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.
Let me know if you ever figure it out conclusively. Not that it matters, but it might be interesting to know.
You left out retired USAF officers.
It’s a free country. Give your money to whomever you wish.
But let me remind you “ a fool and his money are soon parted”.
Mr. Paul is not Presidential material and he never will be. That’s my opinion.
Because if he wins, egomaniac Giuliani will probably run third-party himself and take all the liberal war hawks in the GOP with him. They’ll say Ron Paul usurped the Republican Party with spambots. /s
Good question, I'm still trying to figure out why George W Bush ran as a Republican in 2000 and 2004 when he clearly is a Democrat or a light-Socialist/globalist.
As P.T. Barnum said: “There’s one born every minute.”
Actually, it is not a free country in campaign finance. You can’t, according to McCain-Feingold, give freely. Strangely enough, the upper limit on donations may actually give Paul a competitive edge because his financial backers are small donors. The old days when you could raise this much in a single day from a few billionaires are gone and Paul has almost no support from the Fortune 500 crowd.
Mr. Jeeves, Ron Paul’s support is not all coming from older, libertarian types who at least know something about politics.
It is coming from young people. You know, young peopl who don’t vote, who know about Tila Tequila than Hillary Clinton and her crimes, who really care about whether the Real World people in Sydney make it home, etc.
THEY are suddenly politically astute and giving money ion record numbers over the internet to a political candidate?
When Ron Paul supporters are in the background of the after show of the Dem debate in Philly with sheets on which are printed Ron Paul support slogans.
None of this adds up. That is why it defies rational explanation.
Ron Paul is not Presidential material, so something else is afoot here.
Yes, there are those who are disaffected with the RINO candidates, but they know RP is a joke. That can’t account for your 10-15% figure.
I don’t know exactly what is going on, but it certainly isn’t what people think is going on. The MO is Soros’, in my opinion.
FYI, the Barnum quotation is bogus. Barnum actually had great faith in the good sense of the masses.
Glad to see you object to how people spend their own $. What a tool...
Rather funny to watch so called conservatives fall over each other in their attempts to smear Dr Ron Paul, isn't it? The one candidate who most represents a true Constitutionalist and he's condemned almost more than the Hildabeast herself!
What makes you think that? Any person making contributions to Ron Paul wouldn't be donating to the Republican Party nor vote for a Republican candidate. Ron Paul as a 3rd party candidate presents no threat to a Republican candidate.
Ah....That’s the difference. You don’t have a candidate you care about, even at this late date. The Paulites do.
Probably mostly HilaryCare/$0R0$ money. She can afford it.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
“Regardless of what comes, I’m pretty sure this country is toast”.
Well that settles it then, no need to bother any more. Care to join me through the looking glass? I’ve been here for years, makes a lot more sense when viewed from behind the mirror.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Ron Paul and Alan Keyes on the same ticket.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.