Ron Paul, Dr. No-body, beats Rudy and Fred -- again

Well, he's hanging in there. Not only that, but Rep. Ron Paul thumped two reputed Republican heavyweights in the Michigan primary -- former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Who'd have predicted that a couple of months ago?

Giuliani, you may recall if you can remember anything as distant as last summer, was the longtime GOP national front-runner in polls. He ran strongly against everybody in his party, even former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who won one last night, taking his home state from Sen. John McCain, who won there in 2000. Everybody wondered if anyone had a chance against the hero of 9/11, who defied standard Republican theocracy with his liberal social views.

But guess what? Ron Paul, the 72-year-old Texas congressman and ob-gyn who delivers babies and a strict view of the Constitution, beat Giuliani in Michigan. And beat him good. Not only that ...

he doubled Giuliani's totals of 24,000 votes, or 2.8%, getting more than 52,000 votes, or 6.3%, of the total Republican ballots.

Paul even beat Thompson this time, the real consistent conservative who was supposed to be the next Ronald Reagan until he actually announced his campaign in September. Thompson got about 31,000 votes, or 3.7%, which is more than Rudy but still less than the nobody congressman with the libertarian views whom few people but his passionate partisans took seriously months ago. He's often called Dr. No for his consistent congressional votes against spending.

Paul was so written off that Fox News banned him from its recent debate in New Hampshire. Oops, now the Paulunteers are organizing a boycott of Fox sponsors in return for the snub, a move that Dennis Kucinich's fans are now calling for against MSNBC for barring him from Tuesday's Democratic debate in Las Vegas.

True, Romney killed all his Republican competitors in Michigan, as he had to, with more than 326,000 votes, nearly 39%, with McCain trailing at 29.7%, or 248,000. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee garnered less than half of Romney's votes, 135,000, or 16%.

And it's also true that Thompson and Giuliani didn't really campaign seriously in Michigan. Or New Hampshire. Or Iowa except for a last-minute Thompson bus tour. Obviously, both Giuliani and Thompson are intentionally laying back, trying to make the rest of the Republican field overconfident. No doubt.

Paul hasn't won anything yet, either, except the continued devotion of his followers and growing national attention, including two national TV appearances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" plus a full hour on "Meet the Press." On Tuesday, Richard Viguerie, the noted conservative author, announced he's launching a website to support Paul. Viguerie called Paul "truly a principled conservative in the grand tradition of Robert Taft, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan."

Paul just keeps picking up his 6% to 10% each time there's a vote. But Paul also beat Giuliani in Iowa. And he came pretty close to Giuliani in New Hampshire and did, in fact, beat Thompson there. And now in Michigan, Paul beat them both rather handily. He does it by going against virtually all the views of his GOP colleagues, including opposing the Iraq war.

Fueled by the generous donations of Paul believers, the congressman was probably the most successful GOP fundraiser in the fourth quarter, acquiring nearly $20 million then and, according to his website, more than $834,000 more so far this month. He's already launched an eight-state ad blitz and has been campaigning in recent days in South Carolina, where he has three offices and will return later this week, and across Nevada. He got skunked in Wyoming, where Romney won, but imagine if Paul scored big one day in the wild West, where many people believe government got too big about 100 years ago.

Paul's website and new campaign blog claim to have quietly organized more than 7,800 precinct captains around the country. Meantime, Giuliani's top staff is going unpaid this month to save dwindling funds. Is there a pattern here?

So, while the "front-running" Republicans each win one state and no one builds up a head of steam, Paul just keeps hanging around, like a bad cold. Some of the other Republican candidates should be careful, lest they get the sniffles one of these days.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Nash]

Andrew you Rock.

I'll be canvassing my precinct this weekend in my 4 block area in West Los Angeles. The nice thing is there are so few Republicans here I don't have that many houses to do.

[Taylor Buchanan]

"Who'd have predicted that a couple of months ago?"

We The People, perhaps?

His grassroots. Yes that one. The real grassroots out here that's actually working it's ass off through word of mouth, canvassing and donating. It really is the biggest political story of year.... if anyone will tell it. ;)

[fazsha]

Thanks for a nice overview of the Paul campaign so far. The worse the economy gets, the more people are going to check out Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk website and realize he's been right all along.

[JoeRogan]

My thoughts on Ron Paul? google "JOE ROGAN TALKS ABOUT RON PAUL ON WEBCAM" Disturbing photos of Ron Paul at dynw[dot]com/ronpaulisracist/ I think these photos are Andrew-Malcolm-Blog-Worthy.

[DuncanHunter]

Censorship I tell ya!

[SamuelAdams]

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather and irate, tireless minority keen to set the brush fires in peoples minds.

[RichardViguerieandPatBuchanan]

Why don't we endorse him already?

[Marco G]

America wants real change, not the usual status-quoa, establishment candidates who may give the illusion of change, but offer the same policies that are threatening the middle class,with foreign wars, civil liberties, etc. Ron Paul is the solution to many problems this Empire is accumulating by persuing over ambitious adventures. America is waking up,. Join the Revolution!

[Obama]

But I'm for my change! If you put my record aside, I'm the most for change. Some people lose change in their sofa, not me! I change my underwear everyday! I promise you my next kid will be named Change Obama. I'm black!I 'm black! look at me I'm black! NOW THAT IS CHANGE ! Please don't listen to David M. Walker I promise you the welfare+warfare state is sustainable. CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE!

[brian]

GO RON!

[Cole]

Thank you for the great coverage. You are reporting fairly and on something that you are wise enough to see is very important. You are rare. Thanks so much again.

[Ian Watts]

Great article! The conservative that actually believes in the things he says! Not surprising that he would be ahead of the talkers. Let's hope people catch the message.

[andyf]

It's good to know that 52,000 voters took a little time to study ethical politics and civil rights. it doesn't take long to appreciate Ron Paul for his wisdom and perception. (The same wisdom and perception of which the Constitution is based on, so I can't say he's original,-just wise).

[Paul]

And all this in the face of a televisual media blackout!

Now imagine what would happen if the networks actually gave anywhere near the coverage that the alleged "front runners" receive, to Ron Paul?

Sorry, for a moment I got caught up in the fantasy that those television networks would become fair, objective and balanced.

A crazy fantasy, I know.

[DenisL]

After 3 well publicized races in Iowa, NH, and Michigan, we have 3 different winners. Ron Paul has hung in there with 6-10% of the vote with his worst showing in Michigan at 6% where he did not really campaign. Interestingly in the county with Hillsdale College Ron Paul got 17% of the vote. Romney, McCain, and Huckabee split the vote fairly evenly with 27%, 27% and 21%, respectively. Hillsdale College is likely the most conservative college in America. Ron Paul's ideas are strongest among the young people according to the exit polling.

I see great things in the future for REAL limited government policies in the Republican Party. Go Ron Paul and the freedom message!

We shall see what happens now that we are going wholesale, if Ron Paul's money combined with his ardent supporters will help. California will be especially interesting, where there will be a county by county allotting of delegates, NOT based on population.

[Talcott]

Good Article ....Thanks for the links.

[RP supporter]

Thumbs up for quality journalism, cutting some slack for a guy who gets intentionally ignored by the media juggernauts.

[James Hebert]

Wow nice to see some decent Journalism for once. I appreciate your effort in showing how Ron Paul trumped some of the Media's Darlings. So far over 80k people have voted for him, and that number just keeps getting bigger. Just in case you didn't know Ron Paul raised the most money of any Republican Candidate last quarter. His next huge fund raiser is January 21st at www.freeatlast2008.com

Thanks again for this great piece

[SkepticTexan]

"Who'd have predicted that a couple of months ago?"
RONPAULNATION!

kOS is/was CIA :)

[Griz]

Hot damn! Good article Andrew! I like how you alternate between positive and negative articles about Paul. I think its funny but I think it's cruel to the Ron Paul supporters because you clearly see Paul for his merits but your criticisms can be sharp. Paul gets plenty of sharp criticism as it is so articles like this are a welcome refuge for supporters.

[SkepticTexan]

"Who'd have predicted that a couple of months ago?"
RONPAULNATION!

kOS is/was CIA :)

[Dallyman]

Wow, you almost wrote an unbiased column about the man who could save our failing economy and pull our troops from an illegal war (that means me, and it's no coincidence that more troops support RP over any other candidate)... so here's an almost "Thanks" .... you can't even mask the hate, huh?

[Josh]

Andrew, are you getting soft or something ?
I saw LA Times and thought, not again, another article from Andrew Malcom should I even waste the energy and read it ?

I got fully prepared to read and write a comment on another one of your not so unbiased pieces and zip, zam, bam this. Alright not exactly the most glowing article in the world but certainly not one of your other pieces.

This presents a dilemma, what should I do, how should I respond ?

What the heck...

Thank you Andrew and I am certainly glad I head your article today, it made my day.

(Thanks for returning and giving us a chance to write again. we just call 'em the way we see 'em.)

[Matthew Vrada]

Awesome. Lets keep it going people!!!

And PS; I'm an Aussie, but the world without horns is united!!!!

[susano]

You mentioned that Giuliani did not campaign and Thompson did a bus tour. Paul did not campaign, either. No TV (The Huckster, McCain and Romney were on several times a day, for a week), no personal appearances. It was just grass roots canvassing and some get out the vote calls. Not bad for no official campaigning.