[Ron] Paul rally draws hundreds (Wyoming)

CHEYENNE Debbie Rise of Cheyenne gave a one-word answer Sunday when asked why she supports maverick Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

She was one of several hundred people who attended a rally for Paul in the plaza near the historic depot in downtown Cheyenne on Sunday afternoon.

The event opened with a performance by a members of a drum and fife band dressed in Revolutionary War era costumes.

Supporters weaved through the crowd to pass out copies of the U.S. Constitution.

During his half hour speech, Paul generated roars of approval when he said the government should end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home.

They were equally enthusiastic when he said young people should be allowed to withdraw from the Social Security program and the nation should get rid of the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Reserve.

Christine Wilson, one of a group of Paul supporters from Denver, said her research convinced her Paul is the best candidate for president.

Teri Mahacek of Colorado Springs said said she watched all the debates before picking Paul.

"All the other candidates on both sides scare me,” she said.. “I think all the Republicans would have us invading every country. I think the Democrats would have us becoming socialists.”

During a meeting with reporters before the rally, the Texas congressman said his campaign has gained traction largely because of his position that the nation should get out of Iraq as quickly as possible

He said he is not a pacifist and believes in a strong military defense which, he said, is being diminished by the war in Iraq.

He noted he is the only presidential candidate among the Republican president candidates or the major Democratic candidates with this position on the Iraq war.

He said the government's response to terrorists has been out of proportion to what is necessary and it is violating U.S. citizens' civil rights.

"I think there would be a much better chance if we were out of the mix over there. I think we created the chaos. There was no civil war going on before we got there,” Paul said.

The trim, white-haired 71-year-old candidate said he was encouraged to run for the Republican nomination.

"Now after 10 months I never dreamed we could raise this much money and get this much attention,” he said.

"We have a lot of supporters here,” he said. “It's an early primary I wanted to pay attention to.”

While Paul supporters gathered after the rally on the first floor of the Plains Hotel, another Republican presidential candiate, Duncan Hunter, a California congressman, met with a group of his supporters on the second floor.

Hunter said one of the reasons for his visit is to thank the Wyoming National Guard for its help in fighting the fires in southern California.

He supports a strong national defense, enforcement of border security and restoring high paid manufacturing jobs that have been outsourced overseas.

Both Paul and Hunter planned to attend the Laramie County Republican Party fund-raiser Sunday evening at Little America.

Glad to know that all those years in law school paid off. Hint: I wasn’t concerned, Counselor. It is also called “free speech”. Further, I’m glad that you recognize that you would have no standing, before making further threats.
I didn’t “cook up” any absurd lie. I didn’t slur Dr. Paul, nor defame him in any way. The statements about Dr. Paul have nothing to do with his commendable treatment of patients, nor running of his office. However, these are not germain. FYI, I think he has several good ideas. It is his Libertarian nature that takes him over the edge into a place that I disagree with. One is his foreign policy, or lack of knowledge thereof. Isolationism is not reality when you are “the” superpower in the world. It is not the way in which to implement security. One should always find out how things work in the macro.
For the record, I couldn’t be a “bile-spewing idiot” nor “troll” if my life depended on it. However, the attacks by Paulites like yourself are rather detracting from the candidate. There is a reason that many do not take Paul seriously. Perhaps you will entertain that it is “defenses” like this one that are one of the reasons.

So then what happened to "he's just in it for the money?"

Just curious where that went.

It didn't disappear. Obviously, I was response. I stand by my statement that I feel Ron Paul remains in the race for the money. My opinion. What other reason could there be for someone that is obviously not going to be the nominee? Unless it is to harm the Republican Party and be spoiler.

This is exactly what a primary is supposed to be about. The real test comes when the party does pick its nominee. Then - at that point - if any of the other candidates try to continue the race, split off from the party or try to split votes, then you can accuse them of being in it for the money, for the attention, for the controversy, whatever. Heck, you can accuse anyone of anything you want to right now, I suppose, but it really stinks of the attitude that people are supposed to fall in line for whoever the GOP feels should be anointed for 2008.

A lot of the Paul bashers seem entirely aggravated that someone should spoil their primary party by even being involved in the process. The solution is simple: Don't vote for him. I predict that Rudy Guliani will be the Republican nominee. I'm not thrilled about that, but I think he would have a more realistic chance of winning than Fred Thompson, who seems to have become a darling around these parts. Reality bites, as they say. Still waiting for Tom Tancredo or Duncan Hunter to bring something to the table, for instance. We wait.

Do you have any idea how contrary your attitude is to the entire nomination process? I mean, why else have it? Why have a primary at all? Maybe Romney should just quit, I mean, lets be honest, he has no chance. How about Fred Thompson... Are they just trying to split the party? I understand the nomination process just fine. "Lets be honest". Yes, let us be honest. There are people that run that have no chance at all of gaining the nomination of their Party, like Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, Tancredo, McCain, Hunter, & Brownback, and on the Democrat side, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, & Bill Richardson. I'm not sure that Fred Thompson doesn't have a chance nor Mitt Romney. At this point Mitt has more of a chance than Fred. They have every right to run of course, but for what reason. There are candidates that run for the money, face time, to be a spoiler, or all of the aforementioned. ...if any of the other candidates try to continue the race, split off from the party or try to split votes, then you can accuse them of being in it for the money, for the attention, for the controversy, whatever.... With all due respect, I can make my statements anytime because they are opinions expressed under free speech. ...it really stinks of the attitude that people are supposed to fall in line for whoever the GOP feels should be anointed for 2008. I don't think that at all. However, I wish that candidates who find that they have no chance would withdraw as Brownback did. It demonstrates honesty, integrity, & a clear grip on reality. A lot of the Paul bashers seem entirely aggravated that someone should spoil their primary party by even being involved in the process. The solution is simple: Don't vote for him. The "Paul bashers" are aggravated by his inclusion in the GOP race because most of his ideas aren't sound, nor serious. This is not to say that he doesn't have some that are good, however, then he goes off the cliff. And he takes all the lemings with him. It's like the "Emperor's New Clothes" with Paul supporters. They seem unable to see him for what he really is.

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