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Ron Paul's Finished; Who Takes His Place?
Townhall.com ^ | January 23, 2012 | Mike Shedlock

Posted on 01/23/2012 6:39:43 AM PST by Kaslin

In spite of a carefully timed announcement by Newt Gingrich's ex-wife Marianne on an "Open Marriage, Mistress Proposal", Gingrich rallied from a 16 point deficit on January 3 to a stunning 12 percentage point slaughter of Mitt Romney less than three weeks later.

South Carolina Primary Results

The Associated Press announces these South Carolina Primary Results.



This goes to show you that "It ain't over until it's over."

Dog Whistle Politics

The Financial Times reports Victory Horrifies Republican Establishment

Gingrich didn’t just win the primary. He crushed Mr Romney, by more than ten percentage points, and that after the former Massachusetts governor had a lead of similar dimensions over Mr Gingrich just a week before the poll.

At least among Republicans, Mr Gingrich is so battle-scarred that no matter what dirt is thrown at him – even the fact that his ex-wife said he wanted an “open marriage” – it no longer sticks.

Mr Gingrich is also twice the natural politician that Mr Romney is, and was able to tailor his message on the campaign trail in South Carolina to rouse that state’s voters.

Although he denied it, his continuous references to Barack Obama as a “food stamp president” was called out by some commentators as classic dog whistle politics in a state with a long history of racial tension.

Mr Gingrich will be thrilled with his victory. The Republican establishment, however, will be horrified, because its members think he is unelectable and tarnished in a general election.

If Mr Gingrich wins Florida, expect a huge campaign against him, not from the White House, but from within the Republican party itself.
Who is the New Torch Bearer of Freedom?

I will take flack for this but it's all over for Ron Paul. He finished a disappointing 4th. I do not like the news but I cannot ignore it.

This will not stop me one bit from pointing out the flaws of Gingrich, the flaws of Romney, and the flaws of the Republican and Democratic parties in general. Indeed I hope and expect Ron Paul to carry his message to the end in an attempt to change the Republican platform.

The Republican party needs a new torch bearer. New Jersey governor Chris Christie walked away from the opportunity. Christie was not the perfect candidate, rather he was an acceptable candidate.

Nonetheless, one thing is certain. Neither Gingrich nor Romney is the future of the Republican party. Both are failed politicians of the failed past.

A new torch bearer will not come from the existing Republican establishment. My eyes turn towards Rand Paul.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012gopprimary; libertarians; libertarianvote; paul2012
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To: svcw

See my tagline. :-)


21 posted on 01/23/2012 7:03:30 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Ron Paul: Favorite of military impersonators everywhere.)
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To: dirtboy

Half of Ron Paul supporters if not more, are libs crossing over to fart with our primary in the first place.


22 posted on 01/23/2012 7:04:26 AM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: HamiltonJay

It’s telling that RuPaul is skipping Florida, with a closed primary. His numbers were going to sink anyway, so now he’ll claim they sunk because he didn’t campaign actively there.


23 posted on 01/23/2012 7:06:34 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: Larry Lucido; P-Marlowe

Why did Paul not do better in military-rich S CArolina, and why are the military donating heavily to Ron Paul?

Those are actually 2 very different questions.

First question: (a) most of the active duty in S Carolina would be residents of other states, so they would vote absentee for their candidates of choice in their home states. So, even if they were pro-Paul, we wouldn’t know it from the active duty stationed in S Carolina. (b) The South Carolina military would be predominantly retirees and older. They would be more pragmatic about their selection in a primary with electability being a huge issue.

Second question: (a) I believe many of the troops realize that they are only treading water currently in Afghanistan (and previously in Iraq). The US has announced it’s leaving, and they see absolutely no reason for any of their comrades to die or be injured for a mission that we are deserting. I agree with them. (b) The above politicization of missions has them cynical about any mission in the future, and Ron Paul speaks to that. (c) we don’t have a age breakout on that donor list, but I suspect it’s younger, and Paul does better with the younger voters.


24 posted on 01/23/2012 7:11:28 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
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To: Kaslin
Another appeasing moron heard from . . .

'investment advisor' huh ?
Kid looks like the neighborhood paperboy.
But with less sense, by the sound of it.

25 posted on 01/23/2012 7:13:06 AM PST by tomkat (para bellum)
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To: Kaslin
It is interesting to me that as of this morning the MSM seems to be trying their best to ignore what happened in South Carolina. On Sunday morning, the local news stations around Northern VA & DC dutifully announced the results of the primary; and later in the day the Sunday political talk shows discussed them a bit. But, the nightly news casts barely mentioned it, and this morning I saw no mention of the SC primary or of Newt Gingrich on any of the morning news broadcasts from the "major networks".

I'm guessing it would been an entirely different story if Romney had beaten Gingrich as decisively as Gingrich beat Romney. Had that occurred we would have been treated to at least five full days of a near-constant barrage of blathering talking-head reporters discussing "the end of the Gingrich campaign" and predicting when he would drop out of the race and endorse Romney.

This morning, though, they appear to have their fingers stuck in their ears while they chant 'LaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa' at the top of their lungs in an effort to avoid facing what happened to the 'moderate' republican that they had so graciously hand-picked for us to be brought forth and slaughtered by Obama this November. Thiings didn't go quite as they scripted them, and it looks like it'll take a few days for them to formulate and propagate a new meme to 'explain' things.

26 posted on 01/23/2012 7:14:11 AM PST by WayneS (Comments now include 25% MORE sarcasm for no additional charge...)
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To: Kaslin
In spite of a carefully timed announcement by Newt Gingrich's ex-wife Marianne . . .

First of all, the announcement was not carefully timed. It was ill-timed and ABC had to run with it because Drudge outed them.

Second of all, Newt didn't get the bump "In spite of" the announcement, He got the bump "because of" the announcement and its timing. He was limping along with a narrow four point lead even after his masterful debate performance last Monday. He cruised to a 14 point win after his brilliant smackdown of CNN on Thursday.

The more conservative voters have figured out that the MSM is the real enemy and ObaMao is merely their latest creation. Discrediting ObaMao will win us, at most, one election cycle. Discrediting the enemedia could be a long-term game changer.

Unless the other candidates start taking the enemedia to task with something close to the same brilliance approaching what Newt did-- and soon-- Newt will be the nominee. If he repeats in Florida something close to what he did in South Carolina, he will be unstoppable . . . at least for the nomination.

The general election, of course, is another matter. Your center right, moderate and other further left voters make up about two-thirds of the electorate. They still trust the enemedia to some extent. If ObaMao, his enemedia handlers and his billion dollar war chest succeed in making Newt's personality, his marital infidelities and his past the main issue, then he will go down to nearly a Goldwater sized loss. I say nearly only because ObaMao's actual record in office is so abysmal and he cannot bask in the glory of an assassinated president as did LBJ.

However, if Newt can make the campaign about ObaMao, his failings, the enemedia propaganda machine and their failings and discredit them in the minds of enough voters, then he will limp across the finish line. He needs to begin those preparations immediately as if he is already the nominee.

27 posted on 01/23/2012 7:21:39 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: dirtboy

>> What a pantload of idiocy from Shedlock... he’s a moron.

He’s a libertarian. Same-same I guess.


28 posted on 01/23/2012 7:26:34 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Trust in God, but row away from the rocks!)
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To: Kaslin; mickie
I've posted many times on this forum that the Townhall political blog has some of the best conservative thinkers and writers on the internet....and they do.

But for it to lower its high standards and allow this low-rent crappioli to make it through its own editorial scrutiny and zot capacity is unconscionable.

A pimply-faced junior on a high school student newspaper staff could do better writing as far as logic and political reality goes.

Shame on you, Townhall!

Leni

29 posted on 01/23/2012 7:38:29 AM PST by MinuteGal
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To: xzins; Larry Lucido; P-Marlowe

X it is easy to explain the military massive support is a myth, that is perpetuated by alterPaul and his supporters.
It’s that simple.


30 posted on 01/23/2012 7:41:50 AM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
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To: Larry Lucido; Gunslingr3

Hey, G. Go to the FEC web site and do a search by candidate and employment and tell us what you find.
The military support mantra is just that blather.
The only people who repeat this myth are alterPaul and his supporters, all MSM links go back to those references.
Ask youself G, why would the military support alterPaul when he disparages them and vows to gut the military to nothing? Why would you support a guy that wants to fire you, and remove all benefits promised when you joined the service?
Pretty sure they are not that stupid.


31 posted on 01/23/2012 7:46:59 AM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
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To: svcw

Paul has mentioned his military donations during the debates, and the other candidates did not disagree at the time or in later news releases.

So, I suspect that Paul is getting a lot of small donations from some libertarian-knockoff, young troops.


32 posted on 01/23/2012 7:48:19 AM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray Continued Victory for our Troops Still in Afghan!)
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To: svcw

Senator Rand Paul of KY is the son of Ron Paul and I think Mike Shedlock is talking of future presidential elections.


33 posted on 01/23/2012 7:48:33 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Larry Lucido

On Friday morning Fox and Friends had 3 veterans from SC on and Brian Kilmeade asked who they are supporting for president. The first one said Mitt Romney, the second one, Newt Gingrich, and the third one said Rick Santorum. None of them said Ron Paul. When asked why thy don’t support him they all said because of his foreign policy view


34 posted on 01/23/2012 7:59:04 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: svcw

See my post# 34


35 posted on 01/23/2012 8:01:52 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: xzins

I understand your point. However, it does not negate my question. Why would the/any military person support a guy who disparages them and has vowed to fire them plus cut all benefits they were promised. The logic just is not there.
As a side note, it is easy for alterPaul to make these mythical statements and not be challenged: the other candidates don’t argue with lunacy, so why should the other candidates waste their time.
The question is still begged why would anyone with reason and intellect support alterPaul who is a racist, anti-Semite, blame America first for everything, earmark king, calls himself a Constitutionalists yet knows so little of the Constitution and the Founding that is now becoming laughable.
alterPauls grasp of reality is gone.


36 posted on 01/23/2012 8:06:16 AM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
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To: Kaslin

Yep.


37 posted on 01/23/2012 8:07:33 AM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
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To: tomkat

You obviously have never read his financial columns. He should have stuck to the finance, but then he has a right to his opinion just as you have the right to yours, okay?


38 posted on 01/23/2012 8:11:50 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: svcw
And here is the video

Who are vets voting for and why?

39 posted on 01/23/2012 8:25:25 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

Ron Paul isn’t finished until he says he is finished. To try an push him out of the race at this point I suspect represents despair over the possibility that the convention will be brokered.

In other words, the writer just wants a simple horse race between Romney and Gingrich, with one winner and one loser.

While some want that, many more are now calling for no one to go in to the convention as a winner, but with many having to persuade 2,286 delegates, a clear majority of whom are conservatives, to give them the 50%+1 votes they need to become the nominee.

Talk about a tough crowd! Tough and conservative.

Media friendly, non-controversial doublespeak b.s. will be chewed up and spat out in that like a wood chipper. Those who vie for the nomination are going to have to promise solid conservatism values and actions when elected.

It truly will be candidate “Hell week”. But the end result will not be a devil’s bargain, but someone who will give conservatives what they want.


40 posted on 01/23/2012 8:58:22 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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