Ron Paul is the Military's Candidate? (analysis of campaign contribs) (vanity)

FEC Campaign Data at Open Secrets ^ | 2/21/2008 | self

[markomalley]

On a couple of other boards, I have heard the allegation that "Ron Paul is the Military's Candidate." I always figured it to be your typical overblown hyperbole...

So I decided to research the numbers, in order to blow away the conspiracy theory. There's no way that he could be the leading candidate for military contributors...right?

Well, I went to the FEC Contributions Database that is maintained by opensecrets.org...the numbers I came up with were both surprising and very, very disturbing.

First of all, the methodology:

• I did individual contributor searches for a number of different employer types: "Army," "US Army," "United States Army," "Air Force," "US Air Force," "USAF," etc.
• I did this search for candidates Paul, McCain, Romney, Clinton, Obama. I didn't do searches for Thompson, Hunter, etc. (So, in theory, one or more of the others could be recipients of huge quantities of military contributors, but I doubt it)
• I limited the search to the 2008 cycle.

What I found was that the Paul folks were right! Both the number of individual contributions (372) and the amount contributed ($167K), far outstripped the other candidates checked. In comparison, McCain only had 110 contributions for $50K.

The disturbing part of this was that the runner up to Ron Paul wasn't McCain, it was Obama (172 contributions for $77K)! That was a shock!

[markomalley]

I'd appreciate somebody checking what I did, as I'd hate to be right.

The other question is can somebody explain this to me? I can't understand how any military person could possibly support Obama...

[FR Class of 1998]

Because anyone with a shred of military education knows this war cannot possibly be won with the strategy this administration is pursuing?

[diverteach]

I really wish we did have other options instead of McLame and Dr Ron Kook doesn’t qualify.

[perez24]

I think that, based on your research, there were fewer than 1000 contributions to the candidates combined might show that either your research was incomplete or not a real indicator of the military’s interest since it’s such a small sample.

Still, out of the small sample, Paul does appear to dominate didn’t he?

[squidly]

Now hold the phone just a minute. Paul having 372 military members contribute to his campaign makes him the military candidate?

[oblomov]

Maybe it’s because people in the military have actually read the Constitution?

[Invincibly Ignorant]

He’s still a candidate?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Paul having 372 military members contribute to his campaign makes him the military candidate?

No, but it puts to rest the lie that he's a terrorist-sympathizer kook.

[madison10]

I can't understand how any military person could possibly support Obama...

IMO, it's the age factor. The military for the most part is a young group and Obama looks like the young candidate. Also, maybe they see the war getting over soon and want someone who will take care of them.

Those two, and maybe the truth just isn't getting out over there.

[squidly]

I’ve never called him a terrorist sympathizer, but I have and will call him a kook.

[Jane Austen]

Minorities in the military?

[South40]

RuPaul's biggest obstacle to getting the nomination is he's a certifiable nutjob.

It matters not who contributes to his campaign, he's still a kook.

[taxcontrol]

And anyone with a background in History and/or Military education knows that you can not win a war without engaging the enemy.

[chesty_puller]

anyone with a shred of military education knows this war cannot possibly be won

Please share with us your military education.

[wideawake]

Nice fake screenname, FR Class Of (corrected) 2008.

Here's a clue, fellas:

You can lie when you tell the FEC who your employer is. They don't verify. You can donate money under the name Mickey Mouse and say you work for Crunchy Frog Industries.

Paulestinians and Obamaniacs encourage people to claim that they are soldiers, sailors, marines, aviators, etc. It's good propaganda, that's all.

There is an entire subculture of leftists in this country who make their living by falsely claiming to war veterans.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

He’s still a candidate?

He's outlasted Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Duncan Hunter, James Gilmore, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback....

- Raised more money in the 4Q than all GOP candidates
- Raised more money in one day than any other candidate online in history
- The greatest grassroots support for a presidential candidate in history

- More contributions from the military than all candidates combined
- Has spawned "Ron Paul Republicans" - ordinary people running for office as Ron Paul Republicans

Not bad, not bad at all, despite the both liberal media & conservative blogosphere that tried to cut him off at the knees.

[markomalley]

I think that, based on your research, there were fewer than 1000 contributions to the candidates combined might show that either your research was incomplete or not a real indicator of the military’s interest since it’s such a small sample.

Still, out of the small sample, Paul does appear to dominate didn’t he?

Well, it's a measure of intensity of support. Face it, if you have an E-5 or an O-3 contributing $200-$500, with the salary he pulls down, that's a hunk of change.

[gunnyg]

[wideawake]

No, but it puts to rest the lie that he's a terrorist-sympathizer kook.

Hardly.

His own words demonstrate that he is a terrorist sympathizer and a kook.

We have him on tape.

Those who claim that less than 1000 service members have contributed in the 2008 election cycle and that every Paul donor claiming to be military is telling the truth have the burden of proof.

[PeteB570]

Do you have any idea of the total amount of people in the military?

Under 400?

Man, thats not even 1 battalion.

We have 150,000 in Iraq alone.

RP supporters are dedicated but I’d say the numbers are no big deal.