Are Ron Paul Supporters Real?

Blogger News Network ^ | November 7, 2007

[theothercheek]

Second-tier presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) pulled off a first-rate fundraising coup, netting $4.3 million in online contributions from 38,000 donors in a single day, bringing his total haul to $7.3 million in 4Q 2007. No other Republican comes close to Paul’s 24-hour feat, but Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) has him beat at $6.2 million.

Paul supporters flashed their cash in honor of Guy Fawkes Day, which commemorates the would-be assassin of England’s King James I on Nov. 5, 1605. Guy Fawkes was also the inspiration the novel-turned-movie "V for Vendetta," in which the lead character takes on a fascist government in England. In several GOP presidential debates, the libertarian Paul has all-but called George W. Bush a fascist – taking issue with the Administration’s policies on domestic spying, for instance.

So does this mean Paul has a shot at the nomination? In a word: Nah. The Stiletto agrees with WaPo political blogger Chris Cillizza’s: take:

Paul was widely seen as a political gadlfy when he entered the race, but through skill, luck or a little of both he has built himself into an Internet phenomenon. …

It's not yet clear that Paul's online national community can deliver actual votes for him. … While Paul is at the center of a national movement, it won't help him in Iowa or New Hampshire if thousands of people from California or Illinois are backing him. …

There has always been a pot of money that exists for unconventional candidates who believe the system is fundamentally broken and are only tangentially affiliated with a party. …

[H]is money and his message make him a actor in New Hampshire ... he remains a decided longshot ... the excitement and attention he is drawing would seem to be a perfect lead up to a third party candidacy if and when he loses the Republican nomination.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Jonathan Bydlak, the Paul campaign’s fundraising director posted a message on the candidate's Web site that the ka-ching means just one thing: “Ron Paul is for real." Maybe. But it appears his supporters are real (second item).

Note: The Stiletto writes about politics and other stuff at The Stiletto Blog.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If Paul is polling in barely readable numbers among likely voting Republicans, WHERE is his money coming from?

The polls are excluding Paul's name from the questionnaire & they are polling the same registered registered Republicans who supported Bush in 2004. Keep in mind that the 2004 GOP primaries were among the lowest in Republican turnout in history.

His money is coming from THE LEFT, desperate to make Republicans look bad, and most definately from STORMFRONT...

His money is NOT coming from the Left and your ridiculous Stormfront cheap-shot only reveals your ignorance and desperation. All of Dr. Paul's donations are coming in from individuals - independents, libertarians, old-right conservatives, and yes, traditional liberals who are apathetic and disgusted with politics. Hence the support for Paul.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

To split off some Republicans and Libertarians from voting for a Republican candidate.

Paul is helping the GOP. He is bringing in new voters (younger voters) into the old Reagan coalition.

[George W. Bush]

Funny how you guys DON'T want Paul to run as a Republican but deep down you DON'T want him to run as a 3rd party candidate. Make up your fricking minds.

And if RP is our nominee, some of them will vote for Hillary and they say so. So they claim RP will get Hitlery elected but they themselves plan to vote for Hitlery so they don't have to vote for Ron Paul, someone who is 100% aligned with the GOP platform since the time of Reagan.

I guess they're the Hillary Republicans.

[poobear]

“If Paul does run as a 3rd party candidate, why do you care? Funny how you guys DON’T want Paul to run as a Republican but deep down you DON’T want him to run as a 3rd party candidate. Make up your fricking minds.”

I have made up my fricking mind!

I don’t want him to run as anything. The man is a lunatic! I beginning to think his backers are running a close second to being certifiable as well!

Lighten up.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

And if RP is our nominee, some of them will vote for Hillary and they say so.

Yeah, and they call US delusional. So sick of these fricking Paul bashers who repeat the same-old garbage that's been debunked on every thread.

[darkwing104]

It's clear how badly you want to help Dr. Paul and his supporters.

Just remember, I may keep them at arms length, I don't hate them personally, but there are times I may need to remind them to shut the H3ll up. Your are not helping your cause. Of course, those who are writing hate mail to talk show hosts aren't helping much either...Ron Paul and his supporters are quickly becoming the embarrassment of the GOP.

[mvpel]

Running a close third behind Guiliani and Romney for the title of top GOP embarassment?

[oldfart]

I recently had the opportunity to talk at some length with Robert Hoshibata, Bishop of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church. Among the topics we discussed was the declining membership of that and many similar Churches. Naturally, it is a real concern to him and one he has spent a lot of time thinking about.
Finally, we laid most of the blame on an aging membership and a failure to interest the younger set enough to bring them to Church.
I think we are seeing a similar situation here except in the political arena the young people are getting so interested they’re displacing the old-line voters, the ones that vote for a candidate just because he has a “D” or an “R” by his name.
Being an ‘oldfart’ I’ve watched a good many kids grow up with what I considered a very poor education, seemingly having majored in sex, booze and drugs. No matter how much I ranted and raved about freedom and the original intent of the founders they just smirked and walked away.
Or so I thought.
I support Ron Paul and I’ve joined an on-line meet-up group that also supports him. Due to the infirmities I’ve brought on myself from a long and disasterous life, I can’t get out to picket or demonstrate as I would like. Each day though, my e-mail list is packed full of messages to, from and by dozens of others that do get out to actively and physically support the cause. Those messages are full of all that stuff I spouted all those years ago about freedom and founders. So I have to assume that either I was a whole lot better teacher than I thought (not likely) or the time has finally come for the people to stand up for freedom.
I for one, am really glad to see all these young people getting so involved in politics. In my past, it was the older generation that made the mistakes and we kids had to go clean up. These kids may make some mistakes but they’ll be the ones to have to correct them. Regardless of who makes the decisions and/or mistakes, the old guard is being relieved.

[jmeagan]

*****As for anti-tax, pro-family, anti-big-government...those are great stances. Ron Paul doesn’t hold a monopoly on those, however.****

Yeah, a lot of republicans talk the talk, but very few of them walk the walk (other than Ron Paul). 94 to 06 showed us what they really are.

[darkwing104]

Running a close third behind Guiliani and Romney for the title of top GOP embarassment?

According to whom?

[M203M4]

They are real:

(1) they are mostly younger (18-40)
(2) a portion are traditionally non-voters, some are third party (Constitution, Libertarian), some are Democrats, a lot are independents, and some are Republicans (the last category is growing the fastest, and the Democrat supporters are shrinking in number, with most headed to the Obama camp - Kucinich is not on the radar).
(3) all have libertarian leanings (shock!)
(4) they universally hate Hillary's guts, and most have a seething hatred of Giuliani as well
(5) most ignore network news, and get their news from internet sources
(6) many of the older Republican supporters have been Ron Paul fans since the 1990's, their politics not having changed an iota since then
(7) they are all extremely motivated

The last point is critical, and I cannot stress it enough. They are in this for Paul to win, and I know many who are making a significant personal financial sacrifice to donate money to the campaign. Every supporter I know is operating independently from the official campaign. They deluge small local papers with letters, slap Ron Paul fliers under windshield wipers in parking lots, and run mini-campaigns (on campuses for example) to get folks to register as Republicans so they can vote in the primaries. Ron Paul is seriously their hobby, and it is not even close to simply being only an online exercise.

Their enthusiasm is infectious as well, though there is obviously a point at which support will saturate (IMO, the support among Democrats is above the saturation point, so we are going to see most of the lightweight scum float to the top; Republican and independent support however are far below potential saturation). The comparisons to the "Dean phenomenon" are hollow (though the end result could be the same - with an effet pro-abort anti-gun pro-gay North-Easterner winning the nomination).

I see this all in a positive light, and don't think that this represents any enhancement of the likelihood Hillary will be elected (Paul pledged to NOT run third party - if he does, I take this all back and will join the anti-Paul brigade).

On my part, I'm simply explaining to Ron Paul supporters that Fred Thompson, through his support of Federalism, is the best alternative to bring to fruition the majority of Ron Paul's domestic agenda. If and when the Ron Paul campaign comes to an end, we either position ourselves to adopt some of the political refugees or lose them to the ether or opposition.

[George W. Bush]

Ron Paul and his supporters are quickly becoming the embarrassment of the GOP.

I wonder what you'll say when when we embarrass you by leaving Fred in our fundraising dust. Then Giuliani. And even force Mitt to drain his checkbook.

You'd better be prepared for a lot more embarrassment, comrade. We ain't stoppin'. And we're growing at an incredible rate. Only Obama has numbers anywhere near comparable in actual voters and small donors and enthusiasm.

And when it becomes undeniable what has happened to our currency, our 401Ks and retirement plans and to the real value of stocks and no one can deny that Ron Paul has been right about these issues for the last twenty years (more actually), he's not going to go down in support. Then you'll see the real explosion from the voters moving to the Paul camp and the consequent collapse of the establishment candidates in both parties.

Better start practicing your typing: "President Paul, President Paul, President Paul...".

Or maybe you're one of those who would prefer: "President Hillary, President Hillary...".

[George W. Bush]

On my part, I'm simply explaining to Ron Paul supporters that Fred Thompson, through his support of Federalism, is the best alternative to bring to fruition the majority of Ron Paul's domestic agenda. If and when the Ron Paul campaign comes to an end, we either position ourselves to adopt some of the political refugees or lose them to the ether or opposition.

Funny, my approach is remarkably similar to your own.

On my part, I'm simply explaining to Fred Thompson supporters that Ron Paul, through his support of Federalism, is the best alternative to bring to fruition the majority of Fred Thompson's domestic agenda. If and when the Fred Thompson campaign comes to an end, we either position ourselves to adopt some of the political refugees or lose them to the ether or opposition.

[zeugma]

Treason against tyranny is loyalty to liberty.

True. Our version of Guy Fawkes day is on July 4th, because our revolution suceeded.

History is written by the victors. We'll never know what impact Fawkes might have had if he'd succeeded. 

 

[darkwing104]

Better start practicing your typing: "President Paul, President Paul, President Paul...".

Here is a strong dose of reality, right now Ron Paul's best hope is that he's going to be a 3rd party spoiler ala Ross Perot...When he does he will the best friend Hillary Clinton will have.

[George W. Bush]

Well, my fine-feathered Republican, we'll have to agree to disagree.

Have you bought your tickets for President Paul's inaugural ball yet?

[AmericanHunter]

“I guess they’re the Hillary Republicans.”

That’s a great line. That is really what the current political system has become, isn’t it?

[ejonesie22]

We'll all be dead before he can be proved right...

Not worth the risk, but nice try...

[ejonesie22]

You left off Anti War...

That’s kind of a biggie and a wee bit o’ a sticking point with the boss and many of the rest of us...

[mvpel]

Running a close third behind Guiliani and Romney for the title of top GOP embarassment?

According to whom?

Anyone who understands that there's more to being conservative than nuking Iran or torturing terrorists.