Ron Paul, political loser, now best-selling author

"Every election season America is presented with a series of false choices," Texas Rep. Ron Paul writes in his new book. "And so every four years we are treated to the same tired predictable routine: two candidates with few disagreements on fundamentals pretend that they represent dramatically different philosophies of government."

If you agree with that summary, you may want to consider joining the Ron Paul Revolutionaries, several hundred thousand highly motivated political partisans, many new to politics, who despite their more than $34 million in  donations over the last year have seen their 72-year-old candidate distinctly  not catch fire with the broader electorate.

He took 16% of the vote in Pennsylvania's GOP primary, but Sen. John McCain got 73%, which he doesn't really need because he  already has sufficient delegates to win the party's nomination in St. Paul come September. Second place or worse is a familiar spot for Paul, a former ob-gyn who'll be entering his 11th House term next January.

But no longer. At least in terms of his book, Paul is Numero Uno. Paul's Paulunteers have driven his brand-new book -- 'The Revolution: A Manifesto' -- to No. 1 on the amazon.com bestseller list. They're also packing the reader reviews with five-star evaluations, as they've been packing the comment columns of blogs like this for many months.

Paul's call to conservative, libertarian-like action is even selling better than Oprah's latest book recommendation. According to Lew Rockwell's blog, Paul's book will rocket into seventh spot on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list later this month.

The book is designed to be both a call to arms for his would-be followers and a....

... source of longterm income to help finance the longterm revolution Paul tells his loyalists to expect in turning around the country's over-governed political system.

Many of Paul's fans firmly believe that a vast media conspiracy resulted in his name rarely being published in the last year, which they say cost him a straight-ahead chance to beat out McCain, get the U.S. unilaterally out of Iraq, kill the Federal Reserve, the Department of Education and other large chunks of the federal government in the name of Paul's strict constitutionalism.

Of course, the conspiracy charges do not apply to The Ticket because we've covered him ad nauseum;  his followers were one of the most interesting stories of the campaign so far in terms of dedication and willingness to sacrifice for a larger goal.

Although Paul didn't do well in the state elections so far, he hopes his crowd will persevere and bring about the same kind of fundamental change in today's Republican Party as Barry Goldwater's disciples did in the 16 years between that Arizona senator's defeat and the electoral win of Ronald Reagan.

Meanwhile, as The Ticket noted yesterday, Paul's political partisans have quietly taken over a number of local Republican organizations in a bid to boost his presence at September's Republican National Convention in St. Paul. Paul has declined to endorse McCain and his supporters have phrased it  with considerably more vehemence in comments left on The Ticket in recent weeks.

Again, the comments area is open.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Eloy Gonzalez II]

Apart from the insulting title, this is an otherwise fair and balanced piece.

Ron Paul is hardly a political loser when you consider all that has been accomplished in his name and the fact that he recently won in a landslide his race for Congress.

The Republican National Convention has yet to be held. As far as the last word on Ron Paul's bid for president, I guess we'll have to wait until then to see exactly what it is. I for one am looking forward to it.

[WillPhelps]

There is a slight difference between not getting any media attention and getting negative media attention. I've asked people if they knew who Ron Paul is and the common answer is yes, but he's a cook, or some other sentence repeated verbatim from Fox News, or some other "fair and balanced" reporter.

Why are the Ron Paul followers scanning the internet for anything we can find on him? Go to the Google News page and you'll see. Most stories about Obama, then Clinton, then McCain. It's been that way for a year. In fact, last fall and early this year there were more stories about candidates that have dropped out than there were about Ron Paul.

His message is simple. We were given a Country fought for with the blood of the founding fathers. They set up Laws to protect the people and the country from tyranny. Ron Paul's message is simply let's obey those laws.

Kooky idea, huh?

[Rey]

political winner. obviously he is breaking the towers of the neocons. best selling author? must have lots of smart people reading really smart things.

[J. O'Brien]

Andrew Malcolm: Wow! You did it!

I didn't know you could actually write about a Ron Paul success without ridiculing it, distorting the facts, or playing it down.

Or did I somehow miss the commonly intertwined sarcasm?

Today, you actually earned my contribution to your Comment Count and Blog Page Views.

[Joseph]

I'm going to buy the book just for the good read. Plus I'm a supporter and I'm 19 years old. More young people should catch onto the message Ron Paul is saying. Older folk are welcome to join the Revolution, but I understand that it is harder to convince those of you who have become calloused and apathatic towards our nations problems. Go Ron Paul!!!!

[Anonymous]

Consider this the lull before the storm. June 21st 2008.

[stop lying to me]

"John McCain got 73%, which he doesn't really need because he already has sufficient delegates to win the party's nomination in St. Paul come September."

Ehhh, forget it. You're not worth my time, Mr. Malcolm

[Dave]

This should help you understand the media blackout... if you really want to.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7iW5kOB1pmg

[eddie]

To call Ron Paul a poliitical loser is beyond pathetic and irresponsible. He has been a Congressman for the 2nd largest state many times over, has been a Presidential candidate in 1988, and is STILL a candidate in 2008. If this is the definition of a loser, then I can only imagine in the world of journalism where the title of "Blogger" fits in the grand scheme.
Please stop calling yourself, and the likes of Fox and CNN "media". You are puppets that report and distort what is in the interest of your owners, not the public. If you cared about the public's best interest, then you would encourage and represent multiple points of view. Both Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich had positions that the public deserved to hear. The "media", as you term it, simply ridiculed both of them. At the "debates", both were ignored.

[Desh]

Nice title....

[Jake]

True Ron Paul supporters will not support McCain in the general election and adding Huckabee to that ticket wouldn't change a darn thing. To support a neo-con or a populist/socialist would be an affront to every sensible thinking anti-statist, free-market, limited government Republican/Libertarian/Constitutionalist.

Here are Dr. Paul's very own comments about backing McCain in a general election:

"Will you encourage your supporters to back McCain in the general election?"

I'm not going to tell them what to do, but I honestly can't imagine ANY of them supporting him. That would be a tough sale. The odds of him all of a sudden coming to one of our rallies and being cheered on are not very high.

To be fair, Dr. Paul did say that if McCain reversed his position on the war and renounced McCain-Feingold that he would consider endorsing him. But this isn't going to happen since McCain thinks we should continue this war and perhaps have permanent military bases in Iraq.

[Mike]

A political loser? Re-elected how many times? He has brought back constitutional government to the minds of the American people. How can a political loser have a best-selling book on the same subject? Where are the best-selling books by Duncan Hunter, Bill Richardson, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee?

The real political losers are the politicians who put the United States in the mess we are in, people who may have won presidential elections/nominations, like Bush, Clinton, or the long llst of "stay the course, spend/print more money to fix the problems".

Andrew, when people truly believe in something, they often become passionate about it and want others to know. Yes, they become defensive when people like who don't understand the message and demean with nicknames and labels, as you so often do.

I am not a Paulunteer, Paulite, Paultard. I am an American Patriot who believes the constitution should still be followed. I don't believe in conspiracies, but I do notice the the MSM rarely discuss Paul's policies or legislation he has put forward, rather you/they cover his supporters.

[Sk00L]

"Many of Paul's fans firmly believe that a vast media conspiracy resulted in his name rarely being published in the last year" ronpaultimeline.com is worth while read for those wishing to corroborate most of these claims. It perhaps might not be 100% but definitely takes a moment to outline some of the better failures of the media to cover him, it also outlines the more successful methods the media has used to marginalize Ron Paul.

[Sk00L]

"Many of Paul's fans firmly believe that a vast media conspiracy resulted in his name rarely being published in the last year" ronpaultimeline.com is worth while read for those wishing to corroborate most of these claims. It perhaps might not be 100% but definitely takes a moment to outline some of the better failures of the media to cover him, it also outlines the more successful methods the media has used to marginalize Ron Paul.

[S Magill]

Ron Paul wants to legalize currency that competes with the Federal Reserve, not "kill it".
Why have so many reporters completely ignored the transition plans he has detailed on numerous occasions?
Oh, I know, it's because they're not "ignoring him" at all. The media doesn't cover Paul's rational plans for government reform. They just appeal to gutter emotions and paint Ron Paul as a fringe lunatic.
Here's some advice. Just shut up. His movement towards sound government appears to be growing despite all of the media's ill-tongued remarks.
There are proud U.S. patriots fighting in Iraq as we speak who aren't going to forget the media manipulation we suffered in the primaries. McCain??? Whatever. You lie.

[scott]

I hope people remember this time in history. When America was given a choice with Ron Paul for peace, while all the others promote war. When America was given the choice of sovereignty by Ron Paul, when all the others spew interventionist globalism. When Americans were shown the way to economic prosperity with Ron Paul, while others paid the IMF with taxes and milked the inflation rates towards global bankruptcy. We were given a choice and the greatest party in America-the apathetic party-might have rung the death knell for America.

I sincerely hope the glory that America could once again become under a Ron Paul presidency will hit home with the uninformed masses who don't read and aren't capable of thinking outside of the TV.

[Tannimi]

Andrew, change the title. Dr. Paul is no loser. He's just playing for much different and bigger stakes than the rest of the GOP.

And for the umpteenth time, McCain doesn't have the delegates anywhere except in the MSM Fantsay League.

BTW, read the book.

[chris]

a mention in a BLOG--- is not mainstream coverage--

your exageration points to your hypocracy--- as these stories are not seen in the actual paper

Keep down playing it Andrew-----

your trifle attempt to appease those on the internet is getting anoying

[AGGOZZUR]

Written like a true hyper-elitist-intellictual NEO-CON news propagator! Good Job Andrew Malcolm! You just keep confirming what a total piece of trash you are with every Anti Ron Paul article! Hand in your Journalism degree or go to work for the CFR. I believe your rightful seat is waiting for you. And, when Ron Paul or one of the people he has awakened is president in yrs to come, people like you will be unfit to deliver true un biased new and your journalism degrees will be re-voked. Trash.

[Aaron S]

I like how you start the article by marganalizing Ron Paul "Biggest Loser" Considering his success everywhere besides his almost complete media blackout I would say Rudy is the biggest loser. Or perhaps one of the other media appointed "Top Tier" canadates

[Corey]

McCain does not have the full number of delegates. Pledged delegates aren't required to vote. If a majority don't vote on the first ballot, Ron Paul shows up on the 2nd ballot thus unlocking more delegates.

[Mitch C]

"Ron Paul, political loser,"?? You/re not biased are you Malcolm? Ron Paul is hardly a loser. For those of us who genuinely appreciate freedom, yearn for the government to get out of our private lives and wallets, and realize that our foreign policy is immoral and financially suicidal, Ron Paul is winner of the century. He got the ball rolling. While you may not appreciate it, maybe your granchildren will.

[Thomas]

In your first sentence, "choice" should be "choices"; it's a slight misquote and makes the sentence sound a little jarring. Thanks.

[Jenny Hart]

First, it is ad nauseam, not nauseum.

Second, Ron Paul articles are the least nauseating feature of this digital cage-liner.

You make senility look fun, Drew.

Love ya,
Jenny

[Allen L. Rees]

Isn't..."The Polictical Loser" the series of Heads of State who are busy ruining your economic livelihood, killing your children, cousins, nephews and nieces in an egregiously illegal "war"?

Is the sane, sober and realistic person, who wants to see a resurgence in liberty and the return of the sort of plain common sense that refutes your type of name-calling, slapstick journalism really the "loser", in this scenario?

It's a good thing I have the intrepid staff of the Los Angeles Times to keep us on the straight and narrow. I can now snuggle up for the intense enjoyment of my two-minutes-hate with my delicious box of GMO soylent green. Carry on my wayward son...

[Dan]

"If you agree with that summary, you may want to consider joining the Ron Paul Revolutionaries, several hundred thousand highly motivated political partisans"

Dr. Paul has about 950,000 votes so far.... with many primaries remaining, that number is sure to top well over 1 million.

[Tony]

The loser in November will be McCain. This is not about Ron Paul, 'the political loser' you labeled, who by the way, received more money from active military officers than anyone else (COMBINED). This is about his 'winning' message of liberty, peace, and prosperity. This election will come and go. The quest to take back America from the corporate elite has just begun!

[Barney]

Political loser?!

Let's see, before a single vote was cast the establishment media and their cohorts bombarded the public decrying that the Paul campaign was polling 2-3% which was within the margin or error of being ZERO. Then Iowa gave him 10%, and Fox responded by banning him from the debate citing the same set of bogus corporate polls.

The man that you claim had only 2-3% beat out the heavy favorite 9/11 mayor in just about every contest up to Florida! Now Dr Paul is one of 2 remaining candidates out of a field of 11 despite the media slurs and blackout. If that makes Dr Paul a "Political Loser", then what words would you use to describe Rudy and the rest of the GOP dropouts?!

Mr Malcolm, you are one sad excuse for an analyst.

Oh, and the reason "The Ticket" continues to write about Dr Paul is because it would be crickets here without mentioning the good doctor's name. I for one am done being baited to this useless site. Good riddance!

[Mark Smith]

Nice story, Andrew, apart from calling Ron Paul a "political loser" in the headline (and I'm betting you don't write the headlines). Obviously, he's not winning the GOP nomination, but neither did nine of the other candidates. Do we see Rudy, Fred, Mitt et al described as "political losers"? Paul has won 11 elections to Congress, three as a non-incumbent. I'm not 100% certain, but I believe only Duncan Hunter among this cycle's GOP presidential candidates has won more elections than Ron Paul. As for the success of his book, it's only been available for a very short time -- if it shows any staying power on the best-seller lists, it will difficult to attribute longer-term success solely to the efforts of those who supported his candidacy.

[Jeff Van Wanten]

I am living in Europe, although america does not make a good impression, people like Ron Paul you can only meet in America. If he wins the election, I convert my expensive euro's directly in bargain dollars, and help rebuild your great nation.

[tc]

It will support and donate to any candidate endorsed by Ron Paul or the legitimate organizations that are born of this movement. I live in LA and gave $200 to a Senate candidate from NJ. I am certainly not alone.

[Matt]

I'm a Ron Paul supporter and I don't believe that there's a media conspiracy, so don't classify us as all conspiracy theorists. You continually draw to the lowest denominator of our supporters, unfortunatley ones that are most vocal. I am a supporter of his foreign policy (his foreign policy is right on the money). I also like his understanding of fiscal spending and the economic ramifications of the war...even though I disagree with his gold standard. There are a lot of people, like me, who respect and support Ron Paul who are intelligent, rational, and not conspiracy driven, so grow up and start accepting that fact you douche.

[scott]

you did not spell ad nauseam correctly.

[Abe Gluckman]

I have been a Republican all of my life and I will never vote for John McCommunist. I don't care if he was a war hero at one time. He betrayed his oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution during every single term he has served as Senator and has thus betrayed his country. Hell...It's not like he's a conservative either. The boy runs around with Lieberman and Kennedy in efforts to enslave the citizenry with tax hikes and full frontal assaults on the Constitution.

[D]

Andrew-
Before you make an attepmt to write a scathing review saturated with obvious distate for the author of the book that you are reviewing, I suggest making a slight effot do actually do your job and be unbiased and non partisan. You know, the code of ethics that you, like most journalists, choose to blatently ignore.
The article, while blatently filled with a digust for Ron paul & hes "Paulenteers', lacks the actualy facts that even before the books official release date, presales were skyhigh and reviews, not only from 'Paul's would - be - followers' but from other news outlets that do not include the La Times, raved about the publication.
Now before you go on to call me a "Paulite' 'Paulenteer' 'cook' or other degrading works meant to severly discredit the knowlage of Ron Paul's support system, let me present this. I have no yet heard one Obama Hillary or even McCain supporter quote none the less understand any of what the founding fathers have said or have stood for. Yet when a Ron Paul supporter agrees with what was said back when the country was being formed, we are 'cooks.' Why?
Let me also say that it would be refreshing for one reporter of one news outlet, actually take the time to cover Ron Paul give him airtime, let him get the message out. But I assume you must only present the views of the station or th e newspaper or its owners in order to keep your job. Correct? Very ethicle.
To tell you the truth, im sick of reading all the negativity spun towards Paul & his supporers because its out of the norm. Its apparently not normal to support someone who stands for liberty, freedom, less government interferance, less debt, and an immigration system that actually works.
Next time you write a book review with obvious undertones of digust, know who you're offending. And know you are just another skeptic contributing to the downfall of America. Congratulations.

[Darren D.]

Hey Andrew, how many times have you been elected to national office?

Dr. Paul is far from being a loser. That America is accepting of socialism and has given up on the vision of the founding fathers is not Dr. Paul's fault.

Ron Paul is running on virtually the same platform that made Ronald Reagan one of the most popular presidents ever. The media would rather marginalize Dr. Paul and his supporters than actually have a debate on the issues.

What EXACTLY do you disagree with within Ron Paul's platform?

- You like high taxes?
- You like spending 100's of billions of $$ each year fighting wars against countries that pose no threat?
- You like being in a financial crisis that none of the other candidates understand or are offering solutions?

It is embarrassing that the the 5 owners of the major media have got together and pushed this man to the side.

I feel bad for your family who will have to deal with the next 1/2 century of recovery. Welcome to the USSA.

[Dave]

Thanks for covering Ron Paul when no one else will!

As a conservative I rarely read something like the LATimes, but I like reading your stuff a lot.

[Eric Roth]

Is Ron Paul really a political loser? His ideas have gained in orders of magnitude of attention and reverence compared to just one year ago. I contend that this is a monumental political win for Paul.

[Dave]

Thanks for covering Ron Paul!

As a conservative I rarely read stuff like the LATimes, but I love reading your stuff.

[belle]

If you truly believe that it wouldn't have made a difference that Ron Paul got more extensive media coverage, I have a bridge to sell you. Yet, we revolutionaries don't need the approval of the mainstream media to know our guy is the best candidate. We think for ourselves, know the principles that this country was founded upon, and understand that the r3VOLution is about more than just one man.
Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies - Ron Paul

[AK209]

Mr. Malcolm,

While I can understand the strangeness with which most standard drones view the RP supporters, there is no denying their dedication, passion and drive. I have heard comments from many people, supporters of all the different candidates across the board. The only ones that even mention a concern for the lack of personal liberties, the preservation of constitutional boundaries on government and the power of the people to hold their servant government accountable are the RP supporters. Why are these principles so foreign in a nation that used to hold them in high esteem? Why has the general population forgotten the law of the land? They stand by and allow things like the Patriot Act.

Maybe it was not Ron Paul's time, but it is time to re-acquaint ourselves with the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Our nation has drifted too far from it's governmental origins and forgotten the words of her founders and others who understood what liberty and patriotism was.

"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain"

"Patriotism means unqualified and unwavering love for the nation, which implies not uncritical eagerness to serve, not support for unjust claims, but frank assessment of its vices and sins, and penitence for them"

The peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: "Our country -- when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right."

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.

[Chuck]

The supporters of Ron Paul are the real change this election.
We are going back to the Constitution, and American Politics will be changed forever. As a life-long Republican, I can assure you that the GOP is going to be changed from the neo-con takeover back to liberty and I intend to personally participate. We are not all nerds in our mom's basement.

[Chuck]

The supporters of Ron Paul are the real change this election.
We are going back to the Constitution, and American Politics will be changed forever. As a life-long Republican, I can assure you that the GOP is going to be changed from the neo-con takeover back to liberty and I intend to personally participate. We are not all nerds in our mom's basement.

[Kyle]

Nice Article! I am fully in support of Ron Paul for President of thee United States of America. I'm proud to be part of his REVOLUTION. Ron Paul was really not covered well by the media just like Presidential Candidate Mike Gravel was not covered well by the Media. The Media in a big way is controlling our election more and more these days. If one were to actually look up voting history and information on each candidate though, I'm sure that most of the US population would pick Ron Paul as their next President, sadly most of the US population are like sheep in the fields.
Good Article

[Rod Miller-Boyer]

Revolutionary Constitutional Loyalists (formerly known as "Americans") have not been a majority in this country for a few generations now. However, we may still constitute a majority of the remaining LITERATE Americans.

[USAF Vet Dan]

"...Paul's strict constitutionalism"

Andrew, is that like being "completely pregnant"? Either one takes the position that the supreme law of our land is just that - law, or they opt to let our elected officials take us on an uncharted course to an unknown destination. There is no in between.

You are contributing to the attitude that we have unlimited government driven purely by popular opinion. That is called a Democracy. Ours is a Republic and you and others like you would do well to learn the difference.

[Hamid7716]

Andrew,
What part of this failing economy don't you understand?

[Colin]

How can he be used to being second place or worse? He's one his congress seat what, ten times now? And twice or maybe three times against encumbants. Seems like a pretty stupid comment.

[Stine]

I'm glad to see coverage of Ron Paul's book. I'm really excited to get it and read it, and then pass it along to another person to have them read it! It does piss me off that the author of this article couldn't be positive. To say that RP is a loser is so short sighted and shows that this guy (like SO many other brainwashed Americans) does not understand the larger picture.

It is not patriotic to apathetically watch your country evolve into a police state. Ron Paul's message is the antidote to this profound apathy.

[Dave]

I think many people are afraid to take responsibility for their own lives. They are frightened at the prospect of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. They believe that somehow civil society will break down should the free market be allowed to operate without regulation. And these people want to use government to force me and other freedom lovers to give up the same cherished liberties that they have given up. Except for the handicapped the rest of these people are pu$$ies. What ever happened to America - home of the brave??? I wonder if that mentality will ever take hold again...