[Wallace T.]

Whatever one may think of Ron Paul, he has followed tactics of developing a large base of small contributors and considerable numbers of enthusiastic supporters (even if many write them off as "tinfoil hat" conspiracists or drugged-out old hippies) that have worked to place him close to the first tier despite a blackout by both the MSM and mainstream conservative talk radio. His tactics are not unlike those used by Barry Goldwater and George Wallace, and later by Pat Buchanan (with less success).

A representative of traditional conservatism should emulate the tactics of the libertarian Paul, or they will be little more than footnotes like John Ashbrook in 1972 or Alan Keyes in 2000. Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback, and Tom Tancredo need to draw lots to see who will be that representative. The winner needs to revive the large numbers of restive, and politically disheartened evangelicals. (Although neither is a Southerner, Hunter is a Southern Baptist, and Tancredo is a conservative Presbyterian of the James Kennedy stripe.) RINOs, like Democrat liberals, recognize two sacraments: money and votes. A conservative GOP primary candidate may accomplish much even if he does not win merely by forcing someone like Giuliani or Romney not to drift leftward after receiving the nomination in fear of losing the conservatives.

[Calpernia]

Paul is not a libertarian. If he was, I would have more respect for him. Paul is a Log Cabin Republican and his libertarian followers should take him to the woodshed for lying to them.