Republicans throw up a rival for Sarah Palin (CPAC/GayPAC's Ron Paul)

The Australian ^ | February 22, 2010 | Brad Norington, Washington correspondent

[usconservative]

The mentally stable Republicans will not support Paul.

Thus my name for those who support Ron Paul as being "Paul-tards."

[calex59]

Yeah, like we are going to vote for Ron Paul the idiot instead of Sarah. Those of you who want to vote for this idiot go ahead, I won’t be joining you.

[rintense]

Republicans threw up alright- when they heard Ron Paul wont he straw poll.

I can just see Ron Paul's Presidential Tagline:

Ron Paul for President: Cuz kooks are people too!

[Navy Patriot]

I normally consider The Australian, however, this time I think they are a little too far from the US to get a good take on CPAC.

Younger libertarians were more heavily represented than the Conservative, mature American backbone.

The Australian hasn't got enough reporters in the US to properly asses Palin's influence, but I don't think they're bashing her here.

[Navy Patriot]

Whoops,->assess

[Cu Roi]

Yeah, like we are going to vote for Ron Paul the idiot instead of Sarah

You will do as Sarah tells you...and when Sarah sits out 2012 and endorses Ron Paul, just as she endorsed Rand in the Kentucky Senate rate, you will fall in line.

[philman_36]

From the looks of things, and the angst engendered by such polling results, the GOP better hurry up and pony up some worthwhile conservative candidates.

[CyberAnt]

You are exactly correct .. and also there was the fact that only TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT even voted in the straw poll.

If CPAC is going to have a “straw poll” then it should require everybody to participate.

[Cu Roi]

The reason Ron Paul won the straw poll is because he had a booth at CPAC where he registered attendees to vote and Palin didn't.

Translation: Paul's people have the ground game, motivation, and organizational skills to win, while Palin's amen corner is too busy attending carefully controlled paid speeches.

[bwc2221]

The fact that less than 25% of those attending CPAC participated says a lot about CPAC and its attendees. The parties are a bigger draw than the politics.

[Allegra]

LOL on the title.

CPAC has become a joke.

[Diogenesis]

Were all the votes counted?
Or more cheating for Team Mitt Romneycare?

[353FMG]

I like the people on the bottom of the list better than those on the top. The GOP again, has very little to show for.

[Lazamataz]

CPAC NEEDS AN ENEMA!

[bwc2221]

CPAC is attended by the under 30 crowd, primarily from the Beltway and the east coast. They are not Palin supporters. To spend any time and effort on a meaningless straw vote at CPAC would have been foolish on her part.

[byteback]

Exactly. The voters are mostly
1. Young
2. college educated

Not a Palin demographic.

[ChrisInAR]

...this vote was primarily the kids.

I am excited about the future of the GOP if that's the case. Maybe in another 10 years or so the GOP can return to its limited government / America first views.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm ..?? If Mitt had cheated - I’M SURE HE WOULD HAVE WON .. or why bother.

Seems to me there’s a lot of Mitt-bashing on FR - and quite frankly, I don’t like it. If you have some evidence against him - fine - but to just smear him by accusing him of cheating when there’s no evidence to support it is stupid.

And .. I’m not a Mitt supporter either .. I just don’t like it. I didn’t like it when the dems were doing it to Bush and I don’t like it now for Mitt.

[CyberAnt]

Actually, I don’t think people are ready to make a choice right now. There are a few good candidates out there .. or there could be somebody out of the blue who could capture the nomination.

Since most of the voters were between 18 and 34, I’d guess they’re just now getting involved in politics and it’s easy for them to get distracted by the “no-war” mantra.

If people have a brain, they already know that WAR is a necessary part of remaining free .. and if you say NO WAR ever, then you’re setting yourself up to be attacked because you have already told the enemy you won’t fight back.

I think that’s kinda stupid.

[Swing_Thought]

Judging by the number of posts on this poll (what is this, the seventh, eighth?) FR is hysterical over this vote. It's embarrassing, people.

FReepers need to chill. Ron Paul isn't going to win the GOP nomination, but he's bringing new, young fiscal conservatives to the cause.

FR is still for fiscal conservatism, isn't it? Or are fiscal conservatives no longer welcome here?