Ron Paul forces Mitt Romney out of the GOP race

Clearly spooked by a few of Rep. Ron Paul's second-place finishes kind of close behind him, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Romney was so flustered in his dropout speech to the Conservative Political Action Committee in Washington Thursday, that he didn't even mention Ron Paul.

That's not unusual, actually. Hardly any other candidate and virtually no major media, especially CNN, has mentioned his name for the last year, so terrified are they of his stare and his libertarian-like views, including downsizing the federal government, bringing American troops home and abolishing the Federal Reserve.

Sometimes it seems almost like a media conspiracy to ignore the former ob-gyn. Except for not one....

but two Jay Leno appearances. They even give Paul less speaking time in the debates, if they don't ban him altogether.

Despite spending some $35 million of his own money and $55 million more that once belonged to other people, the 60-year-old Romney youngster was forced to give way to the 72-year-old, 10-term congressman from Texas, who has fired up thousands of dedicated and determined and very vocal and frustrated followers, young and old, across the country and permeating the Internet. He's even got one big-name donor, one big-name endorser and another perhaps maybe.

Ron Paul signs are still flapping in the prairie winds across Iowa, where Paul's caucus finish ahead of Rudy Giuliani launched the former New York mayor's eventual political decline. Then, in New Hampshire despite being barred from the nationally-televised Fox News debate, Paul beat former Sen. Fred Thompson, which began his inevitable political death spiral.

In the face of Paul's relentless campaigning here and there and his successful fundraising -- he raised nearly $20 million in the fourth quarter of 2007, more than any other Republican -- Romney, who only has an estimated $165 million of his personal fortune left, had no choice really but to quit.

Romney's exit follows the similar Paul-forced departures of other far more famous GOP candidates -- Giuliani, Thompson, Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback, Jim Gilmore. Jeb Bush didn't even consider trying.

That leaves only Pittsburgh-native Paul, somebody named John McCain and this Mike Huckabee fellow from Arkansas, who seems to have had considerable trouble keeping a job. He's been a radio talk host, a Baptist preacher, lieutenant governor and governor. And Huckabee's had trouble raising money. He got only $1 million in the third quarter compared to Paul's $5 million.

So Huckabee can't last much longer.

That will leave only McMaverick, a former Navy squadron commander and POW who endured nearly six years of solitary confinement in Vietnam and then, worse, 25 years of listening to congressional speeches. He didn't get around to mentioning Paul either in his speech Thursday, but he was probably afraid.

Paul's website reports he's raised another $5.3 million just since Jan.1, which is more than Hillary Clinton can loan herself in one week.

Paul has given the Democrats until early August to choose between Clinton and Barack Obama, who's so young he can't remember life without color TV.

According to an authoritative Ron Paul campaign news release, with all of his accumulated fifth, fourth, third and second places, Paul claims to have 42 delegates to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul come September.

That puts him only about 660 delegates behind McCain and barely 1,149 shy of the number necessary to seize the party nomination in the name of the Ron Paul Revolution.

And Texas doesn't vote until March 4!

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Kent]

To all you dorks thanking Andrew for this hit-piece, can't you see he's mocking us?

At some points throughout this campaign, he's been fair, but now he's just being insulting and trying to see if you're smart enough to recognize it.

[E]

Now there are THREE! Go Ron Paul!!

[Corey Hanke]

I love Sarcasm. Thanks for the lot of it, and being a Ron Paul Supporter, i think its funny. Thanks Andrew.

[Andrew]

This article made my day. Thanks!

[Eric Williams]

I'm not sue whether to laugh or cry while reading so many comments from oblivious RP supporters who didn't detect the sarcasm.

[jeremy]

A big warm hug for this article!

Thank you for telling it as it is.

[AK209]

Why is a candidate who's platform is the constitution of our great nation considered the long shot? Why do we "independent" Americans look to government to take care of us? Why does a nation that is supposed to be the proponent of liberty deny the sovereignty of other nations and try to spread our ideals at the point of a gun? Why are we so unfamiliar with the law of the land we can not even see when it is being violated? Why do we puff out our chests with pride when we speak of the founding fathers and the war for independence while we let our nanny government steal our liberties? Why are we going to be surprised when we are no longer free?

[David Schlemmer]

Thank you Andrew for being brave enough to tell the truth. It would be nice if the media would go back to the day when they reported the news instead of trying to make it. Any Ron Paul supporter would tell you there has been a media blackout and I say the media and establishment candidates are afraid of the truth. Andrew,lets find out what would happen if there was equal time for the remaining candidates including debates. Let all debates from here on out have a general question to the candidates about the economy, falling dollar, foreign policy, healthcare, and the housing crisis with equal time to awnser the question. No back and forth like the silly fight between Romney and McCain in the last debate, where they tried to make it a Romney vs McCain debate leaving Huckabee and Paul out. The Media needs to let Americans decide by allowing equal time at debates and forsake the polls and whether they believe Ron Paul or Huckabee can win including there commentation leading Americans like we are sheep and their opinion should outway the truth we hear with our own ears.. Now we have three left on the Republican side and Ron Paul and Huckabee has outlasted all the others and soon it will be McCain and Paul and the choice will between sowing war or peace. If the Republicans choose Peace and go with Ron Paul then they will win in November. A vote for McCain in my opinion is conceding defeat in November. Only Paul has a message of peace that might actually end terrorism because it attacks the root cause of terrorism. The Democrats cannot even offer that as part of their platform and noone on either side left can help the economy then Dr.Paul. He is known as Dr. NO because he says no to taxes and spending. As President he will be known as Dr. Fix it as he restores liberty and freedom from double taxation sparking the economy. It would be nice if the voices like Tucker were not so obviously stifled by the mainstream media which claims they are fair and balanced. Let Tucker freely advocate for Ron Paul as the other pundits do for the establishment candidates. lol that they are so afraid Americans will here the truth and they will have lost their grip on us the people they say they represent.

David

[Highland Mediaworks]

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[Tim]

I know you're poking fun, but soak this up:

Turn on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.

For every time they mention Ron Paul take a shot.

I guarentee by the end of the day you'll be sober.

Hopefully sober enough to realize that the media wants Hillary, Obama, and McCain because they are liberals.

Be cool, stay in school

[robin]

loved it.

you're awesome.

[robin]

just one thing...

you wrote that ron paul has galvanized "thousands" of supporters.

it's more like a million plus... at least.

half the country has voted and he already has over half a million votes.

[liz]

Please! Keep posting more like this! It's time people wake up and stop letting the media pick our president! Out of all of these candidates, it is only Ron Paul who sensibly has a plan to help us in every way. I will write him in on my ballot in November if I have too. It's no longer about Ron Paul, as he has stated, but about the principles he brings fourth. He has awoken the sleeping giant that is the people. Hopefully it will come too before it is simply too late.

[Wendy M]

If this article were in print instead of electronic, the paper would be disintegrating from being saturated with sarcasm. But I like the article anyway, Andrew.

I doubt Romney was the least bit afraid of Dr. Paul, but I believe there is some truth to what you say about Giuliani and Thompson. For those two to get fewer votes than the good doctor in multiple states must have been extremely embarrassing.

Not to mention the Paulites giving Rudy an ongoing object lesson in "blowback", (a concept Rudy claimed to be unfamiliar with) waving signs and chanting "Ron Paul" everywhere Rudy went.

Winning the White House seems like an impossible dream for Dr. Paul and those of us who support him, but we do not stop now. We do not give up for any reason. What we are fighting for is more than the presidency.

We are fighting to restore and retain the very principles upon which this great nation was founded, before it is too late. There is no greater cause than freedom.

"Let it not be said that we did nothing." - Ron Paul

[Michael]

VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!!

[Robert Johnson]

Thank you Andrew Malcolm! You are a true journalist! At least someone is covering Ron Paul! No if we can only get some of these writings published in the LA Times!

[Aaron]

Oh my God.

I'm flabbergasted by the sheer volume of people who can't grasp the concept of sarcasm.

[Bob]

Thank you So very Much for standing up! I have written so many letters in the past week to peopleI thought might say just what yousaid! Thank you it is good to know that there is a growing number of people with the ( How Do I say this) Teticulare Fortitude to stand and say NO THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

Thank You Again for being the voice that so many of us have been Denied!

[Craig]

It was Henry Clay who said, "I would rather be right than President." I think we can all assume that Ron Paul shares that sentiment.

[Mikke Hawke]

Maybe some of the facts about the issues or how to look into getting more info about Dr. Paul couldve helped... but i think I get the sarcasm.
It's probably the only way the media can get the message out about Dr. Paul without appearing sympatheic and probably losing their job.
Good job guy.

[Jim]

Hey, we RPers do have a sense of humor... most of us, anyway. As bad as the headwind has been this time around, I remember donating and campaigning for the good doctor in '88 and, boy, was that rough. This time sure has been frustrating, too, but you've made it a bit less so. Thank you, sir, and God bless.

[Mary]

Thanks for the recognition. There's a time for everything upon this earth. This is the time. Where the wind blows. It seems to blowing truth on a nation in decline.When David slew Goliath it wasn't just a sling and stone ; but also His word and His spirit. Please accept this truth, vote for Ron Paul and this truth will make us free indeed.

[Bjorn]

Ron Paul supporters not getting it. Imagine that. Hey RPeoples read between the lines. This article is fantastic. This article cuts into Ron Paul deeply. By, insincerely, being optimistic about Paul's prospects, not only has the author shown how ridiculous his candidacy is, but how daft his supporters are.

In all fairness, before I learned of his racist news letter, I thought he was a pretty reasonable person. Before that newsletter anyways.

[Melanie Brady]

Thanks so much for this article! Ron Paul made a great speech at CPAC (Look for it online if you haven't seen it yet)! But most of the media only mentions McCain's speech.
Paul offers the opposite of McCain - a chance of the Republicans retaining the White House and the conservative party. It's time that Americans stop acting like sheep and start voting to help our country remain strong.

[UnderTow]

Thank you for the BLOG post.

No show some real courage and put it in PRINT where people will actually see it.

I dare you...

(And by tomorrow it'll be lining the bottom of thousands of parakeet cages. This blog item will be here forever, 24 hours a day for anyone to read, comment, e-mail, etc. When are you gonna get it? The future--and much of the present--is online. That's how you got here and all the other readers. And, frankly, more people will read it here in one day than in one day's newspaper.)