Ron Paul seeking to pick off Santorum

Legal Insurrection ^ | 1/12/12 | William Jacobson

[Lakeshark]

Richard Viguerie has an interesting observation regarding the methodology of Ron Paul’s campaign intended to leave Paul as the last not-Romney standing, Ron Paul Goes Bird Hunting:

"Experienced bird hunters and fighter pilots know you don’t aim for the leader of a flight — you start at the back of the flight and work your way forward. This is apparently what Congressman Ron Paul is doing to his opponents in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Rather than aim at purported frontrunner Mitt Romney (who should be the number one target of his libertarian supporters), Ron Paul has been working his way through the flock of less well-funded and less well-defined opponents, thinning the field as he goes.

After raking former Speaker Newt Gingrich with fire in Iowa, the libertarian-oriented congressman from Texas has been zeroing-in on former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in South Carolina."

And zeroing in on Santorum he is, In South Carolina, Paul Renews Santorum Attack:

[Milhous]

How impolitic of Paul to try to pick off the Evangelical favorite son right before sonny’s big SC lovefest. A stupidity tale, so to speak.

[NKP_Vet]

Ron Paul won’t do squat in SC.

[Big E]

The Gingrich people should be thrilled Paul is attacking Santorum. If Paul betters Santorum for 3rd in SC, Santorum should drop out. The Santorum voters will mostly go to Gingrich. He may then have a chance to win Florida, which would put him right back in the race. Of course, if Santorum is in this solely to assure himself a nice spot in the Romney Administration, he’ll stick it out in Florida, no matter where he finishes in SC.

[M. Espinola]

Just what the Tehran dictatorship needs:

[VicVega]

You asked a legitimate question.

As far as a VP for Romney, I don't think he will pick anyone we are thinking of including those currently in the race.

No Haley from SC. She was a cheap buy.

We just have to stop him so he doesn't have a chance to pick one.

[af_vet_rr]

There is definetely an alliance between the RINOs and Ron Paul. The Conservative candidates are under attack from the msm and RINOs including Ron Paul. They have been hitting Newt the hardest as I think they think he is the strongest one.

Keep an eye out on South Carolina and see how that plays out and how the MSM treats it. South Carolina has an open primary. Democrats and Libertarians will crossover since there is no reason for them to vote in the Democratic primary, and since many know that Romney is unelectable to Conservatives.

Don't be surprised if Romney and RuPaul do better than the polls while everybody else hits their poll numbers or below.

Crossovers didn't matter much in the first two because both of those states were loaded with Romney RINOs, but they'll matter in SC.

[VicVega]

Just want to be clear here. If Paul takes 7th, he will not drop out.

Correct?

Now if Gingrich, for some insane reason gets fourth and Santorum takes 2nd with Paul, Perry or Huntsman taking third, does Newt drop out?

I don't think he should nor should Rick.

As long as they have the money, let them keep swinging the bats.

Romney has to go.

[grey_whiskers]

Cheers!

[RedMDer]

Click

[Seaplaner]

I believe that Ron Paul is campaigning to get Obama re-elected.

True, but only when he's not chatting with his best friend (an eight-foot tall invisible rabbit.)

.

[octex]

Agree. ....The open caucas process in IA and open primaries in NH and SC just permit the Dems to “select” the GOP frontrunner they feel they can most easily defeat. They have no problem voting for a weak GOP candidate because their Dem candidate is unopposed in their party.

What occurs is that the more qualified/Conservative candidates find it difficult to get contributions and have to drop out of the race; leaving another lame GOP candidate, like McCain was.

[Sun]

Here’s my exposing Ron Paul on his horrendous 2nd amendment vote(s) thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2831873/posts

[lentulusgracchus]

Ron Paul is this century’s Pat Paulsen

Harold Stassen. Stassen was big stuff in the late 30's and early and middle 40's. By 1960 he was still running, and a sad quadrennial joke. Even eminent men can be bitten so badly by the bug, that they lose their perspective and drag along a gradually diminishing band of supporters into .... folly, and then madcap.

Eugene McCarthy, by the way, the man who drove out Lyndon Johnson in 1968, fell into the same habit and was still campaigning in the 80's ..... Democrat-loving MSM types seldom mentioned his name while he was making an old fool of himself, but they'd talk about Stassen endlessly, because Stassen was a Republican.

Even then, in the 70's and 80's, the mediascum were foul, forsworn hypocrites. They just had a little more class than the Ezra Kleins and Dana Milbanks. (For the information of our younger FReepers.)

[lentulusgracchus]

Sarah bump.

God move that woman.

[RKBA Democrat]

“Ron Paul is not only a loon of the first degree, he and his diaper rash ilk are going after everyone but Romney.”

Why would Ron Paul pick mitt romney to target first? Part of Presidential politics is the winnowing out process. The Paul camp is targeting the weaker candidate both politically and strategically. Mitt romney can wait. The way that the primaries are arranged this time around actually favor a longer term strategy. There are two, possibly three candidates who can run that marathon. Rick Santorum isn’t one of them. He doesn’t have the resources to do so.

Rick Santorum also has an unfortunate history of growing government, which is antithetical to libertarian philosophy. I really have nothing against Rick Santorum and would prefer him over say Newt Gingrich and would definitely prefer him over mitt romney. He’s a nice guy, and a good social conservative. But he’s also a poor fiscal conservative, and everyone’s 4th choice of candidate. Rick Santorum wasn’t able to keep his own Senate seat a few years back.

Other than offending Rick Santorum’s relatively small number of hardcore supporters, Ron Paul risks little by targeting him.

[detective]

Ron Paul NEVER attacks Romney or Obama. He only attacks conservatives.

He is spending millions of dollars attacking Newt and Santorum. He is sending the Occupy thugs to disrupt their events. This will help Romney get the nomination.

Ron Paul is working to help Romney get the nomination and Obama get reelected.

[detective]

If you want to know who the Obama people fear running against most, the easiest way to find out is to see who the Paul people are attacking.

First it was Newt. Now it is Santorum.

Ron Paul spends millions of dollars attacking Newt and Santorum. He never attacks Obama or Romney.

[Fresh Wind]

He is sending the Occupy thugs to disrupt their events.

Of course. The Occupy thugs are Paul's base.

[Theodore R.]

The Paul movement has totally eclipsed Perrry, Gingrich, and Santorum. All three are doomed before the next vote. And with Jebbie soon to come on board, it is truly over!

[campaignPete R-CT]

THESE ARE THE STATES in the next 2 months where ronPaul will win or be the anti-Romney candidate, finishing 2nd.

FEB 4 NEVADA CAUCUS
FEB 4 MAINE CAUCUS BEGIN
MARCH 3 WASHINGTON STATE CAUCUS
MARCY 6 IDAHO CAUCUS
MARCH 6 ALASKA CAUCUS
MARCH 6 NORTH DAKOTA CAUCUS
MARCH 6 VERMONT OPEN PRIMARY
MARCH 6 WYOMING CAUCUS BEGINS
MARCH 10 KANSAS CAUCUS BEGINS

Small turnout. For example in Maine, only 6000 people participated in ‘08. If the Freeper world wants to compete with ronPaul, these are the places to do it!