Reality has hit Ron Paul hard. The Texas congressman basically admitted he’d never get the GOP nod. I mean unless a house fell on John McCain and Mike Huckabee ran away with the Lollipop Gild. Paul posted a letter on his website at 10:14 p.m. yesterday saying, now that Mitt Romney had dropped from the race he’d be scaling back his campaign.
Apparently, Paul was banking on a brokered convention to propel him to the White House:
Let me tell you my thoughts. With Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero. But that does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining, and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get. But with so many primaries and caucuses now over, we do not now need so big a national campaign staff, and so I am making it leaner and tighter. “
Never fear though, Paul won’t abandon the GOP and try for a third-party bid because he is “committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party.” Perhaps this change of heart has less to do with Paul actually having his hopes for the Republican bid for president dashed and more to do with him realizing he can losing his House seat if he doesn’t start campaigning to his constituency in Texas for the congressional primary:
I have constituents in my home district that I must serve. I cannot and will not let them down. And I have another battle I must face here as well. If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat, all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen.
Looks like Paul’s ruby red slippers are on the fritz so he is retreating to Texas (what is with all the Republican nominee rejects squatting in Texas?) to make sure he has a place on the Hill after all this hoopla. Give ‘em hell on the inside is what I always say. And what does Paul say? “The neocons, the warmongers, the socialists, the advocates of inflation will be hearing much from you and me.”
Oh, Dr. Paul. You had me at neocons. Now what to do with all of your supporters? We’ll just let them keep believing their $30 million didn’t go to waste.
Alan Keyes continues touring Texas before the March 4 primary and guess what? He thinks he can win! Ignore John McCain’s huge lead in the Republican race and the fact that Keyes is getting nearly zero media coverage.
When asked by The Beaumont Enterprise if he thinks he can pull off the biggest upset in U.S. government history, Keyes replied “of course”:
I am both the most experienced in every respect, and the best candidate. I proved that back in 2000, when I won every single Republican debate. I think it is just a matter of getting the word out, from the grassroots to the media, to overcome the effort of the elite to destroy the freedom of choice of the American people.
In that same interview Keyes called McCain “barely halfway” (did he just say McCain is in recovery from drugs?) to the Republican bid since he has betrayed so many grassroots conservatives. Keyes predicts McCain is bound to lose the general election if he is nominated. Uh…
Keyes also said “the Republican party is being hijacked” by a bunch of liberals in conservatives clothing. So what is he going to do to get his party back on track? Win big in Texas of course. The former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State believes Texas is the key to Keyes’ campaign. He told Beaumont he has “no plans beyond winning the Texas primary and moving on to the convention, where I believe that the conservatives will come together in order to nominate the kind of alternative that America needs.”
Looks like Bizzaro World Obama is on a mission to save the Republican Party and it all starts–and ends–with Texas. Anything I could say about this would sound trite. So, ellipses.
Ron Paul is not doing so well in the polls going into Super-Fantastic-Amazing Tuesday. He’s failed to register in the double digits in any of the states holding elections tomorrow despite his phenomenal, head scratching cult following.
According to USAElectionPolls.com , 18-29 year olds in many states are supporting Ron Paul in the 15-20 percent range. But Paul mania is not catching on with the older voters. He registers around 2-3 percent among them.
It’s okay, Paul. Age ain’t nothing but a number. Besides Paul has been a staunch supporter of fiscal responsibility and it is stated by independent monitoring organizations that Paul is the only conservative whose plan would really cut the budget and with the crumbling economy, “Ron Paul’s message has never been more truthful.”
He can still spread his message. At least until the convention comes, then he’s out of the race officially and will fade into obscurity once more. Ross Perot, anyone?
If Ron Paul is a the long-shot Republican presidential candidate, then resident minority for the GOP race Alan Keyes is in another universe. Now that “World Mayor” Rudy Giuliani has dropped out of the running, leaving Paul impossible to ignore, there is room for Alan Keyes to move into the vacant invisible candidate slot.
Keyes is not even mentioned on CNN’s online list of remaining Republican candidates (he was there in the beginning of January), but the “other” black man running for president is starting to make some noise to let everyone know he’s still in the swing of things. Keyes is in the midst of a a six-week grassroots tour of Texas, and he plans to camp out in Texas until its primary on March 4. According to pundits, Texas may become key to the Republican primary if Super Tuesday fails to produce a “presumptive” Republican nominee.
Keyes will also continue his “nationwide radio blitz to counter the media’s virtual blackout of his campaign.” Recently, Republicans in New York have attempted to remove Keyes from state ballots on the grounds that he has not submitted a list of delegates. Otherwise, he appears on the ballot in most states.
The former assistant Secretary of State (and trained opera singer–who knew?) is no stranger to animosity and controversy. This will be Keyes’ third long-shot run for the presidency. The last time he ran for national office was in 2004 when the Illinois Republican Party drafted Keyes to run against Barack Obama for U.S. Senate. Keyes became infamous for slamming his competitor, and he’s up to the same antics in this race.
Keyes launched a blistering attack against Mitt Romney on the issue of gay marriage saying:
“Mitt Romney is single-handedly responsible for instituting same-sex marriage in Massachusetts….Mitt Romney pushed through same-sex marriage all by himself, in the absence of any authority or requirement to do so, having a complete misunderstanding of his role as governor and of the significance of the court’s opinion.”
Clearly, Keyes has some very conservative views of homosexuality. And since he is so outspoken about the issue, in the grand scheme of Republican ironies, this means either he or someone in his family must be gay–his daughter Maya is a lesbian and rumored to have been “cut-off” by Keyes when she came out to her family in 2005.
While, Keyes failed to register more than a few thousand votes combined in New Hampshire, Iowa, and other early states, he might be in luck if Mitt Romney and Huckabee are forced from the race after Super Tuesday. And if Keyes keeps up the sound and fury maybe big media will recognize him as a candidate. He should ask Paul for some tips.
For fun here is a YouTube clip of Keyes from 2004 discussing his views on homosexuality. How poised and not-homophobic is he, eh, eh?
It appears that Ron Paul is as popular as fresh lobster in Maine. The Republican presidential candidate said Monday he is hoping for “a grand showing” in Maine’s Republican caucuses Friday through Sunday. He visited the State House in Augusta and made remarks to a crowd of nearly 200.
Paul is the invisible candidate nationally despite his success in campaign fundraising and general popularity. However, state Republican Party Executive Director Julie O’Brien says his supporters may have been the most active in Maine.
According to Natalie Schultz of the Nolan Chart said Paul has a good chance of taking 21 delegates during the state competition because his campaign fits right into the politics of the area:
“Because outside of the political elite urbanites who control the state, the majority of real Mainers are very anti-government gun-lovers. Huckabee is gaining a Christian following, but truthfully, most Mainers are old-school Christians, not Evangelicals.”
Paul winning Maine has the potential to throw the Republican presidential bid race into complete chaos. If John McCain loses to Mitt Romney in Florida on Jan. 29 there will still be no clear front-runner. With 9/11 poster boy and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani on the verge of bowing out if he does not grab Florida, which he probably won’t, there will be no one left in the Republican race whom the media can use to hide Paul behind.
Like it or not, Paul is getting harder to ignore. Time for mainstream media and the Republican Party to put their heads together and figure out another way to hide Paul in plain sight.
Paul’s luck from Nevada must have followed him into this week. The underdog GOP candidate collected $1.85 million on Monday. Most of the money came in the form of small donations (anything under $50) which means his popularity may be on the rise. This brings Paul’s 2008 fund-raising total to more than $2.6 million, most of it from the Internet, heading into the Florida primary and Super Tuesday. He and I need to take a trip to Vegas and hit the craps tables.
It should be noted that Paul beat the top two Republican contenders. A Tuesday NYC fundraiser by Sen. John McCain, gathered about $1 million, and former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s Sunday trip to Chuck Norris’s ranch, which Campaign Manager Chip Saltsman says brought in about $330,000.
And while the money keeps pouring in people are stepping up to endorse Paul. Monday the former Republican governor of New Mexico said,“I am endorsing Ron Paul for the Republican nomination for president because of his commitment to less government, greater liberty, and lasting prosperity for America….Ron Paul has my support, respect, and vote.”
And Tuesday, on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling, Norma McCorvey–a.k.a. “Jane Roe”–gave Paul her official endorsement: “I support Ron Paul for president because we share the same goal, that of overturning Roe v. Wade. He has never wavered on the issue of being pro-life and has a voting record to prove it.”
But, like the late Notorious B.I.G said, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” At the same time Paul is celebrating his boost in contributions and endorsements, he is being criticized for disparaging comments made in a newsletter bearing his name, about slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and the national holiday that honors him.
A New Republic article earlier this month outed a 1990 newsletter called the Ron Paul Political Report in which either Paul or ghost writers called King an adulterer and seducer of young children. The article also questioned honoring him with a national holiday.
“We are supposed to honor this ‘Christian minister’ and lying socialist satyr with a holiday that puts him on a par with George Washington?”
Paul refuted allegations that he wrote or believes the messages in the article. He said in a statement issued by his campaign that “several writers contributed to the project” and he has taken “moral responsibility for not paying closer attention to what went out under my name.”
Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson dropped out of the Republican presidential contest Tuesday afternoon. Duh.
The inevitable withdrawal comes after a late entrance into the crowded Republican presidential field. Some considered his September jump into the ring too late.
Still, Thompson continued his uphill struggle until a disappointing third place finish in the South Carolina primary on Saturday. Since then, it has been a matter of when, not if, Thompson would announce his withdrawal.
Thompson chose to bow out quietly. There were no media conferences or formal releases to the press. Instead, the “Law & Order” alum opted to post a statement on his website:
“Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”
Arthur Branch fans might be mourning his early exit, but Mike Huckabee probably hasn’t been this happy since he lost all that weight. Huckabee said “he expects Thompson’s withdrawal will boost his support among conservatives.” Thompson and the former governor of Arkansas both competed for the same conservative voters.
“Mr. Huckabee said Tuesday that he might have come in second in South Carolina precisely because Mr. Thompson had siphoned off much of his support, permitting Senator John McCain of Arizona to win.”
With more elbow room in the Republican presidential field Huckabee can afford to have a slice of pie before his next jog.
R.I.P. Thompson campaign: September 2007-January 2008
Do you remember the season finale of “Law & Order” last year when Nicole Bailey, the ex-wife of a prominent former senator is found brutally murdered at home? The senator cooperates with Detectives Ed Green and Nina Cassady, but of course they question his innocence after finding the widower in a compromising position with another family member’s dead body. A media frenzy insues after his indictment for both murders.
In the episode, District Attorney Arthur Branch, played by Fred Dalton Thompson, advises the prosecution in the high profile case. Wait, is that the same Fred Thompson who is the fourth place Republican candidate in the presidential race? The one and the same. Thompson served as the fictional district attorney from 2002-2007.
I have a feeling Thompson may be reevaluating his decision not to renew his contract with the long-running series. His poor showing at the South Carolina Republican primary Saturday has spurred talk that he might retire from the race soon. The former U.S. senator from Tennessee and Law & Order alumnus obtained only 16% of the vote behind John McCain and Mike Huckabee. Traditionally the winner of South Carolina goes on to win the party’s nomination, but with the GOP not yet having a clear front-runner, Thompson might be sticking around for a couple more contests. He is expected to say something definitive on Tuesday.
But Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University political science professor, said Thompson’s candidacy at this point was only to help McCain. The two were close allies while they served in the Senate. Others point to Thompsons defeated sounding speech after South Carolina as an indicator that the primary was the final curtain call for the former actor:
“My friends, we will always be bound by a close bond because we have traveled a very special road together for a very special purpose,” Thompson said.
Case closed? Pundits are saying look for Thompson to say something more definitive Tuesday.
Ron Paul placed second after former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the Nevada caucuses Saturday. Paul, the U.S. House member from Texas won 14 percent of the vote from his Republican adversaries.
“He finished ahead of John McCain, Fred Thompson and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani by gathering 6,084 votes or roughly 14% of the turnout for the Republican Primary.”
In reality the ”win” is hardly a victory. Paul is currently in fifth place with a total of six delegate pledges from the Republican party after six state caucuses. That number is laughable compared to the 72 delegates Romney leads the GOP candidates with. Yet Paul’s six delegates still puts him in a better position than former mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani. As of Saturday’s South Carolina primary, Giuliani is claiming two delegate pledges. For now.
Curiously enough, certain media outlets overlooked Paul’s success. A writer for the Political Machine blog on AOL news found this video. Pay attention to the bottom right-hand corner that shows the votes and percentages as they are counted.
