Ron Paul, the Political Wild Card in This Presidential Election (USNWR)

US News World Report ^ | 6/16/08 | John Mashek

[traviskicks]

I wonder if Paul will endorse Barr?

[traviskicks]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.

[traviskicks]

Club for Growth's analysis of Ron Paul's record in Congress.

[Dilbert San Diego]

He’s suspended his presidential campaign but his crusade goes on.

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Obviously this writer didn’t get the memo about the use of the word “crusade”. That word is to be avoided because it can be offensive to certain people. Bush was raked over the coals for once referring to the war on terror as a crusade. He hasn’t called it a crusade ever since.

Maybe political correctness hasn’t completely taken over the MSM.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Yes - unless he suddenly gets some mental help.

[ETL]

Brings to mind Ralph Nader. I wonder what percentage of the left will go with him instead of Obama?

[Moose4]

I don’t think Paul can bring a whole lot of voters to Barr, but in an election like this, “not a whole lot” can still be critical. I still think that Paul’s active courting of the anti-war left got him more votes than his libertarian stands in the Republican primaries, but even though I think Barr and the LP have roughly the same platform on the war that Paul did (i.e., cut and run now), I can’t see it translating over.

If Paul himself had decided to throw it all away, quit the Republicans, possibly ditch his House seat, and run for either LP nominee or as an independent...then that would be trouble, and he’d do much better than Barr IMO. But considering the profile of so many of Paul’s supporters, I really don’t know whether he’d pull more votes from McCain or Obama in that case!

}:-)4

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I wonder what percentage of the left will go with him instead of Obama?

Very few, if any. Paul's supporters are not deranged anti-war nutjobs, despite what you hear in both the liberal media and from RNC bootlickers on blogs.

These people either have never participated in politics before or are fed up with the GOP ignoring fiscal and libertarian conservatism. I predict many will write in Paul's name or stay home, and that will be the fault of Republicans, not Paul.

[xzins]

Does the Libertarian Party accept federal funds for its campaigns?

[mikeus_maximus]

Very few, if any. Paul's supporters are not deranged anti-war nutjobs, despite what you hear in both the liberal media and from RNC bootlickers on blogs. These people either have never participated in politics before or are fed up with the GOP ignoring fiscal and libertarian conservatism. I predict many will write in Paul's name or stay home, and that will be the fault of Republicans, not Paul.

And then the Beltway GOP power brokers and other moderates will, in arrogant fashion, blame defeat on the conservatives and fail to learn yet once again.

[Wyoming Cowboy]

A “mere pest”?

Well ok, sure, if you’re a traitor to the Constitution and an enemy of the conservative cause I guess you might see it that way.

I’ll try getting away to St. Paul for the convention(s). And since I’m not much for associating with spineless RINOs and neocon scum, there’s not much debating which one I’ll attend. I’ll gladly go there to stand with Paul.

[hshomemaker]

I live in Texas and whether we are democrat or republican or independent....whether we agree with Paul or don’t agree with hm or agree with him on some issues....Ron Paul is highly respected here. We like him, whether we agree with him or not.

[traviskicks]

Does the Libertarian Party accept federal funds for its campaigns?

No. At least not that I'm aware of; I recall talking to one of the Libertarian party's past VP candidates, former presidential candidate, and he said at one point one of the lib pres nominees wouldn't say explicitly that he would not take federal funding at the debate and so all the delegates started chanting until he flat out said 'under no condition' etc... That was his story, from many years ago, maybe the lib pres nominee just didn't use the right language in this case unintentionally, the libertarians tend to be a fiery bunch... :)

[mysterio]

The Republican nightmare is for Paul backers to stay at home in a close presidential election.

1. The chance a Paul backer would even consider voting for McCain is near zero. Those votes don't belong to Republicans by default.

2. I have been told endlessly that libertarians are insignificant kooks who just want to smoke drugs. So those votes aren't needed anyway, right?

I hope this clears things up.

[CJ Wolf]

let freedom Ping!

[DoingTheFrenchMistake]

True, if your primary reason to vote for Ron Paul (as I did in the Primary Election) was his stand on the Iraq War then unfortunately your only effective choice now becomes Obama.

[mysterio]

True, if your primary reason to vote for Ron Paul (as I did in the Primary Election) was his stand on the Iraq War

No, the primary reason to vote for him was his stand on smaller, less intrusive government and restoration of the Constitution.

[Dead Corpse]

Excellent points.

[ncalburt]

I saw the Ron Paul supporters at a in N Cal. here is a hint , the parking was full of “Moveon.org” ,” Eco terrorists against the War”, “Can;t wait for 1-29-08” , and “End the evil Bush regime” bumper stickers. It was a sea of far left anti war nutjobs. Whose is this lefty at the David Gergen DNC newsletter kidding.

[ncalburt]

I heard from a employee at UC Davis the radical anti- war leftists see the Ron Paul delegation as way to get INSIDE THE Repub Convention and cause CHAOS for the TV cameras. The Obama camp is involved in the strategy. So the GOP better be strip searching the Ron Paul delegates.