Posted on 11/05/2007 6:34:09 PM PST by grundle
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, aided by an extraordinary outpouring of Internet support Monday, hauled in more than $3.5 million in 20 hours.
Paul, the Texas congressman with a Libertarian tilt and an out-of-Iraq pitch, entered heady fundraising territory with a surge of Web-based giving tied to the commemoration of Guy Fawkes Day.
Fawkes was a British mercenary who failed in his attempt to kill King James I on Nov. 5, 1605. He also was the model for the protagonist in the movie "V for Vendetta." Paul backers motivated donors on the Internet with mashed-up clips of the film on the online video site YouTube as well as the Guy Fawkes Day refrain: "Remember, remember the 5th of November."
Paul's total deposed Mitt Romney as the single-day fundraising record holder in the Republican presidential field. When it comes to sums amassed in one day, Paul now ranks only behind Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton, who raised nearly $6.2 million on June 30, and Barack Obama.
Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the effort began independently about two months ago at the hands of Paul's backers. He said Paul picked up on the movement, mentioning in it speeches and interviews.
"It's been kind of building up virally," Benton said.
The $3.5 million, he said, represented online contributions from more than 22,000 donors.
Paul has been lagging in the polls behind Republican front-runners. But he captured national attention at the end of September when he reported raising $5.2 million in three months, putting him fourth among Republican presidential candidates in fundraising for the quarter.
Paul as of Monday had raised $6.3 million since Oct. 1, more than half his goal of $12 million by the end of the year, according to his Web site.
Paul advocates limited government and low taxes like other Republicans, but he stands alone as the only GOP presidential candidate opposed to the Iraq war. He also has opposed Bush administration security measures that he says encroach on civil liberties.
Cool. Fools and their money, so they say.
This couldn’t be. They must be “spamming” the money or using Robot computers to print money or something.
That’s just a spambot that donated one dollar 3.5 million times.
Apparently belligerent, conspiracy theory, kool-aid drinking anti-war nutjobs have a lot of money.
George Soros is a very rich man.
This defies rational explanation.
Ron Paul is a loon. The Dems want him in to split the Pubbie vote, ala Perot in 92 and 96, as they know this is the only way the Beast can win, if a third candidate comes in.
There is some Soros funded shenanigans going on, IMHO. Paul’s fifteen minutes of fame were over a half hour ago.
There’s no way
That is pretty amazing.
Like Mr. Socialist Soros perhaps?
Maybe he sees RP as the traingulator for HRC much like Perot was for The Bent One.
Perhaps it’s Hitlery herself realizing that she f’d up and needs to throw a hammer in the works.
God knows she has the dough to share in her nefarious ways!
Just my thought.
Cattle Futures from a guy with a big hat, but no cattle.
You’ve lost me there. RP is running as a Republican, not as a third party candidate. If he wins the Republican nomination (there is some risk of that) how does that ‘split’ the Republican party?
Or you might say "off pitch on Iraq." Actually, he's off pitch all the time. Literally. So squeaky. Makes Kucinich sound like James Earl Jones.
He has no shot whatsoever at the nomination. So the money would eventually go to a quixotic third party run, if anything, thus helping to elect the DEM. That wasn’t so tough to figure out.
Howard Dean Part II.
Money that is being pissed away on nothing.
Soros money and Hildabeast machine at work. NOTHING would please her more than splitting the Republican Party, and having looney-tunes-Paul run as a third party candidate, assuring the Hildabeast of the “throne” she seeks.
Thanks, Huck, for saving me the trouble of responding.
Perhaps that’s why all of this Bloomberg for Prez babble is going on. Ron Paul and Bloomberg on the same ticket!
What a hoot!
Just jokin’.
Ron Paul attracting the “V for Vendetta” crowd of DUmmies.
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