in the end, the candidate who made a big move, who came out of nowhere to win new name recognition was…Ron Paul. But it’s probably not the sort of name recognition Republican presidential candidates want. “Wow,” said one adviser to a rival campaign after listening to Paul’s blame-America lecture. “I haven’t heard anything like that this side of Rosie O’Donnell.”

I think Ron Paul would be wise to bow out of the race now.

It might be a good idea to send his resume to Barbara Walters. There will be a seat open at The View soon that he could fill quite nicely.