Ron Paul gets his late-night moment with Jay Leno

Well, the tension is mounting today as the world waits to see what scripted joke Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will drop tonight during his negotiated dialogue with Jay Leno.

Paul, whose political passion can come across as strident and pushy on the TV debates, is not known for his comebacks, one-liners, quips or even smiles, although he's got a big grin on his website.

As we've noted before here and here and here, NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" has become a required stop for candidates to show a more human side to potential American voters when the kids are tucked in and the adults are preparing for bed and have fewer distractions, though it's actually taped late afternoon California time.

Already this year Jay has hosted John Edwards twice (Jan. 10 and June 25 with Elizabeth), Tom Vilsack (Feb. 15), whose candidacy didn't last much longer than his program segment, Joe Biden (March 22), Mitt Romney (May 2), Bill Richardson (May 11), John McCain (June 28), Barack Obama (Oct. 17), Dennis Kucinich (Sept. 24) and Fred Thompson on June 12, when he announced he might announce, and Sept. 5, when he actually announced he would announce.

Paul, a former Libertarian Party candidate for president, has, as we've noted, a range of non-traditional ideas that have placed him on the flanks of the Republican Party debates. He's a strict Constitutionalist with outspoken views against the Iraq war and American interventionism. He's suggested that the U.S. caused the 9/11 attacks by its bombing of Iraq, which drew barbs from other Republicans, mainly national GOP front-runner Rudy Giuliani.

Paul did well in numerous minor straw polls and has attracted to his political niche a fervent band of thousands of followers who patrol the sidewalks and interstate bridges with "Ron Paul 08" signs and monitor the Internet for any mention of their underdog candidate and jump in to praise or defend him. The Times' Scott Martelle recently followed two Paulites seeking some GOP delegates in the Bay Area.

In their own chat rooms Paul supporters discuss writers they don't like and advise each other on...

how best to represent Dr. Paul, an ob-gyn and 10-term Texas congressman.

Then, in the third-quarter fundraising reporting period, the 72-year-old political veteran surprised many political observers by raising $5 million, 78% of it online, and a total that's five times as much as the better-known Mike Huckabee, who is taken more seriously. But although Paul languishes in single digits in most polls, money talks in politics.

So now, having already launched a series of radio ads in four early states, Paul has decided to spend $1.1 million on a pair of TV commercials in New Hampshire. In one, Paul stands before a copy of the Constitution and boasts that he is the only candidate of either party to promise an immediate Iraq withdrawal, budget-cutting and a veto of any deficit spending. "Once we stop wasting trillions overseas, we can cut the budget and still help people who need it," he says.

In the other a group of seemingly ordinary citizens praise Paul. "I don't always agree with him," one says, "but he's honest and you always know where he stands." Another adds, "He's catching on, I'm telling ya."

As long as he's in California for the NBC-TV show, Paul has scheduled a 7 p.m. fundraiser at an unannounced Hollywood Hills residential address revealed only to those who actually donate online.

Tonight thanks to Leno, a few million Americans who've never heard of the man with two first names, will get their first exposure to a representative known in Congress as Dr. No for his anti-spending votes. During the night his dedicated followers, who include a wide-range of conservatives including some 9/11 conspiracy believers, will busily work the Web to magnify the impact of Paul's rare national TV appearance.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Freedom Fighter]

Why must Mainstream Media constantly use language and misquotes to create doubt in Ron Paul's message? Ron Paul sugeested that our Middle East Policies for the last 50 years or so has incited anger and hatred that may have led to 9/11. Would we in the U.S. tolerate Russia or China to meddle in Mexico? Think about it. In reality, who really was responsible for 9/11? Why are the Families of the Victims & Firefighters demanding a real investigation? Why is Ron Paul getting more support from the actual troops and vets than any other candidate? Why is Mainstream Media so biased against the real truth?

[Tannim]

Thanks for the sarcasm-laden writeup. Your handlers at the CrayoLA Times must be very proud; here, you earned the orange one today, try to stay more between the lines...

Try just the facts next time instead of your rhetorical idiocy...

[John]

Give me a break for not wanting to elect another president who is just part of the free wheeling politically corrupt war machine.

Peace sells. But who's buying?

[Andy Horning]

OK, so his opinion of our constitutional liberties is obvious. You could hear him hissing when he wrote, "strict constitutionalist."
But at least he wrote about Dr. Paul, and he did it in a (teeth-clenching, ironic, but) fairly honest way.
I don't like Malcolm's political bias, and I know he wouldn't like mine. So? He's talking, we're talking...this is good.
Thank you, Mr. Malcolm.

[mketcher]

People are getting sick and tired of the same old song-and-dance from their presidential candidates. See this YouTube music video, featuring horror movie icon, Reggie Bannister, from the international award-winning feature film, "Song of the Dead." It's a great satire on the president, the MSM, and the war on terror. The filmmaker is giving a share of his profits from the film to the Ron Paul campaign.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qQmkkoxSKYw

[Johnq]

Ron Paul supporters will be out in massive numbers for the primaries. That will put the anti-ware candidate on the Republican side? Is anyone else confused here? Aren't the Democrats supposed to be that party?
http://www.thisfebruaryfifth.com

[James]

I only know a few things about Ron Paul, but this is blatently misleading. Start with changing "US caused the 9/11 attacks" to "US instigated the 9/11 attacks" and then continue from there. You should be ashamed of this kind of journalism.

[James]

I only know a few things about Ron Paul, but this is blatently misleading. Start with changing "US caused the 9/11 attacks" to "US instigated the 9/11 attacks" and then continue from there. You should be ashamed of this kind of journalism.

[James Orleans]

"During the night his dedicated followers, who include a wide-range of conservatives including some 9/11 conspiracy believers, will busily work the Web to magnify the impact of Paul's rare national TV appearance."

Also among his supporters are prison inmates, members of the Hell's Angels, KKK, PETA, the United Way, victims of Alien Abduction, Alcoholics Anonymous, SCLC, the New England Patriots, and the most hated ACLU.

Nice attempt at guilt by association at the end there. Isn't this supposed to be news?

[Devin]

Wow, this was one of the worst bits of journalism I've ever read. It is a rare feat to be able to use quasi-libel seven+ times in one article and still pretend it isn't satire. What a joke.

[Nathan]

Malcolm,

Thanks for the continuous blogs about Ron Paul. Whether or not you agree with his ideas, or the legitimacy of his candidacy, you're consistently producing articles about him and that's a really good thing for his campaign. I'm glad that there's a journalist who's willing to put new material out there for him at least a few times a week. I hope that the LA Times will start putting these articles in print as well as on the internet.

[collin28]

As of 3pm EST 12-17 -- If you go to http://www.alexa.com/ and check out the TR (traffic rating) for the official Ron Paul website --- he has a TR of 7,478.

Mike Huckabee has a TR of 52,977
John McCain -- TR 112,541
Hillary Clinton -- TR 33,338

According to Huckabee’s website he has collected $1,229,712 to date for his forth quarter donations.

At this moment Dr. Paul has $18,247,850 and still coming in.

There is no mention on McCain’s site of how much money he currently has raised this quarter.

So you have to ask yourself how can Huckabee be #1 in most of the polls and Dr. Paul is not even listed in the top five. I smell a rat here. These numbers above tell me something different and I am getting the word out to all of my friends and associates.

Also go to blogs about Huckabee or McCain and there are 15 to 20 comments not like the 100’s of comments on blogs or news about Ron Paul. Paul is a constant dialog for Americans and that is a good thing.

I have stopped listening and watching the MSM --- they are the old media and are missing the point.

America needs Dr. Paul……

[Ernie]

It's time the rest of the US hears about the Ron Paul revolution. I thank Jay Leno for helping us out...Jay Leno will be making history tonight...again!

The Ron Paul Revolution

http://wwwprezronlaul.com

[Libertarian Girl]

Ron Paul has suggested no such thing as you describe, that "America caused 9/11"-- he has said that Americans aren't to blame, but American policies, such as bombing Iraq, have given fuel to the people recruiting for the al Qaeda banner.

As an analogy: if someone is murdered, we ask why, even if we know who did it. That's just being responsible. When you figure out why the murderer did it, you can try to prevent murders in the future. That's not blaming the victim, it's just being a smart detective.

Those are two completely different things, and I expect a full correction and an apology.

[What's the frequency, Kenneth?]

"Non-traditional ideas?"

I was raised to respect the tradition of liberty in this nation, but I guess amongst "progressives" only the last 80-to-90 years of socialism and fascism count as traditional, huh?

Ron Paul pushy? Guess you need to get a load of the rest of the heap of dung that's been shoveled to us.

Of course, the author misrepresented most of Dr. Paul's views, but hey, when you're busy marginalizing libertarians, it's best to stay on-message, right?

[EK]

Paul did NOT say that the US "caused" 9/11 by bombing Iraq, he said that US foreign policy, such as bombing Iraq, helped incite the hatred toward the US that ultimately led to 9/11. All it takes is an extra word to report the news accurately and truthfully: "helped cause" rather than "caused".

[Don Anderson]

This piece reeks of journalistic desperation. Initially straining for the eloquence to discredit a political foe, it ends like a whimpering concession to a mightier adversary.

Facts speak for themselves. Which candidate has genuine grassroots support despite the journalistic siege? Which candidate now holds the all time one day fund-raising record? Ron Paul has ruptured the shroud of hopeless apathy cast by generations of corporate vampires? The sheeple are stirring. The rout has begun.

It is a new paradigm. It is time to realize that information and communications systems are redefining society and negating the power of big money and broadcast media to anoint candidates. Even if Paul is assassinated, politics will never be the same. There will be participatory democracy. The only other alternative will be filling up those FEMA prison camps with ordinary folk.

Journalists who stand against this tide will be washed away. Those who engage the new reality have a chance to prosper through it.

(Why are you focusing on this old item? Go to today, see the big one on RP's fundraising record.)

[Bill Getas]

One other critically important thing Ron Paul is doing is allowing everyone to see, crystal clearly, all mainstream media for what it really is: 100% total propaganda.

(Except, of course, for this comment, which somehow sneaked past the evil corporate censors.)

[Mike Genty]

MSM playing Ron down because some one told them to! Half truths, distortions and smearing fools trying to act like reporters. The fourth estate is DEAD!

[Ryan from Philadelphia]

Why was this article re-posted?

(It wasn't. It's been sitting in the archives all this time.)

[sfrahm]

What's all this old information about here? US Congressman Dr. Ron Paul M.D.is the $6 Million Dollar man of the hour. His grass roots supporters just raised him $6 Million dollars in one day in celebration of the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. Dr. Paul was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno months ago and did very well. He has very broad voter appeal for anyone who wants less government and a better USA. An honest man, a true statesman, who says what he is going to do and then goes and does what he says. Check out his congressional voting record. Watch his You Tube and CSpan video or just Google Ron Paul.

[Brian]

"He's suggested that the U.S. caused the 9/11 attacks by its bombing of Iraq." This is a common misconception as Paul NEVER said that. He said that the US foreign policy contributed to the attacks. Not that the US caused the attacks. Please correct your article and possibly make an apology, since it is completely untrue.

Otherwise thanks fro a nice article.

[bkusz]

Andrew Malcolm has never been so well read and commented until he wrote about Ron Paul. Nice to see Andrew is getting fat off of Ron Paul supporters..

With that said, When Andrew calls us kooks, he is calling the Constitution kooky, And as Ron Paul said, the kooks are running Washington. And its obvious Andrew who supprts the status quo and ignoring the Constitution is the real kook.

Had I known it was trash talker Andrew Malcolms piece I wouldn't have clicked it...

(Not sure why you're reading such old items instead of today's on the record-breaking fundraising of the RP campaign. But you're free to click anywhere. Thanks for reading.)

[Connelly Barnes]

Are newspapers mainstream? And will they be, in a couple years? Why use the moniker 'mainstream media,' if it is inaccurate?

How many staffers is the Times firing? Is it not a blog system that manages the comments we enter here? Are we not reading this on the Internet? Did we not find this article though Google?

The Golden Age of Journalism was great. But let's face reality: the Internet is the future.

(That's why I enjoy working on it so much and having these dialogues. Thanks for reading.)

[Dave]

Honest christians know that you can't be both pro life,and pro war.