Posted on 05/17/2007 8:01:52 AM PDT by BGHater
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The chairman of the Michigan Republican Party said Wednesday that he will try to bar Ron Paul from future GOP presidential debates because of remarks the Texas congressman made that suggested the Sept. 11 attacks were the fault of U.S. foreign policy.
Michigan party chairman Saul Anuzis said he will circulate a petition among Republican National Committee members to ban Paul from more debates. At a GOP candidates' debate Tuesday night, Paul drew attacks from all sides, most forcefully from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, when he linked the terror attacks to U.S. bombings.
"Have you ever read about the reasons they attacked us? They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years," Paul said.
Anuzis called the comments "off the wall and out of whack."
"I think he would have felt much more comfortable on the stage with the Democrats in what he said last night. And I think that he is a distraction in the Republican primary and he does not represent the base and he does not represent the party," Anuzis said during an RNC state leadership meeting.
"Given what he said last night it was just so off the wall and out of whack that I think it was more detrimental than helpful."
Anuzis said his petition would go to debate sponsors and broadcasters to discourage inviting Paul.
Jesse Benton, Paul's campaign spokesman, said the candidate "is supporting the traditional GOP foreign policy. I think it's a shame when people try to silence the traditional conservative Republican standpoint."
After the debate Tuesday, Paul said he didn't' expect his remarks to end his campaign.
"The last time I got a message out about my position on the war it boosted us up by tens of thousands and I didn't change my position," Paul said. "I think the American people are sick and tired of this war and want it ended."
You're an idiot. Leave the censorship tactics to the "experts"; i.e., the Dhimmocrats. Let Ron Paul hang himself with his dumb remarks. Smart people will properly associate him w/ the Rosie O'Donnell Cult.
Ours is an exclusive club. No libertarians allowed.
I don’t agree with Paul on 9/11 or Iraq (although I do agree with him that we should have DECLARED WAR). However, silencing this man is not the answer - so much of what he says needs to be heard.
Good, the rest should be between Romney, Hunter, Rudy, & (Thompson, Gingrich if they are entering).
Except for those of use who 'grew up'... Of course, I was never a Paul type conservative (19th century thinking).. more from the Rand school
I think all candidates should be heard. If it’s too cumbersome to have them all on stage at once, split the debates up.
Ron Paul’s too wacky even for the capital-L Libertarians.
He’s basically an isolationist (esp. when it comes to favoring Arabs over Israel) with nonsense populism.
Essentially, a not-as-smart Pat Buchanon cloaked as a libertarian.
Ouch, that's harsh.. but very true...
Agreed. He shouldn’t be excluded from the debates. If you get past the foreign policy lunacy, he’s got some damn solid points on government reach and spending. The unfortunate thing is, his 9/11 remarks have overshadowed the fact that someone like Paul, who’s passionately (you could say fanatically) committed to small government and Constitutional limits, is a valuable resource to help drag the GOP back toward what it needs to be domestically—the party of Constitutional, controlled government.
}:-)4
Well, I think Ron Paul is the worst candidate of the bunch. But how do you help matters by banning him from the debate? That’s the Democrat solution.
I think they should just have a knock down and the last one standing wins.
Indeed. It is the Arena of ideas. Let the best man win.
Mr. Anuzis, you're a freaking idiot. Try reading the 9/11 Commission report sometime you boob.
L
False argument because it wasn't a Saudi Government sponsored event.. The hijackers also received their flight training in Florida, but that doesn't mean we should bomb Florida.
I think we should start culling the herd American Idol style. The bottom two from the snapshot poll after a debate are eligible for elimination. Then voters call in to eliminate one. Same process follows until we’re left with the top 4 or 5.
I would rather allow Run Paul to remove himself and he’s well on his way.
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