With reality dawning at last that Ron Paul is not going to get the Republican nomination despite the enthusiasm and hard work of his supporters, those supporters now face the difficult choice of what to do with their votes once November rolls around. A lot of them are young and have never been heavily involved in politics and now they're all wound up with no place to go.
McCain seems too moderate and too 'establishment' for them, even though he's the choice of the party to which Ron Paul attracted them. Many consider themselves libertarians, but the Libertarian Party did them a dirty trick and leapt towards the mainstream by nominating former Republican warmonger Bob Barr. And even Paul's most anti-war supporters realize that on almost every other issue Barack Obama is a raving socialist with whom they have nothing else in common.
It's quite a dilemma and it's now being made worse by indications that the most likely candidates, who by all logic ought to be courting Paul's followers who produced just under a million votes in the primary, actually don't want them very much. Or to be more specific, the McCain and Barr campaigns seem to have decided that the extremists in the Paul camp have tainted the movement to the point where they'd rather not be seen courting or even associating with them.
Ron Paul has noticed the hostility of mainstream Republicans to his followers. In a comment to The Washington Times he said, "I don't think they want them. We don't agree with them. We agree with the Old Right, and they're the New Right, which is 'The Wrong,' [because] the New Right has morphed into neoconservative."
In a recent blog entry on the neocon rag The Weekly Standard McCain's Deputy Communications Director Michael Goldfarb writes, "let me just say to Ron Paul supporters everywhere, and on behalf of the New Right (by which I assume Paul means the Jew Right), get lost." Goldfarb may not be speaking officially for the McCain campaign, but he is certainly speaking for a lot of Republicans who are offended by some of the extremist rhetoric and unpleasant beliefs and associations of many Ron Paul supporters, especially those who are openly anti-semitic.
Officially the McCain campaign has been more reasonable, with senior campaign adviser Charles Black pointing out that since Paul has not yet withdrawn from the race the McCain campaign hasn't felt it was appropriate to approach his supporters. That at least holds out hope that they might be welcomed at some later date.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Matthew T. Sussman
What do you mean? Ron Paul won the nomination!
(Dave, you have a Ron Paul problem. Admitting it is the first step.)
2 - Judy P
Too, funny. The general election has pretty much started and poor little Dave can't do anything but attack other Republicans ad nasiam.
Writings on the wall buddy, and you're helping to put it there!
THANKS!!!!
GOOOOOOOBAMA!!!!!!!!
3 - sickntired
Dave,
The day you start ingesting the ink in your pen instead of putting it to paper the better off all of us will be. Please take up another profession, this one does not suit you. If you want to be writer perhaps fiction is your calling.
-sickntired
4 - Huckans
For some time now, this writer Dave Nalle has been openly hostile to Paul and many of his supporters through his carefully crafted blogs. I have very reasonably attempted to show him the error in some of his thinking (such as his demonstrably false assertion that claims about MSM persecuting Paul are "sketchy.") His usual tactic when presented with incontrovertible evidence is to cloud the issue are introduce diversions (for instance changing the example assertion to one harder to prove like Paul was treated no worse than Kucinich). I am through with this weasel Nalle and urge other Paul/Liberty enthusiasts to do the same.
5 - Clavos
"I am through with this weasel Nalle and urge other Paul/Liberty enthusiasts to do the same."
UTINAM!!!
6 - CD
Do not engage in groupism. I am not a Bircher, Truther, extremist. I back Ron Paul because he upholds and defends the Constitution. Is that really crazy?
As a staunch Republican, you are mistaken in thinking that I will hold my nose and vote for McCain. Beside all the obvious reasons I will not vote for him, a major reason is he called his wife a c*nt. That prick deserves to lose.
7 - Kyle
This is seriously my favorite blog ever.
8 - Steve Dasbach
Uh, Bob Barr is opposed to the war in Iraq, and has called for bringing the troops home ASAP. He also has called for bringing the troops home from Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Ron Paul voters will find that Barr's platform aligns nicely with Paul's.
9 - Dave Nalle
Steve, my initial thought on Barr is that the more ereasonable Ron Paul voters, including sadly many Republicans will find him more appealing than Paul or McCain. I think that's unfortunate, because it will only work to Obama's advantage, and I'm still convinced that no matter how flawed McCain is an Obama presidency will be absolutely disastrous for the nation and our liberties.
Dave
10 - Darel
Just my point.... I have been a member of the GOP for over 20 plus years. I have spoke at several GOP meetings over the years as well.
The mainstream party which returns to the law of the land will only improve our nation and will be the future party to be a part of. At the moment nearly 75% of the GOP members have not studied the issues and nor have they asked the correct questions.
For nearly 10 years I worked in banking and I will never forget hearing Paul oppose the Fed a few years ago and our bank president turned CSPAN off. He went on to say that Paul was insane and the Fed was owned by the gov and wasn't owned by private sources.... So, I studied the topic and found the truth.... I then took the info to my department head and he could not beleive it at all.
So a simple quesiton begs to be answered. If the Fed Gov will imply lies, etc about our money supply then what else will we find?
Later, I began to follow Paul and I'm so proud to support the only true conservative running for office.... Barr's record does not impress me but I also like Chuck Baldwin. Two worthy men who would really promote change.
In closing I would never vote for McCain and I'm commited to running as a Ron Paul Republican for congress in 2010. At the moment I have taken time away from my own company to speak at high schools,jails, city hall and a number of local churchs not to inform of my plans but to teach the value of our founders wishes.
Having followed Paul's run for office I predict that in 2010 we will see no less then 150 who will run for congress and the Senate. If so then maybe we can overrun Obama's plan of world gov just as McCain is supporting.
11 - Ruvy
I see you are enjoying the attention your blog is getting, Dave. Because now people are looking at it, picking it apart because of your Ron Paul positions.
Looks to me like you're milking his candidacy to death.
In a lot of respects, Paul told the truth, unpleasant as it is. In some respects, his truth is a tad skewed the wrong way. We Jews are not the blame for the world's problems, as Paul probably believes when not trying to convince Jews to vote for him. The problem with Paul is that he lost. He's over, and, as we see in Darel's comment, folks are getting ready for the next round.
Say what you want about Obama, though, he is no raving socialist. In the five decades that I lived in America, I never saw a raving socialist run for office in any major political party. There was the Young Socialist Alliance, but you really have to stretch to call them a major political party.
I'm saying this as a syndicalist socialist who would have gladly voted for any real socialist running on the ballot. In fact, I did toss my vote their way a couple of times to small parties that were not anti-Israel.
But there is no left wing on the American political chicken. The most "liberal" Democrats are near the smelly arm pit of the right wing of the chicken - or perhaps nearer its cloaca.
12 - Dave Nalle
I see you are enjoying the attention your blog is getting, Dave. Because now people are looking at it, picking it apart because of your Ron Paul positions.
Well, it's always possible that they'll read some of my other articles and learn something about actual libertarian beliefs and mature away from the dubious version Paul and his followers are peddling.
As for how far left the American left really is, I think you're misjudging or getting sucked in. Some of them are very far to the left, they just know that they'll be unelectable if they go public with what they really believe, so it's all about incrementalism, sneaking in a little bit at a time.
Dave
13 - Chilli
You misjudge us. We are far more principled than you think. By far the bulk of us will be staying home from the polls. A vote for the lessor of evils, is still a vote for evil.
14 - badmedia
The White House sounds like a pretty good home to me.
15 - Joe Lawson
LOL. The Ron Paul supporters voting for Obama that's the funniest bunch of propaganda I've heard yet. We will be voting for Bob Barr and some will choose Chuck Baldwin. Truthers are very small segment as - most are paleo conservatives and libertarian Republicans.
16 - Ruvy
Socialists, raving and otherwise, are all about social justice. Heck, even the Commies in Russia, before they got power, talked about bread, land and freedom.
What passes for left wing politics in America is a bunch of fools with a totalitarian streak in them, shouting down anyone who dares disagree with their version of social justice - you screw people over and say all the right things. What they share with the Soviets is that eastern European mentality that says you are free to agree with them - and if you don't, you are a traitor.
That mentality is found all across the political spectrum here (Israel, for those of you who do not know me) because this country modeled its politics on Poland. The Knesset is a lot like the Sejm was between the wars, and any Polish politician would feel at home here, once he got past the fact there are no Black Virgins to venerate.
You've run into these types plenty of times in your life, Dave, and I'm sure you like them as much as I do.
17 - tim ,minnesota
We are 30-year republicans who this year said enough of taking what the elitist GOP at national is providing us lifetime republicans to vote for. McCain is not getting our vote. Who knows where we are voting in November bit we do know McCain is not a choice.
We know 30 plus Ron Paul republicans and one is a quote "911 truther". Did MSM poll all Ron Paul republicans to determine so many 911 truther are Ron Paul republicans?
I had no idea libertarians existed until the MSM told me last fall. I read, researched, and listened to Ron Paul to conclude he is the best presidential candidate. Our choice of Ron Paul had nothing to do with 911 truther not did 29 of the 30 other republican Ron Paul supports we know.
18 - Zak Carter
A Declaration of Withdrawal from the Republican Party
My reasons for leaving the Party that I’ve felt at home in since I became politically aware are numerous. I will start with quoting countless conservatives who feel as I do - I didn’t so much leave the Republican Party, it was the Party that left me. The elected Republican officials failed to implement a conservative agenda, despite having the Presidency and both houses of congress. No Child Left Behind, Prescription Drug Entitlements; they even tried to force Amnesty for illegal aliens upon us. They have given us a government that would make even LBJ blush. Our businesses and land have more regulatory red tape to deal with than ever.
Where is the Republican Party that stood for limited government, personal responsibility, a strong national defense, and against being the world’s policeman? As recently as the 90’s Republicans railed against a foreign policy of “making the world safe for democracy”, (which is historically the Democrats foreign policy, ala Woodrow Wilson) when Bill Clinton was President and he took us to war in Bosnia and Kosovo, without U.N. approval I might add. Which reminds me, the United Nations is something the GOP used to believe we needed to get out of, not an institution to be defended when a rogue nation violates U.N. resolutions.
I am also reminded of former Senator Robert Taft, who was known in his day as Mr. Republican, when he said “I do not believe any policy which has behind it the threat of military force is justified as part of the basic foreign policy of the United States except to defend the liberty of our own people” and my favorite President - Thomas Jefferson, who said “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, and entangling alliances with none.”
From its inception, the Republican Party advocated a humble foreign policy in line with our founding fathers recommendations, now, with John McCain as the leader and voice of the GOP, we are told to get behind his idea for a “League of Democracies” which sounds terrifyingly similar to Wilson and his Progressive Democrats “League of Nations” almost 100 years ago.
We are also being told by McCain that we will have to Cap and Trade our liberty and our pursuit of happiness in the fight against global warming, essentially that if we don’t give government more money and power, utopia will never be reached.
Some have told me that I should support him because he will appoint conservative judges, but I ask these questions - 1. Who’s definition of conservative are we talking about? And 2. Why would I trust the man on this issue when he is one of the “Gang of 14” who was blocking President Bush’s conservative lower federal court and Circuit Courts of Appeal judicial nominees? I would also remind you of his historical propensity to appease those even more liberal than himself. His version of “reaching across the aisle” looks more like a group hug when he crafts legislation like the McCain / Kennedy and McCain / Feingold bills. McCain / Feingold happens to be the reason McCain should not get the NRA’s endorsement, the NRA spent years fighting this trampling of our 1st amendment rights. McCain has not been the solid 2nd amendment supporter he would like you to believe he is - he had a barely passing “C” grade from the NRA in his last senate run in 04’ , and in 2000 worked with Americans for Gun Safety, an anti-gun group with a deceiving name.
The differences between McCain and Obama are minimal, when you consider that both believe big government can save you from yourself, and that we can save other nations from themselves as well. Given McCain’s track record of conciliatory dealings with Democrats, I fear what this man would do with a Democratic House and Senate. I will not play along with the game of lesser of two evils, as I believe that is part of what has plunged this nation into the mess we find ourselves today.
Once upon a time the Republican Party stood against special interests, corruption and abuse of power. Today their candidates campaign is “ of the lobbyist, by the lobbyist, for the lobbyist.” A man who admits Washington’s corruption has tainted him. Google Keating 5 and read all about it.
The Republican Party today would be unrecognizable to my favorite Republicans of yesterday, such as Barry Goldwater, who said “ A government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take it all away.” President Eisenhower, who warned us of the Military Industrial Complex, and one whose party membership is a surprise to many today but shouldn’t be, Martin Luther King Jr. “ Violence is a poor chisel for carving out peaceful tomorrows.” The party is just as unrecognizable to myself and others of my generation.
I had to draw a line in the sand, and the Republican Party wasted no time in crossing it, when they and the President pushed for “economic stimulus checks.” The only problem is this, the money isn’t money that we have, its money we are borrowing, and our excessive borrowing becomes a tax on future generations, as we wont be paying it off any time soon. Want to try to sell this as economically conservative? Excessive borrowing and spending has the added affect of devaluing our currency, so it acts as a hidden tax on us today. As I heard one of the presidential candidates say in regards to these stimulus checks, “ Whose economy are we stimulating here? Ours or Chinas? We are borrowing more money from China so everyone can go buy more stuff made in China.” I get it, others in the GOP get it, so why doesn’t the party leadership?
I can’t take anymore disrespect for conservative values, and unless the Republican Party wakes up and gets it’s head on straight real soon, I will be taking my vote, my time, energy, money, and passion from the GOP and taking it to the Libertarian Party to send a message to the Republican leadership that I will not be taken for granted. I believe that it is solid conservatism that wins the day and elections - limited government, individual responsibility, and a strong national DEFENSE (secure the borders!), not conciliation and surrender to Democrats to the point that our differences become blurry.
The Libertarian Party seems to be a perfect temporary home, the GOP has its work cut out if its sincere about winning me back, even President Reagan said “Libertarianism is the very heart and soul of conservatism.” I will be doing everything I can to sway like minded conservatives to join me in this exodus and vote for Bob Barr for President and Wayne Root for Vice President on the Libertarian ticket. Both of them were recently Republicans, and are among those countless conservatives I‘ve heard myself say “ It wasn’t that I left the Republican Party, it was the Party that left me.”
Please visit bobbarr2008.com and give conservatism a voice in the Presidential debates and beyond.
Thanks and God Bless, from Zak Carter
19 - rick
The fact that you taught on a college campus was all I neede to know. Ron Paul is working night and day to repair the damage you and your ilk have caused to the young minds of America. When I figured that out, I knew not to worry about the limitations of your self perception. But feel free to leech off the Paul campaign all you like, it wouldn't be the first time an aspiring writer like yourself tried to make money being the contrarian to popular will. Capitalism at it's finest, although I hear that isn't too popular on those same campuses these days...
20 - Akston
Translation:
"Hey, all you rational Paul supporters (I'm sure there might be one or two who aren't raving lunatic racists). I know the Republican Party has been mocking you, impugning your motives, intelligence, and sanity for several months now. I know that we attack you for supporting liberty constitutional restraint, and economic responsibility. But me and the rest of the sneering close-minded loudmouths are really in a bind now. We got saddled with a liberal imperialist for our candidate (how did *that* happen?). We're just now realizing that our least-common-denominator candidate doesn't stand a chance against an even bigger statist from the Democratic Party because the Democrat is a prettier speaker. Can you help us out?"
No.
You say you've been a libertarian for several years, well so have I. The idea of voting for either the economic socialist policies of Senator Obama, or the military socialist policies of Senator McCain are unacceptable to me.
Senator Obama is most likely going to win this election because of the deservedly strong disapproval the neo-conservative movement has engendered in the population. Once again, many core Republicans seem completely unaware of blowback. I don't relish an Obama presidency, but I'll vote for Congressman Barr or not at all after Congressman Paul is removed from the table.
However, if all your years of Libertarianism call you to vote for Senator McCain, then in the spirit of liberty, I'll agree that you are just as free to sell out as anyone else. Don't expect to earn much respect for it though.
21 - Sheila
We go nowhere, but hold and take more ground! First Ron Paul Republicans are told we are anti black, and now we are told we are anti jewish. The fact is we are PRO human beings who come in all shapes and sizes, colors and religious backgrounds. Interesting your slam articles never include obtaining a comment directly from Ron Paul himself or his campaign, just bias hateful rants against an entire group of Ron Paul Republicans. You call yourself a writer? How about blending in some ethics. Might you be radical and ideologically motivated? Personal attacks are not allowed on your own blog as per your comment policy. Next time you are working up a attack piece for the McCain advisors, tell them to advise McCain to stop FAKE smiling, it looks terrible and to work on his entire presentation it looks awful. You might want them to also advise him to focus on one issue at a time, like Obama's Global Poverty Act, Senate Bill 2433. The Ron Paul Republicans are here for you guys when McCain's poll numbers hit rock bottom and his funds are gone from paying people to attend his lackluster speeches.
22 - JP
I supported Ron Paul after watching videos of his speeches and looking into his record and the issues. I was inspired not only by his honesty and integrity, but his knowledge of economics and realization of Fed and IRS oppression. I'm registered Independent, and now will be voting for Obama. Why? The Iraq occupation and the idea of pre-emptive war is my number one concern, and Obama is more likely to end that travesty. It's also a waste of money, and though Obama will waste money too, I'd much rather it be wasted in this country than in Iraq. Besides, I don't think Obama's policies will be nearly as costly as Bush's foreign adventures.
Obama is young and smart, and I am admittedly inspired by his words. He studied Constitutional law for ten years, which leads me to believe that he will respect it much more than Bush did or McCain would. I am eagerly hoping for this country to shake off the neocon fear-mongering and return our attention to the homeland--fixing infrastructure and shifting our energy paradigm away from fossil fuels, renewing our dedication to science and research, and so many other domestic concerns.
23 - Chuck
Mark Sandford..pffh...Bilderberg 2008 attendee
24 - Vincent
I will be taking a chance on Bob Barr and taking him at his word. If I'm wrong I had no other choice. I can't vote with the disgusting globalist policies of Obama or the Neoconservative warmongering ignorance of McCain. Both of them are proven liars, I'll give Barr this one chance. Once again Dave, this article is full of inaccuracies. Ron Paul received over 1 million primary votes for instance. It's funny that you would call a Constitutionalist an extremist. There are many Americans who are waking up to what's actually been happening in this country while they were watching American Idol. Some places your votes do have consequences, it sounds like you still have not realized it Dave. I suspect you write your articles to bring us here, who else would be reading your amateur rants? We are dealing with rampant inflation....a direct result of the (Non)Federal Reserve's policies of loose credit and endless finance via printing press combined with endless spending on items that blow up. Do we still make anything else in this country beside bombs? We are very good at producing war machines, lawyers, and CEO's. It seems that the rest of the world has figured us out and is working on decoupling our dollar from oil. There is no where but down to go my friend, and McCain's flip flopping will do nothing to fix our monetary system. I have done what I need to secure my finances for the dollar collapse, it sounds like you have not. You should start thinking about some of this Dave, Ron Paul supporters care deeply about this country, they are some of the most patriotic and dedicated people I have ever seen. They truly believe in this country and what it can achieve when allowed the freedom to do it. No where before on this planet has a society been so successful and compassionate. That time is fading and we cannot blame other societies for the burden that rests solely on our shoulders. You can help us Dave, or become another obstacle to restoring our glory. These Ron Paul "extremists" would be the first to reach out their hands should a disaster strike their friends or enemies. We ask nothing else but to be left alone to provide for our own. We don't want anything from the government except sound money and Constitutional government....why is that so hard for them to provide? It's hard because we are no longer their priority, the big money now rules the game, and the big money has global interests to protect. Their interests are to destroy the middle classes of all countries, why would they protect them? Think about a game of monopoly. The founders warned us of all of this, it's basic human nature. David, if you were any kind of man you would be beside us.
25 - snake
McCain The Family Man
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 6/9/08 @ 1:48 am - Filed Under 2008 National Elections
Daily Mail reminds us of the story and circumstances surrounding McCain leaving his first wife shortly after he returned from Vietnam for a woman 15 years younger and infinitely more wealthy. And oh by the way, the wife he ended up divorcing was severely injured in a car accident while he was in a POW camp:
But when McCain returned to America in 1973 to a fanfare of publicity and a handshake from Richard Nixon, he discovered his wife had been disfigured in a terrible car crash three years earlier. Her car had skidded on icy roads into a telegraph pole on Christmas Eve, 1969. Her pelvis and one arm were shattered by the impact and she suffered massive internal injuries.
[…]
When McCain " his hair turned prematurely white and his body reduced to little more than a skeleton " was released in March 1973, he told reporters he was overjoyed to see Carol again.
But friends say privately he was ‘appalled’ by the change in her appearance. At first, though, he was kind, assuring her: ‘I don’t look so good myself. It’s fine.’
[…]
Ted Sampley, who fought with US Special Forces in Vietnam and is now a leading campaigner for veterans’ rights, said: ‘I have been following John McCain’s career for nearly 20 years. I know him personally. There is something wrong with this guy and let me tell you what it is " deceit.
‘When he came home and saw that Carol was not the beauty he left behind, he started running around on her almost right away. Everybody around him knew it.
‘Eventually he met Cindy and she was young and beautiful and very wealthy. At that point McCain just dumped Carol for something he thought was better.
‘This is a guy who makes such a big deal about his character. He has no character. He is a fake. If there was any character in that first marriage, it all belonged to Carol.’
[…]
Ross Perot, who paid her medical bills all those years ago, now believes that both Carol McCain and the American people have been taken in by a man who is unusually slick and cruel " even by the standards of modern politics.
‘McCain is the classic opportunist. He’s always reaching for attention and glory,’ he said.
‘After he came home, Carol walked with a limp. So he threw her over for a poster girl with big money from Arizona. And the rest is history.’
What a guy…