Ron Paul to Phil Gramm: no way, no how, no John McCain

Texan to Texan, as one fellow who famously switched parties in his political career to another, Phil Gramm took one last shot this week at bringing Ron Paul into the John McCain fold. (See video below.)

Gramm not only failed, but Paul blew the whistle on him today as he castigated the choices offered voters by the two major-party presidential nominees and lent the cache he gained from his own White House bid to various third-party alternatives.

Paul held forth, as had been advertised, at a news conference in Washington where he was joined by independent (and perennial) presidential candidate Ralph Nader, Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.

Missing from the show was Bob Barr who, true to the spirit of the Libertarian Party that tapped him as it nominee, decided at the last minute to skip the group gathering and hold his own news conference.

In his remarks, Paul revealed that a McCain representative, who he did not name, had called him as part of what has been a recent effort to score an endorsement.

Later, Paul told The Times' Janet Hook the go-between was Gramm, a former Democrat who signed up with the GOP in the early 1980s.

In explaining why he rejected the overture, Paul -- perhaps underestimating the size of his following these days -- said: "I don't like the idea of getting 2 or 3 million people angry at me. ... I said absolutely no. It might diminish my credibility."

Paul, a Republican turned Libertarian White House candidate in 1988 turned Republican again, said Gramm pitched McCain as the potential president who would do "less harm'' than Democrat Barack Obama (not exactly stirring words).

In urging a vote against the "establishment candidates," Paul said, "There's no doubt in my mind that we [supporters of third-party contenders] represent the majority."

Obama allies quickly jumped at the news of Gramm's contact with Paul. Damien LaVera of the Democratic National Committee fired off an e-mail saying it offered "further evidence" that Gramm "is back in the good graces of the McCain campaign."

He ostensibly had been banished from the inner circle after some ill-chosen words earlier this summer (such as saying the U.S. had become "a nation of whiners").

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Almost Angeleno]

Phil Gramm -- Father of the SubPrime lending fiasco.

As a strong proponent of anti-regulatory measures over banking and lending institutions, "Foreclosure Phil" singlehandedly created the economic mess we're in now. As chairman of the Senate banking committee in the 1990's, he routinely turned down the Securities and Exchange Commission's requests for more money to police Wall Street.

In 1999, Gramm pushed through a historic banking deregulation bill that decimated Depression-era firewalls between commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, and securities firms—setting off a wave of merger mania.

Gramm, or rather his wife Wendy Gramm -- the chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), also had a huge hand in Enron's shady financial dealings and shielded them from regulatory oversight -- resulting in not only letting them run amok and wreck the California electricity market, but eventually wind up costing taxpayers billions before Enron's collapse.

But it turned out to be a Happy ending for the Gramm household. Wendy later joined the Houston-based company's board, and in the following years her Enron salary and stock income brought between $915,000 and $1.8 million into the Gramm household.

And the kicker?

Gramm is not only now McCain's policy advisor on housing matters (although recently had to "resign" after calling Americans who lost their homes "whiners") but it is rumored that if McCain wins the presidency, he may appoint Gramm as Treasurer Secretary.

If not, at least Gramm still has his job as a Swiss bank lobbyist.

[Jake Davis]

The previously pariah like Ron Paul getting press coverage, not just from one but from multiple sources. How could this be?

Paul's recent counter convention in St. Paul was totally ignored by the mainstream media. All of a sudden he seems to the darling of this very same media.

I smell skunk here with the smell emanating right out the McCain campaign and their well known contacts in the media.

[inkblot]

The two-party system is a good thing. Imagine if the winner of an election won 40-35-25. That would mean that while 40 percent wanted the person elected, 60 percent did not.

[detroit joe]

funny thing is... america is a nation of whiners... i calls em like i seeeeeez em...

[bothPartiesSuck]

For those of you that think Mr. Paul's rejection of a McCain endorsement is an implicit endorsement of Barak Obama.... you should get news from more than these left-wing sources. Here is what CNN wrote....

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Rep. Ron Paul of Texas called on voters to back a third-party candidate for president Wednesday, rejecting his party's nominee and offering equally harsh words for the Democratic candidate.

@Harry Bauls .... he's not rejecting McCain, he's rejecting BOTH POLICAL PARTIES.

... and I don't blame him. Although McCain's speach did win me over last week. He is the ONLY candidate who has a record of taking on his own party. Barak just can not make that argument, he's never nibbled on the hand that feeds him, quite the opposite.

[dave]

the comments announcing and advocating a shift of support to a 'lesser evil' clearly are not authored by anyone who ever understood RON PAUL's consistently constitutional message. it is such support of a perceived 'lesser evil' of the same corrupt and evil establishment that 'kills' the constitution, civil rights and liberties; it does not express and represent the true proportions but distorts them, suppresses, hides and harms the message. the betrayal of conscience includes the offer to surrender to deceit and lies. freedom not voiced is moot, and never heard of. liberty not claimed is lost, and cannot be found. it seems that the best solution at this time would be for all sincere third party movements, including libertarians, to get together and support ONE candidate most worthy and best qualified - that is, RON PAUL.

[cafenitro]

I don't think America is a nation of whiners as much as we're a nation of idiots who vote for people like Bush, McCain and Palin. Rightwingers who consistantly drive this country right into the gutter. Good job, America! Osama 2 USA 0

[ano]

Ron Paul is the best!!! The democratic and republican parties do not serve the interests and welfare of the American people.

[Ron Jr.]

The republicans and democrats cow tow to the same corporate masters. They don't give a rats ass about the american people, the constitution and have stacked the deck in the electorate for decades. It is truly time for americans to vote for third party candidates and when they do, it will be evident that independents are in the majority in this country.
The fake contests perpetrated by the media and others only serves to dumb down the people. Come on "lipstick on a pig" all day today on the msm. Of course if they fill up the news day with dumb shit, there will be no time to introduce the real issues such as abolishing the fed and holding those traitors accountable to the people, trying, in a constitutional court, those so called representatives in congress and the senate and the judiciary for their treasonous collusions with special interests and pacs. Fixing our system to have ONLY a two party system making it nearly impossible for anyone to challenge them. I've had it with the stupidness of these traitors and I hope everyone joins me in calling for the refreshment of the liberty tree.

[Mtobias]

BARR/RON PAUL the real GOP

[Viva el vino]

Whiners and winers for Obama are flocking to Nader as
Obama is viewed as veering to the extreme-right with his
lipstick offensive.Nader wont win ,of course but will do
another Gore on the Chicago Arrogant elitist.

[A. Halsey]

Ron Paul, the great truth-teller of this political campaign, tells the truth once again. Only a third party will bring real CHANGE to America. The two wings on the same bird of prey (Republicans & Democrats) change things just a little so everyting can stay the same.

[nucdog]

I can't in good conscience vote for McCain or Obama. McCain is more of the same Bushwacking and the Party of Big Business using the religious right to get voted in so they can have their way with the Congres and tax payers pockets. And Obama and the Dems have made too many stupid decisions (i.e. Michigan and Florida, and not choosing Hillary to clench the election). I am old and tired of the freaking good old boy network that thinks its fine to ignore 18 million voters. Thinking we "little women" will get over it and fall in line. Both parties have pissed me off. I am going to write in Ron Paul in November its the only sensible thing to do.

WRITE IN RON PAUL IN NOVEMBER, SEND A MESSAGE, NEXT TIME THEY WONT BE LAUGHING WILL THEY?

[Matt]

Dr. Paul's comments on the hypocrisy of the two party system are dead on! Both of the major parties are owned and operated by globalists who care nothing about the people of this country.

To those democrats who are still supporting the party : Didn't November 2006 prove anything to you? Are you blind to the fact that Obama is only going to pull troops out of Iraq, only to send them to Afghanistan and Pakistan. How about Obama's "YES" vote on the FISA bill? Is this change?

And to those who are prime to blame Ron Paul and those who DO vote third party this year for giving the election to either McCain or Obama, citing the 2000 election debacle : Do some research and stop believing that Bush won because people voted for Ralph Nader. Mass election fraud and the disenfranchisement of thousands of black voters took place in Florida. It had little to do with Nader or "hanging chads".

If we want to see any real change, we must break the fake left vs right paradigm and expose the globalist who do for the multi-national corporations, and do nothing for the people they are supposed to represent.

[jw]

I've been following RP's campaign before he ran for president and virtually nobody knew him. The media, INCLUDING THE LA TIMES, routinely ignored, ridiculed, and marginalized his campaign. Now he's broken donation records, wrote a #1 best seller, and educated millions of people of the federal reserve bank. All from grass roots. Now he's given direct orders to confront the establishment with a 3rd party. This is the only viable option, unfortunately...I think this shows how much confidence RP has for his supporters. Ron Paul has NEVER wavered his service to the country. He has NEVER abandoned his principles. The least we can do is respect his service by proving to him that the American people can achieve anything they set their minds to. How bad you really want change America?

[dave]

no, RON PAUL has not given orders. as always, he expressed his views and gave his advice.
what people choose to do is up to them, each one of them.
freedom, unlike obedience, can never be coerced.

[Justin Offermann]

Even if in some crazy bizarro world Paul endorsed McCain, it wouldn't mean his supporters would go and vote for McCain. The same holds true for any candidate he might or might not endorse. Barr especially has been pushing hard for Paul's endorsement, and he's grown increasingly bitter now that it's evident he won't get it. What he doesn't understand is that Paul neither will nor can tell his supporters what to do. You'd think someone running on the Libertarian ticket would understand that.

[johnny]

no tony, us Ron Paul supporters aren't going to vote for more establishment cronies like Obama, and especially not McCain.

This is why we will stick to our independents and third parties. We still have our principles.

[ElectoralCollegiate]

"Actually, every time I vote for a third party candidate, my vote goes to exactly the one I voted for. My vote for Bob Barr in November won't be given to McCain or Obama, because neither one has earned it, and I don't want either one to be president, and I don't want to add my vote to the number of votes supporting either of them."

Electoral College (United States):

"Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, U.S. citizens cast votes for electors. Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President..."

"Candidates can fail to get the most votes in the nationwide popular vote in a Presidential election and still win that election. This occurred in 1876, 1888 and 2000."

[Anisha Dunne]

Can't help but notice the L A Times made a conscious choice to LEAVE OUT SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE 4 LIBERTARIAN ISSUES THAT ALL THREE INDEPENDENT LEADERS AGREED UPON!

What lame coverage on the videos too!

Instead, as usual with NWO media agenda, you chose to focus on your 'agent provocateur', Barr as a distraction.

L.A. Times, as a citizen, I hereby hold you responsible for abdicating your journalistic responsibility in deliberately withholding the DETAILS of this agreement thereby keeping the crucial essence of this agreement from the American public!

I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE DETAILS WERE SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE PURPOSELY LEFT OUT!

You, your editor, and owner are nothing but sychophantic pawns for your banker masters!

I live for the day when all of you traitors to our Republic and its Constitution are dealt with swiftly and severely for your deeds!

May God have mercy on all of you working wittingly or unwittingly, for the ‘dark side’.

[Anisha Dunne]

Can't help but notice the L A Times made a conscious choice to LEAVE OUT SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE 4 LIBERTARIAN ISSUES THAT ALL THREE INDEPENDENT LEADERS AGREED UPON!

What lame coverage on the videos too!

Instead, as usual with NWO media agenda, you chose to focus on your 'agent provocateur', Barr as a distraction.

L.A. Times, as a citizen, I hereby hold you responsible for abdicating your journalistic responsibility in deliberately withholding the DETAILS of this agreement thereby keeping the crucial essence of this agreement from the American public!

I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE DETAILS WERE SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE PURPOSELY LEFT OUT!

You, your editor, and owner are nothing but sychophantic pawns for your banker masters!

I live for the day when all of you traitors to our Republic and its Constitution are dealt with swiftly and severely for your deeds!

May God have mercy on all of you working wittingly or unwittingly, for the ‘dark side’.

[belle]

Ron Paul to GOP: Take this offer and shove it!

A man of consistent principle is rare in politics. Ron Paul has not sold his soul or drank the Kool-Aid.

I will vote for Chuck Baldwin and I won't be wearing noseplugs when I do.

Thank you Ron Paul for your inspiration and courage.

[Crickett Baker]

I was also very disappointed with this writer missing the entire newsworthy point of the whole conference. These people ALL agreed on 4 HUGE issues facing the American Public. As different as the rest of their agendas are, they united on 4 tremendous things that you failed to mention. Lousy, lousy article.

[Jackie]

This is the best article I have seen on "other party" voting yet.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/hamilton4.html

It sure helped me make my decision. I have to vote FOR someone, and I couldn't figure out how to do that this year.

Now I know.

Thank you Ms. Hamilton!

[Jesse]

Ron Paul and Obama had similar appeal. They both got young people energized about civil rights and anti-Iraq War.

McCain would do a lot more harm in almost every issue than Obama.

Some fanatical Paul supporters hated the war from the start and voted Kerry despite being Republicans in 2004.

Paul does not want to endorse Obama because he doesn't want to support the two parties. But he too is excited about Obama. He hopes the young people he motivated will help Obama stand stronger for civil liberties.