Ron Paul scales back hopeless effort, refuses to back McCain

He's not really quitting. He's not really suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. He's not promising victory, just to keep on keeping on. But, in effect, Rep. Ron Paul, at 72 the oldest candidate for president and the only GOP candidate to oppose the Iraq war, is facing reality.

In a statement to supporters on his website, first mentioned here early Saturday, Paul admits, "With Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero. But that does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get." In a new 14-minute campaign video, Paul says he wants to clarify some confusion

His campaign currently claims a total of 42, 1,149 shy of the total to win and some 650 behind the GOP leader, though other estimates give him only 16. He took third in Washington over the weekend and fourth in Kansas behind even Mitt Romney, who'd dropped out. Even if he won every delegate still available, Paul could not capture the party's nomination in September in St. Paul, which is no relation.

Despite ridicule by other GOP candidates, despite getting significantly less time to speak during debates and, in one instance, even being barred from a GOP debate by Fox News although....

he'd collected more votes than those included, Paul repeated his vow not to attempt a third-party bid, which would drain priceless conservative votes from the party's nominee. "I am a Republican," he said, "and I remain a Republican." He did say he'd be reducing staff and offices.

Now, whether the 10-term congressman with the libertarian ideals, actually endorses Sen. John McCain is something else. Paul has said we should bring overseas troops home and invest the saved money in fixing America; McCain has vowed to stay overseas, especially Iraq, as long as it takes for success.

This morning Paul told one of our sister newspapers, "I cannot support anybody with the foreign policy he advocates, you know, perpetual war," said Paul. "That is just so disturbing to me."

In his website statement, Paul then alludes to probably the largest factor for his refocused campaign: He's trying to run simultaneously for president and his House seat in Texas' 14th Congressional District and faces a challenger in the March 4 primary, Chris Peden, a city councilmen from Friendswood. So Paul will be on two ballots that day.

"If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat," he said, "all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen." In a new 14-minute campaign video, Paul says he needs to clarify confusion over his dropping out, that he is just altering his schedule to allow primary campaigning in his home district and he intends to compete fully in all remaining primaries and on to the convention.

Although largely ignored as irrelevant by many media outlets, though not The Ticket, the story of Ron Paul and his thousands of determined, sometimes aggressive, usually good-natured followers is one of the more interesting of the current election season.

Virtually spontaneously, disaffected Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and newcomers to the political process began gathering around the plain-spoken Paul last summer and with their nearly $20 million in smaller donations turned him into the most successful GOP fundraiser in the last quarter. On one day he raised $6 million online and was the only Republican to increase his contributions in every quarter of 2007.

With some 1,400 meet-up groups across the country, letter-writing and sign-waving campaigns and creative publicity stunts, they helped Paul to some second, fourth and fifth place finishes in states such as Nevada, Montana and Maine. He beat Rudy Giuliani in Iowa and Fred Thompson in New Hampshire and financed an eight-state advertising campaign.

His boosters, who worked the Internet assiduously to right wrongs and make Paul's case, maintain that a corporate-media conspiracy to ignore him prevented the former ob-gyn from getting his less-government message out to most Americans. He certainly was ignored and, only recently, included when providing poll results on TV. But additionally, his strict constitutionalist ideas for reducing the federal government and abolishing the IRS and Federal Reserve Bank and returning to the gold standard may be just too radical for a country today facing international terrorist threats and the current economic uncertainty.

Even the tone of hundreds of comments left here by Paul supporters changed in recent days from aggressive advocacy to reluctant acceptance of the disappointing reality of continued single-digit poll results.

It would be interesting if those supporters took the time here now to leave comments explaining why they think Paul never caught on to a wider audience (we already know about the media conspiracy) and what they think about his refocused campaign and their spent donations.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[SlowHand]

One man's Terrorist another man's Freedom fighter...

Educate yourself when it comes to Foreign Policy, just saying 'Terrorist' is pretty childish and shows your ignorance...

Dr.Paul is running a Political campaign like it should be run, 'THE MESSAGE' not the 'IMAGE' that counts, and here you are saying he shoulda made something grande with his 6 mill take in...thats exactly what I didn't wanna see, and thats what MSM is doing(projecting wanted Image)

The Message Andrew, not the Image, you want Image, go for Obama or Hillary(not even gonna mention the joke McCain)

your friendly Canadian Frenchman

[Will]

Let me get this straight, while calling Ron Paul supporters basically conspiracy theorists, you claim that the country faces economic uncertainty and that Ron Paul's ideas are too radical. Well the status quo is what got us into this mess isn't a radical change like following our CONSTITUTION needed!!! I am more than certain that if Ron Paul's ideas were given equal time and he was heard without snide comments or mentioning that he has no change, he would win in a landslide. It's not a media conspiracy, its the media protecting their interests.

[amy]

Ron Paul is still in the race despite the censorship of the media. This noble statesman has opened the eyes of millions of Americans. Our support of him has revealed the dark underbelly of mainstream media and created a distrust that will last forever. Before I became a Dr. Paul supporter I actually believed that CNN, MSNBC and ABC, (everyone knows FOX is not really news) were reporting events honestly. Now I see these evil, corporate controlled spin masters for what they are. Even my beloved Lou Dobbs turned out to be nothing more than a corporate owned toady by refusing to list Ron Paul on his poll questions. The worst traitor was Anderson Cooper at the last Republican debate....he took delight in cutting Dr. Paul off and giving him a few minutes while fawning over McWar and Romney. I wonder what would make Dobbs and Cooper sell out? Does someone have dirt on these people or are they just evil to the core. I will vote for Ron Paul at the upcoming primary and if nothing more this is a tiny kick in the teeth to the warmongering media that thinks it controls all of us.

[Randy Brooks]

Maybe Americans don't want constitutionally limited government and freedom? These are seen as dangerous and "fringe" ideas because it means that people will have to take responsibility for their own actions, safety, finances, ect without a federal safety net. To most of the sheepish population this is an absolutely frightening prospect. We've failed to keep the republic, and have devolved into a pseudo-democracy where the highest law of the land is cherry picked, "moderately interpreted", and largely ignored. The independent American spirit is for the most part, dead. Instead of cries of, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" we hear cries of, "Give me healthcare!"

[Joe]

It would be interesting if those supporters took the time here now to leave comments explaining why they think Paul never caught on to a wider audience (we already know about the media conspiracy) and what they think about his refocused campaign and their spent donations.

CAN YOU SAY MEDIA CENSORSHIP? HOW ABOUT ANOHTER "HE CAN'T WIN"

EVER WONDER WHY YOU'RE NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION CONTINUES TO DROP?

BECAUSE SOME OF US DON'T BUY MAINSTREAM MEDIA'S CRAP ANYMORE

[Gordon Wagner]

"Hopeless" effort? Observe the number of people who support Dr. Paul's candidacy, mainstream media not included. What, precisely, is so funny about supporting the Constitution? The USA has drifted too far from its foundations, and I for one do not envision either Senator Clinton nor Senator McCain doing anything at all to return us to those foundations. What's the joke, here? That the mainstream media refused to cover Dr. Paul or the issues he raised?

One can only hope that the Internet will continue to whittle away at the disturbing influence the mainstream media once had on this country and that people, God willing, will learn to think for themselves.

I am proud to have contributed monetarily to Dr. Paul's campaign and proud to have supported his candidacy. He is clearly the best candidate for the position.

[Pablo Escobar]

Basically you've got it right Andrew. The country isn't ready yet. Perhaps in another few years when the ideas of notable libertarians such as Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard and Ludwig Von Mises gain more currency among the intellectual elite. And hopefully these ideas will then percolate down to the masses who will respond more favourably to a "Ron Paul Republican" platform from a more suave politician.

In the meantime though, I see no reason for Dr Paul to drop out of the race. Unlike the other candidates who are in it to win, he's contesting the nomination to spread ideas that rarely get an airing in America. All his supporters know deep down that his chances of getting the nomination have always been slim, given he's not cosy with the establishment, but they donated to spread the message of freedom, peace and prosperity, not to guarantee influence and special favours in a future Paul administration.

[tu-lips]

Keep your nose to the ground, Andrew. Who knows - this could end up being the story of the year..

[J Jones]

Any republican that backs McCain must realize that a warmonger will not win the general election. I'm hoping that the ones that voted for him just didnt think of that fact. Cause the only other reason i can think of them doing it is out of stupidity.

[Teresa]

This is much more than a presidential race. It is just the beginning of a movement to get this county back on the track of limited government and individual freedoms and to turn away from the progressive movement so many politicians have jumped on to. Why they would want to destroy the most perfectly designed system of government ever designed is beyond me.

[M Barnes]

My investment in liberty is long term. I never expected a win, I still hope for one as strongly as I did when I first got turned onto him. Every minute Ron Paul is in the public eye, I win.

Why hasn't he gathered a wider voting block? Only so much of the populous watches YT and Ron Paul cannot get a lesson in liberty across in 90 second bites. You sure wont get it in public school. It takes a lot of time to convince people they are alive, free and happy because of their own good works.

I'm still sending money. That man has done a tremendous job and will continue to do so. Money alone cannot do it. Today, you have to have friends... the way media sponsorship does.

I am not talking about a cabal. But the big media companies do have their own interests at heart as is only natural. Ron Paul's success despite the low coverage is testament to their ebbing influence.

The idea of Liberty is spreading, and Ron Paul is part of a continuing revolution. It has been like that for him for the last 30 years. It will be like that for me for the next 30.

[matt]

You are unbelievable... I think you should read the message from Ron Paul and stop parroting the words of the MSM.

Ron Paul is "tightening" his campaign because a large campaign is no longer needed; not because he has no shot at winning, but because so many states have already had their primaries, which means the number of states remaining to have primaries are a lot fewer. If there are fewer states to campaign in of course one doesn't need such a large campaign force.

Latest message from Dr. Paul's campain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryMliyeIDp4

Get you information straight you pathetic piece of dung.

[Jill]

If enough people in the remaining states vote for Paul or Huckabee then McCain will not get the 1191 delegates necessary for the nomination and we go to brokered convention where anything could happen.

Ron Paul staying in the race could be crucial for keeping McCain from getting those delegates. I have no doubt he is patriotic enough to stay in the race for that reason alone.

[Russ H]

Dear Dr Paul Supporters;
Please do not give up. As one of the above comments stated, there have been lies told to us by the media and polling places. His delegate count could be much higher.
Even if he is not on the ballot, WRITE HIM IN. DO NOT WASTE YOUR VOTE!!!!

[sarcasmo]

It didn't help that the Paul campaign didn't have a credible reaction to the racism charges. Dr. Paul MUST have known what the rest of the libertarian blogosphere knew if Wendy McElroy is any hint, and the person in question should have stepped-down and taken the heat from a predictable, telegraphed punch. This, like being civil to the sometimes-nutty 9/11 Truthers, didn't do wonders for credibility...But it's hard to fault the good Doctor for being what he is, which is unfailingly-polite, for the same reason it's hard to trust a man with a temper like McAngry's to have his finger on "The Button."

On top of that, the campaign ignored an almost-endorsement on a gold platter by Howard Stern. Continually getting interviewed by Alex Jones was ok, but apparently a very-popular guy who's been chased by an obese-government FCC off the radio in the name of "conservative" censorship wasn't acceptable to Paul's "wise" advisors, who wouldn't even buy ads on the early-adopter filled Stern & Bubba shows. As if Paul was gonna win the bluenose-vote anyway, despite attributes like a single 50 year marriage! They're nearly-all hypocrites, folks! They hate free speech without admitting-it, and they won't forgive large-L or small-l libertarians for enjoying that speech. They want to use my tax dollars instead of their "off" buttons. The left lives in constant fear of someone, somewhere, getting rich; while at the same time the right lives in the same kind of constant fear of someone, somewhere, having fun.
JMR

[B Williams]

The people who decide who to cover in the media and who to back in party-backed political campaigns go to the same schools, attend all the same functions, have the same friends, and all think the same way. They have forgotten how to think boldly--they can't accept anything except bland. Thus they can't take Ron Paul seriously. We have simply got to stop listening to these people.

[Arlo]

Since 1988 I have had to vote for "the lesser of two evils" for President. No longer.
Since my voice in Washington is not heard, my vote doesn't matter anyway, I will write in Ron Paul's name.

[Rick Cain]

"Hopeless"? How about that for unbiased media eh?

As for oldest candidate, that was actually Ronald Reagan, who left office in his 80's, and had alzheimers during both his terms in office. The GOP faithful didn't seem to notice though.

[Brad Linzy]

In 2009 or 2010, when the economy has collapsed, when gold is $1200 an ounce, when the U.S. has turned into a total police state, and when we are on the brink of World War IV in the middle east because the American people insisted on being morons and voting for Clinton, McCain, or even Obama, who are no different than George W. Bush in substantive foreign policy, I'll be able to proudly proclaim, "don't blame me; I voted for Ron Paul!"

In essence, I'll be saying I told you so. But I won't be laughing. I'll be crying.

I have news for the elitists who run things, his fight will continue with or without Ron Paul. We will keep attacking you until you are destroyed. We're tired of paper money. We're tired of YOU. As I speak, millions of us across the country are positioning ourselves in jobs where we can do the most damage in fighting you. Through this Ron Paul campaign, we have built a coalition, a tight network of like-minded people to coordinate activities that will will keep damaging you until you fall completely. Get ready for a fight. Game on.

[Bryan]

People here in NH keep asking my why I keep my Ron Paul signs up so long after the primary. The reason is simple, the message is on going. Even though it seems we are going to be stuck with two schills again running for President it doesnt diminish the fact that Dr Pauls message is resonating across the country. Its growing everyday, and will continue to grow well beyond November08. He has lit a fire that can never be quelled. This is only the beginning. Molon Labe!

[Fred]

As you have already acknowledged the media boycott, I will profer this reason. We have a country of people desensitized to the problems in this country. We have become a nation who would rather sit drooling watching the latest celebrity melt down and vote in an online poll about what should happen to them next than to take an active stand for changing their country.
People have lost their will because they see what is going on in Washington where no matter who you vote for you still get bigger government, see less of your paycheck and have politicians go against their will. So people would rather go with the crowd than to step out for something new. If, as we continually hear, no one likes John Mc Cain why do they still vote for him?! It doesn't make sense to me and if very frustrating. The longer people don't pay attention to what the Constitution says or why we needed a Declaration of Independence that gave us this idea of we the people, we will continue to become a nation where our so called leaders take more freedom away from us, tax 100% of our wages of the handfull of people who will even have jobs, bankrupt our businesses, foreclose on our houses, and sell our country to the highest bidder.
I will continue to fight through the convention in Sept. If Dr. Paul is not the nominee I will cast a write in ballot for him in November and look to to spread the message of r3VOLution into the future. The grassroots will continue this movement and soon Ron Paul's voice which seems at times to be the lone voice crying in the wilderness in Washington will be joined by people who care about this country winning elections for congressional seats in their states.

[RSH]

I blame the the stupidity of the American people for Ron Paul's lack of success. Most Americans don't even vote, and half of those that do have no clue what the candidates philosophy is or where they stand on the issues. We get the government we deserve.

[Lisa Zack]

First, don't you think any candidate's supporters might become aggressive if they were shut out of the process from the very beginning? Most Ron Paul people I've met have been guilty of nothing more than youthful exuberance and passionate idealism. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, we need more of it in this country full of bloated, somnabulent apathetic sheep. This race was never about Ron Paul. My only surprise is how long it took the media to realize that. The average American is asleep at the wheel but the tough times ahead will awaken some to the very real fight we have on our hands. The Ron Paul supporters are simply the group that actually 'got it' early on.

[Tom in CT]

It's so obvious that Ron's going to run either Libertarian or some other party. I think he will be this year's Perot/Nader (not in ideology) but a guy who might take away some votes (most likely western republican) and make a small difference. Especially in a close election.

[Rick]

Many primaries around the country only allow registered members to vote in their respective primaries. Dr. Paul is a Republican. In many states, if you aren't registered as a Republican, you are prevented from voting. This would eliminate many of the "crossover" voters from supporting Dr. Paul in the primaries. Most of Dr. Paul's supporters have vowed not to settle and vote for the Republican nominee. It has been stated that..."it’s better to vote for the nominee than a democrat..." This is precisely why the Republican Party has been hijacked. The Republican Party needs a wake up call. Just because the party "settles" for the "lesser of two evils" doesn't mean they will get every party member's vote. Unfortunately, this wake-up call will probably result in a Democrat president. But I, for one, refuse to be strong armed regarding my vote. It would be interesting to see how many write-ins will be for Ron Paul in the general election. I know mine will be.