Posted on 01/14/2012 8:39:47 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
LAKE JACKSON, Texas (AP) - The only trail where you might catch Ron Paul this weekend is the biking one here.
While the other Republican presidential candidates were campaigning in South Carolina, the Texas congressman whose recent momentum is arguably second only to front-runner Mitt Romney's is home taking a break, just as his often belittled candidacy has never been taken more seriously.
Paul's supporters say they don't begrudge the 76-year-old for stepping out of the spotlight after he really seized it.
"It's totally OK," said Cindy Lake, 48, a volunteer passing out voter registration forms ahead of Nevada's primary next month. "We want him to take a break. He needs to take a break as much as any human being needs to take a break."
But Paul's retreat to Lake Jackson, where the former obstetrician is still likely to be spotted cycling down Oyster Creek Drive, may feed skepticism about whether he is really playing to win the nomination or just getting exposure for libertarian ideas. Some of his comments and his unorthodox campaign style have raised that question.
Paul, who was regarded as a gadfly when ran for president as Republican in 2008 and as a Libertarian in 1988, has finished in the top three in Iowa and New Hampshire this month.
After winning 22.9 percent of the New Hampshire vote, Paul made a brief stop in South Carolina on Wednesday before flying home. Early polls suggest he's in the top half of the field in the Jan. 21 primary.
Aides did not respond to questions about Paul's plans at home before his scheduled return to South Carolina, perhaps as early as Sunday.
A few cars came and went from Paul's new 7,300-square-foot mansion in the coastal city of 27,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxcarolina.com ...
Had to get home and renew his subscription for crazy pills?
Ron Paul always has some success in Iowa and New Hampshire. After those two states, he knows he has no other states where he will have even limited success.
“But Paul’s retreat to Lake Jackson, where the former obstetrician is still likely to be spotted cycling down Oyster Creek Drive, may feed skepticism about whether he is really playing to win the nomination or just getting exposure for libertarian ideas.”
They’re asking the right question, but wrong in their conclusions. The Paul camp is interested in winning the nomination if they can. But that’s not the ultimate objective. They have a much bigger fish in mind.
(Full disclosure: I’m a supporter of the Paul faction.)
Right up front, I don’t pay close attention to Ron Paul.
However, I noticed last week that he seems to have aged quite suddenly.
I thought some of his motions and his walk looked jerky.
Frankly, I wondered about his health.
Has anyone else had the same perception?
Or is this just my lack of familiarity with the man?
“After those two states, he knows he has no other states where he will have even limited success.”
We’ll see. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
Perry was toast before he went lefty with his "vulture capitalist" attack, but now he won't draw flies in SC.
He'll still be a good governor for Texas, and all the the Illegal Aliens will vote for him...again.
Too bad, wifey, you need a new horse, and I'd like to help you pick one but all of mine are dead or dying.
This election is not going the way I'd hoped it would go, and I'm spending less time watching and listening and reading about "the candidates".
If I needed an excuse to drink, this political debacle is giving one to me.
Good grief, I hope we won’t have to see footage of Ron Paul in bike shorts!
I also thought I detected some physically ‘off’ issues with Paul during the NH debates. He did need a break (tho, I think they ALL do). He has his core constituency that isn’t going to move too much one way or the other over the weekend. There are 3 SC debates coming up this week, so he may as well be rested.
I had thought Paul wasn’t scheduled in at least one of those debates. What I find telling is that his son, Rand, has been “standing in” more and more for Daddy. He’s been the surrogate for his father on talk shows, radio - and likely in person as well.
I thought it signaled that Ron P. was having trouble with the physical toll of the primaries.
I hadn’t heard any recent Rand Paul interviews (probably last I heard was pre-IA). Rand is certainly more personable and less crotchety than his dad, but as these interviews go on, he sounds more like the old man that I’d thought. Maybe young(er) Rand is being groomed for a future run.
Ron Paul IS, after all, 76 years old and the pace of the primaries is brutal, even on young people who work the campaigns. Reality does bite hard.
I don’t know whether to laugh or throw up! Well, yes I do....
LMAO!
The man is 76 !!!!!!
And hes NOT a serious candidate
ROFL, thanks for the pic.
I would bet $$ Ron Paul went home to regenerate. At 76 no one has the stamina of a candidate 10 to 20 years younger. And of course, there is no way of anyone knowing if he has any major health concerns.
Ron Paul is a windbag and he is out of wind.
So what's the "ultimate objective"?
Well, you need to understand a bit of the history of libertarianism in the U.S. There has been a long simmering debate amongst the libertarians as to the best way to libertarian ideas implemented: working as a third party or attempting to do so through the GOP? The Libertarian Party has been around for 40+ years and hasn’t seen much success. Yet in the space of about 5 years, Ron Paul has gone to take the number two slot in a Presidential race.
It looks like the question has been answered.
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