The Ron Paul Smear Campaign

http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=7166 ^ | Doug Kendall

[tpaine]

The Ron Paul Smear Campaign

Doug Kendall

By now, it is painfully obvious to most people in the freedom movement that Republican presidential hopeful, Ron Paul, has been targeted for elimination—by his own Party. The politically-connected elite within the Republican Party, along with allied organizations and operatives, are working overtime to make sure that Ron Paul is burned at the stake for daring to speak the truth and defy the Good Ol' Boy system.

In all honesty, Dr. Paul should have known that he would be set up in the second debate—after he scored so high in poll after poll, following the first debate—and after he made it clear that he would not tow the neo-con, police-state, Giuliani-style "war" on terror line. Everyone from Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, so-called "conservative" news websites and columnists, and even local talk radio shows have done everything in their power to define Ron Paul as a "nut-job," "dope," and "moron," calling for his removal from the debates because his views are supposedly "dangerous" for the country.

Glenn Beck even went so far as to repeatedly label Ron Paul a "libertarian"—because there is always some kind of negativity associated with it, when Beck uses it—and then used that as a vehicle to beat up on Libertarians, in general, masterfully trying to kill two birds with one stone.

It's very telling, and very sad, watching these elitists attempt to exterminate those who favor increasing freedom by reducing the size and scope of government. The latest and most sickeningly obvious attempt to discredit Ron Paul, called "Big Outrage," is coming from Fox News.

Fox News anchor, John Gibson, recently stated that the second presidential debate got a little "spicy" after "Paul suggested that the US actually had a hand in the terrorist attacks." He even went so far as to attempt to link Paul to the 911 Truth crowd and Rosie O'Donnell—whose picture they flashed, twice, during the five-minute segment, along with the tagline, "ROSIE O'DONNELL STRONGLY BELIEVES IN 9/11 CONSPIRACY THEORIES." Gibson said that the 911 Truth movement has "infected people like Rosie O'Donnell, and one in three Democrats, and many other Americans—evidently, including Congressman Ron Paul." To make matters worse, he brought columnist and Fox News contributor, Michele Malkin, into the segment and said he would have expected to hear something like this from the Democrat debates. In perfect neo-con newsperson style, Malkin stated, "Ron Paul really has no business being on stage as a representative of Republicans," apparently because of the 911 Truth "virus." She then went on to further drive the point about 911 Truthers being mainly democrats, and mentioning something about a mental illness that typically affects people on the Left, called "Bush Derangement Syndrome."

I have lost no love on Democrats, either, but anyone who is even remotely familiar with Ron Paul knows that Malkin's attempt to link Paul to Democrats is laughable. If you look closely, you will see that Ron Paul's statements had nothing to do with the 911 Truth movement, but Fox News is spinning it in that fashion.

In so many words, Paul stated the obvious and basically repeated the findings of the 911 Commission's report:

Meddling in the affairs of others often fosters animosity and a desire for retaliation, and we would never allow other countries to do to us some of the same things that the US is doing to them—and it amazes me to see the scores of people who cannot seem to grasp those facts. The 911 Truth movement seeks to discover whether or not the Bush Administration had foreknowledge about, or actually had a hand in, the September 11th attacks—and that has nothing to do with Ron Paul's statements. 911 Truth deals with conspiracy, but Ron Paul spoke of consequences from our brand of foreign policy—two very different things.

Being an anarcho-capitalist, I do not care for government—small or otherwise—but Ron Paul is a step in the right direction, and he is certainly the most freedom-oriented and fiscally responsible candidate in the Republican stable—and it says a lot about the Republican elites who are using character assassination techniques to discredit and silence him, instead of debating the issue.

Karl Marx would be proud.

During a radio interview, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) once said, "The hallmark of the Republican Party has always been freedom," but everything I've seen lately further confirms that his statement couldn't be further from the truth. I've always known, but this is just icing on the cake.

I've heard Republicans invite Libertarians to join the Republican Party, to work within a bigger, established Party, but this situation should serve as a warning to Libertarians, and any other freedom-loving types, that you should resist the temptation. Freedom has no place within the Republican Party (or the Democrat Party).

Doug Kendall is the host, scheduler & Webmaster of The Dangerous Doug Kendall Show. Listen to live streaming of the show at www.DangerousDoug.net.

[BigTom85]

That is an ideology. And one that I subscribe to on most fronts, but This is 2007 and it is tough to get back to our roots. We are bloated and pampered today. Ron is pushing a hard sell, and not doing a particularly effective job of it in the debates.

So are you saying that we continue on our road of national decay because 'its tough to go back to our roots'. I say to hell with your attitude.

We all need to swallow this very bitter pill- OUR REPUBLIC IS IN TROUBLE. Even though Ron Paul is fighting an uphill battle, I am glad that hes saying a lot of things that other law makers won't say.

[L.N. Smithee]

Actually, well before 9/11 I was calling for personal 'hits' on terrorist leaders. If we would have been killing the individual fanatics for the last 20 years or so, Iraq would have been unnecessary.

Because that wouldn't be "intervention." No, sirree.

[BigTom85]

Republicans targeted Ron paul for elimination long before last night. He’s the most consistently limited-gvoernemnt candidate in teh field, and Ed Gillespie declared when he was GOP chari a few years back that there is no longer any place for limited-government people in the GOP.

Well said. Sadly, folks like you and I get flamed on here for stating the obvious. Dems and Repubs are basically one in the same- all they do is tinker with some social policy on a few issues.

The state of the American political system is very bad. It needs a major overhaul.

[L.N. Smithee]

Get a grip. Paul will never be president.

Yeah. That's what I say. So get him the holy yell outta the way.

[BigTom85]

It is highly unlikely that the tiny minority of sunni foreign fighters within the iraq's sunni minority will take over the country. In fact, they will have to work very hard to stay alive during the Iraqi civil war.

You see, most FReepers don't realize basic things like this. Thanks for typng informative posts on here that are coherent. For every 25 'USA USA USA, Don't cut and run!! Don't surrender!, You must be a liberal!!' kind of posts.. there might be one good one, like yours.

[BigTom85]

Amazing how many people here at FR have bought into Guiliani's smear tactic.

Theres lots of Bush-bots on here. The site has lost it's conservative footing a while back. While most on here are conservative on a handfull of issues, it's sobering to see how many on her actually praise big government and federal bureaurcracy in the name of fighting 'terror'.

[cva66snipe]

He seems to be targeted for elimination by the liberals in his party.

When big toes in DC start getting stepped on the messenger or his method of communication becomes the target. There is a sect within the GOP which has been for decades trying to destroy conservatism within the party. Quite a few conservative voices were silenced such as National Empowerment Television.

[dcwusmc]

Most important topic for a president, for ALL of us is restoring the Constitution. If we shred the Constitution and its limits on government, won’t matter one whit which group of terrorists wins, fedgov or the muzzies: WE, the People, LOSE. We lose our freedom and our Constitutional Republic.

On the other hand, restore the Constitution and the war on terrorists will take care of itself. Without that, we are so screwed.

[dcwusmc]

Nation building is NOT EVER a legitimate or constitutional objective for fedgov. Period.

[JerseyHighlander]

You realize that Rep. Paul, almost immediately brought forth a bill of Marque and Reprisal that would have allowed anyone in the world to track down and kill the Al Qaeda and Taliban officer corps, for a just reward from the US Treasury?

Google “Marque and Reprisal Act of 2001”

Ron Paul took this action in almost exact fashion as Jefferson’s allies did in the year before Jefferson and Congress declared war on the Barbary pirates?

You obviously have a bigger mouth than understanding of the history of USA-Muslim relations. That you think that of Jefferson is comical really.

[Jason_b]

Well look there are obviously two factions fighting for dominance within the larger Republican Party. You have the faction of paleo-conservatives that consist of strict constructionists and classical liberals, and then you have the neo-conservatives that push interventionism, strong centralized consolidated government, the new world order, globalism. Does the latter even belong in the “Republican” Party or are they interlopers and infiltrators from the left, or not the left but some extra spoke on the wheel we haven’t discovered yet? I say they are infiltrators from somewhere taking advantage (undeservedly) of the reputation real republicans built up over years, hence the prefix neo or new. And this new faction is the one attempting to eliminate Paul; not the whole party, not the faction of paleo-conservatives. Neo conservatives would be happy if all paleos, not just Paul, disappeared forever. Paleo Conservatives need to say to the “new” guys “get out” and go back to the left fringe where you belong, or whatever rock you came out from under. Shrink the republican party of its leftist/undefined element and you will mysteriously simultaneously grow it as the true right feels welcome here again and returns from libertarian and constitution party fringes, displacing those neos now gone. Then there will be no need for separate “neo” or new, and “paleo” or old conservative designations, it will be just “conservative” because the leftist faction was simply ejected;...as they never should have been admitted in the first place. IMHO. Then the republican party would properly be a home to people like Paul, rather than him, and the rest of us, feeling like a guest in his/our own house.

[Jason_b]

"And this new faction is the one attempting to eliminate Paul; not the whole party, not the faction of paleo-conservatives."

I meant to say, "This new faction, not the whole party, and not the faction of paleoconservatives, is the one attempting to eliminate Paul."

A little less awkward this way.

[Sloth]

If you look closely, you will see that Ron Paul's statements had nothing to do with the 911 Truth movement

That's true of the much-talked-about statement in the debate, but Paul has elsewhere stated that the official line on 9/11 has been mostly a cover-up.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

VERY well done and VERY informative and VERY relevant. Unfortunately, there was nothing to screech TRAITOR, SELL OUT or BIN LADEN ENABLER about in your post. On a Free Republic article about Ron Paul, this is guaranteed to make folks absolutely ignore it. Witness the fact that this is the ONLY response you have gotten.

At any rate, it was very informative. Thanks again.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

He ought to be invoking George Washington's Farewell Address which does fit his views.

.............Rosie O'Donnell and Michael Moore would be more fitting.

That is a GOOD plan. Stick with what you know about.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

Sometimes I think posters here repeat what they hear without studying much history.

Naaaaw. Ya think? True conservatism is dead. Fascism (patriotic statism, the definition of the word) has strangled it in its sleep, because the sleeper is increasingly stupid, uninformed, substituting cant for thought, emotion for reason, and willing to surrender any pretense of liberty for someone who will protect us against the dreaded Saracens. Started not to use that last word because probably 80 per cent of the screeching anti Ron Paul vaderites don't even know what it is, but then again, it kinda makes the point.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

That is why it is "the long war"

Yep. 1400 years and counting.......
Nice to know we are at least joining something with a heritage.

[Jeremydmccann]

The good Dr. is indeed getting smeared. But why wouldn’t he? He stands for everything this country desperatley craves. We are well on our way to complete and total border eradication, mandatory acceptance of the sickening sodomites due to unconstitutional bills, the enactment of a completly and totally un-american national ID which I will not be participating in, the NAU which is well on its way to fruition, (yeah I know that is merely a conspiracy and that our Lord and Saviour Bush would never do such a thing blah blah blah) and getting out of a completely unnecessary war trying to bring “democracy” aka socialism to a bunch of satanic muslims.

I am sick and tired of the of the bull crap. The Republican party has been completely hijacked by the neo-con warmongers who could give a rats behind about the sovereignty of this great country. Heck we went to war because Iraq was violating UN resolutions. The last time I checked the UN had absolutely nothing to do with america besides being completly and totally an un-constitutional irrelevant governing body full of despots and perverts.

Now we have a GOP bent on barring the good Dr. from the debates. Denying free speech is something the left would do, not the so called conservative party. I am afraid this party is going down crapper and will stay down for years to come.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

In my book, someone who thinks the U.S.'s actions caused 9-11 is a turd and a nutbag

In MY book, someone who is so stupid to take what Ron Paul said and twist it into a statement that he thinks the U.S.'s actions caused 9-11 is the turd and nutbag. Have you actually READ what he says on it, or are you just quoting Sean Hannity at this point?

Wait a minute. Never mind. Forgot who I was talking to for a second. You don't need to bother to answer that one. We already know the answer.

[tacticalogic]

Suppose you have 100 points of moral culpability to distribute for the 9/11 attacks on America. How many of those points go to America itself? 1 point? 20 points? 50 points? 90 points? Just give a rough number.

If you go to pet a feral dog and he bites you, did you do anything to cause that? Are you "morally culpable"?