Breaking News: A Ron Paul surge in Nevada

Boy, oh, boy! Hidden behind all the hoopla, headlines and the Nevada caucus victories of Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton is one little-noticed but stunning political development and number:

Ron Paul, the one-time Libertarian candidate and 10-term Republican congressman from Texas, was in second place. That's right, Second Place. The 72-year-old ob-gyn who's always on the end of the line at GOP debates or barred altogether, was running ahead of John McCain, Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, in fact, ahead of....

all other Republicans except Romney, who easily captured his second state in a week after Michigan.

Now, Romney and Paul were basically the only Republicans who actively campaigned and advertised in the desert state. But a win is a win. And second place is second place. When Romney won Wyoming a couple of weeks ago, Paul won zero there.

In Iowa, Paul also beat Giuliani and he topped Thompson in New Hampshire, where Paul was excluded from the Fox News debate, which only energized his fervent followers. His jump in GOP election standings comes despite recent reports about a long series of newsletters from the 1990s carrying Paul's name and numerous racist and anti-Semitic remarks. Paul has denied writing them and denounced their contents.

Thanks to those passionate and tireless supporters, Paul, the only Republican to oppose the Iraq war and favor significant dismantling of the federal government, won about 10% of the vote in Iowa and 8% in New Hampshire, coming in just behind the former New York mayor in the Granite state.

But in Nevada today with a poor Republican turnout of less than half the Democrats (just under 45,000 vs 115,000) and with 99.7% of the precincts reporting, Romney had 22,644 votes, or 51%. Paul had about a quarter of that, 14%, or 6,084 votes.

Paul built a slow steady lead of about 400 votes over the veteran Arizona senator's 5,648 total.

Huckabee sneaked past Thompson into fourth place with 8%, or 3,613 votes, a tiny vote lead over the former Tennessee senator, who had 3,518. Both had 8%. Giuliani, who's counting on a late-state surge to salvage his one-time now-faded national front-runner status, had only 4% of the Nevada Republican vote with 1,910 ballots. And California's retiring Congressman Duncan Hunter was last again with 2% or 890 votes.

Now, of course, comes tonight's South Carolina primary vote results where Paul needs to be a bit more realistic perhaps. He's got three campaign offices there and has advertised and campaigned actively. But McCain is well-known there, has been ahead in polls, relying heavily on his strong support in the state's large active and retired military population.

And, as in Iowa where he won the caucuses, Huckabee is counting on another large turnout among South Carolina Christian evangelicals. Polls showed the Baptist preacher narrowing McCain's lead in recent days and Thompson, the former senator who's got the most riding on a strong South Carolina showing to invigorate his sagging campaign, also gaining some.

It was reported to be snowing heavily in the state's Piedmont region, where the evangelicals are concentrated, and that could depress turnout, while McCain's coastal territory was getting some cold rain. Now, whose crowd gets more depressed? And can Thompson make a strong enough showing to stay in the race? He planned to return home to ponder the future with no campaign activities planned for coming days.

The results tonight will show whether Ron Paul's fine morning and afternoon turn into a nice all-around day or not. Either way, he was likely the top GOP fundraiser in the fourth quarter, raising nearly $20 million, and his website reports gathering in another $1.34 million so far this month. So while Giuliani stopped paying his top staff this month, Paul is likely to linger long.

Paul's crowd plans another "money bomb" on Monday when thousands will deliver new donations on the same day. One previous time they did this, the Paul campaign set a new one-day online record of $6 million.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Dave]

None of the candidates can match Ron Pauls conservative record, integrity and support for the constitution and his consistant track record with no flip flops. During his 20 years in Congress Ron Paul has never taken a government-paid junket, has never voted himself a pay raise, and does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He has never voted for an unbalanced budget or to raise taxes, or to allow the govt. to spend our Social Security Fund money on other govt. expenses. He is a Statesman with integrity, who walks the talk. Paul, a veteran has received more donations from the troops then any other candidate. He served his country as a Flight Surgeon in the Air Force for 5 years. He voted against the war in Iraq, instead urged Congress to hunt down the terrorists responsible fo 9/11. Ron Paul will bring out troops home immediately to protect our national security and our borders here at home. Ron Paul is a Christian with true Christian values. He is not like other Christians who are warmongers, who support illegal pre-emptive wars, torture, and the killing of hundreds of thousand of innocent Iraqis. We owe nearly 10 trillion dollars, and continue to borrow money from China and others for this illegal war. We are virtually bankrupt. Ron Paul voted against the Real ID card, and the Patriot Act which violates are consitutional rights. He will restore habeas Corpus and our constitutional rights. As it stands, the Miltary Commission act and recent Presidential Executive Orders give the President the power to arrest any U.S. citizen, (anti war journalists, war protestors, etc), take their property and put them in jail WITHOUT the right of due process. Wake Up America. Save the Republic, vote for Ron Paul.

[Baba Padmanabhan]

What a great insight into what's happening in the political world. The mainstream media can't ignore this noble man for long. www.Freeatlast2008.com tomorrow.

[Doug]

Ron Paul is just inspiring. He inspires imagination and the possibility the America could one day again be great. It is sad that his 2nd place finish has been diminished by the media - barely menitoned. Just like his two debate wins, the media for some reason is diminishing these accomplishments - if reporting them at all.

To the guy that wrote, "don't you want to make your vote count", wouldn't you rather vote your conscience? What "change" is ANY other candidate offering? Seriously... Clinton? Romney (who is against legalized abortion even in cases of RAPE!), Obama? They are still all the same song playing over and over again. Sure, Obama seems to offer more, but he has the same failed ideas. Only Paul offers an alternative.

Obama doesn't even MENTION constitution or civil liberty restoration on his "issues" page. Why isn't this more important to people?

Don't waste your vote - vote for RON PAUL!

[Ray]

Almost 80% of the Americans are fed up and tired of the wars, yet according to the results, people are voting for war hungry candidates... it really smells rotten... It must be Uncle Sam's and the Constitution that have been dead for a long time! Come on people... wake up and realize that your vote does not count... the system is rigged.

[DX10]

Richard Brode,

I have had the same thought, but would do it a little differently. Dr. Paul and his supporters are playing in the egalitarians sandbox and they definitely don't like it. Assuming we can't break through the faux ceiling I would request that the campaign ask for a vote from their supporters as to whether Dr. Paul should run as an independent. I believe the result would be a resounding yes. That would give us a chance to vote our conscience and accomplish the same thing in getting Clinton elected. That should accelerate the collapse and wake those up who having ears cannot hear and having eyes cannot see.

Most Americans don't even recognize that they are in servitude, and of those that do many are frightened of freedom. I am an old man and have lived through most of it and have seen what we willingly allowed them to do to us.

[Roger Hermann]

I echo my appreciation for some fair coverage and I will come back often. I would just like to say that for me Ron Paul is the only cadidate that is different from the others. He speaks like a statesman. He talks about issues and solutions. The others speak in generalities about what they want to do. They pander and promise without considering the serious mess we are in economically. Obama was mention in this blog and I believe he is a good man, great speaker and motivational figure, however he speaks about bringing people together. A nice thought, but that won't solve the problems we are having. For me its Paul or nothing. I will not consider any other candidate regardless of how he does.

[Guesswhotoo6]

Finally, America wakes up in Nevada. This election as I see it, is not about a party. It is about which candidate will undo all the accumulated attacks on our personal freedoms as well as reset our financial system in order to avoid the currently inevitable collapse of our currency. I can see only 1 guy with a strong enough constitution (pun intended) to stick to the task at hand and motivate and educate the population on how to conduct themselves in a free society again. I see the majority as politicians as either currently being part of the movement to remove freedoms or being weak enough to cecum to enormous pressures which will be applied against them to conform. The banksters do not take prisoners.
One has to understand that the banks do not loose in a recession/depression, they simply take assets which were obtained via lending frauds perpetrated by our current legal system. It is the people who suffer, banks will do just fine and will consolidate their control of us and the government. How far did JFK get with his new printed currency? Solving these problems will take one hell of a leader. Ron Paul seems to be our best shot, else we can wait for the system to collapse and hopefully this will be enough motivation for real change to occur...?TBD Good luck to us all!

[god]

Ron Paul is The Only 1 !!! Around the world he is popular, but not in the U.S. This man is the most honest leader out there. Do yourself a favor, check him out @ ronpaul2008.com.
Bless Everyone.

[Vincent]

I am not an American but I support Ron Paul. If he becomes the next president of the USA, I believe the whole world will benefit from it. I believe Ron Paul can fix the mess Bush did to the USA economy and stabilize the USD so that the oil prices can go down. With the oil prices up, the whole world is suffering. Furthermore, we won't have illegal and useless wars waged in the Middle East. Millions of lives will be saved as a result.

[nik]

You know.... I thought Ron Paul was a kook until I looked into his stuff and found out that he DOES MAKE SENSE!

I urge everybody who has second thoughts about Ron Paul..... need to look into his ideas AGAIN!

[Elizabeth]

Ducksoup (the first poster in this thread),

You state you want our POV: "Would love to hear your POV and hear your vote in who will bring more change to America - Clinton or Obama".

Here is mine: Ducksoup, you sound like you are part of the gang of blunderers who took power in 2000. Or, if I give you the benefit of the doubt, you are truly ignorant. What a joke to ask if Hillary or Barak will bring more change; they are two wings on the same bird that is being fed to the American people. They are same! Ha, ha, ha.

Ron Paul is the candidate who lives by principles and that is why he attracts Americans who are inspired by that message, despite how the plundering elites have done their best to silence and discredit him. He is gaining ground with each passing day, and HE CAN WIN! Truth is much more powerful that the machinations of evil, and it will eventually triumph.

[So Why]

So why are Thompson, Guiliani, and Hunter still in the race? I mean, they pretty much are lost causes compared to Paul. Personally I'd rather have Paul then Mr. Pharisee Huckabee or Mc "War" Cain. But when all is said and done, Hillary and Obama will probably both be in the white house.

[Chris]

I honestly think that the LA times has had the best record of openly reporting Ron Paul successes than any other media outlet. You are truly revolutionary; thank you.

[Seth M]

Nice article Andrew!
News without the usual anti-Ron Paul slant.
Keep up the good work.

[Lance]

My sincerest thanks for providing honest, unbiased coverage...please keep it up!

[Bill]

Ron is the only Republican that could possibly beat Hillary. No pro-endless-war, pro-endless-stagflation candidate has a chance.

[Pamela - So Cal]

What? A respected media source that is talking positively about Ron Paul? Could it be the tides are finally turning and the message is being heard?

THANK YOU! You have found a new reader on the basis of your fair, honest and unbiased reporting of the man I consider to be the only real candidate fit to lead our Country.

We NEED Ron Paul. Our Nation is in serious trouble and this is no time for playing patty cake with the Politicians. We need a real leader - Ron Paul.

Ron Paul for President and Andren Malcolm at the LA Times for honest journalism!

[danny boy]

Giuliani sucks. McCain is a warmonger. Huckabee is an Evangelical nut (and scares the sh!t out of me). Romney.. collects child porn? Thompson.. why the hell is Thompson even running for president?

[Pamela]

What? A respected media source that is talking positively about Ron Paul? Could it be the tides are finally turning and the message is being heard?

THANK YOU! You have found a new reader on the basis of your fair, honest and unbiased reporting of the man I consider to be the only real candidate fit to lead our Country.

We NEED Ron Paul. Our Nation is in serious trouble and this is no time for playing patty cake with the Politicians. We need a real leader - Ron Paul.

Ron Paul for President and Andrew Malcolm at the LA Times for honest journalism!

[Sharon Occhipinti]

You have been bookmarked! I only just discovered you. I too, thank you for reporting on Dr. Paul's second place showing in Nevada.

Frankly, many people are still unaware of who Dr. Paul is, hence his less than stellar showing in most polls and the caucuses and primaries so far. When I talk to people about Dr. Paul, I find those that do not know him are shocked to find out "The Fed" IS NOT an agency of the federal government. I give them information and places they can research on their own. If I hear back from them, they are converts. It is too bad the Republican Party does not realize what they have in Dr. Paul. He is the only Republican candidate that can win the White House. Of those that did not know about Dr. Paul, to a man, they were going to vote Democrat and have indicated if he is not the Republican candidate for the general election they will vote Democrat still. I, too, will vote Democrat if Dr. Paul is not the Republican candidate. I could not possibly vote for ANY of the other candidates on the Republican slate.

It is a shame so many get their information from MSM. It does seem they are determined to keep his message from getting out. I also find it interesting, some seem to think, for America to be held in high esteem in the rest of the world, we have to shove OUR way of thinking down the throats of the rest of the world. The very basis of the freedom we love so much is everyone has a right to live as THEY choose. It is easy to see how non-Americans feel when we see Ron Paul for President sites in other countries!!

The PEOPLES of the world are as sick of the neocon agenda, (death and destruction), as most of America is.

If we had minded our own business over the last hundred years, we would be the BEACON for world peace and harmony we once were and many, many more countries would be WILLINGLY following in our footsteps right now. "You catch more flies with sugar than vinegar." Dr. Paul is the first public figure that has expressed what I have been saying for years. If another country plopped their soldiers on our soil and bombed US we would be THE MOST AGRESSIVE FREEDOM FIGHTERS (insurgents) in the history of the world. Sadly, entire populations AND OUR OWN SONS AND DAUGHTERS are sacrificed on the alter of the soulless, hedonistic, megalomaniacal, warmongering, fear mongering (I cannot even call them people!) THINGS behind EVERY CENTERAL BANK in the world.

Thank you for putting the message out. The other candidates are running out of money and Dr. Paul will have to be taken seriously when he begins to come in first, even if it is in the late states. He will come in first in the late states because his money is coming from the people. Not only do we know he is right but the more people we talk to the more backers he gets. The more backers he gets the more money he has to get his message out and the more that hear the more that join.

We must remember, however, whatever happens we must keep the message out there. WE must demand US Treasury notes. We must demand verifiable paper trail voting. We must demand an end to the NAFTA superhighway plans. We must demand our borders be secured and reject the Real ID. (It will serve well in determining where LAW ABIDING citizens are, NOT criminals.) We must demand an end to the "War on Drugs". (It is the single most bigoted law ever. I was a prison nurse and the poor especially poor minorities are disproportionately affected.) We must fight for a repeal of unnecessary gun laws that serve only to disarm LAW ABIDING citizens. (The violence resulting from the "War on Drugs" gives the false impression of the need for these laws. THAT "war" PROPOGATES violence. Would "the Mob" exist if it were not for prohibition? No. Learn from history. Did society fall apart and our children become useless, hopeless, drunks? No. Addiction is a manageable problem. If we spent as much money helping addicts as we do to arrest, prosecute, and jail them their numbers would decrease dramatically. Prison overcrowding is a direct result of the “War on Drugs” which, in turn, is the reason rapists, murderers, and pedophiles are released early. It is time for calm, logical analysis of the facts.) In case no one noticed, after our representatives were dismissed to their respective home states for the holidays, ANOTHER anti-2nd Amendment law was passed taking guns away from our VETRANS. The excuse used is “mental instability”. Anyone diagnosed with PTSD will be unable to buy or own guns! (The supposed reaction to incidents akin to Virginia State; however, if we were to spend money TREATING our mentally ill we would likely be able to prevent such tragedies.) We are being purposefully disarmed. What conclusion can logically be made when government “conspires” to eliminate civil liberties while at the same time “confiscating” the few weapons the people have? Is this “conspiracy theory” or logical deduction? Can the people be expected to fight tyranny with rocks and sticks? Regardless of Dr. Paul, God bless and protect him, this is THE PEOPLES fight and ONLY the people can win it. No one man or congress can do it without US actively, publicly, FORCING Congress to do the bidding of the people. We MUST educate ourselves, our families, and our neighbors and we must ACTIVELY write, fax, call, e-mail and visit personally Congress AND mainstream media. We must boycott those that are determined to undermine our “SOCIATAL VALUES”. Our “family values” are meaningless without our Constitution and BILL OF RIGHTS!

Hears to enlightening America, the last great hope of the world!

[edla]

Bravo Andrew for publishing this. Finally RP starts to pierce the media silence. But can this be written on paper and on the main latimes website rather than this blog? Do people who get the LAT on their door get this story?

Ron Paul is not only a viable candidate he is THE candidate to best save America

[Ann Linton]

Wow!! Thank you for being BRAVE enough to mention Ron Paul!! As you can tell , the other news stations are afraid of him for some reason!! I guess we all know who controls them! You are one brave man! Keep speaking out.
Ron Paul '08!!

[atv]

Oh.. Obama "might" be viable... BUT HE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN HILLARY OR EDWARDS OR ROMNEY OR HUCK OR MCNUTS..

If people REALLY want change... and REALLY WANT HONEST GOVERNMENT... Government that works FOR THE PEOPLE...

Then Ron Paul is the choice.. the ONLY choice.. as he HAS NO MASTERS CONTROLLING HIM... Like ALL the other candidates do...
That is the dirty little secert WHY Dr. Paul will never get the Repub nod... he is not on their SUBSERVANT LIST..
And no thank you to a controlled democrat too... in other words... Sorry Barrack and John and Hillary.... TOO BAD YOU CONSPIRED TO GET RID OF YOUR HONEST CANDIDATE... DENNIS K.
Peace America

[bkusz]

Nevada and Las Vegas best represents capitalism and social tolerance which seems to be a underlying Paul message. Now had Paul been a Mormon with a few more million, he would have pulled a 1st.

[ray]

If these people actually think Ron Paul supports Al Queda I have some great beach front property in Colorado for sale to them. As far as the analogy goes Ron Paul maybe to Thomas Jefferson as Joseph Stalin maybe to George W Bush. Why even bother with comparison they don't even come close.

Which of these candidates are for regime change: Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, George Bush, Al Gore, John Mccain, Rudolph Guliani, Fred Thompson, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bob Dole, Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards.

That's right only 3 would cause regime change Kucinich, Nader, Paul and maybe Perot.

As for the rest they want everything to stay the same, more deficit spending, fiat currency, more jobs overseas, outsourcing, fat tax breaks for the extremely wealthy, corporations elevated above the citizen, government surveillance over the citizen, intrusion and erosion of constitutional rights and a never ending war state of paranoia. Thomas Khun wrote a book once called the "structure of scientific revolutions" he described "normal" science vs. "paradigm changing" science, the stuff of breakthroughs, only Paul offers breakthroughs but for offering such he has been ignored and constantly attacked or laughed at by those that are absolutely scared to death of "real" paradigm shift. I almost wonder that maybe MSM would denouce a cure for cancer with as much intensity, in this current regime that would not be a surprise.

[PaulA]

"GO RON GO!!!! Slowly but surely Ron Paul is getting his message out and rising in the polls.... People are waking up the blacklisting of Ron Paul by Fox, CNN and MSNBC - now THIS VERY DAY - those same networks are are only posting the Winner... why?? Ron Paul won second naturally... When he placed fourth in Michigan they only reported first, second, and third... (RON PAUL) WAS in fourth by only a few votes...."

I'm wondering about what they are going to report when Ron Paul will be the Winner... *ggg*

[Michael Costello]

Thanks for this balanced and well written article Mr. Malcolm. I would however direct you to something that would allow you to call a smear campaign (with reference to the "anti-semitic" and "racist" newsletters: See http://www.takimag.com/site/article/why_the_beltway_libertarians_are_trying_to_smear_ron_paul/ and observe Jason Raimondo go through the actual newsletters themselves.

Jason eloquently dissects the articles and references a sur-dissection (hyperlinked) of the betrayal by those who would pretend to call themselves libertarian in outlook during the day of the New Hampshire primary. The articles are rather gauche, very disagreeable to an egalitarian libertarian, and definitely not politically correct by todays standards, but many of the truly vicious and vile sections detailed by Kirchick in his slimy hit-piece are actually sentences out of paragraphs taken out of context, that are in no way intended to have the meaning that that hack of a journalist suggests.

I'm glad there was an excellent showing in Nevada for the Revolution, but I'm still saddened by the long string of vicious politicking engaged in by both the right and left wing. From the Reason and Cato institutes near-betrayal to the status-quo reinforcing blogosphere echo-chambers viciousness (RedState and Wonkette) patently sick attempts to demonize Dr. Paul in this race. The mainstream media's tellingly strategic feigned ignorance of a candidate with genuine grassroots support also tell their own sordid story of corrupt practices undermining the Republic and the institution of democracy on which it should be allowed to benefit. I would hope that you would bother to give this article such a factual analysis to at least set the record strait.

Overall this whole 2008 process is saddening, but It has only made my resolve to maintain my involvement in the political process, and continue to work for true change, despite this continued climate. I would hope that the movement that Dr. Paul has inspired will permeate across the aisle (so to speak) with honorable Democrats like Kucinich and his supporters, and to some extent even the Edwards and Obama supporters (at least rhetorically Obama is not the vicious nasty political viper that the Clinton machine personifies), where our interests are compatible.

Thanks again for the article and for seeming to uphold journalistic integrity through your actions.

[Rich Angell]

I don't get it. Isn't the LA Times owned and controlled by the same Power Elite who control the other media? How then, do you come up with such a fair and accurate article as this? Bravo, in any case. Maybe there is hope.

(Actually, the Tribune Co., which owns the LATimes, is now a private, employee-owned company. But the same business goals apply, I suspect, to put out a good product that attracts more readers like you. So far, it sure seems to be working on this blog. Thanks for being one of them.)

[Peter Davidson]

NAACP President: Ron Paul Is Not A Racist
Linder says Paul being smeared because he is a threat to the establishment

Paul Joseph Watson
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2008/011308_not_racist.htm
Sunday, January 13, 2008

Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder, who has known Ron Paul for 20 years, unequivocally dismissed charges that the Congressman was a racist in light of recent smear attempts, and said the reason for him being attacked was that he was a threat to the establishment.

Linder joined Alex Jones for two segments on his KLBJ Sunday show this evening, during which he commented on the controversy created by media hit pieces that attempted to tarnish Paul as a racist by making him culpable for decades old newsletter articles written by other people.

"Knowing Ron Paul's intent, I think he is trying to improve this country but I think also, when you talk about the Constitution and you constantly criticize the federal government versus state I think a lot of folks are going to misconstrue that....so I think it's very easy for folks who want to to take his position out of context and that's what I'm hearing," said Linder.

"Knowing Ron Paul and having talked to him, I think he's a very fair guy I just think that a lot of folks do not understand the Libertarian platform," he added.

Asked directly if Ron Paul was a racist, Linder responded "No I don't," adding that he had heard Ron Paul speak out about police repression of black communities and mandatory minimum sentences on many occasions.

Dr. Paul has also publicly praised Martin Luther King as his hero on many occasions spanning back 20 years.

"I've read Ron Paul's whole philosophy, I also understand what he's saying from a political standpoint and why people are attacking him," said Linder.

"If you scare the folks that have the money, they're going to attack you and they're going to take it out of context," he added.

"What he's saying is really really threatening the powers that be and that's what they fear," concluded the NAACP President.

Listen to the MP3 interview @ http://prisonplanet.com/audio/130108linder.mp3

UPDATE: Nelson Linder contacted our office and wanted prisonplanet.com to stress the fact that he made his comments as a private citizen, not as president of the Austin NAACP. He said the libertarian platform deserves the same scrutiny as the Democratic and Republican parties receive in this nation. He went on to say that some on the web have construed that he is endorsing Ron Paul. And that is not the case. Mr. Linder went on to say that the interview was designed to discuss local issues concerning civil rights and civil liberties and his knowledge of the Libertarian party and Ron Paul.

[Rick Cain]

The GOP faithful have been given a really strange group of candidates to consider:
1) Romney - Mr. Magic Underpants Mormon, handsome but more liberal than Kennedy.
2) McCain - One of the Keating Five, the sleaziest "reformer" there is.
3) Guliani - 9/11 9/11 9/11! Everybody hates him, he was hoping you would not notice.
4) Thompson - zzzzzzzzzzzz. This man only appeals to EMO's he's so depressing.
5) Tancredo - Anti-immigration nutjob with an italian last name, how ironic
6 ) Duncan Hunter - Didn't even know he was running, Tancredo-lite policies

7) Ron Paul - A man who actually respects the constitution. He's like political crack, once you have had a puff, you're hooked. You end up buying signs, bumper stickers and slim jim flyers the next day as you join the Paulite brigade. Freedom is very liberating!

[Doug]

This shows us that the truth about our country is spreading. Ron Paul has told us the truth and the American People are responding. They really knew all along in their hearts that our government has been hijacked and that the biggest media news outlets are in their pocket.
We refuse to allow total government control of our lives. We refuse to allow private bankers to siphon off the wealth of this nation any longer. We refuse the theft of our labor to pay for the crooked politicians and their lavish spending because they think they are "entitled."
Ron Paul for the next eight years will stop this abbortion we call government.

[Ed Croker]

Andrew,

I come here regularly because unlike some networks, you bring out the positives and negatives and are, in my humble opinion, fair and balanced. That is very important to us Paul supporters because our hearts want all good Paul news all the time since we believe that our freedom depends not only on him necessarily, but on the message that he bears. He speaks for us. Our heads though, can back up and see bias or fair reporting. Sometimes when reading your articles my heart pangs, but my head has seen no bias in you. Thanks! and I will tell others.

Ed Croker

(Thanks. I appreiciate your fair words and your return to read us. And as you can see, you can always feel free to add your own two-bits here to straighten us or share your insights. We try to be unpredictable. Also appreciate your spreading the word. That's the best way to send the message that this kind of journalism is desired. Thanks.)

[Wally from McHenry, Illinois]

Ron Paul is the only candidate who believes in following the Constitution. Do the others???? No , not one. If our government would go back to following the Constitution, I believe, that may ills would be on the way to being cured. So, if you want Corporate America to call the shots, vote for any of the other candidates regardless of party label. For putting the people first, you have to go with Ron Paul.

[M Lowe]

I am in complete support of Senator Paul. He is the only person running for President that isn't a member of the Council on Foreign Relations or the Trilateral Commission, or has violated the Logan Act and visited a Bilderberg Meeting. Our country is about to go into financial rune due to these powers playing games with the US economy, and it's about time we have a candidate who has devoted his entire life to studying the economics of America.

What's going to happen is this: Hillary and Romney are going to continue to dominate. The elections will be thrown and tampered with until the final sides are picked from the "pre-selected" candidates. Once that happens, Ron Paul needs to make the leap into the Independent candidate despite his previous statements not to do so.

We the people need to continue to monitor the election violations, the vote tampering, Diebold fraud, and the mass media ignoring all the above including Ron Paul himself. The revolution starts the day after the thrown election. We must fight like dogs until the CFR and its members are forbidden to hold office in America. When the Trilateral Commission members are forbidden to step on American soil, and all those who have attended the Bilderberg Meetings in secrecy have been deemed traders to the free world.

Once we take this action, we will have a "hope" of a government for the people by the people. Until then, we're all living in the matrix.

[Dan]

I really, really like Andrew Malcolm and the LA Times. Total opposite of the NYTimes, which is just a piece of trash as far as true journalistic reporting goes. Kudos to you Mr. Malcolm, I'd buy ya a drink if I weren't on the other side of the country. :)

(I appreciate the sentiment anyway and also your repeated patronage to our site. Please spread the word about where people can find this kind of journalism. Thanks again. :-) )

[Sherie]

Thank you for writing such a great article about Dr. Paul. The national media should be ashamed of themselves for the blackout. And anyone who can honestly say that there is no such blackout... what rock have you been living under? As to change and Clinton and Obama. PUL-eeze! All of the other candidates put together are one and the same. Clinton and Obama are both socialists who are going to enact more regulation and higher taxes and make our medical system more of a mess. I voted for Dr. Paul in '88 when he ran on the Libertarian ticket and I will vote for him again, even if I have to write his name in. In big block letters so that no one can say they couldn't tell who it was. The internet has been the biggest boon in Dr. Paul's success. If Hillary has it her way, that would end. She has already stated that the internet is in need of serious regulation, and this is why. She has aid that she will unite the country...wether we want it to happen or not. For our own good. People should be aware of lines like that. The line between the Dems and Repubs has been blurred for a long time. I fear that if Hillary ahs her way, that line will disappear forever along with our right to choose how we wnat o lead our country. And that's not conspiracy theory. Google and find out. It's all right there to read. Ron Paul is the only chance this country has of surviving as a free state.

[Rose Cox]

Please write more articles about Ron Paul. It's the PEOPLE who decide who wins the presidency, not the media!! Paul is a gentleman among scoundrels.

(Keep checking back. We will. In a few days we'll have one on a very unusual but imaginative Ron Paul supporter.)

[Rose Cox]

Thank you for writing this article about Ron Paul. Please write more articles about him. It's the PEOPLE who decide who wins the presidency, not the media!! He is a gentleman among scoundrels.

[D. Lee Johnson]

I wonder if Ron Paul is electable? In the end, however, it does not matter: only the message matters and that can not be stopped.

[Dr. YES...for Dr. NO!]

In a REAL Democracy...REAL Free Press...cover ALL candidates fairly.

It speaks volumes about where America has gone, when supporters of a candidate get excited because he is finally treated fairly.

America is in far bigger trouble than we know. Our media is in the hands of FAR TOO FEW!

Good job Dr. NO! Good article.

People actually choose "Sillyanni" and Mc Amnesty over Ron Paul...that is how George Bush got elected....a second time.

[Doug]

This shows us that the truth about our country is spreading. Ron Paul has told us the truth and the American People are responding. They really knew all along in their hearts that our government has been hijacked and that the biggest media news outlets are in their pocket.
We refuse to allow total government control of our lives. We refuse to allow private bankers to siphon off the wealth of this nation any longer. We refuse the theft of our labor to pay for the crooked politicians and their lavish spending because they think they are "entitled."
Ron Paul for the next eight years will stop this abbortion we call government.

[Marco]

As times goes by, it's becoming obvious how the establisment is threatened by Ron Paul's platform. They are horrified and desperate of stopping the threat of uncovering the schemes of power that have been exploited with corruption, intimidation, and mass manipulations; they are FIGHTING the truth, with propaganda. The news media is totally blocking out Ron Paul. Why? (LA Times can only afford to have a blog with some truth, but it's too expensive to spread it to the mainstream. AIPAC would probably force them to pay a "price")
They know the people is responding, they know people are awakening. The establishment is figting together, they see RP as the common enemy.
They know the potential of spreading the truth, they know people can wake up and stop being slaves, they know the people want freedom and liberty.
I call on you, Lovers of Freedom, to spread the thruth, spread the good news, word of mouth, do your duty, spread FREEDOM and liberty. Support Ron Paul, "to live or die for freedom but never a robot, never a slave".

[khountrygirl]

Andrew - I have been critical of some of your past articles, but this one is very fair. Thank you for telling a story that everyone else would like to ignore.

[Jim]

Amazing that I had to dig for this information on the internet. Can the media be any more obvious in their anti-Paul bias? The man took second place in Nevada and no one... I mean NO ONE... would even utter his name on the news. They spoke about the disappointing showing of Thompson and how Giuliani is gambling all on Florida... absolutely amazing how they can ignore Ron Paul and get away with it.
We are being robbed of the only 'viable candidate' to use their term. The media has already decided who our candidates should be and have narrowed the field 'for us'.
I would just like to say that I have already tuned out all FOX programming and am now finding CNN and MSNBC to be no better.
If you believe that the country is headed in the right direction then it doesn't matter who's in charge. Vote for Obama or Hillary or Romney. If, however, you are like me and believe we are on a collision course then there is only one man worth voting for - Ron Paul.

(Well, you didn't have to dig far to find us. We're regularly at the top of Google searches for Dr. Paul. Glad you did and hope you return often and spread the word about this place.)

[Lewis G A]

This argument that he is not viable is rediclous, all the other canidates in both parties our members of the CFR and the NWO. Globalization by force and so far we've killed over 650,000 iraqis in the last 10 years. Spent trillions and raised inflation how is this viable?
Conquering 3rd world countries to promote democracy as we steal their oil.... how is this viable? Ron Paul can't be bought and is the only one with out a tarnished record.

One more thing Ron Paul is the only true anti-war canidate... besides Mike Gravel and Dennis K... how do the republicans expect to win with a pro-war message? When 3/4s of us want to end the war.

How are they viable canidates?!

Print money out thin air.
Send that money to the miltary industrial complex.
Bomb 3rd world countries for their alliegnce and oil.
Inside trading with HMOs and lobbiest... overriding our free market.
Neo-Cons... big goverment republicans... that come from the democratic party.

Vote Ron Paul and save our republic and uphold our constitution.

The revolution won't stop here.

[john in NV]

Andrew;

I find it very interesting that a "blog" which is generally a vehicle of personal editorial thought has become a deliverer of relatively unvarnished news! While on the other hand the so called fair and balanced guys, the msnbc's and so on are now mostly spouting editorial (and underreporting news) that by rights should be identified as such. What a strange world we live in master jack (to quote and old song)

I live in a continuing hope that we are on the verge of averting a political and economic crisis by educating the citizens about what big government and the war machine are just about to accomplish.... a bloodless coup over the Constitution. May the Lord forgive us for neglecting so great a gift as our country.

Your friend in Truth and Justice;
John W

(Thanks for reading us. We do have some opinions but try to make them well-informed and worthy of discussion--even disagreement--by commenters who believe this is a part of a democracy. Please spread the word about us. Thanks again.)

[Michele Pisano]

Italy for RON PAUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Michele

www.michelepisano1988.ilcannocchiale.it

[Pat Faith]

Great Article! Ron Paul is a force to be reckoned with. The more America finds out about Ron Paul the more his support will grow. Whether or not he wins this election we are propagating the return to the Constitution, this will be in the History books as the greatest awakening ever seen. This great experiment, " America" must survive, we are just in the early years of this Nation and we must take it back, we must secure OUR FUTURE. If he does not win in 2008, you can be sure he will in 2012! Let the next puppet get his/her facetime, they will go in the history books with George W. Bush as the last of those who sought to destroy the United States, we are here and we are loud, you cannot silence America.

[hardrockblaster]

I wondered if Ron Paul was electable, however, my conclusion was that rather he is elected or not does not matter: only the message matters. The message is eternal and when we are long gone it will still be here. FREEDOM

[bill]

Meet the Press runs for about 50 minutes. This morning they did no interviews. It was all pundits talking for the whole show. Not one mention of Ron Paul. Didn't say his name once. Same with Fox, didn't say his name once. I do not believe in conspiracies but this is ridiculous.

Thanks for the article.