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The Paleocon Dilemma... Ron Paul campaign illustrates the choices facing the antiwar Right
The American Conservative ^ | January 14, 2008 | by W. James Antle III

Posted on 01/07/2008 3:30:07 PM PST by Jim Robinson

Ron Paul isn’t just running for president. The antiwar 10-term congressman from Texas hopes that as titular head of the Republican Party, he can nudge the Right in a less interventionist direction, both at home and abroad. In fact, reviving an older, less reflexively hawkish conservatism may even be a more important motivation for Paul’s long-shot campaign than actually capturing the GOP nomination.

There’s just one problem: the movement Paul is trying to lead, or at least influence, is filled with people who think he is some kind of crazed left-wing radical. The popular conservative website RedState.com has effectively banned Paul supporters from signing up as commenters and promoting their candidate, partly on the grounds that such people are liberal Democrats merely pretending to be Republicans. FreeRepublic.com founder Jim Robinson, whose website was once more open to constitutionalists than Republican boosters, asserted that “Paul equals Hillary on the War.” National Review senior editor Richard Brookhiser has opined that Paul backers are “wicked idiots.”

Syndicated columnist Mona Charen dubbed Paul a “kook,” saying that although he shouldn’t be president, “[h]e might make a dandy new leader for the Branch Davidians.” Dean Barnett of The Weekly Standard devoted a similar piece to taunts along these lines, calling Paul the “crank-in-chief” and “undisputed owner of the “‘Don’t tase me bro’ vote.” Averring that “Crazy people love to have a cause,” Barnett observes that “America’s lunatics” have “taken such a shine to the formerly obscure Ron Paul”—since all Paul really wants is to “wear a powdered wig without being ridiculed in public.”

~~snip~~

The feeling is mutual.

(Excerpt) Read more at amconmag.com:80 ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: amconmag; antiwarright; elections; paleocons; ronpaul
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To: GodGunsGuts

You’ve hit on the crux of the crass crossdressers and crisscrossing crossing guards. And it’s their crassroots crush for RP that’s driven his crazy poll numbers.


21 posted on 01/07/2008 4:10:05 PM PST by bcsco (Huckleberry Hound - Another dope from Hope!)
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To: lormand
As a Texan, I'm embarrassed to associate Ron Paul with Texas.

Speaking of Texans, this one is priceless:

Syndicated columnist Mona Charen dubbed Paul a “kook,” saying that although he shouldn’t be president, “[h]e might make a dandy new leader for the Branch Davidians.”

FWIW, I know Texas like the back of my hand, and the oddest Texans I ever met were in Abilene.

22 posted on 01/07/2008 4:11:49 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of all the politics in politics.)
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To: lormand
There is no such thing as an antiwar right. It's just traitors and Americans. I choose the Americans.
23 posted on 01/07/2008 4:20:04 PM PST by Ukiapah Heep (Shoes for Industry!)
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To: Jim Robinson

I suspect that Paul is a member of the John Birch Society as Buchanan is. My father, in the 50’s, almost joined this society as a conservative alternative to the Democrats until he realized what a racist, anti-semitic group they are. If you read his comments, they are very similar to Buchanan’s.


24 posted on 01/07/2008 4:25:19 PM PST by richardtavor (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem in the name of the G-d of Jacob)
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To: Ukiapah Heep

Paul is a parasite. He has asked voters for support many times nationally, and never got very far. It is time for conservatives and Republicans to cut him out. The “people” aren’t buying that which he is selling. What ever happened to the Libertarian Party?


25 posted on 01/07/2008 4:35:28 PM PST by abenaki
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To: Jim Robinson

I visit some financial forums that for some reason are full of leftist loons, and Ron Paul is very popular with them.

He’s right in there next to Riverbend’s Baghdad Burning.


26 posted on 01/07/2008 4:58:10 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: lormand
Nice to know we are in good company...


27 posted on 01/07/2008 7:54:32 PM PST by darkwing104 (Lets get dangerous)
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To: Jim Robinson

Syndicated columnist Mona Charen dubbed Paul a “kook,” saying that although he shouldn’t be president, “[h]e might make a dandy new leader for the Branch Davidians.

Whether you support Ron Paul or not, it is a disgrace that the founder of FreeRepublic would quote someone who mocks the murder of children for political purposes. This kind of filth belongs on DailyKos or DemocraticUnderground.


28 posted on 01/08/2008 5:07:47 AM PST by TaxachusettsTom
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