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

[Robert]

To the author:

Outside of Jerry Lewis, which is a completely different type of fund raising, Ron Paul holds the record for a single days worth of political fund raising online or off. I would think that you'd know the difference as well as the significance of this feat. Even more remarkable is the fact that the average donations were around $100 dollars or so from around 60,000 donors with around 23,000 of them being new donors to his campaign. To say less is to belittle the achievement especially considering that most candidates who've been near this mark e.g. Kerry or Romney have only made these spectacular figures when donating their own funds to their own campaigns.

(Yes, but since words are important in this business, your claim wasn't qualified to exclude such different fundraising. Guess we'll see tomorrow if there's another new record.)

[Sandra]

Thank you for printing truth something that is rare these days.

(Thanks for coming and, I hope, returning often. Please spread the word.)

[Lynda Dotson]

I am so thankful their is a decent article that printed out about Ron Paul. Thank you Andrew. But I also would like to exspress the experience of yesterdays Caucus's here in Nevada for the GOP Republican party. I am a delegate for my precinct. The day before the Caucus's, I get a call from one of my RP supporter who happens to be a senior citizen in a apt. complex that was being provided by a transportation bus to the caucus's. She (Olga) called me in a frantic and was told by the lady at the managers office of the apt. complex the time of the caucus's was changed to 10:30 am. I called RP headquarters adn they said no, it is at 8:30 and don't be no later then 8:45. I immediatley called Olga back and asked her what was the ladies name at the office that told her that info. (Dyia) I wanted to find out who she heard it from. Dyia told me the lady (Jane) at the school told her that is what the Republican Party told her at the office when she called there. So now Dyia already told her bus driver to be at the complex to pick up 5 senior citizens @ 10:30. I called 4 of them cause I was going to pick them up to take to the Caucuses 4 of them were RP supporters and the one dropped out, to much confusion for him and the other gent was a Mitt Romney supportrer. I picked all 4 of them them up at 8:15. The first thing was when we hit the door for me to pick up the package of ballots, an older gentlemen who was handing out the ballot packages, told me I was not allowed to wear that Ron Paul pin. I said " Oh yea, I never heard that I was not allowed to wear this". I had a Ron Paul shirt on, but he never said a word about that. So we get to our table, I start checking off the voters and giving them their information and telling them what room they need to go to. They all eventually came back and told us the lady who was in our ballot room was kicking them out and telling them that it was their ballot room. It was chaotic.....There was no direction, no whatsoever guidance. It was like the blind leading the blind. Most of my precinct were elderly people and 2 were in walkers and one with a cain. It was a ver sad sight and they were so disgusted. Finally my chairman goes to the room and battled it out with this woman that this was our room too and we had to share the room. After the ballot, we did the count in our precinct and we had everyone's signature on the affidavit that was in our precinct. There were 23. Some how, there were 24 ballots. Someone from the other precinct slipped an extra Mitt Romney ballot in with our precinct. How do I know that? Cause every ballot was numbered accordingly to my precinct package.The numbers started off with #180346 all the way to #180379. The extra Mitt Romney ballot was #180243. So there was 10 votes for Ron Paul and a so called 8 for Mitt Romney, 0 for McCain, 2 for Hunter, 1 for Guliani, 2 for Thompson. Half the people already left already to retake a vote. When we called headquarters, the guy I spoke with said someone tampered with the ballot. He would need to call someone from the republican party and they would have to call me back........How many more were possibly tampered with? It makes me sick to my stomach to know there are so many desperate people to shame the whole thing for the few honest and decent beings that are left in this country that only want peace, properity and our freedoms back that Dr. Paul is willing to give us. I guess you people are going to have to learn the hard way and get the government you vote for and deserve. Since this was our first caucus and there was already an alarming amount of people on the news that were interviewed that they felt so disoriented and misguided and misleaded about the whole thing. Some people were given the wrong room # and were locked out. I know next time what to exspect and there will be order next time if we ever get that chance again. Thank you!!!!!!!

[Carl Buschmann]

The following statement I found as i was reading this blog.

"But I have no delusions that my vote actually matters anymore. We do not have free and fair elections in the United States of America, at least for high office."

This was made by Pat above. Many many people over the years have said this and anyone that has said it and not voted has not exercised their citizen responsibility. There have been enough not voting that the relatively few who vote in the primaries and win the delegates can then put who they wish in office through the electoral college pure and simple. And it is the citizen's of this great country who have done this.

We have to take care of ourselves as no one else will do it. You are fooled into thinking that it possible to be taken care of by the government and the shadow government we now have courtesy of the Tri Lateral commission and the Council of Foreign Relations.

We are close to being enslaved, our sovereign nation part of the New World Order, with no rights or freedom of choices. This has been building for more than sixty years now.
The elite citizen's are doing this to us for our welfare as we are not smart enough to determine our destinies through our Constitution.

Our politician's are backed by this organization and usually when the money gets behind one they get elected. Once again politician's have no power but the ones with the money do or think they do. So far they have been rather successful due to our collective complacency and apathy. We can stop this dead in its tracks now if we want to.

Each and everyone of us has less and less money for our families or ourselves. This is no accident. I believe if we were continue to get into dire straights and given a choice of keeping what little we have or Leader X of the New World Order we would finally fall as a nation.

This is not a game folks - this is serious. I ask you all to spread the word about this situation. Ron Paul knows this also as well as a groundswell of people who have joined him.

The news media is owned by only a few who have been told to blackout Ron Paul. They have sold their collective souls. Who will believe Fox News ever again for example? The New World Order bunch see Ron Paul as a real threat to their survival.

If each one of you talk to just two people and these two talk to two people each the number of people after thirty days becomes rather large. And should people keep talking to others this country would be well informed after thirty to sixty days. The ducks would be lined up in a row and Ron Paul would rock and roll into the Republican convention. I ask all who read this to help make this happen.

My thanks to Andrew and the L. A. Times for allowing us a place to blog and talk and to see some good journalism that is above board and willing to challenge the status quo.

Regards. Carl

(Obviously, we're interested in telling good stories here and Ron Paul and his supporters are good stories. We'll have more in coming days. Please spread the word about us in chatrooms, etc.)

[luciano]

Thank you for writing about Ron Paul.
He is the only candidate that will bring real change in this country.

[Mike Stafford]

I am very proud on how Ron Paul is conducting himself so far during this campaign! Against all odds, this guy is still moving ahead. People are calling him all sorts of nasty things and he has resisted in returning the favour. Instead he actually entertains some of their random questions and mud slinging with solid facts and usually blows them out of the water all together.

Ron Paul has the experience and maturity level to know what is going to work and what hasn't so far. When Ron Paul speaks of change, he actually tells you how he is planning on doing it! The other candidates seem to only skirt the issues and throw out some pretty well thought out buzz words- no substance, no real plan.

Vote Ron Paul for President - Restore the constitution and the economy!

[robin]

Dear Mr. Malcolm,

I think I love you.

Thanks a million for your great coverage of Ron Paul.

I wish more Los Angelenos were like you!

(Well, I've never gotten a comment like this before. Thank you for the sentiments, but more importantly thank you for reading us and hopefully returning often. And maybe even spreading the word. We appreciate your interest and the chance to interact like this, which doesn't happen at a lot of blogs.)

[luciano]

I read an article some time ago: The reason why election day is on tuesday is because it is a work day. People who work do not have time to go to vote, while the bums, the unemployed and those who live off the government, (the tax payers), can take their sweet time and vote themselves a pay rise.

(Actually, historically a lot of people had trouble scheduling voting days on the weekends, which are the Sabbath for many religions. But you'll notice yesterday's Nevada caucus and the South Carolina primary for both parties are on Saturdays. Makes a longer work week for bloggers too. But then here I am on a Sunday answering comments. Hmmm.))

[Leonardo]

Hy! I type from Italy

I hope Ron Paul Win for peace around the World. I hope that the Heads of the New World Order fail in their plans!

[Rhonda]

Wait a minute. Is this where I can find that sweet Andrew guy who was offered to be wedded by some 6' 220 lb heterosexual guy and he, Andrew, refused? In that case, will this 5'8", 135 lb heterosexual female do? ;-)

PS: No URL being left on the basis that it just might not be fair to that big man who was rejected :-)

(My goodness, I've got one commenter who loves me and two more offering a relationship. I'm flattered. Not a normal part of blogging. You made my off-day, which, obviously, wasn't very off.)

[Heather]

Well, everyone else is posting comments, so I'm going to join the bandwagon. It will be fun to watch what happens with the media now. I hope reporters will start to see that this Ron Paul phenomena is like a wildfire. With the fervency of his supporters, any story is likely to be a hit piece and good for whoever breaks it. It's great to see little surges of democracy in the midst of such heavy censoring in the news. I just hope enough people will be able to see through the curtain.

I've got a Ron Paul button on my backpack and represent here in Oregon. Go Ron! For the skeptics, google

patriot act + bill of rights
real id 2008
animal id act
north american union

I'm a conservationist and believe that massive government programs are the last way to protect our natural resources, economy, and future. We need a real free market. We don't actually have one here. We have corporations getting handouts from the government and huge operations all over the world with damaging consequences. We need freedom and the right to property, clean air and water, and fewer subsidies for destructive methods of production.

[Kenny]

Hey Duck Soup, maybe after Ron wins the nomination we'll look into Obama as a VP... if Kucinich isn't interested.

[jason wilson]

Hell Yeah L.A Times!!! You can honestly send information to my e mail address on how to become a subscriber I mean that, You can post nasty things about Ron Paul, but damn at least your publication does true journalism and you have people with real insight with real penmanship who can cover real stories and tap into the stream of Ron Paul supporters.

Thank you Thank you Andrew and Thank you L.A Times... by the way Fox News and Rupert Murdock I just want to say this...
With All Due respect and Love to the people of Australia, An Australian (Rupert Murdock read Fox News) should never dictate to Red Blooded Americans who are candidates are.

< These colors don't run!!!

[Kimberly]

Thanks Andrew. You haven't restored my faith in mass media, but you've certainly made a friend and return-reader here. Ron Paul has my vote, without question, but my respect for you doesn't simply come from my fervor for Paul. Thank you for reporting the facts, without bias. A rarity indeed.

[Pamela]

Andrew, I think from a few of the comments posted here and elsewhere that there is need for a solid investigative journalist, familiar with the political arena, to investigate exactly "what happened in Vegas" to make sure the information about it doesn't just "stay in Vegas.

There are reports of Republican Voters being told that the times to Vote had changed to later. I've seen 9:30 and 10:30 so far.

However - the times didn't change according to everything else I have been reading.

So - back to that need for a solid investigative journalist, familiar with the political arena, and may I add, who is recognized for his fair and unbiased reporting.

Dare I suggest yourself for the task? (Please?)

[Fred Smart]

Thanks again Andrew for the coverage! Go Packers!

[Harvey Quentin Pilly]

God bless Dr. Ron Paul, the only honest candidate in the bunch and the only candidate who will return America to its constitutional roots. Dr. Paul is the ONLY hope for America in these perilous days.

[Charles]

Go RP! He'll deliver true prosperity and liberty for all Americans. No other candidate is really for smaller government. Let's bring the troops home.

[Carrierwave~]

Even to the most casual observer and reader the news blackout on Ron Paul is becoming common knowledge everywhere. How does it feel Americans to finally realize we are being lied to and manipulated by the talking heads and media trolls? How can we have free and fair elections in a nation where information is consistantly doctored and twisted to deceive us from the truth? Wake-Up America!

Andrew-- We thank you cautiously, but let your superiors know; WE WILL BE WATCHING.

[SFKyle]

Mr. Malcolm, as always, thanks for the fair press on the RP Movement. I can't help but notice that while the Paul supporters overwhelmingly dominate the Top of the Ticket comments, that dominance is not reflected in today's "Top of the Ticket Blog Excerpts" in the main LA TImes online section. Paul is barely mentioned. This fuels my suspicion of Corporate Media.

Is this blog functioning like one of those "free speech zones" at political events, keeping dissenters contained, isolating their radical ideas from the rest of society? Don't get me wrong, you deserve all the praise directed at you in these comments. And you doubtless receive less pleasant missives from the Paul people. Sorry! But you must admit that there does appear to be a concerted effort by the MSM to diminish or ignore Dr. Paul's importance in this important process. It's enough to make a person crazy with frustration.

LA Times, I still have pride and confidence in you; there must be a logical explanation for choosing to highlight Tyra Banks asking Mrs. Clinton, "Do you ever get lonely?" How many comments did that blog post get? Just wondering.

[Matt Daly]

Great article by Andrew Malcolm about Ron Paul surge in Nevada. Just wanted to let you know there may be a small error. 44,315 Republicans voted as apposed to 10,529 Democrats ( www.lasvegas now.com ). Thanks!

(No, sorry, the final official total was 115,000 Democrats and just under 45,000 Republicans as you say.)

[Tom]

luciano: thank you so much for your comment from Italy. I strongly believe that Dr. Paul is destined to be an international leader. In the international poll Who Would the World Elect Dr. Paul's message is shown to be well received in countries on all sides of the various conflicts.
Dr Paul wants to lead the US and the world into peace. I want to be a part of that.

[Butch]

Thanks Andrew, Plain out RON PAUL is my HERO and he does NOT wear a CAPE like the BIAS MEDIA FAUX NONEWS and others would have you believe. I know he is the TRUTH and is a very very solid Foundation !! YOU AND I should build our house on or it will fall soon enough Thanks

[Brian]

Ron Paul
and Andrew Malcolm for President! =)

[Tom]

Oh yes this is an excellent blog with intelligent dialogue. Thank you I appreciate you.

[Patriot Henry]

Dear Ron Paul supporters - please read and communicate the following story that is being completely blacked out by the American mainstream press - America must know there is TREASON being committed by high level federal government officials and there is a massive COVERUP by the mass media and government:

UK Sunday Times Scoops US Media Again, Confirms FBI Cover-Up of Documents in Sibel Edmonds Nuke Secrets Case

Existence of FBI Case Number, Described in Anonymous Letter Obtained by The BRAD BLOG, Corroborated by Paper

Letter Describes Senior State Dept. Official Marc Grossman as Tipping off Turkish Embassy to Valerie Plame Wilson's 'Brewster Jennings' Counter-Proliferation Operation.

[JuliaKate]

Congratulations Mr. Paul! Not everyone in America thinks the ideals of the Constitution are so foreign and that a patriot like Ron Paul is “extreme” or “out there”. He’s the only candidate on either side that actually sticks to the Constitution as his standard, as shown by his consistent voting record and bills created in Congress. No other candidate can say that their walk follows their talk. They’re all members of the Council on Foreign Relations, a group that claims “national boundaries should be obliterated and one world rule established.”(CFR.org) These hand-picked puppets give you the appearance, with the help of the controlled media (NBC, Fox, Time Warner, Newsweek, Time are CFR-controlled), that the parties are in a struggle with one another on opposite ends of the spectrum, but once in office, have the same basic agenda of global communism. If they are all fundamentally flawed in the most important aspect of American principals, which the founding Fathers were so strongly convicted of, how could we entrust them with our nation? We know from history, that no matter how much lipstick you put on the communism pig, it still stinks. The CFR, along with all the other globalist, elitist entities like the U.N., the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, International Criminal Court, Trilateral Commission, the Bilderbergs, the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds, UNICEF, Greenpeace, Illuminati, NATO, NAFTA, NAU, Jesuits, the papacy, freemasons, and a whole host of others have the same agenda, to create a one world government, or new world order, unifying governments, military, economies, religions and stripping the America of its independence, freedoms, power and finances. America won’t go down by a military attack, but will implode from within through its moral depravity “righteousness exalteth a nation”. Pollyanna preachers are afraid to speak the truth in this era. Also, financial collapse will occur from taxation to support big government and funding of an unnecessary police (military) force around the world as well as the phony threat of global warming (CO2 taxing and standards) and treasonous activities in high places.

Huckabee, though not a CFR member, named CFR head Richard Haass as his key source for foreign policy. We know that Huckabee raised taxes constantly and pardoned over 1000 criminals and 12 murderers in Arkansas and lied about his theological degree. Sound a little Clinton-esque? Romney is a lying, flip-flopping Ken doll that believes that god was once a man and had spiritual sons, Jesus and lucifer (brothers?!). If you build your house on that you know its going to crumble. McCain is just a socialist liberal. Then there’s Hillary, who is Bill times two, a lying Marxist who along with Bill had over 47 close “friends”, bodyguards and campaign helpers murdered through “suicides and natural causes”. The last contestants on American Presidential Idol are Obama and Edwards, singing “Where Have All the Stalins Gone?”, a love ballad. We live in a “sound bite”, liberal media “headline” society and people are swayed so easily. Me love TV box, it tell me everything me like to know, never lies.

The basic question comes down to, “Who is your God?” Is your faith and trust in man in the form of a big brother, nanny government, or is it the God of the Bible? Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” As Samuel Adams put it, “If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.” But he also said, “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.” In many countries I’d be imprisoned or killed for writing this, I guess my diversity training never worked. May liberty always ring loudly in America.

[Richard B.]

Thanks for one of the only honest blogs from the "Old Media".

And thanks for reporting on the most honest politician in Washington, Dr. Ron Paul.

[Chad]

Reporting real truth about real news...how refreshing. Now that I have been introduced to you Mr. Malcom it is very nice to meet you indeed. Good luck and God bless.

Chad, CPAforRP - St. Louis, MO

(Nice to meet you. Hope you return soon and often. And spread the word.)

[Thera Morris]

Thank you so much for this article on Dr. Ron Paul. It is so refreshing to see a report that is truthful. The Main Stream Television Media is going out of its way to ingnore him. So, thanks gain- it is so so so appreciated.

[Patrick]

I am tired of hearing about "viability" and "electability." What do these words have to do with responsible governance? Nothing. Go ahead and let movie-star charisma and empty speechmaking delude whatever sense you may have left. Go ahead and vote for the umpteenth Big Government, Dear Leader type in a ROW, and then complain four years from now about how we, the United States of America, have continued to sink into debt, war, and cynicism. I thought this was We the People. It's become We the Governed. Paul and Kucinich are the only candidates this year who care about the Constitution, about liberty, and about this ridiculous and tragic Endless War we are in. Why can't the national debate be between these two people?? It would be a heck of a lot more informative and engaging than the current rehash of rhetoric from the others.

[Jorge Alberto Armendariz]

Americans are waking up to the economic disaster looming over the horizon caused by decades of misguided and erroneous economic and financial policies since 1913 when the so-called Federal Reserve was implemented to help the people have a better standard of living while they took care of our monetary policies in violation of the US Constitution that only Congress can value and coin money. 16 years later, they caused the 1929 depression by their catastrophic monetary policies and millions of Americans lost their economic life. It was not until after Pearl Harbor and the revival of the military industrial complex that the US economy started to recover. The provocative policies of FDR's administration finally made the Japanese go to war. Once the Japanese knew they were lost, they requested to surrender to the US on numerous occasions but FDR had promised Stalin a piece of the action in Asia. On August 6, 1945 we dropped the Atomic bomb over Hiroshima, full of Japanese Catholics; on August the 8th, the Soviets declared war against the Japanese; on August the 9th we dropped the second Atomic bomb over Nagasaki, another city full of Catholics and soon after Japan surrendered to the Allies. Throughout WWII, the Soviets did not fight Japan, and after August the 8th, between the two Atomic catastrophies, the US gave the Soviet occupational rights over northern China, North Korea, and North Vietnam for doing nothing against the Japanese Empire during WWII. Then, the US discovers that the Soviets our allies were now dangerous and we overtaxed the Baby Boomer generation in order to fight our former allies of WWII, in Korea and Vietnam, proving the US Government is extremely smart.

[Todd Marchus]

Thankyou Andrew,
As a Paul supporter I thankyou sincerely for at least giving credit where credit is due no more, no less I think they used to that journalism. Ron Paul reguardless of what becomes of this campaign is the only candidate that i have ever heard talk about that almost mythical country from folklore some of us were taught about in school called The United States of America. I would like to see it become a reailty again.

[Chikiberi]

I was at the Nevada Caucus. (Reno Highschool) What a zoo! Organized by 5 year olds it seems... what was this a surprise event caught off guard? I was told 4 different start times to show up and one of them was accompanied by the strict rule that if we're late we won't be allowed in. But people streamed in constantly. Then I came across 3 individuals who were told the wrong site to attend and many in Las Vegas were directed to Reno for their caucus participation! This wasn't addressed by the Republican Party organizer's website until 2 days before the event. Then when I got there I was told wrong and incomplete info by every person I spoke to whether it was where to find my precinct group, what I needed to do there, etc. Then even the paperwork in the envelope they give me incorrectly stated a person will be directing us along. But no one ever, ever came along; we just had to get started on our own and hope we had correct instructions to get everything done. So sad. Can you say, "VOTER FRAUD"?

[Gemigene]

Cheers from Canada!

I sure wish we had a few politicians like Ron in our parliament.

Congrats,
Gene

[Mark Lathrop]

Thanks Andrew for another good article on Ron Paul.

My father lives in New Zealand and the Kiwis like Ron Paul too! Think of that, having a president that the rest of the world respects? No way!

Ron Paul Moneybomb on MLK day!

[Suzie Jackson]

Andrew,

Could you please do a juicy investigative piece covering the media blackout on Ron Paul's successes in this presidential campaign? As a former and still angry Floridian voter, I would love to read your article on this new method of "election result media suppression and tampering." The mainstream media will have an absolute fit because they did not cover this issue, and you "scooped" them all on a REALLY BIG NATIONAL STORY AND SCANDAL!

SHOW THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA HOW A REAL REPORTER CAN DO HIS JOB! I SENSE A PULITZER IN THE MAKING! THANK YOU!

[Bob Bowen]

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=H233&dbname=2001_record

Hopefully this will dispel the racist comments made in New Hampshire about Dr. Ron Paul being a racist. Go to the above link and read his speech to Congress from the Congressional Record for February 7 - 8, 2001, pp H212 through H236. Pay particular attention to page H234 when Congressman Paul talks about the war on drugs.
"In Massachusetts, 82.9 percent of the
drug offenders are minorities, but they
make up only 9 percent of the State
population. The fact that crack-cocaine
users are more likely to land in
prison than powder-cocaine users and
with harsher sentences discriminates
against black Americans.
A wealthy suburbanite caught using
drugs is much less likely to end up in
prison than someone from the inner
city. This inequity adds to the conflict
between races and between the poor
and the police. And it is so unnecessary."

This does not sound like a racist, but really sounds like the opposite ! Read the entire speech from both days, and find out who the REAL Ron Paul is ! He is the right man/person to be our next President.

[Ernesto B]

If you want to understand why Ron will be the next President, look at the comments at this site. His supporters are everywhere and they are active. Especially read Post 1702 because it describes accurately what Ron is fighting for. Go Ron/

[Boyd A. Bivens]

Thank you sir, I had thought real journalism disappeared with Walter Cronkite and that guy Ed (Sorry, bad memory.) Dang, wish I could think of his name. You will be bookmarked on my PC. One needs a fresh view to uplift his spirits in this day.

[Lynda]

It took me all day to finally get to the end of the comments......Great work. I could read this for weeks about Ron Paul. Anything and everything about him I look up. Everything the people are saying is true.....I've been studying about this for years and I am seeing it bestow before my eyes. People : WAKE UP... We are in servitude continuously and it is only going to get worse. There will be no HOPE for America if we don't get Ron Paul in.

I am very disgusted with the news media on the coverage of Ron Paul....The way to hurt them since they feel they are hurting RP would to cancel cable. That's what I'm doing first thing in the morning. Why should I pay a portion of my money to a media that is unfair and biased. That was the only reason why I got it was to have the coverage on Ron Paul. The only one that has been open is CSPAN. Alot of RP supporters always calling in.....Thanks again Andrew for a job well done for all of us RP supporters and soon to be RP supporters. Jump on the ban wagon and donate today for the fund raiser for RP in honor of the great MLK. Another true warrior. Please also pray everyone for the safety of Ron Paul. GODSPEED TO ALL!

(Well, welcome. Hope you enjoy the reading. Not only the hundreds of comments but the dozens of items we've mentioned Dr. Paul in (see the links within each item). Hope to see you back here again soon--and often. And please spread the word.)

[J Wallace]

Who would have thought Ron Paul would out perform the bureaucrats in a state with legalized gambling, no state tax, legalized prostitution and very little in the way of government regulation. Isn't it a little strange that a desert could have such a substantial economy with the government out of the picture? Good job Paul, I figured he would come in merely a stronger 3rd place once again. Lets take Nevada's example and show Paul a party he will never forget, rock on ron paul revolution!

(Just FYI, the federal government actually owns more than 90% of Nevada's land.)

BTW, thx for grabbing the story.

[Anne Marie]

Thank you thank you thank you!
Join the Revolution, Andrew! Or have you already?

[J Wallace]

MSM Blacklisting.

Don't blast the MSM for blacklisting Mr. Paul, he threatens their way of life and even more importantly their corrupt media-whoring masters. You can't expect them to welcome him into their bias coverage, that would be like a criminal loading your gun then handing it to you as they break into your home. God save us if we actually get to have a fair election in this country, it's all good, victory will be that much sweeter when it comes, if Paul can beat them at their own game with the MSM handicap and dirty tricks, when he wins fair and square on his own merit, his words will be that much more powerful and we will have a real mandate in this country for change.

[Anne Marie]

Duck Soup,

This is about Ron Paul not the "other" candidates. If you want to compare "other" candidates to Ron Paul, please do your homework before commenting. Go to www.ronpaul2008.com and read your heart out, watch some videos, see what he truly stands for. Please do some reseach now so you won't have to eat your words later, like I have.
"Ron Paul cured my apathy."
The only candidate for true healthy change for our country is Ron Paul.
Check him out!
www.ronpaul2008.com

[Eddie]

Great story. Thanks for writing it.

[Andy]

Shouldn't this be on the front page rather than in a blog?
Fox news and the NYTimes haven't even bothered to mention Ron Paul...

(Well, that's their problem. If this item had been on the front page of any Sunday newspaper, it would already be wrapping fish or lining a birdcage. This way this item remains alive in perpetuity available for reading and commenting by anyone online at anytime. And so far many thousands have read it. So forget the front page. This is far better.)

[Greg]

I may not agree with Ron Paul all the time but at least he seems like a straight shooter and isn't full of it like the rest of the candidates. He doesn't seem like the person who will change his stand on issues by looking at the latest poll.

Lets face it, Republicans HAVE lost their way. Even though Paul is more Libertarian, he seems closer to what traditional Republicans were in the Reagan years. The other Republican candidates should be ashamed of doing what they are doing and putting Reagan's name on it. They are no Ronald Reagan. We aren't going to have another Ronald Reagan but we DO need a leader and Paul is it.

The Top issues for me in this election are :
Immigration
Getting rid of our dependency on Foreign Oil
Fiscal Resonsibility/Sound Money
Tax Reform
Education

So far I have yet to see another candidate with solutions to handle all these problems. I voted Republican in every Presidential Election since I was allowed to vote. If Paul doesn't make it.. I will consider voting 3rd party to a candidate with a better Immigraion plan. I am sure 30% of Republicans will go with me.
I never imagined a day where defending this country became a crime. We have two border agents sitting in prison right now. Paul is the only candidate who said he will pardon them.

[Harold]

I hope you don't misunderstand the highs and lows of some Ron Pual supporters. I suspect they appreciate your journalism, it's just that no matter how knowledgeable we are I notice my viewpoint ends up being uniquely mine and no one seems immune, even genius reporters. After all we live in different places and have different information. The bad news is that almost all the information is in the matrix and we are discouraged from going outside it, like in believing that only Ron has a chance, unless the candidates steal all his ideas and then some. Even Ron is changing as new data comes in from all his supporters and every discipline. Does anyone realize how fast the collective consciousness is growing and the colletive unconscious, for that matter. All the news and the media is missing most of it. It's mostly on the net. By, by MSM.. Who needs an hdtv when you can have an HDPC. I hope no one buys the new tv's coming out, blah. I guess as I write they are blending the two. I do believe the future is for those constructive views and negacons will be kicked to the side. Who needs them in a brave new world?
I think Ron's strength, even in ideas, is those behind him, just as we had to put up with the Chaney type old styles behind the Bushes. There is a new vision in the world and we have to move on and into it, real solutions for real problem even if the campaign isn't bringing it all out. If they know. If they do know more and tell, it should blow everything out of the water before evuary, that is before September 1-4, the Republican National Convention. I'm not counting my chickens, yet, but some omelets will be available for sure.

[Max]

A champion of the Constitution, like Ron Paul, cannot be wrong.
One should answer these two questions:
1) what advantages to vote Ron Paul?
2) what risks?

Then, do the same for the others and compare.