Ron Paul handily won GOP debate according to applause

Ron Paul may be a long-shot candidate to some, but the conservative congressman from Texas received more than twice as many rounds of applause as his opponents at Monday night's GOP debate.

According to our friends at the Baltimore Sun, Paul was applauded 11 times while Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty were applauded five times each. Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain were applauded four times each. Rick Santorum brought up the rear by only being applauded three times during the two-hour CNN debate.

Paul received one of the best reactions of any of the candidates after Romney said that if he were president, he would withdraw troops from Afghanistan only if his generals agreed that it was the right move.

"I wouldn’t wait for my generals," Paul responded.

"I’m the commander in chief. I make the decisions. I tell the generals what to do," Paul, 75, said. "I’d bring them home as quickly as possible. And I would get them out of Iraq as well. And I wouldn’t start a war in Libya. I’d quit bombing Yemen. And I’d quit bombing Pakistan. I’d start taking care of people here at home because we could save hundreds of billions of dollars."

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-- Tony Pierce
twitter.com/busblog

Photo: Republican presidential hopeful former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, listens as Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) makes a point in New Hampshire at the first major debate of the 2012 presidential campaign. Credit: Reuters / Shannon Stapleton

Comments

[George Washington]

Constitutionally, legislatively, and morally, Ron Paul has no equal. His 22 year voting record speaks for itself.
Mr. Paul has not survived in politics for 22 years and maintain the ethics and morality he has by being anything other than stellar.
If You refute the above comment, then I please invite You to listen to him speak about key issues. It is amazing how well he comes across because he doesn’t have to remember lies like other politicians. He understands what is happening in the world and knows how to apply the basic principles of liberty to achieve the real change that America so desperately deserves.
American to American we are all on the same team. So I present Mr. Ron Paul as my Candidate for 2011 and invite anybody to meaningfully and respectfully debate why he is not the best for American and its people in 2012.
Ron Paul = A real change, not for special interest, but for America’s Interests!
Thank You for Your time
Ron Paul 2012

[Cal Elson]

Once again Ron Paul is the only candidate demonstrating common sense and true leadership.

[Louis Nardozi]

Maybe all your friends aren't telling you, but they're all thinking maybe it IS time for Ron Paul now. I'll tell you something else - the mainstream may be more willing to have him win. By their calculations, some unpleasant things have to be done, so why not let him do them?
On the other hand, we believe once you get used to that extra $8000 a year or so you pay in federal taxes, you'll find you can get along just FINE without Uncle Sam holding your hand. True, you might have to pay a grand or so for the parts of government YOU use - but you won't be supporting huge corporations or people who are too busy to work, either.

[Andrew Fujimura]

Ron Paul is really making some sense, we need to bring the troops home. All the others were predictable, pandering, and brought nothing new. Ron Paul really seems to want to lead us in a new direction, I like where he is going.

[John]

It looks like Dr No has a great chance this year. Looks like the attack word will be "isolationism", to be countered with non-intervention.

[albert]

Of course he won, everyone in the stage is trying to sounds a lot more like him. where you think this new found respect for the constitution comes from? an this nonintervention foreign policy from republicans? when on 2008 Ron was the only one. God thank we diden't get Romney or any other Neo-con we would have been in Iran already completely flat broke. Obama has to go also he was just full of broken promises. Ron 2012!!

[Klevin Hager]

Great article, I think I found a media source I can actually trust !

Ron Paul also won in all the polls last night, but the TV networks refuse to show that.

[Bluegillmaster]

God bless Dr. Ron Paul.

He was right in 2008 - He is right in 2010 - And will be right in 2012!

[jim g]

Dr. Paul just owned that whole debate. It was painful listning to those six status quo big government republicans. No one else even mentioned the federal reserve's effect on the economy, proving only Ron is capable of truly changing this countrys direction.

[YESHEDID]

Ron paul is the most popular guy in america right now no matter how the press spins it. dont get it twisted he will win the opportunity to debate obama, and blow him out of the water. HE's one of US not one of them. HIS AGENDA is the welfare of the avg us citizen not the avg billionaire! his common sense approach is what we need, END THE federal reserve ponzie scheme and restore our nation and free us from the bonds of slavery our money is wortless and our morals are corrupted by the media and all who take orders from the elite, including the president. ron paul howeven cannot be bought. deuces

[matt]

That was the best moment in the whole debate.

[Bill Chamberlain]

Thank your L.A. Times for taking noticed AND having the stones to point it out. Most media outlets seem to just pass him over and shrug him off.

[AustrianSchool]

Thank you Dr. Paul!

[greg]

paul wins every debate, too bad most of his answers go over the heads of most americans he is the only one with answers to our problems on that stage

[Edgar]

Dr. Paul for 2012!!! He will save us...

[Tanner]

Roll Paul Roll

[john]

I believe Rep. Ron Paul will be bringing the nomination home!

[Michael Webb]

thank you for covering this story. Ron Paul is the only contender is this 2012 presidential election. the funny thing is while all the other candidates were trying to be politically correct Ron Paul was going against the status quo and standing byhimself on that stage. I am 23 from Springfield, MO and he got my vote and all my friends.. keep on covering him and it'll pay off

[Tai Mai Shu]

Holy cow, Andrew Malcom, you are the first to write a non bias story about the debate. I'm happy because most of the other journalist write lies, like Michele Backmann is the most searched candidate. I checked Google Trends and Ron Paul leads all searches among the candidates. Thanks for writing this Andrew.

[Tara]

Go Ron!

[George Washington]

Constitutionally, legislatively, and morally, Ron Paul has no equal. His 22 year voting record speaks for itself.
Mr. Paul has not survived in politics for 22 years and maintain the ethics and morality he has by being anything other than stellar.
If You refute the above comment, then I please invite You to listen to him speak about key issues. It is amazing how well he comes across because he doesn’t have to remember lies like other politicians. He understands what is happening in the world and knows how to apply the basic principles of liberty to achieve the real change that America so desperately deserves.
American to American we are all on the same team. So I present Mr. Ron Paul as my Candidate for 2011 and invite anybody to meaningfully and respectfully debate why he is not the best for American and its people in 2012.
Ron Paul = A real change, not for special interest, but for America’s Interests!
Thank You for Your time
Ron Paul 2012

[David Vincent]

Not one person recognized Obama as our President at the debate last night. I did not vote for him, but he is my/our Commander in Chief and damn well should be treated as such. Come on American, Wake Up.....There is only one way out of this mess, and tahts to bring it all home. It's time we became a country agains; instead of a bunch of greedy, spoiled little rats. Step up and vote and if you have the chance, vote for Ron Paul.....see many country's don't ahve that chance; hoewever I do remember the Bush-Gore Elections, oh my.............

[Mitch]

Paul was the only man that shined last night, as suspected. I have a great feeling about 2012. I have a strong inclination that he will unite the independents, the pissed off republicans, some anarchists, as well as the principled anti-war progressives. There's no other choice for these groups if they truly stand on principle. If they're not principled, Obama will do.

[Brandon]

Ron Paul 2012. He was specific and acted like a President should, not a spokesperson.

[Paul]

The MSM is fixed and not reporting unbiased or the truth. Every poll I looked at today that was not FOX fixed news showed Ron Paul the winner!

[Romney is a RINO]

Romney was cheered for choosing "Spicy" and saying the Bruins were winning their hockey game, so that shows how lame his count cheer count was.

The entire audience consistently cheered for Paul, for the content of the answers he gave, so it was strange to hear the experts and insiders claim Romney and Bachmann won that debate.

That said, where are the Romney, Cain, Pawlenty, Gingrich, Pawlenty, and Bachmann supporters? If they -- as a combined group -- outnumber Ron Paul's supporters by such gigantic margin -- as the unbiased polls imply, why don't they exist anywhere to be seen?

Don't any of them have access to the Internet? Do they have computers? Nothing is stopping them from posting or participating in public forums and public polls, but their combined greater *percentage* is absolutely nowhere to be seen. How is that even possible?

We can find a couple strays here and there, some behind locked forums, forums that require logins, locked safely inside forums that ban Ron Paul supporters from entering, and we can find 50 or so that claim to be political insiders (insiders that seem to set the whole agenda for the mass media), but -- other than that -- where is the general population of Romney, Cain, Pawlenty, Gingrich, and Bachmann supporters? If it is such a huge group, they should be very visible and all over the place.

[Jilly4Liberty]

Wow. Someone who saw the same debate I saw. I thought maybe I hallucinated the whole thing the way some of the major media outlets have been handling this. By the way people, there is a MASSIVE voter registration bomb in the works. independents, libertarians, and a LARGE number of antiwar democrats are switching sides to influence the primary. The GOP won't know what hit them, no matter how many shenanigans they pull
RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!!!!!!

[JP]

Ron Paul 2012~

Restore America Now!

[John]

I'm not surprised that he won the debate, as far as such things can be. He is the front runner after all. Biased polls and media spin aside, he is in a solid position in this race.

[Ben]

Ron is the man. He is right of course to not follow the generals' leads. After all the generals need strife around the world to stay relevant and gainfully employed. This is true for all of us regardless of what we do. We all need to justify our existences and our funding sources.

[mike]

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." -Thomas Jefferson

Folks please buy his book. Issues are to deep to learn from sound bites. Best Couple Bucks U Will Ever Spend. TY

Truth, Liberty, Freedom for all!

Go Ron Paul!

[Newsspeak says vote for...]

Yes but newsspeak says that Romney is the clear front runner and it is futile to vote for Ron Paul! Ron Paul was the only candidate that actually answered questions. Romney absolutely dodged every question.

[Mike Shaner]

Wow! finally an article by the mainstream media that gets it right! This article agrees in fact it says Ron Paul dominated the debate and that "every other candidate at some point" said "As Ron Paul said," Also there is a poll

http://tinyurl.com/3janrxc

[James P]

I know he's a looooong shot, but man, I just love the guy. Dr. Paul, (or Dr. No, as many people like to call him, b/c he votes no on all the unconstitutional junk that comes before Congress) is so refreshing. He doesn't read cue cards or speak in sound bites. He speaks from his real understanding of the problems this country faces, and his real understanding of how to solve them.

I hope I get the opportunity to vote for him.

[Allan McPherson]

I knew Ron Paul would wipe the floor with those clowns , he`s the best!

[Jake]

Ron Paul is the only candidate that has made me interested in politics!

[Tony]

I don't know much about him, but the man speaks the truth. He just won my support.

[Rosco1776]

Let's hope he wins in 2012 so he can turn the country around! We would have saved trillions if he had been elected in 2008. Vote for the good Dr. in the primaries so we can restore liberty!
Ron Paul 2012!!

[Neel Basra]

Ron Paul 2012!

[Chris]

Ron Paul lead the way!

[elray]

Get over Ron Paul. He will be way too easy to paint as a Libertarian nut-job. And he's old. America does not elect old men anymore. It's a youth-driven culture. You are wasting your time with this guy

[elray]

I seem to remember Dennis Kucinich getting the most applause at a few debates. It means nothing.

[elray]

Ron Paul will get a VP nod at best. He's the only person in the race with a modicum of a personality so Republicans (who are not used to personality) are eating him up. At the end of the day he's too easy to paint as a Libertarian nut-job. I hope he sails through and gets the nod, but that won't happen. It would be the best thing for Obama if he did. He's a kook (smart and charming... but a kook) AND he's an old man. America does not elect old men anymore. It's a youth-driven culture. You are wasting your time with this guy.

[study the constitution before you try to discuss political issues]

LA Times, I have crapped on some of your political "writers" in the past, but you have redeemed yourself a bit here by somewhat acknowledging the truth. You should have gone further to report that Paul was the only candidate that actually answered questions with something of substance while the others were simply gunning for sound bites (as usual).

[steve]

ron paul dominated the debate and a lot can happen between now and the election. when is his next money bomb??? i'm in!

[Garry Garrett]

Ron Paul is the change we WISH we would have gotten out of Obama. Ron Paul gets my vote, come 2012, even if I have to write it in. I've had enough.

[kari]

i'm registering republican and voting ron paul in the primaries. i love you, dr. paul!

[Sonia W.]

Ron Paul 2012

[Matt]

Viva La R3volution

[q]

GREAT JOB LAT, GETTING CLOSING TO RESPECTABLE, OBJECTIVE JOURNALISM

Ron Paul supporters, please don't let the main stream media dictate yet another election and pull another snow job on the American people! Get the word out! Register to vote!!! Vote in the primary!!!!! Respond to articles like this, make a fuss, and let the powers that be know that chicanery will not be tolerated this time around!!!!

EVERY voice makes a difference.