Are Ron Paul Supporters Real?

Blogger News Network ^ | November 7, 2007

[theothercheek]

Second-tier presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) pulled off a first-rate fundraising coup, netting $4.3 million in online contributions from 38,000 donors in a single day, bringing his total haul to $7.3 million in 4Q 2007. No other Republican comes close to Paul’s 24-hour feat, but Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has him beat at $6.2 million.

Paul supporters flashed their cash in honor of Guy Fawkes Day, which commemorates the would-be assassin of England’s King James I on Nov. 5, 1605. Guy Fawkes was also the inspiration the novel-turned-movie "V for Vendetta," in which the lead character takes on a fascist government in England. In several GOP presidential debates, the libertarian Paul has all-but called George W. Bush a fascist – taking issue with the Administration’s policies on domestic spying, for instance.

So does this mean Paul has a shot at the nomination? In a word: Nah. The Stiletto agrees with WaPo political blogger Chris Cillizza’s: take:

Paul was widely seen as a political gadlfy when he entered the race, but through skill, luck or a little of both he has built himself into an Internet phenomenon. …

It's not yet clear that Paul's online national community can deliver actual votes for him. … While Paul is at the center of a national movement, it won't help him in Iowa or New Hampshire if thousands of people from California or Illinois are backing him. …

There has always been a pot of money that exists for unconventional candidates who believe the system is fundamentally broken and are only tangentially affiliated with a party. …

[H]is money and his message make him a actor in New Hampshire ... he remains a decided longshot ... the excitement and attention he is drawing would seem to be a perfect lead up to a third party candidacy if and when he loses the Republican nomination.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Jonathan Bydlak, the Paul campaign’s fundraising director posted a message on the candidate's Web site that the ka-ching means just one thing: “Ron Paul is for real." Maybe. But it appears his supporters are real (second item).

Note: The Stiletto writes about politics and other stuff at The Stiletto Blog.

[this is my name not yours]

If Paul is polling in barely readable numbers among likely voting Republicans, WHERE is his money coming from?

It's coming from people who aren't being contacted on the telephone polls. Only half of registered voters vote, only a third of them vote in the primaries and roughly half of them will vote in the GOP primary (and half in the Democrat primary). So you're only talking about 4% of the voting population at large choosing the nominee. The primaries will be won by the candidates with the most MOTIVATED supporters.

If Paul is the Republican nominee will you (or the other anti-Paulbots) support him?

[goodnesswins]

Dr. Mercola - a very popular doc on the web, supports Paul.....just crazy.

[tcrlaf]

“If Paul is the Republican nominee will you (or the other anti-Paulbots) support him?”

Somehow, I don’t think we are in any danger of that. Republican primary voters aren’t as stupid as our Democrat bretheren...

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2008__1/daily_presidential_tracking_polling_history

[Red Boots]

I’m seeing an awful lot of Ron Paul signs in people’s yards around where I live - and these are not crack neighborhoods either - regular middle-class homes.

Me, too. In fact, he's got a regular street corner contingent every Friday. A lot of people honk when they drive by.

[this is my name not yours]

Republican primary voters aren’t as stupid as our Democrat bretheren...

I used to think that too. Then along came Rudy... :)

[longtermmemmory]

Mr. Hsu has proven the number of supporters and actual amount of dollars are irrelevant.

Hsu funnelled chinese money to Hillary’s campaign (until the media blackout stopped the story) and it was very apparent it was not about bundling but about “dividing” contributions among shell names.

Paul supporters have been exposed using fake email originations. No reason not to believe fake dollar originations are not the same.

[zeugma]

If Paul is the Republican nominee will you (or the other anti-Paulbots) support him?

A very interesting question that should be asked of those who seem to have no interest other than trashing Ron Paul. 

[this is my name not yours]

If Paul is the Republican nominee will you (or the other anti-Paulbots) support him?_ A very interesting question that should be asked of those who seem to have no interest other than trashing Ron Paul.

I have yet to get a straight answer for that question. If RP gets the nomination it will be the anti-paulbots that cause Hitlery to win.

[jd777]

The real Ron Paul bashers are the MSM media who only want Rudy vs Hillary...

[George W. Bush]

No reason not to believe...
	..any babble you pull out of your hiney to defame Dr. Paul and his supporters.

You guys are overreaching.

[april15Bendovr]

Ron Paul is another Puppet

[George W. Bush]

If RP gets the nomination it will be the anti-paulbots that cause Hitlery to win.

Actually, we've already seen dozens of the Paul-haters saying that they would vote for Hitlery when Ron Paul wins the GOP nomination.

So, they hate Ron Paul because "he'll get Hitlery elected". But if Ron Paul is the nominee, then they're going to vote for Hitlery?

I'd think that people who say they would vote for Hitlery are the ones who should be banned from FR, not us RP supporters.

I have yet to see a single RP supporter on these forums say they'll ever vote for Hitlery. Some, like me, have declared that we can't cast a vote for Rudi (over the pro-life and firearms issue) and that we would either not vote the presidential line on the ballot or would cast a third-party vote. But none of us have ever said we'd vote for Hitlery. She and the leftwing mayor are the enemies of all conservative voters. Those two are the same candidate other than party label.

Saying you'd vote for Hitlery really should be an automatic ban from FR. No conservative of any stripe could ever voter for the Hildabeeste.

[oldfart]

I keep reading your posts, on this thread and others, and I come away with the impression that you are all fairly intelligent but kinda stuck in your ways. You all write well but if you read well your comprehension seems to be minimal.

Ron Paul IS for real! So is his campaign and despite your continued unfounded claims, his money DOESN’T come from George Soros. Anyone with a minimum IQ could easily see that it would be impossible to set up a network to make thousands of small donations which would add up to over $4M. Granted, it is possible for some (I couldn’t because I don’t know how) to inflate poll results through the use of overseas computers but when it comes to money, I seriously doubt all those poll numbers would result in the same number of donations.
Now then, like you, I doubt he will get the nomination let alone the Presidency. As others have noted, TPTB have already bought and paid for the next POTUS and the election is merely a form of “bread and circuses” meant to keep us in line. As with the original Roman circus, some will give the “thumbs up” to the eventual winner and some will disagree. In the end though, it will be the Emperor’s vote that counts. As to who the Emperor is? I have no idea and neither do you. I know it sure ain’t us ‘cause no one listens to us anymore except when they want a laugh.

[highlander_UW]

If it’s foolish to support a pro-gun, anti-tax, pro-family, anti-big-government Republican veteran, then what the heck is Free Republic all about?

Very nice straw-man you have there. The reason to not support Ron Paul is that he's insane. He has a very poor grasp on reality. As for anti-tax, pro-family, anti-big-government...those are great stances. Ron Paul doesn't hold a monopoly on those, however.

[darkwing104]

This isn’t about Ron Paul...its about his supporters...

[norton]

"Guy Fawkes Day is a very Protestant, somewhat anti-Catholic, and very anti-terrorist kind of holiday."

Somewhere in TV land I noted an English interviewee using the term "Firecracker day"...guess PC is working on this bit of history like so many others.

[Martins kid]

“He’d probably hurt Hillary as much or more than he’d hurt the Republican candidate”

That is the funniest comment I’ve read in days. You gave me a big laugh. You ARE kidding, right??????

[KDD]

Almost any chance at all that a GOP candidate has to be elected to President has most likely been Killed by the Republican Party itself.

Ron Paul may prove to be the only exception. At least that is my belief.

Read the article at the link and tell me if you disagree with Jim Schwiesow. I think he makes a good case that the Republican Party has betrayed Conservatism.

[norton]

(PS: Ron Paul is a babbling loon and probably hopes for some perks under a Hillary regime.)

[George W. Bush]

This isn’t about Ron Paul...its about his supporters...


So we're not going to get the Darkwing Duck wing of the party to support Ron Paul?

Oh, pshaw. We might as well quit now. We're screwed without the Darkwing Republicans.