Ron Paul Earns a Curtain Call
An invitation to appear on one of the Sunday morning talk shows is a privilege that every presidential candidate—even Duncan Hunter—is afforded at some point.
The no-shot curiosities—like Mr. Hunter or Mike Gravel—usually show up early in the campaign for their perfunctory segment or two in a nationally-televised hot seat. Ron Paul was supposed to among this class of candidates, and for a while it seemed that his Sunday morning exposure would be limited to being told by George Stephanopoulos over the summer that he had zero chance of winning the presidency.
But now, less than two months before the first primary and caucus votes will be cast, the networks want an unexpected second serving of the 72-year-old Texas congressman, thanks to the stunning fund-raising success he’s enjoyed—capped, for now at least, with the $4 million he took in over the internet in one day last week.
Dr. Paul sat down with Bob Schieffer on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, and this time was treated by the host much more as a serious presidential candidate—albeit one with some ideas that don’t often get aired in big-time American politics—than some freaky side-show at a circus.
In addition to revealing that he didn’t own a computer until 1997, Dr. Paul advanced his usual arguments in favor of the gold standard (paper money, he believes, is the main source of inflation, “an invisible tax on the poor”) and against an interventionist foreign policy. (“We defended Seoul, Korea, better on 9/11 than we did Washington, DC,” he said.)
He also fielded the obligatory can-you-really-win question by pointing out the strides his campaign has made in the last year, none of which anyone in politics thought were remotely possible.
“I also know what the odds are,” he said. “But I'll tell you what: Don't try and tell my supporters that there's not a chance, because they believe it…My name is out there. I may well win.”
Determining where precisely Dr. Paul fits in the G.O.P. mix is a perplexing task. Judged by his standing in the polls, he has barely distinguished himself from the likes of Tom Tancredo and Mr. Hunter, although lately he’s begun to edge into mid-to-high single digits in some surveys. But if you judge him by the money he’s raised, and the number of donors he’s attracted, Dr. Paul is a giant.
No matter how he ultimately fares, though, Dr. Paul has made a contribution to the G.O.P. race and to the national political dialogue in a way that the other long-shot Republicans haven’t and can’t—simply because he’s the only Republican candidate willing to defy the foreign policy orthodoxy that has emerged within his party during the Bush years.
While the other Republican candidates refuse to break with the Bush administration on Iraq or any other weighty foreign policy questions, Dr. Paul proudly trumpets his outrage and tells his fellow Republicans that they are following their President off a cliff. A strong Paul showing in the primaries will make a powerful statement about how a significant chunk of the party’s grass-roots really feel about the cheerleading for the White House they’ve been asked to do for the last seven years.
On “Face the Nation,” Dr. Paul once again played the role of refreshing contrarian, this time on Iran. With President Bush and the architects of the Iraq war now training their sights on the Islamic republic, the jockeying has been intense among Republican candidates to strike the most muscular posture against Iran.
But Dr. Paul questioned the two very basic premises behind all of the drum-beating now going on: the assumptions that Iran has to be our enemy and that a nuclear-armed Iran would somehow represent an unprecedented threat to regional and global stability.
“I think our policy towards Iran is a threat,” Dr. Paul said. “That's what I fear. You know, I fear that tomorrow we might bomb Iran. That really scares me.”
Mr. Schieffer asked whether we should simply allow Iran to build the bomb.
“We have a more sensible policy,” Dr. Paul replied. “We talk to them. And we trade with them. We remove the sanctions. I mean, the Soviets had 40,000 [nuclear warheads].” The U.S., he pointed out, continued to talk with the U.S.S.R. throughout the Cold War.
In raw political terms, Dr. Paul is obviously on the wrong side of the Iran issue within the Republican Party. But he’s got all of that contrarian terrain to himself—and Iran is hardly the only issue where this is the case. And that goes a long way to explaining why Ron Paul is getting second and third invitations to Sunday morning news shows, while the other Republicans who began as asterisks in the polls have already exhausted their 15 minutes.
"(paper money, he believes, is the main source of inflation, “an invisible tax on the poor”)"
Not simply paper but paper that is backed by nothing and printed virtually at will. It is indeed the source of inflation, the only source. Some products or industries can raise prices but only by taking spending from somewhere else. When ALL prices rise that is a symptom of inflation, which is an increase in the money supply. Economics 101 but you wouldn't know that listening to the Fed!
He's being proven correct on a daily basis on both the economy and foreign policy. He deserves to win and I wish him luck.
Thanks for the article. I can't believe I missed Dr. Paul on Face the Nation! I would give everything I own (which isn't much, by the way) to see him elected and will vote for him, even if I have to write in his name. Sometimes, you just have to do what's right! Sadly, I'm afraid the general public is not capable of understanding anything other than 2 second soundbites.
Thanks for a fair article! What you are witnessing is the result of people being able to talk back to 'the Media' and to talk to each other at zero cost other than their time. Things are just starting to get interesting!
In February of 2006 gold was $350.00 an ounce, today $830.00 or so. That means in just two years our “fake” money lost 1/2 its value so lets print more! People who saved all their lives lost. Who cares! Just follow the mainstream and don’t vote. 50% of Americans don’t vote but yet we are trying to free the world and bring them democracy! Let’s bomb Iran because they might be making nukes, just another “misinformation”? It’s time to take back our America! Join the revolution; take time to search Youtube for Ron Paul videos. Seems it is the only way you can hear this mans platform. Oh by the way, thanks for this story. Seems they are few and far between, most of the time you call him a nut or some other derogatory name. What do you think King George called the colonialists rebels? Revolt, Vote Ron Paul! http://www.dailypaul.com/
Ron Paul has the political mentality of a third grader, and so do his supporters.
Talk to the Iranians. Trade with them . Remove the sanctions. Yeah... that'll make them change their undeniable and publicly-stated goal to obliterate Isreal, our ally, and to convert or kill all of us Americans. And if they die trying, they believe they're martyrs with a harem. Brilliant stategy!
That's still 3 grades above the others!
"A strong Paul showing in the primaries will make a powerful statement about how a significant chunk of the party’s grass-roots really feel about the cheerleading for the White House they’ve been asked to do for the last seven years."
Is this simply Dem agitprop? Either you support the ostrich style of foreign policy or you are a "cheerleader" for Bush? This whole article is filled with such obviously biased comments as to be almost unbelievable.
"Refreshing contrarian"? Strangely, I do not think you are "refreshed" by his opinion of the legalization of heroin, or his position on the welfare state. You didn't even mention his belief in open borders or his opposition to "universal" health insurance. Or how about his position that Bill Gates should not pay a penny of income tax? Yeah, that will really fly in a general election. Should I assume that the author also supports these positions? Nope, he'll vote for Shillary.
What is so "refreshing" about parroting the lines of Moveon.org or code pink? Oh, yeah, you can't get enough of them, and Ron Paul as a (R) in front of his name.
Ron Paul and his followers are the modern equivalent of "useful idiots". If you want to oppose the war, vote Democrat. If "getting out of Iraq" is your number one issue, vote Democrat. Heck, if electing a Democrat for President is your #1 issue, nominate Ron Paul. Seriously. If both the candidates have the same position on immediate surrender it is no longer an issue. Then it is the Democrat versus Paul on all of the other issues. Oh, you didn't know/care that he held other views?
Thank you for your article on Dr. Ron Paul.
Many people do not realize that the majority of individual income tax paid to government goes to pay the interest on the national debt. Dr. Paul's position to remove the Federal Reserve Bank's charter is one of the most important things America can do to save its self from financial destruction. Points to ponder:
1. The Federal Reserve Bank is not "Federal." It is privately owned.
2. Their charter grants them the power to print money out of thin air and lend it to the federal government at interest.
3. The U.S. Treasury does not need the FED to print its own money at zero interest.
4. The U.S. Constitution does NOT grant the federal government the right to charter a central bank such as the FED.
5. If the American people understood the fraud of the FED, there would indeed be a revolution by tomorrow morning.
Go RonPaul2008
Check out google videos on Milton Friedman (considered the greatest economist last half century) or check out Alan Greenspan videos before & after he became the Fed Res Chairman (I don't know why he never spoke up while he held the position). They say the same thing about inflation being caused by printing money. We need some sort of gold currency to compete with the dollar.
I am glad he opposes universal health care and the income tax on anyone. As far as open borders, you are wrong he is one of the only candidates who wants to stop the talk about amnesty and close the borders immediately. When you say elect a democrat if you want the war to end. The people did elect democrats to take over congress, and they ended the war didn't they. The reason people like Ron Paul, is because he stands for his beliefs whether you agree with him or not. Name one mainstream candidate on either side who does. Democrats don't stand for anything, has to be the flakiest political party in the history of the world. Republicans are expanding the government and spending us into debt. This is against their stated ideology. It will only get worse under Romney, McCain, and Guliani. I am a republican who does not have faith in the party anymore. The only way in which we are to save this country is to stop the wasteful spending, balance the budget and pay off our 9 trillion dollar debt. Americans have to wake up and realize the greatest threat to this nation is not a bunch of religous crazies living in caves on the other side of the world. Our greatest threat is big goverment and big government spending. They are putting us so far into debt, our income taxes go to pay the interest on the debt we have created and we keep passing it on to the next generation. Social Security is depleted, the government has promised 70 billion in health care they can not afford. Our dollar is currently worth 2 cents. If republicans are going to act like democrats, I will take the alternative which is Ron Paul.
This is one of the first article I've read where I don't feel insulted or marginalized by the author via my support of Ron Paul. I enjoy reading dissent for Ron Paul in your comments too. He's the only candidate where people argue his positions instead of his electability or he-said/she-said. Even if Ron Paul doesn't win, I hope someone does who has better ideas. So far, the Hilly-Bamab-Giuliani thing doesn't work.
Hey winemkr (not verified) Instead of just name calling (like a third grader) Please tell us where you differ with Dr Paul and his platform? You maybe are just so upset that he and his supporters are standing on strong convictions? What are you supporting and why? Let us use our dialog and not be so upset at the success of our next President, this late in the game. Thank you.. Clifalan (BTW wine maker? I support that) :-)
Ron Paul is the only classic republican in the race, after a few election cycles of giving my money to the apparent lesser of evils it’s nice to have a true conservative to pull for. Though I may not agree with him (I do on most) or all his other supporters on all issues his defense of and adherence to the constitution sets him far apart from his adversaries. His record impeccably matches his stated positions and has for his entire career… not so in the case of many other candidates. From our sovrenty to immigration, border security to fiscal responsibility, hard backed money to civil liberties, taxation to property rights… Dr. Paul offers hope for relief from big government run amok.
Most of the candidates are courting their favorite flavor of the looking for a handout crowd Ron Paul attracts the leave us alone crowd and we don’t just exist on the internet.
I believe strongly in Ron Paul and would love to see him walk away with the Republican nomination, as well as the presidency! I love the things he stands for, and I love that he does not waiver on the issues depending on who is asking the questions. I think this country is in dire need of change, and Ron Paul can bring just that. We are watching the United States fall apart at the seams and need some help immediately! Hillary is a joke, plain and simple! Anyone who believes in her and her "issues" are sadly misinformed. And for Rudy to be elected president based on being a Mayor is also a joke! I've read what his true work in New York entailed. I am very afriad for our country since the people are looking to these two individuals (at least based on the biased polls that are taken) to take over our country! I have never felt so strongly about a candidate and I personally get e-mail started and ask that they get spread around like the wildfire internet can create just so people can learn about him, even if they don't agree with him. The vast majority of the people I speak to have never even heard of him! Why is that??
I have read a few comments about supporters of Ron Paul being "uneducated." This is funny to me. The people who say this are the ones who seem simple and brainwashed.
As Ron Paul has stated about the Iranians, talk never hurts, especially to our enemies. We had done it with the Soviets and it worked succesfully. Reagan strongly believed in it.As for an Iranian attack on Israel, they know it would be suicide. Israel is thought to have in and around 200 nuclear warheads in there arsenal. They have there own deterent as do we. They also know any nuclear attack on the US, which every expert says there years away from the technology to build a warhead and at least a decade or more away from a way to deliver it.
When the Iranians seized the US embassy after over throwing the Shah in 1979, what was there publicly stated chief reason:
Operation Ajax, which was confirmed by records being declassified durrfing the Clinton Administration
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ajax
We were responsible for overthrowing a democratically elcted secluar goverment in Iran. If we never meddled, there would not be fundamentalist in control in the first place.
As Dr Paul has stated, our aggressive foriegn policies have created more problems than they have solved and it has been proven.
Ron Paul Does not indorse open borders. He endorses tightening of our borders using the money saved by drastically decreasing the size of our overseas bases and forces.
He is the only actual Republican Conservative on the field. Democrats have been responsible for every major aggression this country has found itself in for the last 100 years and Republicans have always run on less foriegn intervension. They have run on the peace, free trade and diplomacy ticket...including Bush.
His ideas make sense. Our country is bankrupt, morally and financially and yet we go around trying to force our "ideals" down others throats, even though we do not follow those "ideals" ourselves any longer.
If those ideas are stupid or idiotic, that makes our constitution and it's writers stupid and idiotic. People want change and not just superficial change. Real Change.
A third-grader? Dr. Paul is extremely intelligent. The fact that the only thing you can think of to attack is his "political mentality" speaks volumes of you. Do you think it's smart for the US government to simply print more money when it needs it? Should we really forego peace talks with Iran? Dr. Paul is simply expressing himself honestly, which is more that you can expect from most other politicians. He should be admired for that, not looked down upon.
... and this is still America where you still, for the time being anyway, have the right to have and to voice your opinion!
tell me dbs 1960 .... what has Israel done for you lately. Isreal, second only to the U.S. in both its popularity standing in the world as well as its U.S. supplied nuculer arsenal, is very capable of defending itself against those with whom it shares the same sandbar. and if in fact history does repeat itself then we American Big Brothers have only to wait for the right moment in time for the perfect alignment of the stars and the moon and the radical extremes to all come together for the "War Machine" we have provided them to also be turned against us..... When oh when will we ever learn that nothing, nothing, nothing ever stays the same...
Hello my name is Jacob Bynum,
Ron Paul is my candidate of choice. I am not a loon, nor do I believe that 9/11 was a "staged" operation. Nor do I believe that Iran is any immediate threat to us mainly because as Dr. Paul has pointed out Russia who had the soul goal of not destroying OUR ALLY, but DESTROYING US did not fire a single missile, because in truth we have MANY options in disputes, one of the first ones should not be military conflict.
I support Ron Paul because,
He believes marriage should not be a civil issue...
He is pro-life...
He is pro-second amendment and endorsed by Gun Owners of America
He is pro-going back to a precious metal standard
He is pro-getting us out of International Organizations with the "Global" goals are priority not AMERICA's best interest--World Trade Organization in many occasions has or has threatened to place Sanctions on U.S. goods if we did not comply with them.
He is pro-with drawling the Enormous entity known as the U.S. Government from places which we don't belong, FIFTY FIVE YEARS in Korea, have we been there long enough?
He is pro-Constitution, and that means not expanding the executive branch or its law enforcement beyond the intentions of our founding fathers. Meaning we have our civil liberties and law enforcement can no longer search your premises without warrant. (Important for ALL Americans not just those guilty of something)
He is pro-Common sense, something long lost in the red tape paper pushing government we've built.
He is my candidate of choice, and I refuse to be marginalized by mainstream media outlets, "political scientists", "historians", or any other man behind the curtain who is going to attempt to tell me who I AM voting for.
I am an American and I will vote for who I WANT TO.
With that being said, thanks so much to Steve Kornacki for a fair evaluation of the Ron Paul candidacy, you have no idea how many hours of e-mails you saved yourself, and us.
~Jacob Bynum
Ron Paul is... A Doctor, Veteran, Congressman, an American
who are you voting for in '08?
Find out more about Ron Paul at www.RonPaul2008.com
P.S. Don't forget to participate in the start of the Revolution www.Teaparty07.com December 16th will have another reason to be remembered in History!
Why do people who are anti-Paul always have to take such a hostile tone?
Anyway: Let's face it. As soon as most people hear him say "legalize drugs," they run far away from Dr. Paul. Think about it, though: if drugs are legal, they can be taxed, regulated, and monitered more closely. Addicts who were afraid to seek help because of fear of legal repercussions can come forward. Refreshing indeed.
Why do you want universal health care? You do realize that's a step towards socialism, right? Also, it would in no way be "free" - or even very cheap! The money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is out of your pocket via taxes. Oh, and Ron Paul doesn't say "no income tax for the rich." He says no income tax... PERIOD. If you get to keep your own money, you get to shop around for your own health care. That's how America should be.
I'd like to encourage you to look past the kneejerk reaction and really consider what the big picture is. Why are we REALLY in Iraq? Why are we trying to force democracy on a country that doesn't want it? (Hint: the spOILs of war.) Why is it okay for our own government to spy on us at large, for ANY reason? Please consider these. I'm not even saying "vote for Ron Paul." I'm just saying... "think about it."
Partisans for Ron Paul might find this factual survey of Ron Paul supporters to be interesting. Google the phrase "Ron Paul"+"Stormfront" and you'll find the racists like Paul a lot. They even carry several of Paul's essays on their sites, including David Duke.
To date, the Ron Paul campaign has returned only part of the $2,300 maximum personal donation from lunatic-fringe broadcaster Alex Jones. (That's a conspiracy freak even Mel Gibson couldn't portray.)
The reason Ron Paul has the $4+ million in one day was that it was ORCHESTRATED, tied to a "V for Vendetta" campaign all intended to lump contributions on Nov. 5. This escalates the media attention on Paul (as intended) and also gives the media the right to waste valuable TV space on someone so dangerous in his choice of kindred souls.
Unfair, you say? Consider---the Paul people have yet to explain why they KEPT part of that Jones contribution. Why return any of it, unless they were embarrassed by the association? Turning it around, why RETURN part---unless they agreed with Alex Jones?
Dr. Paul is an original thinker who forces people to question their assumptions. This is a great and valuable thing. Having said that, assumptions are not always wrong. Dr. Paul's foreign policy is not only "non-interventionalist", it is isolationist. Multilateral organizations such as the U.N., the WTO, the World Bank and the IMF are often royal pains in the rear, and yes, sometimes they take actions that are not in our immediate interest. Overall, however, they have helped to make the world a more stable and better place, and have improved our own ability to influence world events in a non-threatening way. If you contrast the years between the end of the first world war and the beginning of the second world war to the years following the end of the second world war, the improvements, for America and for the world, are clear. The institutions that this country shaped and built in the immediate aftermath of World War II are a good part of the reason. A return to a less bellicose foreign policy would be welcome; a return to isolationism would not.
that's funny. ron paul wants to do away with the fed reserve and wants a more balanced mideast policy and all the sudden he's labeled anti-semitic. wow
- Ron Paul does not support open borders.
- Israel is fully capable of defending itself from any threats.
This was a great article, well thought out, good job!
Paul is for deregulation of narcotics, in other words, he is not for using the Federal Government for policies it has no authority to enact. Everyone knows drugs are dangerous, and state legislatures will keep those laws on their books. When it was decided alcohol was bad, they passed a Constitutional Ammendment to outlaw it. This fear of a government-induced anarchy is irrational.
Link?
Sorry, I meant to add about the Alex Jones thing. A link please.
Ron Paul - the GOP's 2008 version of Howard Dean. Both doctors, both with huge netroots, both out of touch with reality.
Sheesh....The Sean Hannity bunch adding their comments sure do sound "angry". I thought "angry" was only for the vapid left?
Why are you Hannitized guys and girls sooooooo angry?
Soooooo angry!
Anger!
Grrrrrrr!