Ron Paul
Posted on 04/20/2010 4:59:10 AM PDT by IbJensen
According to a recent Rasmussen poll, Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) and President Barack Obama would be virtually tied if the 2012 presidential election were held today. The poll result is perhaps surprising, considering that during Ron Paul's 2008 presidential bid for the Republican nomination the major media cast him as a dark horse with no chance of winning. But that was before the financial meltdown in the fall of 2008, the Obama Presidency, and the Tea Party movement of the past year.
Rasmussen surveyed 1,000 “likely voters” by phone over April 12 and 13 to gauge the current public attitude toward the constitutionalist congressman. The main question was: "If the [2012 presidential] election were held today, would you vote for Republican Ron Paul or Democrat Barack Obama?" The poll found that Barack Obama would get 42 percent of the vote and Ron Paul 41 percent — the 1 percent difference well within the poll's margin of error.
The poll and its questions in their entirety break down as follows:
1* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Ron Paul?
10% Very favorable
29% Somewhat favorable
18% Somewhat unfavorable
12% Very unfavorable
32% Not sure
2* In thinking about the 2012 Presidential election suppose you had a choice between Republican Ron Paul and Democrat Barack Obama. If the election were held today, would you vote for Republican Ron Paul or Democrat Barack Obama?
41% Paul
42% Obama
11% Some other candidate
6% Not sure
3* Is Ron Paul a divisive force in the Republican Party, or is he representative of a new direction for the party?
21% He is a divisive force in the Republican party
34% He is representative of a new direction for the party
45% Not sure
4* Does Ron Paul share the values of most Republican voters throughout the nation?
19% Yes
27% No
54% Not sure
To see Rasmussen's report on its poll, click here.
It is also interesting to note that Barack Obama’s popularity has been in a downward slide during his Presidency to date.
On Congressman Paul’s side, things are different. With frequent television interviews, commentaries on the issues, and appearances in person — all of which have continued long past his campaign in the last presidential election — he has ample opportunity to keep in the public eye and make further clear his stands on behalf of the Constitution. There is nothing like being a “go to guy” for the media when observations on current affairs or a hot topic of the day is needed. He also has several books out that delineate his views and help to maintain his reputation for consistency and for constitutionality. Many voters like what Ron Paul is saying. And many voters are also becoming very concerned about what they see happening to their country since the last presidential election.
So perhaps it's not really too surprising after all that according to a recent survey Ron Paul would be a very viable candidate for President were he to decide to run.
But I agree with the poster — the reason for the polling numbers are that most people don’t know Ron Paul. Instead, they know the version of Ron Paul that the media has given, which is a quite favorable view because Ron likes to attack other Republicans, which makes him popular.
If people knew his actual views, he wouldn’t be polling so well.
Hint: The answer is "No."
Obama would just about wee-wee himself for his good fortune to be able to run to the right of his opponent on multiple issues, even after 4 years in office—and dupe the apathetic middle with his “moderation” for a second time around.
No.
McCain was indeed the WORST possible candidate and the weakest of the Pubbie herd. Foisted on the voters by a corrupt and mismanaged primary system.
Paul, though a smart man, was never ‘Presidential Timber’ himself. He has many GOOD ideas however he some some others that totally disqualify him from being the leader on the free world.
The media sold the current occupant in the whitehouse to the people with no qualifications, no experience, and total anti-American agenda. All hype-all the time.
All depends on who the media backs.
“he reminds me of the guy that played magneto on X-men”
He IS the guy that played Magneto on X-Men!
Its funny how many so called conservatives here would cheer for Obama over Paul.
I don’t agree with everything Paul supports. But I agree with him more than I agree with Romney or McCain or Obama. And I know that regardless of what the naysayers shriek, he would not mothball the entire military his first day in office. Even presidents don’t weild that much power. Sure we would be steered in a less interventionist direction and more thought might go into our committing troops to foreign conflicts. But the neocon invade everyone mantra is what has alienated so many people in this country. Perhaps we need to temper our decisions more when putting our troops in harms way.
“If Dr. Paul was to be “show cased” in the same manner as the RINO Mit Romney, he would come to be a rock star in a matter of days.”
I have to agree with you. Also, if the Republican party trots out yet another joke of a mainstream Republican for the next election, I will stay home for the first time since I was eligible to vote. I already held my nose and voted for McCain. I’m done with that.
I would vote for either of Palin, Paul or (dear God, please) Allen West should he decide to set his sights higher. I’m open to voting for another candidate who is not on this list and who is NOT some pathetic warmed over failure from the overwhelming majority of the Republican party but that’s about it.
Not if my vote counts!!!
AH, THEN YOU’D BE HAPPY WITH AN ADDITIONAL SENTENCE OF FOUR YEARS.
The actions of Obama guarantee that almost ANYBODY could beat him....
Before i’d accept your asshole for President!
His ‘it’s our fault terrorism exists’ attitude is a huge deal killer no matter how persuasive his domestic arguments might be.
HELL NO.
Hey, we don't need the enemedia to attach the Ron Paul stigma to the TEA Party movement. Freedom Works and Dick Armey have already done that.
Picture it ... tens of thousands of TEA Party patriots on the grounds of the Washington monument April 15, 2010 around 8:45 PM. The final main speaker is none other than Ron Paul. Blaring across the grounds we hear words like imperialist nation ... two bad wars ... bring the troops home from foreign nations.
No, it is not a dream. I was there and heard it with my own two ears and let out more than one resounding BOO! It was so loud one of Paul's nuts came out into the crowd looking for the person booing.
Ron Paul for ........... dogcatcher? OH HELL NO!!!
LOL - no.
As bad as McCain was, no.
LOL
No need to yell, and Paul would be an extension of the sentence you speak of....
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