Ron Paul's troops quietly take over some local GOP groups

If anybody thought the Ron Paul Revolution had expired, they need to rethink that one.

Clearly, the 72-year-old libertarian-minded Texas representative was not going to win the Republican Party's nomination this year with his 12, 20 or 42 delegates, whomever you believe. Sen. John McCain already has enough to win the GOP nod in St. Paul in September. So Paul has taken his well-funded campaign and gone rather underground to the local level where his loyal Paulunteers are organizing and taking over numerous county party operations in several states.

Quietly, beneath the political radar of the Republican Party establishment and mainstream media, they're laboring at the local level. Last month Paul forces read the party rule book in Missouri and elected about a third of the delegates to the state convention that will pick the delegates to the national convention.

Last weekend in Nevada they drove through a rules change in the state party convention that halted the approval of pre-approved slates of convention delegates as a means to eventually substitute their own supporters to travel to St. Paul and boost Paul's delegate totals for platform and other struggles this fall.

Using sophisticated communications techniques on the Nevada convention floor in Reno, Paul supporters transmitted mass text messaging to maneuver and direct their troops. When Paul appeared to speak, the ovation was thunderous.

At other times they shouted down the convention chair, Sen. Bob Beers. Taken by surprise the convention organizers and the McCain camp, which for instance had no supply of campaign signs to compete with the blizzard of Paul signs, eventually adjourned the convention in chaos without electing any delegates.

The excuse was the expiration of the convention's contract with the host casino. No new convention date was announced. The Ron Paul crews move on to their next target.

--Andrew Malcolm

                                                                                                                  Photo Credit: RonPaul.com

Comments

[John]

Thanks for the coverage. I do like to mention that the Chairman couldn't just call recess without a vote according to the republican party rules. So why is no-one electing a new chairman is beyond me. Texas did something similar where they did not want to include republicans who didn't believe in McWar.

[Unshackle]

Nice one Malcolm. A question. Has Ron Paul ever appeared in your print edition?

(Many times.)

[Alex]

Mr Malcolm,
Thank you for your continuous and fair coverage!

I'd like to add that many Dr Paul's supporters would probably enjoy his brand-new book: 'The Revolution: A Manifesto' - it's currently #8 on Amazon (in 'books') and #1 in several political categories there.
http://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Manifesto-Ron-Paul/dp/0446537519/lewrockwell

AK, Portland, Ore

[badmedia]

Why does someone who is a Ron Paul supporter always have to be some name? "Paulunteers". While certainly not the worse of them, or even all that bad natured, I'm getting kind of sick of it in general.

I'm not a "Paulunteer", I'm an American. And I'd appreciate it if you would remember that. I am someone who believes in the constitution, and Ron Paul just happens to be the man who I think best represents that, and thus me. But it is completely American to support the constitution. The president takes an oath to uphold it, the military take an oath to defend it.

So those who support the constitution aren't "Paulunteers", they are Americans and the true patriots. Being involved in politics and wearing a flag pin, or waving the flag doesn't make you a patriot. Standing up for the rule of law over the land, which is our constitution set up to defend our freedoms does.

Quit trying to separate people into groups. Recognize that all Americans are individuals for change. It's not our views we have in common, it's our freedoms and our individuality.

[V]

Thanks again for the article on Ron Paul. Any press is always welcome. Please remember that Sen. McCain has the mathmatical number of delegates required to secure the nomination, but he is not the nominee until the convention actually votes on the matter. That's still more than 120 days from now and that's a lifetime in politics.

Paul's supporters have no choice but to operate "quietly" in the face of an almost total media black-out. (save your fine reporting). As you said, they played by the rules at the MO. convention and elected Paul delegates. Is there a problem with following the rules in America?

It would appear to be the same in Nevada, though they may have been a little overly enthusiastic for some folks. (that's the problem with being passionate about freedom, I guess). The result? The party leadership "tucked tail and ran" to quote from "Braveheart."

Romney won the NV primary, but has withdrawn from the race. Dr. Paul placed second, ahead of Sen. McCain. Why shouldn't the voters #1 choice in Nevada be appointed the majority of delegates?

I see no problem with reflecting the choice made by the voters, do you? This is still a Constitutional Republic selectively using democratic means to elect our leaders, isn't it?

As far as "sophisticated methods to direct troops" do you mean the little text devices that high-school girls use?

Finally you say, "Paul crews move on to their next target." Actually, the voters of Nevada that support Ron Paul, will stay in their home state and attend the next convention...and hopefully elect many Paul delegates to the national convention, as it should be, in keeping with the wishes of the Nevada voters.

I could write you a book, trying to explain this Freedom Revolution to you, but hey, I don't have to, just read Dr. Paul's new book, "The Revolution" and you may begin to understand.

Thanks, again, for the ink.

Go Ron Paul.

[James]

Thank you Malcolm!

We will not forget that there were also some real Journalists like you who reported the stories fairly!

Hey, why there is a convention if the nominee has been already choosen? And by the way, there is a huge difference between bound and unbound delegates!
Why do you think the Mccain compaign are in Panic mode? they know the numbers aren't there yet!

[J. O'Brien]

Andrew Malcolm: Credibility?

Just a few days ago you described as a fact that Ron Paul only had a "handful" of delegates. This wasn’t true and it is a fact that all of the delegates are not even close to being decided yet. Now you are saying something different about Ron Paul’s delegate count.

Just a few days ago you said Ron Paul supporters had lost their enthusiasm. Now you are painting a picture of Ron Paul supporters "laboring at the local level". I would call that enthusiasm, wouldn't you?

You say, "quietly...laboring at the local level". There has been nothing quiet about the activities of Ron Paul supporters. You well know this by the number of comments you get when you mention his name. The only thing "quiet" about Ron Paul has been the coverage of Ron Paul in the media. Ron Paul has received less media coverage than his successes should merit.

[Mo]

I couldn't care less if Andrew Malcolm covers Ron Paul or not. I thank him not for his "reporting." Mr. Malcolm is marginally relevant on political issues anyway. Yes, it would be nice if Mr. Malcolm would suffer the epiphany that comes by connecting the dots between the Constitution and Ron Paul and focus more on THAT particular importance, but he seems bent on the same MSM bias that chooses instead to categorize real Americans who actively support the man who supports the Constitution as "-'teers."

Don't believe Mr. Malcolm is a biased MSMer? Go back and read Mr. Malcolm's writings and see how many times he identified McCaineers, Clintoneers and Obamaneers. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Malcolm. For those of us in the trenches of the R3volution, we ALREADY know what's going on and share it with more people than will EVER read your articles, or the LA Times for that matter. You do your immigrant parents and American patriots NO honor by writing the way you do. I do hope one day you come around.

[Speaker73]

Here is an eyewitness account of the proceedings in Nevada. I am a lifelong Republican, but the hijacking that took place here suggests the "Republic" in Republican is sorely misplaced.

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/47172

Shouldn't the media be talking about incidents like this? Or is the Rev. Wright nonsense so pressing an issue?

[althusius]

What just happened in Nevada? The party officials lose a vote. Out go the rules. Forget fair play. No more ethics.

The political system is corrupt.

[Gmartine]

Really what the article doesn't mention is that it wasn't the Paul supporters that shut the convention down. It was the Leadership that purposefully delayed and stopped the vote counts because of how dominant the Ron Paul group was. The McCain staff were begging them to stop the convention because they were outmaneuvered.

And once Bob Beers called an illegal recess, the Paul people confirmed we could use the convention center for another 3 hours. we tried to have a quorum, but we needed 634 or something. But instead the McCain people were instructed to walk out so that we could not reconvene.

If we would of reconvened we would have voted out the Chairman and that lady that helped stop the convention. She was even overheard planning the closing down of the convention.

[Li]

Thanks for the continuing coverage Andrew. This has always been about the long term ideological battle for most of us.

[Web Smith]

The thing that you have missed from the very beginning is that Ron Paul is not doing this.

It's similar to a deeply patriotic fraternal organization, with a set of beliefs, that is intent on getting this country back on the right track before it's too late. Once you become a member, you will always be a member. When you see a Ron Paul button on a chest you know that you are among friends and people that you can trust. It's not a matter of whether or not your candidate wins the election this time. You carry your knowledge and beliefs forward and when the next election comes around, you will be the same and you can count on the others to be there. You do not have to guess or ask their intent is. They will be the same.

[Michael]

"Last weekend in Nevada they drove through a rules change in the state party convention that halted the approval of pre-approved slates of convention delegates"

Actually, an overwhelming, super-majority of Republicans didn't want to be railroaded by closed-door picks, so they voted to use an open, fair process.

The Nevada Republican party showed themselves to be a fraud.

[Hyrum]

If the Republican leaders keep doing this all these Ron Paul supporters are going to leave the party.

[JC]

To the other commenters, please try not to nitpick about terms like "Paulunteers", etc. Malcolm is one of America's few objective journalists, and has always been fair in his reporting of Congressman Paul. Sorry, I just feel the need to stick up for good journalism.

[Brian]

Question - If McCain has the nomination, why all the fuss? Why wouldn't the Nevada GOP just allow Paul his delegates as voted on by the citizens of their state?
(Paul got 2nd place, McCain got THIRD!)

I guess Americans are supposed to goose-step in line behind the annointed one.

[AGGOZZUR]

You know, Malcolm, you write for one of the papers syndicated with the rest that Mr.Rockefeller, RothsChilds control. They are all implemented in their agenda of a NEW WORLD ORDER. You are not a journalist you are a cog in a propaganda machine. Shame on you and your continued trying to blemish the only true american constitutionalist since Jefferson or Jackson. Does Rockefeller sign your checks?

[perlstar]

Hmmm, how about the "Paulunteers" vs. the "McQuislings"?

[sean truitt]

thanks for reporting it.

[Teflon Ron]

The Revolution=Marathon.

Think Marathon of life, the principals of liberty and freedom.

Go Ron!

[John]

We are no longer a nation run by law, but by men. The US Constitution is no longer applicable in our local, state, and national governments. We are witnessing a slow gradual death of America. I commend all Ron Paul supporters fighting for what is her true traditions of freedom and liberty. God bless you all.

[Paul Farris]

Just as Ron Paul had to be dragged to get in the race in early 2007, he must now be convinced to continue his presidential quest 3rd party. We have no time to lose. We are much closer to being herded into your regional FEMA camp as terrorists than changing an entrenched neo-con Republican warparty. The freedom movement's most recognized leader, Ron Paul, is our best chance at recruiting and educating many millions of Americans in the context of a presidential election. Paul sits on $4-6 million already which could grow to $100 million in a matter of months; many lessons learned in his GOP presidential quest; 100K volunteers in the field; devoted citizens everywhere; and large segments of the American populace hugely dis-enchanted with the McBama and McClinton and looking for an alternative even if only as a protest candidate. Call Carol Paul and urge her to motivate her husband. Call Ron Paul to urge him that he must continue the campaign and be on the November 2008 ballot. Then write and email Carol and Paul and encourage your sphere of influence to do the same. Veterans for Ron Paul and other groups should commence press conferences lovingly requesting, nay demanding lovingly that Ron Paul run 3rd Party LP. Press the attack on the Republican party structure, yes, let them see that the people have power and that we will fight for our birthright. Let the gop see there is power in freedom and liberty and the blessed Constitution our founders fought and won for us. Let history reflect we did not stand down from the fight to save the republic! Onward!

[american146]

I would really love to see Paul run as an independent, but if he won't do that, the next best thing is his going to the convention, picking up some delegates, and getting some air time.

He's the only republican smart enough to see what a colosal mistake this whole Iraq war thing is and what incredible damage it is doing to every part of our economy that is not war-related. He understands also what the wasteful republican congress has done during the Bush years and what it will mean to our children and our economy in the long run.

Run Paul, run!

[Baba Padmanabhan]

I have heard of delegates waking out on party before - this is the first time in history where the party walks out on the delegates. Repaulicans will win!!!

See you at St Paul in September.