Ron Paul launches eight-state ad blitz

Get ready, California. Here comes Ron Paul! Literally.

After thousands of radio and TV ads bombarded the early-voting states for months, Californians' ears are about to be exposed to the biographical story of Paul, who's gained growing attention in recent weeks for his amazing fundraising success; Paul's fervent followers raised nearly $20 million in the fourth quarter alone, including a new online one-day donation record in excess of $6 million. With those funds, the 72-year-old, 10-term Texas Congressman with the libertarian ideals is launching an eight-state ad campaign on radio stations in California, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, North Dakota, Louisiana, Maine and Florida this week.

The ad is biographical, detailing his background and hinting at his longtime opposition to increased government spending. Here is the ad text:

"Who is Ron Paul, the Republican candidate for president?  Ron Paul served his country as a flight surgeon after the Cuban missile crisis. As a young doctor, Ron Paul worked nights in the emergency room of an inner-city hospital, taking care of everyone, whether they could pay or not. As an ob/gyn, Ron Paul delivered over 4,000 babies. Dr. Ron Paul knows our healthcare system needs real change,   where patients and doctors are in charge, not big corporations or government bureaucrats.

"As a congressman for almost 2 decades, Ron Paul knows our Constitution is there to protect our freedom and limited government. He has never voted for a tax increase or an unbalanced budget. His record clearly shows he will cut taxes and stop runaway spending. People who know him call him the taxpayer's best friend."

Paul, who finished fifth in Iowa with 10% but well ahead of Rudy Giuliani's 4% and could beat the ex-mayor again in New Hampshire, did not have a particularly good weekend. Despite campaigning there, Paul won none of the GOP delegates chosen in Wyoming's caucuses (Romney won there) and he was excluded from Sunday's Fox News debate.

Paul is counting on a strong showing in New Hampshire on Tuesday, where he's been advertising and mobilizing volunteers for weeks, to propel him to an even higher profile heading on to South Carolina and Michigan. His vocal followers have formed more than 1,200 meet-up groups across the country and appear to be an eclectic, determined collection of disaffected Democrats, Republicans and libertarians, including numerous previously uninvolved in active politics who like Paul's idea of smaller government and bringing most American troops home.

“We are the people who care about the country and the Constitution,” Paul said the other day. “I don’t think we’re going to let it die.”

And tonight, Paul himself will be in California. It seems his exclusion from Sunday's Fox News GOP debate resulted in an invite for his second appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"  on NBC. Hey, it worked for Mike Huckabee last week, who chatted with Jay on the eve of the Iowa caucus and then won.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Louis Lambert]

Andrew, thanks for this excellent informative article and helpful links

[farnk]

How did this person even get elected to Congress? What's wrong in Texas?

[Talcott]

Good...job Mate!

I live SoCal, and his support is gaining.

Does the author know which stations the spot's are

being played on?

[tony angel]

That's a nice ad, but there is no sense of how his policies are so removed from the norm that he's got some truly different answers. If I didn't know of the man I would assume that he was just some Doctor with a tax cut policy.... ho hum.. yeah yeah righto...

It is almost laughable how his official stuff is so pap yet the surrounding online hints of a radical shakeup.

I think he's great! Bring on the Revolution Ron!

[Robin Dicken]

Good reporting. Very odd other MSM outlets do not mention Ron Paul's exclusion/censorship is not mentions AND that the NH GOP backed out of sponsoring the event without Paul/Hunter. AS DID THIS ARTICLE. Perhaps this is the best thing to happen for Paul-Jay Leno seems to think for.

[Tess101]

Once again thank you Mr. Andrew Malcolm for this write up on Ron Paul.
I have to say I was very disappointed this weekend while traveling from Central California into the Los Angeles area on the way to take family to LAX. I thought I would see at least one sign supporting a presidential candidate, the only thing I saw was graffiti on the over passes, it looked like something out of a Mad Max movie. I felt like I was driving into Tijuana. My husband and I have a huge magnetic Ron Paul for President sign on the side of our truck, and of course bumper stickers, we did get a lot attention by the way. Ron Paul will do well in New Hampshire with or without debating the other 5 neocons with foxnews. The ABC debate held on Saturday was good for Ron Paul, and his televised one hour Townhall meeting held on Sunday was a great way for the people of New Hampshire to listen to him without all the childish snickering from war mongering John McCain and Giuliani. I would like to post here the real reason why Foxnews and the other 5 candidates are trying to keep Ron Paul out of the press and debates and I hope you will print this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uk-T46soz8

BTW, Huckabee and Mccain are the worse offenders of our freedom and the truth, next is Giuliani. Please see what the troops really think about Iraq, and this not coming from just one member, I too am a former US Air Force member and agree 100% with Ron Paul. The time is right America to have a leader for the People of America, and that person is RON PAUL.

[Joe]

gee I guess I'm "eclectic" because I support Ron Paul! Well, no time to type, have to get moving to support the warfair, welfare state this morning! So I'll take my "eclectic" rear end to work.

[Elizabeth]

Mr. Malcom,

Again, nice job! Thanks for covering some of his platform.

Do you know what hope feels like? We supporters do. It's like being a kid again.

Thanks for being part of our nation's rebirth.

[Dave]

Inflation Steals our wealth, earnings, and retirement benefits.

[Nydra Karlen]

Ron Paul was actually TDY in Pakistan in 1964 when he served as a flight surgeon. He said on a trip to Afghanistan, someone pointed up at the snow covered peaks and said, there independent tribes up there that have never been conquered. When do we learn to leave people alone?

[Bob]

GO Ron Paul GO.... our best hope for America! Google or U-tube him.

[Don]

I am happy to see Ron Paul is starting his california campaign, unlike the national media I believe the media in california will be far more fair and balanced in their coverage!

[JeffnDallas]

It never ceases to amaze me how "fair and unbalanced" local media outlets have been to Ron Paul vs. the larger corporate media (hint at Fox, given their recent UNfair and UNbalanced exclusion of Ron in Sunday's forum).

It's nice to see that good old fashioned reporting and journalism is alive and well, at least in local markets around the country.

Thank you for showing them how it's done, Andrew and LA Times!

[Tim, Minneapolis]

Thanks for the info on Ron Paul. He is a true hero and patriot. He speaks truth, something we really need. I like the sound of "President Paul" Nice and easy to remember.

[E. Schulz]

Thank you for the nice article. We need journalist's like you all over the country.
Ron Paul has been censored and blacked out by the major media outlets ..it is to the credit of his grassroots movement that he continues to only GROW and increase every day.
Thank you for being fair.
We all appreciate any kind of media attention we can get.
Sincerely,
E. Schulz
mississippi

[Jay]

Nice article! Way to go, Leno! I've been waiting for one of his ads to point out that as a medical doctor, Dr Paul is in a better position to understand the problems with healthcare than the other candidates. It is amazing to me that people consider his ideas to be so fantastical. I'm college educated but really have respect for someone who got a medical degree. I have been surprised several times when I researched Ron Paul's positions that I didn't initially agree with (pulling troops out of S Korea for example). When I found out S Korea has 40 times the economy of N Korea it made a lot more sense that they should be permitted to run their own country. Those moments increase my respect for Dr Paul.

[Whiteyward]

We have experienced a crazy prez. and now we seek a really crazy Prez. Ronpaul will not get any Electoral College votes. The fringe candidates never get near the EC votes necessary to win. Many of those votes are already decided so he must split the rest of the votes with the pack. But he is fun to watch, voting NO and those "Paulets" are such a circus of followers.

[brian Kuszmar]

Andrew, finally a fair and balanced report. Nice article, keep up the good work!

Regards

[Wendy M]

Now this is what I call Fair and Balanced. Thanks again, Andrew for your unbiased coverage of Ron Paul.

I only disagree somewhat that he "did not have a particularly good weekend". It actually seems to have worked out pretty well. Oh no, Brer Fox - don't kick us out of your forum - please, Brer Fox, not that!

Ron Paul held an hour long town hall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday while the snarky FauX News forum was being held. It was recorded and can be viewed on YouTube.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxldrCsVByA
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VQcpmfT0f4

Looking forward to Leno tonight!

[Gary]

Thanks for talking about the only man I can really get behind... even after he's in the WhiteHouse... knowing that his supporters would still have to work for him and this potentially great Country. I want to be proud of the USA again.

[Gene Trosper]

I believe that the exlusion of Dr. Paul from the debate is going to have no negative effect upon his campaign. The Tonight Show has a much wider audience than Fox News and certainly, the ink he has garnered from this is worth much more than a few paltry minutes in a hostile debate.

[mketcher]

Ron Paul is the only true grass-roots candidate. Less than a year ago, he was a vitrual unknown, wondering whether or not he should run for president in a party now dominated by big-government, pro-war neocons. Since then, his campaign eploded on the Internet, he has more Meet-up group members than any other candidate, Democratic or Republican, he's out-fundraised all of the other Republicans in the last quarter, and now he's making his second appearance on Jay Leno. Still, Ron Paul can't get no respect. He's the Rodney Dangerfield of the Republican Party.

For a great satire on the president, the mainstream media, and the war on terror, see this YouTube music video from the international award-winning zombie musical feature film, “Song of the Dead.” It’ stars horror movie veteran Reggie Bannister (Phantasm, Wishmaster, Bubba Ho-tep) as the president of the U.S. The filmmaker, Chip Gubera, is giving a share of his profits from DVD sales to the Ron Paul campaign. Go to:
youtube.com/watch?v=qQmkkoxSKYw

[Bill Henderson]

Welcome to California Dr. Paul. I'm voting for you in the
California primary. You had me at "freedom."

[evangeline wollmar]

http://elections.newsvine.com/

polls nationwide, both democratic and republican have Ron Paul winning

1600 polls I am so afraid the polls will be corrupt like they were with Bush. God help us....Ron Paul is needed now to save the USA

[w. david charleston]

i feel this is all working in his favor...the general distrust in our gov't is growing and just the idea of a non-established candidate gets most honest hears open to new ideas, potential, and change

new hampshire is the place to start this revolution

[aaron]

Dear Iowa
I enjoy watching the early primaries. I see Huckabee first, Romney second, Mccain, Thompson, Paul, Guilani, Hunter. Now I see that the states people are mainly Christians. It seems there is alot of Christians and we all know Christians believe in Jesus Christ. Now this is where it gets interesting. The last time I read the Bible which is the guide for Christians, Jesus kicked out the money changers and it was a clear message that all Christians can agree on right? Money changer "Bad"
My question is why are the top five vote getters in Iowa Moneychangers or supporters of the money changers. This goes against everything Jesus stood for . I also see that the one and only man who is following Jesus advice is in fifth place.
Em I alone on this?

[Lisa]

Yes, get ready California! Tthe Locusts of Liberty are coming your way!

The good news is that you'll find we (and Dr. Paul) will be bringing you a message that is both refreshingly invigorating but calmingly old-fashioned. We hope that you will think -- about whether we really need troops in Iraq for 100 years as McCain suggests -- about whether we really still need thousands of troops in Germany 50 years after that war ended -- about whether the monetary policies of the Federal Reserve that set interest rates at artificially low rates while printing more and more dollars to fund the war and overspending in our increasingly large government serves to further the interests of our elderly, who's lifetimes of savings are being destroyed by the reduced purchasing power of our dollar, or whether these policies instead are designed to serve the bankerson Wall St. -- about whether Americans are entitled to any sense of privacy anymore -- whether it's right that customs agents can search through the files on your hard drive when you return to this country, regardless of whether you might be a lawyer with files that are subject to attorney-client privilege or a psychiatrist that has patient records on that hard drive (yes this is happening in our country -- google the New York Times article "if your hard drive could testify" -- can you believe it? is the still the land of the free that our founding fathers gave us?) -- about whether we will stand by and be the "good Germans" as our government starts issuing national ID cards ("your papers please!") -- about whether children should be subject to forced vaccinations -- whether American jobs should continue to be shipped overseas -- whether you will stand up to corruption in our government.

These are the questions that the Locusts of Liberty will be asking - and yes, even demanding - that Californians think about. I was born and used to live in California, and the California that I knew and loved was filled with intellectually curious people, so I'm guesing that you just may find yourself caught up in the swarm, as it's really quite infectious once you answer those questions. But not to worry, unlike the media stories you've been told that Paul suporters are kooks, nuts or otherwise certifiable, you'll also find that the swarm is filled with doctors, small business owners, lawyers, veterans, bankers, immigrants, college students, retirees, and many, many others who believe in the vision that our founding fathers set forth and believe that the power and size of our government should be limited in accordance with the Constitution.

[Paul LaGorce]

If you keep voting like you've been voting, you're going to keep getting what you've been getting. Support Ron Paul or someone else with proven integrity.

[Susan]

Ron Paul has an up hill battle but it appears as though he is doing very well. I was an Obama supporter but after listening closely and doing my own research (since the media doesn't want to cover him) I've decided to VOTE for RON PAUL. I think Fox News made a terrible mistake not to include him on their show yesterday. I will be watching other media outlets now like CNN and ABC.

[Charles Rogers]

Ron Paul has something good to say in these debates. He alone may be the only republican canidate that speaks the truth about the facts. I see no spin in his words, yet, he is marginalized, worse, arrogantly tolerater by the rest of the republican canidates.

It wouild be smarted if his fellow canidates offerd Paul a little respect in place of contemptous depreciating grins and degrading winks at each other when Paul speaks about issues. It is not a surprise that the bunch of them start interupting Paul as he speaks. Truth sometimes hurts.

Truth being, Paul has more class than the rest of them add up to in a pile.

In spite of that disgusting treatment, Paul had over 20 million dollars contributed to him recently, by voters, many of them young. They must see hope in Paul instead of the same old backroon politics of the rest of the gang. It isn't over and the "winkers" and "griners" may not be enough to gag truth.

I am a solid democrat who hopes the new to be democratic president finds some place for Paul in his new administration. The rest can vist Bush in Crawford and blow smoke and cry.

Fox's decision to exclude Paul from last nights Fox debate convicts, again, Fox's bias agenda.

[Jesse]

To my fellow Americans
Vote for Ron Paul! If you love the United States, and are sick and tired of the lies that many politicians offer us these days, and want a good, honest, hard working President, vote for Ron Paul. Your vote counts! As a descendant of two Presidents: John Adams, and John Quincey Adams. I congratulate and fully endorse Ron Paul as a keeper of all of our Fore Fathers vision for a great nation. Ron Paul is trying to help his countrymen & women keep their freedoms he is a great Patriot and would do any thing in his power to protect our constitution and our country.
God Bless!
Sincerely Jesse

[Flint]

Ron Paul is awesome! No more income taxes, no more IRS! Mind our business, protect our country, invest the $ into the USA and take care of our citizens and veterans!

Vote Ron Paul 2008!

[Doug D]

Ron Paul's positions ARE the norm -- he's the most mainstream candidate running. Don't believe me? Consider this:

Ron Paul is anti-war, pro-smaller government, anti-illegal immigration, and pro-civil liberties.

These are the four biggest issues in the race, and he's the only candidate on the same side as the majority of Americans on all four issues.

Some would say health care is in the top five issues, and once again, Ron Paul makes sense -- he is a medical doctor who knows from personal experience that more government involvement would only make things worse.

And that $6 million dollar day on December 16th wasn't just an online record -- it was THE record, for the biggest political fundraising day in American history. Ron Paul is for real.

[Melissa]

I am a 23 year old, typically apathetic, voter from Michigan. Ron Paul is the first politician who has literally made me feel passionate and driven for change in America. I won't spiral into a lecture on his ideas here, but if there is anyone reading this who isn't familiar with his policies, I encourage you to please google him and spend a few minutes finding out why he really is so different from all of the other candidates.

[FACE IT]

Hey FARNK....

This is why Dr. Paul got to where he is! Because we Soldiers support him!
But you dont see that b/c "big media" doesnt show you. Nor did they tell you about the 14 PERMANENT bases we had to build---we're never coming home!

RON PAUL 2008

[john]

Andrew, Thanks for the article with links. I hadn't heard that Ron Paul will make his second appearance on Jay Leno, so this is great news.

Thanks.

[Robert Reed]

It appears that Ron Paul has a lot of support as I drive through rural areas of Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon for my job. The more I listen to my customers talking about Paul's views on foriegn policy and how it fits into our type of goverment, the more sense he makes. He may just get my vote come November regardless of who the Republican Nominee is.

[Andy K. Kuo]

There's a link right to this post from the LA Times front page! Thank you guys for providing good coverage of this election.

(Thanks for checking us out. Hope you return often.)

[Hooman]

Andrew, thanks for the great article. I've been reading your articles on Ron Paul for a while, and I've noticed a gradual change in your reporting of him. I never posted here before since most of the other Ron Paul supporters got here before me and said everything there was to say.

By the way, Tess101, I'm in Central California, and there is a ton of support here for Ron Paul. Since you're in California, please spread the word about the closed California primary, meaning people have to be registered Republican by Jan 21. in order to participate.

(Thanks for reading us and for taking the time to leave a comment. Hope you return often.)

[Web Smith]

Thanks to the Internet, we are no longer just fed information by the five companies that control the media. We know more.

We know that the FOX board of directors is made up of war propagandist and Hillary fundraiser Rupert Murdoch; Viet Dinh, law prof and author of the so called Patriot Act; Andrew Knight of Rothschild Banking and a large stock holder in The Crown and Federal Reserve Bank; and Rod Paige, former head of Education for Bush. We know that these people tried to limit our political freedom by excluding Ron Paul from the NH debates.

We know that after electing a Republican Congress, Senate, and President to cut federal spending, they spent more. We know that, after electing a Democratic Congress and Senate to end the war, they continue to fund the war by attaching their pork barrel projects to the funding. "You can have your war, if we can have this", they say to Bush. “You can kill more people if you give us these things”, they say.

We know when they quietly pass a Thought Crimes Bill, a Federal ID Act, and give Bush the authority to declare martial law and mobilize the National Guard in any state for any reason.

We know about the PNAC and how Bush is obsessed with it's implementation. We know he is delusional and doesn't believe that we know and believes that he can get away with murder.

We know that our Central Bank is privately owned. We know that these bankers make money financing both sides of wars. We know who they are and how they appointed Giuliani Mayor of NYC and are trying to appoint him President. We know that Giuliani became rich on the bodies of the victims from 9/11.

We know that our tax dollars are used to destabilize countries so that International bankers can then make money on the conflict.

We know that we were tricked into going to war, not just once but several times. We know that Bush wants to get us into a war with Iran before he leaves office when we are on the brink of economic ruin as a result of the war he already got us into. We know that Feinstein and others have broken the law and become rich in the process.

We know that our elected leaders on both sides did not enforce immigration laws. We know that we are financing cheap labor through our social services infrastructure and loss of jobs. We know that this cheap labor is not so cheap except for the ones that use it.

We know that it's not just the Republicans or just the Democrats.

Above all, we know that we want our country back. We know we are fed up and it has to change.

[Randy]

The words of the prophets(the people) are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls...

[Scott Frost]

You state that Ron Paul "did not have a particularly good weekend" because he got no delegates in Wyoming, but you neglect to inform you readers of the county convention process in Wyoming.

The Wyoming conventions were NOT open to the general public.

The delegates to the county conventions were chosen in 2006 and they are all party insiders. Ron Paul -- the only noninterventionist -- never had a chance in Wyoming and he knew it.

Here is a link to the rules for the Wyoming county conventions:

http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/WY-R.phtml#0105

See for yourselves. This explanation is what you'll find:

The County Conventions choose 12 of 14 (pre-penalty 28) of Wyoming delegates to the Republican National Convention. Approximately 980 County precinct committeemen and women, who were elected in Wyoming's 22 August 2006 (biennial) primary election, are eligible to vote for the National Convention Delegates and Alternates at the County Conventions.

Wyoming has 23 counties that are grouped into 12 Delegate-Districts. In each Delegate-District, except Laramie, counties are paired: one county selects a delegate while the other selects an alternate. The counties swap positions after each Presidential election.
Laramie, the county that cast the most votes of any county for the Republican candidate for Congress in the general election immediately preceding the National Convention (Congressman Barbara L. Cubin in 2006), selects both a Delegate and an Alternate.
The arrangement for 2008 Delegate / Alternate Districts are:
Albany (Romney) / Natrona (Uncommitted)
Sweetwater (Romney) / Carbon (Romney)
Uinta (Romney) / Lincoln (Romney)
Teton (Romney) / Sublette Platte (McCain)
Fremont (Romney) / Park (Romney)
Hot Springs (Thompson) / Washakie (Uncommitted)
Sheridan Platte (Hunter) / Big Horn (Romney)
Campbell (Romney) / Johnson (Uncommitted)
Crook (Thompson) / Weston (Uncommitted)
Converse (Romney) / Niobrara (Thompson)
Goshen (Thompson) / Platte (Hunter)
Laramie [selects both a delegate (Romney) and an alternate (Romney)]
There is no formal system applied in the County Convention to relate the presidential preference of the Convention participants to the choice of either the county's delegates to the State Convention or the delegate(s) to the National Convention the County Convention is helping to choose. The participants at each County Convention alone determine if presidential preference is to be a factor in such choices and, if so, how it is to be applied. All delegates are officially unbound.

State Party by-laws require that, before the County convention votes are taken, each would-be delegate or alternate must inform the convention of which presidential candidate, if any, they would cast their vote for at the national convention unless released from that pledge by the Presidential candidate.

(Presumably Dr. Paul knew this when he traveled to Wyoming to campaign unsuccessfully for some delegates.)

[Justin]

Robert - He WILL get my vote no matter who the Republicans nominate. People tend to this idea that it's important to vote for the winner in an election. This might cause some to want to vote for Romney or Huckabee because they are perceived as being the inevitable winners of the Republican race.

People who do not vote the issues, but instead vote for who they think will win are doing this country a great disservice. I'm voting for Ron Paul ALL THE WAY. At least if he loses, when he gets 10% of the general election vote and wasn't even on the ballot - people will take notice.

Go Ron Paul! And if he doesn't win, WRITE HIM IN!

[John]

Paul had a great weekend! He avoided a Fox debate and had a really good televised Town Hall in NH. CBS even reports that Huckalberry started stealing Ron Paul's stump speech. (He's starting to talk about printing money and the constitution. Does anyone think Huck knows the first thing about either? What a fraud. lol)

Anyway, journalists please stop talking bad about us Ron Paul supporters. I'm allowed to support Ron Paul without being labled. For God's sake, if you never stop dogging on us and not covering Paul the way you owe it to America, your address and cell phone numbers(not email) will be on-line just like Fox New's company directory is now. lol it's not like we don't know where your offices are. Maybe we could publish our own stuff from your desk? At least we could use your computer for something besides Political Porn and poll number websites.

1776 is back in style. Where's Thomas Paine?

[Peter]

Thanks for the unbiased article on Ron Paul Mr. Malcolm !

In case anyone is interrested, one of FOX News' commentators ( Judge Andrew Napolitano ) is a staunch supporter of Ron Paul. Also, two anchors of FOX News , Sheppard Smith and Great Van Susteran both risked their jobs by voicing their frustration (on live television) towards FOX News excluding Ron Paul.

It's not so much about Ron Paul , it's about what he stands for. The average Joe. People like you and me. We can NEVER allow freedom of speech or freedom the press to be manipulated even in the very slightest fashion.

Thankyou Andrew for being a part of the solution and not the problem. You're a good man.

Peter

P.S. Have you considered doing an interview with Dr. Paul while he is in California? Don't call him unless you are serious because he will show up! :)

[levotb]

Ron Paul is a kook and an old one, at that. He looks tired, old and sickly. Americans want younger candidates. That is principly why Obama is doing so well. Experience is one thing, but youth and vigor are vital. Romney has that same youth and vigor that Obama has.

RP is a Libertarian who is out of touch with conservatism. He voted "Yes" on THREE amnesties for illegal aliens, he initially did not sign the letter demanding the release of BP agents Ramos and Compean in his own state, and he has said nothing about stopping the TTC--the most devastating thing to happen to his own state of Texas. He tries talking tough on illegal immigration but he won't say what he would do about the 40 million illegals already here. His Immigration spokeshole (Rasmussen) says "You can't deport 12 million people!"

Ron Paul would be a disaster as President.

[John]

Andrew...your tone is tells me that you're wising up. Ron Paul supporters are the American mainstream. I still want you to old people to retire. The Ron Paul story is huge with multiple stories within the story...one of which is the fundraising. $20 million in 1 quarter is in the same league as the top Democrats...when it comes to the LA Times, all you guys have done is bury or marginalize this incredible feat. In conclusion, you are all scum, very biased, and you all need to retire! PLEASE RETIRE!!!!

(Not a chance, pal. And when YOU get a chance if you're not too busy check out the dozens of items we've written here on Dr. Paul while "burying" your man.)

[Joe Russo]

Vote for Ron Paul- A Man of Integrity

Romney and Schmuckabee will lose in NH!!

[Tannim]

Don't let the Iowa reports fool you. The caucus there was in two parts, the straw poll and the delegates selection. The Old Media reports were on the straw poll, and according to a lot of participants, a lot of people left after hte straw poll and before delegate selection, and Dr. Paul got a lot of delegate selections. These delegates go to the county conventions and then on to the state convention and play a role in determining the state delegates for St. Paul. If the reports of Dr.Paul getting as much as 50% of the delegates (who are not bound by the straw poll, BTW) are true, then Dr. Paul may have actually won Iowa in the delegate pool.

Meanwhile, it was 5 on 1 at the ABC debate Saturday and the five, as usual, lost. Dr. Paul then held a town hall meeting opposite the Fox News short bus forum and came out smelling like roses. His son Rand is pinch-hitting on the media circus in NH while Dr. Paul is out here doing Leno today (Rand was on Air America already this morning), and one more distraction will be gone soon with Hunter dropping out.

Things are looking up!

[Bobby]

I listened as Senator Obama, who is a very good speaker, said that the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over agian and expecting a different result". He obviously said this to mean tha all of the candidates are entrenced and corrupt, bought off shills for corporate America. A point also made by Senator Edwards, who openly admits how corrrupt the system is. So----I am following the advice of Senator Obama as per his defintion of insanity, I'm voting for Congressman Dr. Ron Paul, all of his money has been from non-corporate sources. What is it with us Americans? Are we outright crazy in continuiing to vote for these corrupt establisment whores? How much more damage will we allow them to do to this nation?

[blakmira]

Dear Andrew,
I thank you for your kindness in reporting this news about Ron Paul.

I also apologize for some of our more aggressive Ron Paul supporters; they are just frustrated by this whole political process of fighting to get fair and balanced coverage in the media. After all, it's our only way of people getting to know Ron Paul that don't use or own computers. Not to mention we're still fighting the whole election vote count problem with the Diebold/touchscreen computers; with a candidate like Ron Paul that threatens the status quo and since the last election debacle, we really need to make sure our votes are counted honestly.

I understand there's a "fringe" segment of the population who judge Dr. Paul as a "kook" and this too frustrates us. But I realize it's because some people get scared when they can't comprehend the thought processes of a brilliant mind; it just goes over their head. Change scares these types of people and Ron Paul represents change in a big way.

I pray for a fair election and I pray for Ron Paul to become President. So many of us feel he is our last hope before we fall into World War III and the worst economic depression this country has ever seen.

[Marc]

Ron Paul's libertarian ideas are dead on right for Amererica. I just wish he would present his ideas more optimistically, i.e. Hope for America! Also, he needs to talk without that whine in his voice. He needs to talk more like a president instead of a staff person.

Regardless of his delivery, it is fantastic that libertarian ideas are being expressed in national debates. Sooner or later these ideas are going to take hold with the majority of Americans and we really will have a revolution on our hands.

[Mike]

2008 will see the first signal waves of a financial tsunami that is coming our way, breaking shore. Take notice, America. Dark times are ahead. Dr Ron Paul has been studying finance and economics for 40 years. Only he has the solutions to fix this situation.

Act now, in supporting DR Paul, or live hungry for a LONG, LONG, time.

[AAAAANDRE]

I live in the L.A. Area and will be stepping up my promotion of Ron Paul leading up to "Super Duper Tuesday". I encourage all other supporters to do the same!

[Richard N Stone]

Ron Paul is an honest, decent gentlemen with integrety. He is a student of the Constitution, history and financial information . He is a very smart, humble man with a wonderful sense of humor. It is an honor to campaign and to vote for him.

[Jennifer Wilson]

I caught some to the New Hampshire debate and was totally blown away by this man who was speaking above the lies that are continually said by the other candidates. I will continue to watch this man with great interest from the other side of the border. Imagine a Republican who does not side with Bush! Unbelievable! Americans need to listen to the debate and issues this man is raising.

[JT]

"Posted by: Tess101 | January 07, 2008 at 05:59 AM" ...................

here's the link that you posted earlier, he was so overwhelmed with response he temporarily pulled it so that he could have a talk with his family and then re-posted it, watch it and then, thank him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiFsxp5qOpM

.... and Andrew Malcolm, we don't always see eye to eye, but, I think we both know that would be kind of boring, you don't have to agree with Dr.Paul in every way shape and/or form, so, thanks for the words. By the way, it must be very breathtaking to actually find a candidate that you can report on, instead of just reporting on what the "other candidates" script writers wrote down for them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rPQCPwdwHQ

[Mike]

Ron Paul is a "top tier" patriot... http://truthalert.net/Republican%20Presidential%20Candidate%20Rankings.htm

[FAISEL SYED]

Ron Paul's campaign really only started with the massive fund raising campaign on November 5th. In less than 2 months he has gained more momentum than all the other candidates combined over the past year! Wake up people and listen to the sound of the freedom!

- Abolish the IRS
- Bring ALL our troops back home
- Reduce government spending

RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT 2008!

[John]

I realize the LA Times BLOG has written many stories on Ron Paul favorable and unfavorable...however, when are we going to see his story on the front page with rest of the "front-runners"? Until that happens, LA Times, with the rest of the media, will always be dinosaurs to the realities of the country. You guys will and always be enemies to the American people until you prove yourselves otherwise to the market. Getting Ron Paul on the front page will improve your sad circulation for the day. Remember, the military supports RP along with average Americans, economists, academics, and even other countries!!! Get with the times sirs.

[Paul]

For the first time in decades a candidate is talking about our Constitution as though it means something. All others ignore it or pay lip service to it. Funny how Fred Thomson kept bringing it up in a recent debate and at the same time jeered at Dr. Paul! Paul is smart and principled and doesn't have to remember what he told one group versus another because he is guided by the U.S. Constitution and not his own well-crafted speeches to particular groups. All the other candidates, republicans and democrats, believe the Constitution is outdated, that the are "smarter" than the founders, and our problems are to sophisticated for a 200 year-old document to address (even though none of them would say it publicly). Those "in the know" politicians and news agencies ridicule Dr. Paul's simple and consistent messages of freedom, liberty, property rights, and small government. They try to make him look like a simpleton when in fact he the smartest and wisest candidate of all.
Thanks for covering the story L.A. Times.

[Torqued]

Seems like Andrew Malcolm has changed his tone when reporting on Ron Paul. Good job on that story Andrew! Must have been the hundreds of emails. As you should've changed your tone. Ron Paul is the person for the job in the White House. He is intellectual, charming, experienced, and number one, he knows how to fix our failing economy! Our country is soon to be doomed! Dr. Ron Paul will fix the United States, if YOU let him!!

I'll be watching Leno tonight, never watching Fox again!!

Ron Paul 2008!

(Don't care about the networks, but glad you come here.)

[Bobby]

It is amazing how the messages of Dr. Ron Paul have been getting though to the youth of this nation. He inspires them to have faith in their nation and its true ideals. The establishment politicians are as useless to the youth as yesterdays news in the establishment media. I say take it all the way to those who are still idealistic and go with Dr. Paul, because he might be this nations last. chance.

[Scott Frost]

Thank you for your reply to my post. I think ALL of the campaigns knew the rules in Wyoming.

The Wyoming results were no surprise, but that is no reason to not even TRY to get a delegate or two, however unlikely. It should not be characterized as a bad day for Ron Paul when the results were so utterly predictable. That's the reason most of the candidates, the media and even the pollsters largely ignored Wyoming, after all.

Is it an exceptionally bad day if you do not win the lottery? I would argue that it is not.

Likewise, it is not a bad day when a handful of party insiders, who are likely Bush supporters, do not choose the one noninterventionist running for president. If he had lost that badly in an open primary, then it would have been a bad day. But being rejected by party elites may even work to his advantage.

Ron Paul DOES have popular support in Wyoming. He won the Laramie County GOP Straw Poll in Cheyenne on October 28th with 48% of the vote.

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/

It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that he would get no delegates there -- about as likely to happen as Fox News suddenly becoming a Ron Paul cheerleader -- however, when you have no choice but to throw an eighty yard Hail Mary pass, you do it.

I would also point out that there are more reasons to campaign in a state than to try to get delegates. Ron Paul gets financial support from Wyoming, which is one of his best states on a per capita donation basis.

His campaign stops were not back room meetings with party insiders. They were outdoor rallies for the general public (available for viewing on YouTube for all to see) in keeping with his desire to spread his message of peace and liberty. This implies that the purpose of his campaigning there was not so much to try to get party insiders to become his delegates as it was to reach more of the general public. If he accomplished both, so much the better.

I just don't think that it should be implied that the voters of Wyoming rejected Ron Paul. They did not. Party insiders did.

(O.K., nice rationalization. Fundraising good. But he, bottom line, he got no delegates after trying. That's not good, which was the point. That's not the end of the world either obviously.)

[Deco]

Fox News is owned by an Australian. And the Australian concerned is a corporate right winger. He has used Fox News to throw insulting remarks against the enemnies of his own vested corporate interests. This would be Ron Paul in the Republican selection process, and John Edwards in the Democrat selection process. This is absolutely absurd interference by a non-US citizen, whose television network makes a business from telling Americans how to be patriotic. Not sure what Obama stands for, except stopping Hillary.

AMERICANS WAKE UP!! Switch off Fox News(owned by an Australian who is using it to give lectures on Patriotism). Check out all the candidates for their track records. Then you see that Ron Paul is the best of the bunch. For one thing he is asking serious questions about a society that is on the brink of financial collapse !!

(As a point of fact, Murdoch is an Australian native but now a U.S. citizen, which you must be to own TV stations.)

[Americano]

"How did this person even get elected to Congress? What's wrong in Texas?"

A BETTER question would be how did we allow someone who would make that statement above, to vote?

Do you know anything ABOUT his 30 years in Congress? He is one of the BEST things EVER to come out of Tx. (even tho he is a Pennsylvanian)

It would serve you well to lean some facts prior to making a fool of yourself with statements like that.

[Americano]

P.S.

The only FRINGE/KOOKS are those that think it's strange for a man "RON PAUL" to believe so passionately in the document that gave our nation life...The U.S. Constitution!

Those are the real "KOOKS" with bizarre "Fringe" (FOX NEWS devtoees) behavior and thinking. Sheep have always followed the "majority"...sometimes right off a cliff.

[Rick Levandowski]

Of all the candidates, which ones will re-instate the draft?
Of all the candidates, which ones will rescind those "King George" exec. orders that are so secret that even the text is classified?
Of all the candidates, which one isn't a millionaire and knows the hands-on?
Of all the candidates, which one isn't a flip-flopper, an actor, or an insider?

[Komron]

Andrew youre the man!! Thanks for providing real journalism.

[SGT JOHN]

Ron Paul is the only person who can change the country ,, if you could only understand how troops & i mean US TROOPS are training for Martial Law & are asked if they would kill their friends & family in other words ,,follow orders to kill citizens ((better know to real humans as people))

Wake up America , 911- Oklahoma City , 1999 WTO Seatlle Riots ,,are all staged by the Elite Government that controls 75% of all countries & currencies.

I don't know what else to say except , research what i am saying yourself ,,don't believe me .. By 2012 we will be in the deepest trouble unlike ever imagined ..

VOTE RON PAUL , watch films like Beyond Treason ,,911 mysteries, Loose Change, Terrorstorm, End Game , INFOWARS.COM ,!!

Sgt John