Ron Paul -- Finally -- Gets His Due
blogs.wsj.com
Susan Davis reports on politics.
For much of the 2008 campaign, Texas lawmaker and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and his supporters served as a thorn in the side—or a punching bag—for the mainstream GOP establishment.
Yet today, the six men vying to run the Republican National Committee praised the grassroots enthusiasm Paul tapped into during his campaign—and discussed how they would like to capture that enthusiasm to expand the party’s appeal.
“Ron Paul certainly brought a whole new generation of voters and I think it’s important going forward that we recognize the strengths and the attributes of these individuals who are out there actively building the party and building a movement, a consensus if you will, on certain issues. We can’t look that in the eye and say ‘No, we don’t want that,’” said former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, adding that the RNC needs to find “creative ways” to work with candidates supported by Paul and his followers, and to work with Paul directly to that end.
“I think, at this stage at this party, everyone who can help us should be brought into the room to help us,” Steele said.
South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson recalled memories of Paul’s supporters campaigning during his state’s early primary.
“I witnessed early on the Ron Paul army in South Carolina,” Dawson said, stressing the importance of building new coalitions. “I want people involved in my party that will hang off bridges and paint on their cars and make up t-shirts. There was a passion that I saw of those people for him and his ideas. Do we agree with all of them? No, but we are a party that has to embrace differences.”
Saul Anuzis, Michigan Republican Party Chairman, touted his outreach to Paul supporters, attending campaign functions and talking to supporters. “I think you treat [Paul supporters] like everybody else—if they want to be part of the Republican Party, if they want to participate, we have to welcome them in.”
Former Mike Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman recalled seeing the passion behind Paul’s operation on the ground while the two former rival campaigns shared office space in Iowa. (Saltsman also identified Paul, an obstetrician, as “Dr. Paul”—a key distinction among his supporters.) “Dr. Paul…he is a wonderful man with wonderful ideas,” Saltsman said, “Do we agree with him all the time? Absolutely not.”
Incumbent RNC Chairman Mike Duncan agreed the GOP has to broaden their appeal, and noted that he has met with Paul on two occasions. The key, Duncan said, was respect. “I personally have treated leaders of his campaign with respect, I’ve met with them. I personally treated his foot soldiers with respect whether it was at our convention in Kentucky or whether it was the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, St. Paul,” he said.
Only Ken Blackwell did not praise Paul by name, although he agreed with the overall sentiment of broadening the party’s base. “We are a federation that invites differences,” he said, “The RNC can no longer be a social club, it must be the flagship Republican organization in this nation.”
As for Paul, he spent Monday doing what he does best—railing against federal intervention and regulation of the free market during a House Financial Services Committee hearing on the alleged $50 billion Ponzi schemes of Bernard Madoff.
“It’s not the fault of the individuals at the [Securites and Exchange Commission]. They have an impossible job and they have to pretend they’re doing something to feel relevant, the same way we do here, in the Congress. We have to feel relevant in this,” Paul said, “Instead of saying what we need is the market to work, we need to get rid of the bad policies, the monetary system, and this mountains of debt. We say, well, we’re relevant because we’re going to hire more bureaucrats and we’re going to appropriate more money that we don’t have and we’re going to solve all our problems.”
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COMMENTS:
Gee, it sounds like a large number of losers trying to back-peddle from earlier, ignorant neo-con positions.
“Oh, sure we want the Paultards…ah…errr…I mean the Paulites to campaign for us and be excited for us. Not that we believe in the same true conservative values…we just want their votes”
Comment by rokdevil - January 5, 2009 at 6:36 pm
What they don’t understand about Ron Paul supporters is that we don’t want to be a part of the GOP - we want to BE the GOP! We want the GOP to represent exactly what we believe. There’s no point in supporting the GOP as it currently is constructed. It has shown itself to be bereft of the principles it claims to espouse.
Comment by Fazsha - January 5, 2009 at 6:41 pm
The only way the GOP ever has a shot of not becoming politically irrelevant is to become a truly limited government, anti-foreign interventionism party–and not the party of Sarah Palin.
Comment by If you can keep it. - January 5, 2009 at 6:56 pm
And they really think Paul’s supporters will buy into this B.S.?
Comment by DeSelby - January 5, 2009 at 7:00 pm
LOL @ Mike comment
Comment by Ron Paul - January 5, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Notice that all the candidates were basically quoted as saying that they disagree with Ron Paul. I don’t think I can call this respect for Ron Paul, so I’m not sure why the author here confuses acknowledgment for praise. It probably has to do with the utter disrespect for Paul by these same people witnessed earlier in the year. In relative terms, their appreciation for Paul has increased considerably. Unfortunately, they still disagree with his basic message, that individuals in this country should be free to live their lives without constant gov’t interference. And apparently, this is the message they fail to agree with. They talk about embracing this, but at the core, they believe in interventionist gov’t and have no faith in the ability of individuals to prosper when left to themselves.
Comment by Alan Lockett - January 5, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Where were these clowns during the primaries? Oh yeah, they were making fun of him and his “kooky” ideas. “That constitution thingy is so weird and irrelevant.” They’re opportunists clearly. What did Mr. Steele say about Paul in the spin room after the first debate on Fox? “As for Paul, he’s done!” That’s just one example. These clowns care more about their party than they ever will about their oath of office. Forget them.
Comment by TJ - January 5, 2009 at 7:19 pm
What a load of B.S. -Mike Duncan- “I personally treated his foot soldiers with respect whether it was at our convention in Kentucky or whether it was the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, St. Paul,” he said”. This statement could not be further from the truth. Mr. Duncan did everything in his power to alienate Paul supporters and delegates at the RNC. That statement is a disgusting lie.
Comment by Kevin in Ohio - January 5, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Six months ago, the Republican Party insulted me by treating an honest statesman, Ron Paul, like a flake. I do not have as short of a memory as they apparently think I have.
Comment by Darryl Schmitz - January 5, 2009 at 7:25 pm
From what I know the Republican party is supposed to be the conservative party. The party of small, limited, constitutional government. It obviously isn’t the case today.
A true conservative would have to understand that society functions best when the government stays out of our finances and out of our personal lives.
It’s simple: Just let people live their lives the way they want to as long as they don’t use force or coercion on others.
Ron Paul was the only Republican candidate with a conservative message. The Republican party made a terrible mistake by ignoring him.
Comment by Landon - January 5, 2009 at 7:41 pm
The fiat dollar will collapse, the Republican party will collapse, and the federal government will collapse before these people help Ron Paul.
‘Truth is treason in the empire of lies.’
Comment by Mark - January 5, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Conservative means “to conserve” the old ways. The things that made this country great. Ron Paul and his ideologies are a throwback to the conservatism of great men of our past. It goes beyond Ron Paul, I would fallow any man carrying that flag.
The Constitution was meant to be a contract between the government and it’s people. The government has broken that contract, Ron Paul is fighting to take it back. Why can’t all conservatives get on board with that?
Comment by Matt Soliday from Ohio - January 5, 2009 at 7:57 pm
A little to late GOP. Instead of every other candidate trying to make Paul look like a fool laughing everytime he spoke, maybe they should have listened.
Comment by TJ - January 5, 2009 at 8:03 pm
The only reason I became a Republican was to be able to vote for the “Champion of the Constitution”, Dr. Ron Paul.
Comment by Lisa - January 5, 2009 at 8:42 pm
I find it funny that they disagree with THE most conservative of all the republican candidates. Maybe they all need a Ron Paul reading list!
I highly doubt the sincerity of these guys wanting to include us Paul-tards, especially in light of how poorly so many of us were treated by the Party Faithful.
Ron Paul, who’s more Reaganesque than Reagan, was not even allowed on the convention floor during the RNC, but Joe Lieberman got a speaking spot. My friends who attended the RNC were treated like common criminals.
Where were all these people when it mattered??
The repubs need to get a set of principles, stick to them, hold the republican office-holders accountable (you could start with Big Government jorge booosh) and we’ll see what happens.
I’m not holding my breath…
Comment by TerriK - January 5, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Unless all of you do an end around of the ole-boy, corporate meal, secret handshake circle jerk which is the Republican party.
I wish you all luck. The ‘Pubs need to be reinvented.
But it will be very hard without the corporate spigot which makes the incredibly unpopular current ‘Pubs still viable.
Comment by Michael Brett - January 5, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Ron Paul!
Comment by DavidL - January 5, 2009 at 9:04 pm
The RNC would not even let Ron Paul on the convention floor!! I hear nothing but lies and doublespeak. You seriously think we’ve forgotten what you did to us the past year?? Cancelling the Nevada convention when it became clear we had won?? Changing all the rules at the Louisiana convention when it became clear we won?? Ridiculing and laughing at Dr. Paul at the debates. Stuffing the ballot boxes at your little good ole’ boy stray polls when we showed up and took over?? I could write a book on all the injustices that were done to the Paul campaign over the past year and a half. And to hear this B.S. lip service. You people are complicit in destroying the GOP. You may as well merge with the DNC and us conservatives will start our own party.
Comment by James - January 5, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Ya well like Dr Paul has pointed out many times…its only the beginning.
Comment by Joe Corrao - January 5, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Michael Steele…what a joke. I remember watching after the second GOP debate, when Steele, a paid Fox analyst was asked about Ron Paul (before Paul would go on to almost win the text message poll that Fox held to see who won the debate). Steele said confidently, on Ron Paul, “HE’S DONE!”, rating Paul as a has-been. And Saul Anuzis, after that same debate demanding that Ron Paul be BANNED from ALL future GOP debates! What a joke! That alone should disqualify Anuzis for taking sides long before even one primary vote was cast. As a conservative, NONE of these guys have what it takes to earn my respect, support, or money!
Comment by Political Patriot - January 5, 2009 at 10:17 pm
well mike which donkey do you want? if the gop doesn’t follow ron pauls platform ,which is the gop platform. then the gop is going down the path of the whig party. the only leader worth a dam in the republican party is RON PAUL. I guess you republicans better become big government loving dems since that is exactly what mccain and the failed gop leadership is ,a bunch of big government loving republicans. the gop is finsihed in my eyes, registered republican in colorado, note the gop lost the election at the state gop conventions,note they lost colorado and nevada by alienating republicans, great job gop, keep up the lowsy work!!!
Comment by kenny - January 5, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Kenny,
thats exactly what im saying. The repubicans will “act” like they are listening to Ron Paul, but they will never truly believe or even understand his message. They are a bunch of meglomaniacs hell bent on endless war profits. If they listen to him, it will only be for show, to get power back and not really the belief in his message. So when I say I would blow a donkey if the republican establishment takes him in, what I really mean is that it would be impossible for that to happen because if they really did listen to his message, they would no longer be republicans. They would be more like libertarians instead. Screw the GOP and the Dems while yer at it.
Comment by mike - January 5, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I have to say I was not impressed by these gusy at all. They refuse to embrace our constitution. And that is what makes Ron Paul so appealing, he embraces it and fights for the constituiton and our rights every day. For 30 years now. And he has not wavered or compromised on principle.
Comment by Dave - January 5, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Who are they kidding? The GOP is dead, corrupt, and loaded with intellectual pygmies and authoritarian mystics. It must die or resurface as the GNP (Grand NEW Party) that embraces the principles of the Constitution, individual Liberty, Property Rights, and reason.
Comment by Zidek666 - January 6, 2009 at 12:32 am
etc..... |
