Ron Paul loses worse than even Obama in West Virginia

Not a good day for Rep. Ron Paul.

Everybody was watching the overwhelming of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton on the ongoing Democratic side of the partisan primary struggles in West Virginia yesterday. But over on the Republican primary battlefield with 98% of the votes counted, the 72-year-old Paul was overwhelmed by the presumptive GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Paul gathered in only 5% of the vote, a lousy 5,812 ballots.

That's about 1/17th as many votes as those received by the dread enemy, the 71-year-old Arizonan, McCain, who got 87,786 ballots.

Paul even got thumped by ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee, who isn't running anymore and hasn't been for weeks and was actually acting as a commentator on MSNBC. Huckabee got more than twice as many votes as the Texas congressman, 11,896, or 10%. And he'd already won most of West Virginia's GOP delegates back in that winter state convention deal with the Paul people to head off the Massachusetts Mormon.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney, another GOP also-ran, also came close to nipping Paul, who's having more luck selling his bestselling new book than his way-behind-the-crowd candidacy. Romney got 5,062 votes, or 4%. Rudy Giuliani -- remember him, the former New York mayor? -- received 2%, or 2,777 votes. So Paul did beat him again.

Paul also beat Alan Keyes, who in 2004 did such an impressive job as the Republican candidate of terminating the political career of that up-and-comer named Obama in the Illinois U.S. Senate race. Keyes got 1,389 West Virginia votes, 1%.

Out in Nebraska, Paul did somewhat better, copping 13% of the vote (17,587) to McCain's 87% (117,529). Which, according to The Ticket's calculations, means McCain won.

But as Paul's vocal supporters are fond of pointing out, it's not about winning the Republican nomination. It's about something else, which they'll be happy to explain in the comments section below where they are always welcome.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Lars]

Yes it is about the message and educating people about where we are heading.

If the message of smaller Government doesn't win this time around it will only grow stronger and win majority sometime in the future. Current policies are unsustainable and when people realize they will be ready for change.

To a large extent Ron Paul's message has been misunderstood. And for good reason, since it is complicated and also very different from most of what we normally hear.

It is often presented as "follow the Constitution", "freedom" and "small Government" but what does this really mean?

Through history there are countless examples of big Governments abusing power. "Power corrupts" as they say. Nazi Germany (a democracy), Mao's China, The Soviet Union and Mugabe's Zimbabwe to name a few.

Our most important responsibility as citizens is to know what our Government is doing and make sure no abuse of power takes place.

It is important that we keep up the debate about the role of our Government regardless of whether we as individuals believe it should be bigger or smaller. Letting Government grow and slowly letting it increase it's powers without openness, visibility, accountability, and involvement of the people is a formula for disaster as history has proven again and again.

[dave]

it is about winning your integrity, responsibility and freedom; the peace of mind that comes from doing what is right. (all of which people who deliberately, cynically and perversely work to mislead and corrupt others, like certain media people are actively doing, do not care about and despise)

[terribly smart]

Isn't funny that when he gets 130,000 votes in Pennsylvania, you state only the percentage: 16. But when not even that many turn out to vote in the West Virginia primary, you're all over his vote count.

You're so obvious.

[Phelps]

Haven't you heard? Since Pennsylvania, the Trilateralists have reinstated their political fatwa on Paul. That means: more Diebold shenanigans and crap articles like this. Oh wait. I answered my own question.

[ron]

Gee,

How many times have the words "Ron Paul" appeared on the political front page of the Los Angeles Times? As opposed to John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney? Go over the records beginning last year, when all four announced their candidacies.
He's getting five percent without recognition from the establishment media.
You fire out the results without any build-up.
P.S.
The online blog page should not be counted in your research.

[Matt O.]

While the closing paragraph of this blog post is delightfully condescending, 13% of people in Nebraska and 16% in Pennsylvania is nothing to scoff at considering it illuminates the greater rift between neocons and true conservatives within the conservative spectrum. I believe Rep. Paul's book is also a bestseller, so to downplay his impact at this point is misleading.

[bryan]

You almost make it sound like this is a fair election process with no corporate or media manipulation

[Ron Paul]

Why be condescending dude? It's about the love.

[truthseeker]

Dr. Paul would have done much better in West Virginia if that state had internet access and thus were informed about Dr. Paul's Presidential run. Nebraska , alive and well in the 21st century, with internet access, and with an informed citizenry, gave Paul 13%- so apparently having an informed electorate is good for our republic.

[Charles]

Mr. Malcolm,

Perhaps you should have included "Nanny, Nanny, Boo - Boo" to round out your article.

Regards,

Charles

[Mike D.]

Ahh...Robert Byrd State. Five percent in a state who consistantly sends the purveyor of fine, government, pork back to Washington year after year. The people who cry that the government isn't doing enough for them giving 5% to the great Dr. Paul. I think that is victory enough.

[ProfessorAI]

seems to me that Ron Paul should join forces with Bob Barr on the republican-libertarian ticket.

[Daniel, 21, Louisiana]

Ron Paul stopped actively campaigning once McCain locked up the nomination; what's the surprise here?

I'm sure there's some good dead horses around that you could beat, instead.

I would think journalists have better things to do with their time than be annoying...but I guess The Ministry of Truth only gives you so many talking points a day.

[awb]

Did not pay much attention to WV primary, but my 1st thought when hearing Hillary won big was that there was NH-style funny business going on at the polls again. RP's surprising low results support that theory as well. Also, if there were really so few of us around, you wouldn't spike your hit rate with these inflamatory RP articles.

[Timothy Bevin]

Great ideas from great statesmen are not always immediately embraced. For years, John Quincy Adams would petition Congress to end slavery and was treated with with derision from most his colleagues. I believe the people of this country have not been humbled enough to accept the accept the conservative monetary and foreign policy principles espoused by Ron Paul. I think the next four years will be very trying on many fronts for most Americans and many more will better understand and empathize with the ideals he is promulgating.

[Ben]

hahah. Oh Andrew. It's ok man, take a deep breath and stop shaking. This Paul thing has become so personal for you that you've forgotten why you became a journalist in the first place... Maybe Fox News will hire you one day. Similar caliber of reporting too.

But seriously, even in West Virginia, 24% are dissatisfied with McCain. It doesnt matter though, it's all cinched up, why are we even talking about it? Good story man. Classy.

[Charger]

So, winning 8% in two of the last three primaries (16% in the third one) was regarded by the media, everywhere, as being quite a significant statement, but 5% in W. Virginia you pass off as a disaster?

Are you forgetting your own opinion that he is supposed to be getting 0%?

Getting 5% anywhere, at this point in time, is just a continuation of that significant statement. Even you understand that every state's demographic will be a little different, but Paul keeps getting votes in a race that, according to you, is already locked up.

Do you not understand that the one million votes that Paul has garnered, in a country where the president is elected by only 20% of people old enough to vote, is not just significant, but huge? And with each passing primary he keeps adding to that total?

Does it make you feel intelligent to end every one of your pieces with a "prediction" that you will receive many comments from Paul supporters? A child could make that prediction, which is how you come across, each time you do it.

All the Paul supporters are trying to do is ensure that any article that presents a blatantly biased interpretation of the facts includes a different interpretation of those facts, on the same page. They understand, as you obviously do, that some people have a tendency to believe everything they read if they aren't told the whole story.

If you simply reported the results and let people decide their meaning for themselves, the only comments you would get from Paul supporters would be, "thank you for the coverage".

[Mark Smith]

Paul's 5% in WVA is consistent with what he has averaged across the country in all primaries (5.13%, according to uselectionatlas.ord); so that would seem to be his core constituency among GOP voters in closed-primary states. The longer-than-expected Democratic race has deprived Paul of crossover Dems and Independents, who are (understandably) voting in the more competitive Democratic primaries. The 13% result in Nebraska is 2-1/2 times better than Paul's national average -- probably reflecting some anti-McCain sentiment. At this point, Paul deserves credit for still being on his feet and giving his loyalists an opportunity to vote for him in every state.

[Jeff Noel]

Wow Andrew...I'm gonna need some Wellbutrin after reading that! Everything you said matters, if this was a quest for power. Ron Paul can't win the nomination, we've known that since Super Tuesday. This is about SPREADING THE MESSAGE. But you want to harp on Paul getting slaughtered in West Virginia, like we're under some delusion that we can win. We'll gladly take that "lousy 5%" of the vote, and it to what we've got, and see if that gets RP some speaking time at the convention. We've definitely shifted gears here, although the media has been really slow to pick up on it. The next step in the revolution is to get Dr. Paul to speak at the convention, and see if we can get at least SOME of our ideas into the official Republican platform.

Oh yeah, and we have to make sure Ron Paul republicans everywhere win their respective elections. Can't forget about that one.

[Frank F]

and, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!

Is this really newsworthy ?

[Billy Corgan]

This information will not even stop this train of revolutionary steam! See you guys at the GOP convention where RON PAUL BETTER SPEAK!!! I will be there. Who else?

Down with the warmonger Mccain.

[Wm Tate]

Perhaps this will put to rest internet rumors of a Ron Paul "Revolution" at the GOP convention.
-Wm Tate
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[Evan]

I know this blog likes to pile on Ron Paul--and I must admit that it is fun--but isn't a bigger story here that 22% of Republican voters went out of their way to vote AGAINST their party's nominee? WIth McCain having the nomination wrapped up, 26,936 Republicans could have sat at home, but they went out and decided to vote for someone other than McCain.

[DRUMZ]

(Yawn)

Hey, how about Nevada? Oh, wait. McCain's fake republican contingency is cheating overtime to steal that state back from a legitimate - no news there. Yeah, it's probably better you focus on the obvious and make some derisive Ron Paul comment so your editors think you have traffic.

[CT Johnson]

Andrew...you sound kind of off your game this morning. May I suggest a couple cups of strong coffee? :D

However, thank you for the plug on Congressman Paul's book and the big picture/insert of it.

[Dave]

andrew, you're a dolt. There was no republican primary yesterday in west virginia. You're quoting numbers from the west virginia caucus vote months ago, before super tuesday. In Fact, yesterday, in the NEBRASKA republican primary, Paul got 13%. Please check your facts a little

[spinnikerca]

Hey, when Obama says it is 'demographically unfriendly' territory, everyone listens....

Ron Paul is Christian and pro-life, but in a state's rights sort of way, not a change the Constitution sort of way. As such, this year he is not the darling of the religious right per se, which also tends to be pro interventionist military policies as far as I can tell. Where voters are voting to make a statement, the fact that someone (Huckabee) has dropped out isn't too relevant. It would be more useful in actually blocking McCain to vote for someone still collecting delegates (Ron Paul), but I don't know if that is what those who identify themselves as the religious right are after.

13% in Nebraska ain't too shabby, though. Personally, I'm looking to see what Idaho and South Dakota do, and what Montana does.

IMHO Ron Paul SHOULD be president, but even if people only look into his record and principled positions of protecting individual liberty, they will spoil themselves for 'politics as usual' with other candidates. If that happens, his running this year will have been a huge service to this country, no matter who we have to bear with as POTUS for the next 4 years.

[Josh]

I think it's a victory to have gotten you to talk about him, yet again - lol

[QBerts2000]

Other people have other reasons, but I continue to vote for Paul and support Paul for two reasons: he is the candidate who I truly want to win, despite the impossibility of it, and because his candidacy highlights the libertarian views, showing others his policies.

Even though it is now impossible for him to win, I will not give up on my ideology. I will continue to vote for those policies I believe in. This may not make sense in the present, but this is because there always is a tomorrow, and the results of today shall influence the policies of tomorrow. Just as a stronger showing by the green party hurt the Democrats a few years ago will likely result in a greater number of people voting green this year. If I simply give up on my ideology for the present good, then my ideology's ability to manifest in the future is diminished.

Additionally, the better his showings, the better the chance the media will give Ron Paul more of a focus, and the more people will see of him. Right now, most people still don't know anything about him. Only the political junkies really know much about him. At least, if he gets more media exposure, more Americans might, at a very minimum, be able to say something about that long shot Republican candidate Ron Paul.

However, other supporters will have their other reasons.

[Zephram Stark]

To identify a candidate who can save our country, we first have to identify a concept that can save our economy; then, we find a candidate who espouses that concept.

Ben Bernanke, the Israeli citizen we put in charge of a conglomerate of private banks that control our economy, uses the concept of "opening the discount window" to bail out private usury companies that get into trouble. These companies get into trouble because of loan defaults. The primary cause of loan defaults is inflation. (The price of goods and services rises more rapidly than earnings for most people because the Fed prints new dollars and gives them to its richest members.)

The term "opening the discount window" means that the Fed will print more dollars and offer them at a discount rate to its member banks. This has the effect of increasing the money supply and decreasing its value.

Ben Bernanke's philosophy is that of fixing the negative effects of inflation by creating more inflation. This concept will lead to the complete failure of the Fed Note. When we consider that there are over forty trillion electronic and paper Fed Notes in circulation, that all other countries are unpegging from the Fed Note, and that the United States cannot absorb forty trillion Fed Notes without failing, it becomes obvious that the Federal Reserve economy is already past the point of no return. Communities in the United States that remain tied to the Fed's fiat economy will fail right along with it. Presidential candidates who are subservient to the Fed will try to keep our country tied to the failing Fed Note by force if necessary.

http://a496.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/46/l_2f5211f9752d88b67552852820ae79ff.jpg

To keep any significant part of Green Bay pegged to the Fed Note, the next president would have to send in the army because we are increasingly adopting a stable economy called Time Banking. Clinton, Obama and McCain would command the army to levy war against the United States to keep it tied to the Fed because their loyalties are to the Fed ( http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html ). Dr. Ron Paul's loyalties, on the other hand, are to the United States.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldETRlhiXk

At the end of the above video, Bernanke says that if oil continues to rise relative to the Fed Note, we're going to be in trouble. Bernanke accepts Ron Paul's assertion that the M3 index rose 42% in the last two years. M3 is the most widely used measure of how many electronic and paper Fed Notes are in circulation. If the M3 went up 42% and the price of oil went up about 42%, that means oil is not getting more expensive; it just means that the Fed Note is losing value. As Ron Paul pointed out, the price of oil relative to gold did not increase over the past two years.

In his latest blog, my senator expresses grave concerns over the effects of the M3 on our civil liberties ( http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=22116605&blogID=391910372 ). Senator Feingold is dealing directly with the surface effects of the problem, which he calls "hidden law" and I call "blatant despotism." Yet, the surface manifestations will rapidly regrow every time we clear them as long as we ignore the root. The root is the Federal Reserve System.

If you are not so angry at this point that you are willing to march on Washington D.C., then I have failed to convey what is really happening to our country. But if something is stirring inside of you, compelling you to take action to save the nation that our children will inherit, please join us. ( http://www.revolutionmarch.com/home.aspx )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjauAv6I-E8

Ron Paul has called for a march on Washington D.C. on July 12, 2008. He will be addressing those who gather. We are training enough crowd marshals to handle a group of up to one million people. Dr. Paul has said that this is our best hope (and presumably our last attempt) to convince the system to correct itself. After this last peaceful march, many Americans feel that they will have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. Therefore, it is vitally important that we have a massive turnout, similar to what it took to change recognition of civil rights in Washington D.C,. so that we may again demonstrate that the nation belongs to the people and that we are willing and able to fix our own problems even if our politicians are unwilling to help.

[BMB]

Those republican numbers are from the Super Tuesday caucuses. Only dems held a primary in WV yesterday.

[RaferJanders]

Andi you are missing the point, Republicans will not unite under the Mcain banner, I am sure you can see that, I mean people hate Mcain so much, that they would vote for that scum bag rudy, Sure we all know you hate
Ron Paul, that is ok with me, but you can't hate the Consitution and the rule of law as well or can you?
Look McShame does not represent the Republican party
and W. Virginia just proved that. It is not about the Nomination McShame should be showing numbers that can compete with the Dems and Nader. It will be a blood bath for the Republican Party come Nov. It is going to be the Greatest sweep in Dems history, I should start selling
rope now, A lot of so called Republicans will hang themselves rather facing charges in the World Court.

[Chris]

This isn't the first time that Huck has beat Paul after Huck quit the race, but what's interesting is that around 20-25% of the Republican voter base continues to vote for somebody other than McCain. I've heard this explained as a common trend, but this year, I'm not so sure. Many people who differ with McCain on political issues differ on fundamental levels... taxes, economics, sovereignty, immigration, and of course, the war issue, just to name a few. This just means that McCain lacks around 1/4 of the Republican base vote, which he's not likely to win back. He has committed to his positions on the issues, and he is not going to do a public flip flop in the middle of an election year. Maybe it's the voters who are expected to 'flip flop' on their positions to maintain the American traditions of "Party Unity" and securing a win in the red team versus the blue team game.

As for Ron Paul's continued candidacy, I am for it. Anybody willing to put up with the American Election Machine in order to bring a truly different point of view to the table is alright in my book. I have heard what he says, and strangely enough, it all sounds reasonable. If his views are wrong or irrelevant then why no honest political discourse to prove them to be so? Even in blogs like Mr. Malcom's, the entire candidacy of a "fringe" candidate is diluted to the point of a passing fancy or relative non-existance. Public debate on issues like the ones Ron Paul talks about are required to let people decide what they want to hear more of.

As for the RNC, (oddly, this year it's in St. Paul) Ron Paul has done at least one thing. He's added a note of anticipation and interest to what otherwise would have been a very boring event. I doubt that his revolutionaries will stage any sort of revolt or uprising, but then again, who knows? They're marching on Washington, they're fighting in every state, and they're going to the convention. Why didn't anybody tell these people why they were wrong? Are they wrong?

[Esher Fern Gamble]

So W. Virginians are racist for voting overwhelmingly for Hillary - and yet the person smeared by the mainstream media as associating with racists or holding racist views, Ron Paul, can't even beat Huckabee...it must be a confusing situation, for journalists and others who buy into identity politics.

[Lars is drunk]

Complicated? No sir. Quite the opposite. What you have now is complicated. Criminal too. Good luck with that.

From chaos comes order, or so they say.

[Wgadget]

Thanks for reporting news that occurred THREE MONTHS ago. The GOP primary was February 5.

DUH.

[wayne dumond]

Nice of GE-MSNBC to give Huckabee all that free airtime...

[kes]

It it Ron Paul's message that is so important. There's a summary of the history of postage rates in the US circulating the internet now and it is amazing at how it mirrors Fed policy. Rates were nearly flat from 1863 to 1963 then, in the early 1970's postage rates started increasing on a regular basis. We need to have this correlation made to the general public so they too can understand how the government causes inflation and that we can do something about it.
http://www.akdart.com/postrate.html

[Carole]

Could this be how Dr. Paul lost so badly?

I took screen shots of the results last night and this jumped out at me. I posted the screenshots on a forum.

Raleigh County, W. Va. anomaly in results

Raleigh County 79% reporting:

McInSane 60% 2187 votes
Ron Paul 27% 983 votes
Huckabee 10% 357 votes

Raleigh County 100% reporting:

McInSane 79% 2774 votes
Huckabee 13% 462 votes
Ron Paul 3% 116 votes

983-116=867 votes lost by Ron Paul!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jahfre Fire Eater]

Are you kidding? Not a good day for Ron Paul? His message is overly complicated? That is so funny!

Thanks for putting Ron Paul in the title of your little opinion. I know you do that to ensure an ultra-high hit count but still, thanks. Every day is a good day for Ron Paul because conservatives are coming out in droves at the local level to promote Ron Paul candidates. Sure, the GOP nomination for president is out of reach but the future is ours. It starts at home and continues through "trickle-up-integrity".

There isn't any sense starting at the top because the entire pipeline full of GOP candidates are cookie cutter neocons; big spending, fear-driven war mongers, every one.

-Jahfre Fire Eater

[THarms]

Well, what did we expect, it is West Virginia after all. 'Nuff said.

[Dave]

It's been very clear that the LA times Doesn't like Paul. I thought journalists were suppose to me neutral?

Anyways... McCain will be the end of the republican party.

Ron Paul's "vocal" supporters are Americans that are trying to save the country and the republican party from disaster. Neo-conservatives have and will continue to destroy the constitutional republic that made the the strongest nation in the world.

Andrew Malcolm, you need to research your history, then you would know who you, as an American, should support.

[Carole]

Reposting with spelling corrected.

Could this help explain why Dr. Paul lost so badly in West Virginia?

I took screen shots of the results last night and this jumped out at me.

I posted the screenshots to a forum.

Raleigh County, W. Va. anomaly in results

Raleigh County 79% reporting:

McCain 60% 2187 votes
Ron Paul 27% 983 votes
Huckabee 10% 357 votes

Raleigh County 100% reporting:

McICain 79% 2774 votes
Huckabee 13% 462 votes
Ron Paul 3% 116 votes
983-116=867 votes lost by Ron Paul!!

[you]

stupid people vote for what is pushed in their faces on tv, newspaper, fake media brainwashing techniques...
wake up people....its is u they are after....

[Tominellay]

If one in four Republicans won't support the presumptive nominee of their party, there's much more to be said than what you're saying...

This is a McCain mutiny. Lt. Cmdr. McQueeg cannot unite the party...

[Brian]

So you are surprised that Huckabee got so many votes, yet you clearly point out that they guy is a commentator on MSNBC...hmm, being on TV on a regular basis for a station that probably has a high percentage of voters.

Here are two better questions for you to be reporting on:

1. How ashamed should the GOP be of itself that McCain hardly got 3/4 of the vote in an almost uncontested primary?

2. How ethical is it to still have Huckabee still on the ballot when he has dropped out?

Ron Paul is NOT the problem, and it is pathetic that you try to smear a man who is standing for his personal beliefs which happen to be more ethical, good willed, and patriotic than all of the other candidates combined.

Even if Paul never does anything from today on, he has done more than McCain, Obama, or Hillary will EVER do just by the simple fact that he has opened so many peoples eyes to the fact that the three remaining candidates and most of the other candidates and incumbents are just all the same...big government, wasteful, self interested, and owned by the lobbyists.

[Kevin Houston]

Paul may have lost the primary, but it's an utterly meaningless 'beauty pagent' vote.

Mr. Malcolm, it's *all* about winning the nomination. The message and the long-term revolution are important goals but the biggest short-term payoff is getting Ron Paul nominated. It's a long-shot, to be sure, but until McCain actually gets those delegate votes in Sept, it's not impossible. McCain only has 853 "hard" delegates according to:

http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P08/R.phtml

And some of those are bound to vote for him, but in actuality, they are Ron Paul supporters, and may sit out on the first ballot. Other delegates (in MN's 6th Cong. Dist. for example) are technically in McCain's column, but will be voting for Ron Paul. I wonder what kind of temper-tantrum McCain will throw when the first ballot doesn't go to him?

If you recall that Huckabee/Paul deal, Ron Paul actually won 3 delegates from WV (with the rest going to Huckabee - who has since dropped out and released all his delegates - I wonder who those Huckabee delegates will vote for? They obviously have good rapport with Ron Paul supporters.)

Since only delegates can nominate or vote at the GOP convention in September, that means Ron Paul beat McCain (McCain was awarded NO delegates from WV) long ago. That is why no one cares what the primary vote results in WV are.

By the way, I want to thank you very much for a factually correct piece, even if it is tinged with editorializing language (overwhelming, lousy, etc.) At least you are willing to put your name to it, unlike some writers at ABC news I could mention (If only I knew who they were.)

[Tannim]

It's West Virginia, for crying out loud. AKA insiginifcant. The flyover state that flyover staets fly over. A state whose most well know entity is that KKK fossil Byrd.

Tell me something, Andrew, why don't you report about the 13% Dr. Paul did in Nebraska yesterday? The 13% that started at 13% and stayed that way, within 0.05% all night long, which is statistically improbable unless there was vote tampering?

Andrew, you claim to give Paul coverage, and you do. But your attitude sucks, and your denigration of a modern statesman and economic genius and legitimate heir to the Founding Fathers is shameful!

[Mitch Port]

The reason why he isn't getting many votes is because McCain has already won the nomination and the media rarely ever mentions Ron Paul. They were even reporting for awhile that he had dropped out which was not true.

[Donaldd]

People have been complaining for decades of us "Policing the World" with our hard earned money.

Constitutionally our military is to defend the United States and our Possessions against attack. Possessions are Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, American West Indies etc.

No where in the Constitution does it say Our troops are to fight and die for so called "American Interests" which are, in reality, Business Interests.

Paul wants to stop this madness.

[Jake in Salt Lake]

Thanks for the election results Andrew! You're right on the money, the fact that Paul didn't win is not the important thing here. The grassroot support that he is gathering and the like minded individuals are laying the foundation of shift back to old Republican values. It took Goldwater to get us Reagan. Paul is just the icon of a movement that is resonating with many, many people. On with the R3VOLution!

[BAJ]

Andy,

You dont get it do you??

Do you really think that Hills or Obama or McCain are going to for example - bring the troops home, and close the new bases in Iraq?

Every letter you tap into your column tweaking Paul is space wasted that could be used to criticize the uniform funding of the War by all three mainstream candidates.

Paul's funny. He and his followers are different and easy to dismiss - WV voters could see that - plainly. The concepts Paul suggests scare the hell out of people, especially those who lack a certain reverence for change born of personal responsibility and its freedom.

Its ok that your scared. Most likely nothing is going to change - and you will have done your part to assure that.

[Tom J]

Sometimes it's Paul, sometimes it's Huckabee. No matter who it is, there always seems to be someone in the Republican primary who gets the disgruntled 10% of the voters. Is it particularly high this year for this stage of the primaries?

[joshie]

Winning would be great of course. When I switched my registration from Democrat to Republican last year to vote for Ron, I did so thinking I would change back to Democrat if he lost in the primaries. Instaed I have decided to stay in the deflated Republican party and press forward in reshaping it in the ideals of liberty and freedom. This is a long term struggle. I am even involved in local politics now which I never would have imagined only a year ago.

[Matt Garrison]

Ron Paul's campaign is about spreading a message about the importance of constitutionally limited government when all the other candidates support massive government programs that will do nothing but dig us into more debt, limit our freedom, expand enforcement of unconstitutional, tyrannical laws, and continue to ruin our credibility in the international sphere.

Brace yourself for greater tax burdens, less privacy, and a continuing decline in personal liberty.

Most importantly, keep your powder dry.

[Danny]

Mr. Malcolm

Mr. Paul's message is quite simple -- coercion is immoral, even when done by government. On this there can be no moral disagreement.

It is a wonderful surprise to see the response his message is getting, given the interests (and therefore money and votes) lined up against this moral concept:

1) military-industrial complex
2) financial industry
3) medical industry
4) farm industry
5) oil / energy industry
6) main-stream media
7) those employed by government at all levels
8) those who support government-mandated institutions (tax lawyers, accountants, etc)

In other words, when government at all levels taxes and spends over 50% of the wealth of a nation, there are at least 50% of the people who have every incentive to continue the same system. Add to those who benefit tangentially and it is easy to see the size of the hill that needs to be overcome.

However, a high hill doesn't change the immoral into moral.

Regards

[William]

One can truly use West Virginia as a measuring stick.
West Virginia is extremely cutting edge, grossly effected by terrorism, top of the line, and up to date with the rest of the country in education and technological advancement.
Their schools are in the top 46 in the nation!
As career meccas, West Virginia's cities have managed to draw droves of the higher-educated, in multiples of the national average for the following careers:
----------------------------
Roof bolters, mining:
537.95 x the national Average.
Shuttle car operators:
471.3 x the national Average.
Mine cutting and channeling machine operators:
464.4 x the national Average.
Continuous mining machine operators:
267.15 x the national Average.
Helpers--extraction workers:
64.4 x the national Average.
Gaming change persons and booth cashiers:
48.1 x the national Average.
Insulation workers, mechanical:
29.5 x the national Average.
Tank car, truck, and ship loaders:
25.55 x the national Average.
Earth drillers, except oil and gas:
24.3 x the national Average.
Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining:
20.6 x the national Average.
Crane and tower operators:
15.35 x the national Average.
Psychiatric aides:
14.7 x the national Average.
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic:
14.7 x the national Average.
Chemical technicians:
13.6 x the national Average.
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic:
10.1 x the national Average.
Conveyor operators and tenders:
10 x the national Average.
----------------------------
Data taken and averaged from: job-hunt.org/jobs/careers/westvirginia-careers.shtml

I have merely scratched the surface!
West Virginia truly depicts the higher-educated citizens' vote.

[Darren]

I wonder why Ron Paul faired so badly in West Virginia. Could it be because many of his votes were not counted properly? Thanks to one vigilant Ron Paul supporter, CNN were caught altering the vote count. When the count was coming in for Raleigh County and was reporting at 79%, John McCain was at 60% with 2,187 votes, Ron Paul was at 27% with 983 votes and Mike Huckabee was at 10% with 357 votes.

When Raleigh County had finished and was reporting at 100%, the numbers had changed. John McCain was at 79% with 2,774 votes, Mike Huckabee was at 13% with 462 votes and Ron Paul was at 3% with 116 votes.

Take a look at these two images that were taken from http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=137485:

Image 1 - http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm33/Quiltskate/Raleigh79RP27.jpg

Image 2: http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm33/Quiltskate/Raleigh-RPlostseveralhundredvotes10.jpg

Is this yet more evidence of vote fraud against the only patriotic conservative Republican in the GOP? I am willing to bet that it is.

Long live the Ron Paul Revolution.

[Kanard]

So if he is so insignificant why the media bothers to smear him constantly, how come you don't write about Alan Keys, or the uuu amazingly controversial?Huckabee whom with his opportunistic nature stands by for a vice president position.

The fraud that is behind the elections and the media, would like to say the only Ron Paul supporter is himself...and he is nuts.
Not such a thing, who is buying his book? If these people can read they can surely vote and most probably did so...
The stench of fish can be smelled all around the world, but Americans keep drinking the tap water and zombiengly marching at the medias drum.

[Johannes Vindenburg]

Ron Paul smells of vinegar and requires a bath.

[Brad]

Ron Paul is a joke and so are his supporters. Bunch of computer programers who can't get a date, but make decent money to waste on a high voiced lunitic who's polices are as awkward as his supporters. (besides actually securing the borders, he's got my support on that one).

[Rhys]

It's West Virginia... not even a real Virginia

we know she's a ho

[belle]

So Hollywood Huck "beats"Ron Paul? Who is still in the race? Huck? No. Thompson? No. Giuliani? No. You get the drift.

5% for a candidate that has been ignored, reviled, insulted by the subversive media, and in a Robert Byrd (welfare) state, is damn good. Umm, where are the Nebraska results?

Progress is measured differently by the Ron Paul supporters, and I for one say it's better than we ever expected. Go Ron!!!!

[america sucks the BIG shlong!!]

america is G-A-R-B-A-G-E, nuff said!!!

[andy]

Malcom can sure throw around the insults. Well, I say Andrew Malcom is just an old constipated bloat. I mean look at his picture! He looks like he's about ready to croak.

Perhaps Malcom should get out of his wheel chair and come to a Ron Paul rally.....then he can talk....

[ricknhouston]

WOW! C'mon people !!! Don't you realize this pathetic excuse for a journalist and this rag sheet are playing you like a cheap guitar? Do the lot of you enjoy being made fools of? He knew this is what would happen before he even finished his stupi, biased, repugnant 'story" ... and sure enough .... here you are, doing just exactly as he predicted you would!!
I am ashamed of all of you !

[keith]

"Every letter you tap into your column tweaking Paul is space wasted"

Is that ever the truth

[Jack D.]

Just goes to show where the sheeple of this country live. I would guess that people in that area are generally not very computer savvy either.

[George Dance]

"Loses worse than Obama?"

Obama got more votes than McCain.

[Levi]

I think the biggest point of the nominations are thus: There is only about a 50% turnout rate in the presidential election. There is probably (no idea the exact number) 50% of those people that vote in the primaries? I would bet that once people are given a chance to know who the heck Paul is (after this democratic bs is through) the turnout would be a lot different. maybe even 70 % voting rate? who knows? pauls people are pretty dedicated.

[Diko]

Reading this from an Australian point of view I can see that an average of 5% of Americans are intelligent and informed. He speaks for the people but most don't even listen. What a joke this is.

[Scott Harmon]

Get serious, Andrew. West Virginia is a welfare state if there ever was one. A good deal of the countryside looks like it has not progressed much since the Civil War. West Virginians would probably vote for Lincoln if he were on the ballot. Arkansan redneck Clinton and Arkansan redneck Huckabee should have done very well--what's the point?

[joe]

Andrew the Retard,

How much press did Ron Paul get? try none ...As I've pointed out before retard. I wouldn't wipe my ass with a copy of the L.A. Times.

[blakmira]

I would be so grateful if you did not do one more blog on Ron Paul until you had personally and thoroughly investigated how the votes are being counted in all of these primaries.

I'm talking Diebold, optiscan machines -- you know, the machines that are so clean they leave no paper trail? Those little memory cards that are taken out of the room secretively, then "tallied" and "called in"? You know, those paper ballots that are carted away in someone's van then kept unlocked in open boxes instead of a safe?

I won't hold my breath, Andrew, for you to do this. But if you really want to know how Ron Paul could have so many supporters showing up en mass at these conventions while McCain just has a ghost town full of lonely crickets; so many supporters putting signs all over towns across America, so many people buying his book that it's hitting #1 on the NY Times Bestseller list May 18th and is #1 on Amazon -- come on, don't you as a reporter want to find out just what the hell is really happening to all of RON PAUL's VOTES??????

[blakmira]

P.S. Thank you Carole and Darren for printing those CNN screen shots of Ron Paul's votes going "mysteriously" backwards -- from nearly 1,000 to just over 100 and dropping from 27% down to 3% in that one county. Meanwhile, the votes were obviously siphoned off to the Huckster and McCain, of course.

And I know it was like this all over the State, because the same "mysterious losing of votes" happened in Pennsylvania, where someone else caught a screen shot of it.

Come on, Andrew, be a real journalist. Step up to the plate and do just one real investigative piece about vote count fraud!

[LAUSD teacher]

this is an la times piece? i guess derisive poliical comments is what sells. for ron paul supporters (and huckabee's), it is always about spreading the ideas of libertarian philosophies and policy ideas, not winning the white house (although of course that would be ideal). what are the differences in ideas b/w obama and hillary? this writer does not focus on them at all because the intellectual atmosphere in politics is currently absent. polls show that this year's presidential election is more than ever based on character rather than issues. this columnist's comments is proof of that. thank you la times for dumbing down the dialogue further.

[Max]

So you mean to tell me that 5,812 people voted against John McCain despite his being heralded as the party's winner?

Consider that while Ron Paul received little press before the nominee was decided, he's receiving that much more right now. That he is still receiving votes above the margin of error is pretty incredible. It shows that his message rings clear in people who are interested in listening, and it shows that there is still lingering mistrust in McCain among a great deal many conservatives.

A difference of 5,812 votes would be decisive in November.

[Michael]

I agree with Charles,
Mr. Malcolm's articales sound more like a taunting school child than a professional journalist!

[Jay]

The reason for supporting Ron Paul isn't to have Ron Paul as President. It's to show the Republican party that the shift towards big government, big spending, higher taxes(Deferred by making our kids pay for it, and not deferred all by having the Federal Reserve just print more fiat money at the expense of massive inflation), less liberty, reduced states rights, and disrespect for the constitution is unacceptable.

It would be great if Ron Paul became president for 8 years. Since that victory isn't practical, just being in the race and securing 2nd and 3rd place victories shows the Republican party that true conservatives are a major faction in the party, and we're energized against the socialists, anti-constitutionalists, and big government junkies that are trying to dominate and define conservatism.

[D]

Ron Paul isn't just out there to win votes anymore. He's out there to spread his message of person freedom, integrity, less governemnt interferance, and peace. McCain is out there to win vote win the Presidency and ake ove rthe world because he's a warhungry criminal with no integrity who gives American jobs to foreign countries to make a profit for himself.
Ron Paul thoughhe may not win the race for Preident, even though he is the only candidate Republican or Democrat who deserves it, has opened peoples minds up to the realization that not all politicians want more government and more rules and regulations. Ron Paul wants people to live their lives without the government telling them how to do so. Mr. Malcom, your distain for Dr. Paul is either deep rooted in the face that since your parents probably immigrated illegally, you disagree with his immigration policy. You are most likley to deaf dumb and blind to see that in the sunset of yor life, Dr. Paul is the beacon hope hope for your children and your childrens children. I am a fraction of your age and I see that already .Retire Andrew Malcom, ou've overstayed your welcome as a journalist and are embarassing yourself and the LA Times with your inability to report story without your ersonal views getting in the way and leaving a terrible taste in the readers mouth.

RON PAUL 2008

[Bill C]

Nope, I as a Ron Paul supporter do not have anything else to say. You hit the nail right on the head.

There are 5,812 smart individuals that have half the sense to get away from the main stream media such as the LA Times and get down to reality unlike the lazy couch potatoes who get their source of information from the 'television' while dipping into a bag of chips or those who read columns like this over their lunchtime while dripping grease from their burger all over the front page!

[John King]

Hey Andrew

The man you mock is the only man that can save you from government tyranny.

Of course if you like you like tyranny, stay the course and mock all freedom lovers.

Wishing you the best.

[rappleduck]

Andrew, here's some advise.

Retire, and never write anything again.

(Not a chance, bucko.)

[for you Andrew]

do journalist really enjoy bad reviews on their articles and blogs? you have so many. I was thinking about becoming a journalist but now...not sure I want my words to be manipulated like a diebold manipulates the American votes.

(No problem for me. I think the dialogue is great. And our traffic is going up every day. So a lot of folks are reading and getting something out of it. Not too many satisfied customers write the management, so to speak. Let me know what you decide. The online part is the growth area.)

[Marc]

Thanks for the chance to read some intelligent comments, although the article was clearly written just to get Ron Paul traffic, as usual. Poor article, but good comments.

[Steven]

I'm 43 years old and can see the writing on the wall. It is so obvious what all those so call journalists are doing. What they don't understand is that the young out there, the computer savy kids that support Ron Paul are going to be making the changes in the political landscape very soon. They will remember guys like Malcolm who are mere sycophants, with no integrity at all. Of course he'll have plenty of company........

[sean truitt]

what? oh, ron paul article on top of the ticket.
post left, as requested, sir.

[SD]

Nobody ever mentions that Alan Keyes entered the race against Obama at the last minute with next to NO time to campaign. Why did enter late?

The original opponent DROPPED OUT because of sex scandels. Many PEOPLE encouraged him to run. Keyes had no time to get his name and candidacy KNOWN to the majority of the people. You know the ones who just sit on the couch and just watch TV. The ignorants (majority voters) just voted for the name they read and heard the most. Duh. Easy win for Obama.

If you watch the debates between the two at alankeyes.com, it's clear he blew Obama out of the water.
Not word for word...but in short, this is pretty close:

Moderator to Obama: what are your comments about Keyes saying Jesus Christ wouldn't vote for you?
Obama: I wouldn't be asking Him who he's voting for, I'd be asking Him, "where am I going"
Keyes: I wouldn't be asking Him where I'm going because I already know where I'm going...

GOTTA LOVE KEYES - everyone is afraid to debate with him...he blows everyone away! Why do you think he was ommited from many televised debates last fall? He's good and they know it...but media wants money, not honesty.

[yuan]

wow. this is the best article ive ever read. definitely the most fair and balanced. most objective. Andrew Malcolm? wow.. great writer..

i have no idea what daniel is talking about accusing you of working for the ministry of truth. thats just absurd.

[Frank Acquafreda]

LA Times should print a retraction. What Republican primary are they referring to? This article is utter nonsense. Ron Paul is being intentionally marginalized by both right and left media.

[Jake]

No surprise about West Virginia.

The only way people know anything positive about Ron Paul is by using the Internet.

Most people in WV do not have the Internet, so they can't read the truth about Ron Paul on the COMMENTS of your blog (for example).

I find that your articles are usually laced with a hint of sneering and jabbing bias against Ron Paul, but thanks for giving us the opportunity to defend ourselves, yet again.

[ron]

our people in this country are dummer than i thought. Most people never heard of ron paul. They cant get past the media and the supposed front runners. they never investigate other posibilities. were headed for a disaster

[sam schmitt]

This 5% for RP is a statement about the awareness of voters in WV. In no way, does it diminish the message and principles of the RP effort. Unfortunately, our great ship of state will select the leaders it deserves rather than leaders who's direction might be best.
sam

[D- In Las Vegas]

Ron Paul is a joke and so are his supporters. Bunch of computer programers who can't get a date, but make decent money to waste on a high voiced lunitic who's polices are as awkward as his supporters. (besides actually securing the borders, he's got my support on that one).

Posted by: Brad | May 14, 2008 at 01:59 PM

Hey Brad. I'm a Ron Paul supporter. I'm a 20 year old 5'6" 120 pound brunette model whos been in featured in magazines. I have a degree too and have writing that has been published.. And I have a fiance. So before you generalize about people who can program computers (yeah I can do that too, my fiance showed me how) who are on a higher playing field because of their iq then you are, how about you get your finger out of your rear end, and look up what Ron Paul actualy stands for. Peace. LIBERTY. Personal Freedom. Let me guess you must be an Obama supporter. You are all the same, vying for a minority because its the 'cool' thing to do .How about this, go back to your hoodlum firends who are also supporting a man without any qualifications or plans to help America and be 'cool' in your own miniscule world or ignorance and bliss. You and the writer Andrew Malcom need to be own your own private island where you can both pretend your snide comments and generalizations make you king and queen for a day. You'll be the queen.

RON PAUL 2008

[Smittle]

5% is Fantastic considering that the media has given Ron Paul 99% blackout.

The media is nothing short of criminal.

[scott]

Wasn't West Virginia the State whose people didn't want a black man to be president? Makes me proud to be a Ron Paul supporter.

[Mark]

Andrew,

Here's my reaction as a life-long Republican. Over the past 8 years the ideologically-blinded dolts in the Administration took free markets and deregulation about as far as it could go. The result:
* Most hedge fund investors made out like bandits, and those who didn't could afford it.
* The financial industry continued to make ~40% of all US corporate profits. That's the real figure.
* All hedge fund managers made their 2% of assets + 20% of profits.
* Tens of thousands of mortgage brokers got rich.

Leaving
* Long time homeowners with far higher property taxes
* The least sophisticated homeowners drowning in debt that will forever ruin their financial lives.
* A housing market that is even after correction less affordable than it has been in a decade.
* A dollar that has lost half its value against the Euro.

This last fact is why...
* Oil prices are at all-time highs (even adjusted for inflation).
* You, your parents, me and everyone we each know will have decimated life savings (401k, social security, pensions) when we retire... a few years after we had expected or wanted to.

... I'm sorry Andrew, I must have lost myself. Were you saying something important? No. No, Andrew, you weren't.

[David]

Isn't it sad that people like this are so afraid that Paul might do something that they still want to discredit Paul. Then he says that Pauls' supporters are always welcome, which is about as big as joke as this supposed news article. Be nice when news people can write something without having their head in their butts.

[Todd in Sacramento]

The big difference between Ron Paul's and McCain's votes is this. Ron Paul votes are from dedicated (and angry) supporters who have passion for freedom and liberty. McCain votes are from red neck couch potatoes and Limbaugh type pseudo-conservatives and ignorant old fart Republican Party loyals. These are the people who will, like when Bush got elected, fall asleep while all hell breaks lose in D.C. without them ever knowing about it. Chuck Baldwin made a good point a few weeks ago. He said that a registered republican vote for Obama would at least keep the dumbass Republicans awake and on guard politically because their Party numb-numb didn't get elected. Otherwise (if McCain got elected) it would be back to potato chips and beer, sit coms, BBQ's, fishing, hunting, and professional sports like basketball, baseball, and football as usual. Not that there is anything wrong with those things as long as you remain politically aware of what the Establishment elites are trying to get away with.

Ron Paul Revolution march on Washington, D. C.

July 12th ...... BE THERE!

If you are going say so!

I will be there with 12 (so far) other people from my town in Northern California.

REVOLUTION BABY!

[D]

You guys are all the same. You say RP is insignificant but you continue to write about him. What's going on around here? Why waste the time? Isn't there something better to write about?

(No one here said he was insignificant. You're letting your paranoia show. We've covered him since way last summer because it's a good story as are his thousands of followers. Something that hasn't happened to, say, Mike Gravel.)

[maddhatter01]

Look at these Neocon scumbags dancing because a real republican gets trounced.

More war, bigger government sounds really consecrative. Fight the "terrorists over there", but dont secure the border, or the ports, dont think about reforming the immigration policies, thanks alot mr Amnesty Juan Mcain.

[anon]

I just read his book, bought 5 more copies for family members and made another donation. I'm a veteran and father of 3. Ron is our best hope to ensure our children don't die in Iraq, Iran or some other foreign country doing the will of the neocons. Ron is the only candidate that will protect our American youth and wealth from being destroyed by the neocons for their own empire building in the Middle East.

[Jason Marcel]

Ron Paul achieving 5% of the Republican Primary votes thus far is further proof that America is content in her new "dumbed-down" phase of her history. About half of all Americans still believe Saddam had something to do with 9/11. Then we go and attack a country we don't understand very well with little preparation and no exit strategy, while cutting taxes during war-time and borrowing heavily from China. Ron Paul brings us obvious truths, and we burn him at the stake and run his name through the mud, writing him off as crazy. Well, maybe his supporters are a little crazy; but at least we can't be considered lazy or stupid like the rest of the nation.

[Tim]

"But as Paul's vocal supporters are fond of pointing out, it's not about winning the Republican nomination. It's about something else, which they'll be happy to explain in the comments section below where they are always welcome."

Yeah, that would be this thing we like to call "Liberty", and making sure YOU keep writing articles about candidates who give a damn about it.

[Mike]

I think Americans know why the media is so anti-ron paul...these same media people are dual citizens of israel and are afraid of losing the big welfare free money checks they steal yearly from 300 million non-zionist America firsters. We are awake and we are no longer brainwashed, the jig is up.

[Billy V]

West Virginia is one of the poorest and most heavily taxed states in the union and yet stubbornly clings to absurdity in politics.
I was born there and for most of my life knew that I would go back to retire - and now this.