Posted on 01/18/2008 5:13:56 AM PST by steadfastconservative
Since my article "Angry White Man" was posted on our website last Tuesday, many have asked who the author of Ron Paul's newsletters could have been. Published since at least the late 1970s--and at their most incendiary from 1987 to 1996--these newsletters have at times been filled with conspiratorial warnings about the Trilateral Commission and Bilderberg Group, animus towards black and gay people, and sympathy for right-wing, anti-government militia movements. Many libertarian bloggers have intimated or concluded that the man chiefly responsible for this content was Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., Paul's former congressional chief of staff and the founder of the Ludwig von Mises Institute in Auburn, Alabama. John Robbins, who succeeded Rockwell as Paul's chief of staff, released an "Open Letter to Lew Rockwell" on the Internet last week. "This week, for the third time, the puerile, racist, and completely un-Pauline comments that all informed people say you have caused to appear in Ron's newsletters over the course of several years have become an issue in his campaign," Robbins wrote. "Your callous disregard for both Ron and his millions of supporters is unconscionable." Rockwell, however, in an interview conducted before "Angry White Man" was published, denied that he had any role in writing the newsletters.
Hours after my article appeared on the TNR website, the Paul campaign released a statement. "The quotations in The New Republic article are not mine and do not represent what I believe or have ever believed," Paul said. "I have never uttered such words and denounce such small-minded thoughts." . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at tnr.com ...
The fact is, we’ll never really know what this guy is about, because he communicates like a mental patient.
Please see my response on post 15.
How prudent was it for Paul to run for president, knowing that sooner or later these newsletters could become an issue in his campaign? What other skeletons does he have in his closet? If he got the nomination, the Democrats would eat him alive.
He’s done as a Republican candidate, he’ll have to find a third party comfortable with this history or settle for being a Congressman. IMO Rockwell as the author is every bit as bad as the incredible excuse there were multiple, unknown authors, implying only breathtaking negligence over what is published in his name. By maintaining his relationship with Rockwell, and accepting his support, he validates the statements. Same with any other “authors” who are long time Paul supporters, which is why their identities should be made public. If the rumors are true that he’s used the newsletter mailing list for fundraising, another indication of comfort with the views of his newsletter and it’s subscribers.
I suspect Paul lives in a bubble in which he believes he represents the norm in American thinking. He's associated with these people for so long, he's insulated himself from the real world.
From our standpoint it was not a prudent move. From his, it was of no concern. At least, that's what I suspect.
I can’t disagree with Dr. Robbins, but Ron Paul has the same responsibility. He should have given a complete explanation, including the authorship of the articles years ago, and should now. Probably wouldn’t change many minds, but it would give his supporters something to rely on.
He’s certainly marginalized himself in this election. What will have my attention is his congressional election and how that evolves. As for a third party candidacy, he’s been offered the candidacy of the Constitutional Party. Let’s see what he does with that offer.
He clearly doesn't consider it an issue.
“He’s done as a Republican candidate”
Agreed. I would think that has turned off most normal supporters by being connected to the newsletters and turned off many racist and conspiracy nut supporters by denying that he agrees with them. The only thing left must be a core of Paul cult. Watching his primary percentages drop 2% with every primary show he’s fading into the GOP woodwork.
If Texas want’s him, I guess that’s their choice. What the GOP does if he runs third party remains to be seen. Some states don’t allow party crossovers like that, Libertarian Presidential candidate and Republican Congressional candidate, don’t know about Texas.
If Paul really was a Leftist why on earth is The New Republic trying to hard to destroy him?
It's nice to see a liberal rag getting so much play over here on FR.
Yeah, because goodness know that it doesn't matter how many times he accepts them and apologizes for them. His enemies will make damn sure they are always used against him.
How liberal of you.
Your belief that personal accountability is "liberal" illustrates how tenuous your grasp is on the concept of conservatism.
Actually, if he drops out of the Presidential race and continues to run as a Republican for his Congressional seat will be interesting from the GOP standpoint. If he's truly done as a Repbulican, then how can they support him in that contest?
Either way; as a third party candidate, or as a Republican Congressional candidate, it seems the GOP has some decisions to make.
Strawman.
I never claimed a belief that "personal accountability" is "liberal."
I did claim that hammering someone over and over and over again with cries of "racist!" even after they acknowledged the words and apologized is "liberal."
Paul will not get the nomination. Looking at the Iowa primary, he actually won one county, Jefferson, in the southeast part of the state. Jefferson County has many residents who are Transcendental Meditation practitioners living in Fairfield and Vedic City, and the presence of Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield. In Michigan, his best county was Hillsdale County, home of nonsectarian, conservative Hillsdale College. These are clearly non-mainstream constituencies. Returning to Michigan, Paul was in the 7-8% in metro Detroit, despite the presence of a large Middle Eastern descended population that is presumably anti Iraqi War. He was only slightly above 8% in Washtenaw County, home of the University of Michigan. If Paul is in fourth place in areas with a large Arab-American presence and in college towns, there is simply no way he can win, with $25 million or $250 million in the bank.
Michael Bloomberg, please take notice.
You are suggesting that the newsletters, requested for years but access refused by Paul, are forgeries.
If you have evidence that they're forgeries, perhaps a plot by the Wisconsin Historical Society and the university in Kansas, you should present it, you'll have an impact and bring credit on FR for rooting out the facts, as another Freeper did when he posted newsletters months before the New Republic.
NewslettersRon Paul: US "military is mowing civilians down in the streets"
RON PAUL ACCUSED U.S. TROOPS OF WAR CRIMES IN DESERT STORM
Ron Paul: Israel bought Jesse Helms
Ron Paul: Traitor had direct line to President Reagan
Ron Paul: Clinton didn't cut defense enough
Ron Paul supported the PLO terrorists
Of course this leaves you with the problem of why Ron Paul would put out such a weak explanation over forgeries.
If they're not forgeries, he's stuck with them, and the messenger isn't the issue.
Obviously people can come to their own conclusions about the content. I think they're racist, Ron Paul seems to agree with me, but others may not.
What percentage do you guys expect Paul to get in SC?
If I remember correctly that’s a closed primary, right?
Right now Rasmussen has him at 3%.
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