[quote]tedro wrote:
[quote]ZEB wrote:
Oh John you do keep trying don’t you? In many ways you’re like your hero Ron Paul. Okay back to reality, as I’ve said countless times Ron Paul will win any poll where one person can call in multiple times, such as the FOX News poll. And he’ll also win where people can be bused in from other locations. And why? Because many of Paul’s followers are like John S. They’re over the top and will do just about anything to make Paul look good, (unfortunately Paul cannot make Paul look good). They’re young males who can drop what they’re doing and take a 3 or 4 hour bus ride to vote. Or, call into FOX News multiple times under different names. That poll means nothing and Paul remains a fringe candidate.
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Or maybe it’s the fact that the only people paying attention to these debates right now are the ones that take a great deal of interest in American politics and these people tend to be much more knowledgeable on politics that America in general. When it comes down to nothing more than the platform the candidate is running on, Ron Paul absolutely takes the cake. He made Santorum and Bachman look like absolute fools when it came to discussing health care and the 10th ammendment. (In Romney’s defense, he actually made his point very well and I also believe he was 100% right in his assessment of the constitutionality of health care at the state level, I simply disagree with his methods, but that is the state’s prerogative!)
The problem will surface here in 6-9 months or so when more of the general public start to take an interest and fall right in line with the mainstream media that wants to label him a kook. It’s really straight out of the democratic playbook. If you can’t debate the facts, just disparage and vilify your opponent until the facts no longer matter. We saw some of this last night out of Pawlenty and Santorum, and it did not work for them, but as the media starts to back some of this the tide will surely turn and we’ll have another predictable outcome with some combination of Pawlenty, Romney, Bachman, and Perry being our choices. Blech.
On a side note, Newt Gingrich may be the best thing going for Paul right now. The more he can attack the media and continue his straight talk sort of campaigning, the better Paul looks as people direct their attention to the platform.[/quote]
I’ll address your points one by one:
1- I agree that only those who are very interested in Politics are tuned in right now. As I’ve said on prior occasions history shows us that most do not get interested until after labor day, about two months before the Presidential election. So we are about one year ahead of the crowd. And on top of that most who are discussing this right now, like you and I, know far more right now than the average voter on the day he votes. A campaign is won on who the candidate is, how he projects himself and the topics that he’s able to promote during said campaign. And it all happens in just about 90 days prior to the election!
2- The Paul supporters are very passionate and that’s why, as I’ve already stated, they’ll take a bus to Iowa or just about anywhere else to cast a vote for Paul. They’ll also call in and vote 100 times for Paul. Paul always wins when there are no rules, or very few, for voting. And he always loses when it is an actual primary. Try as they may Paul supporters will NEVER launch their candidate into the top three. And will in fact be lucky to keep him out of last, or next to last place. His supporters are zealous in their efforts. I can’t imagine how badly Obama would be defeated if this type of zealotry would be directed at someone who could actually win.
3-The reason it always comes down to two or three real players is that these are the people who can actually win. I know you like Paul but it is not the media who is painting him as an old crank. HE is doing that job quite well. You like what he has to say so you over look the fact that he comes across in this manner. But those who tune in for the first time wonder why someone’s crazy old grandfather is running for President. Think of it as a movie and you are casting the characters. Would you cast Paul as President? No, of course not. And if you did your movie company wouldn’t last long. People are used to seeing certain types in certain rolls. Obama looks Presidential, I don’t like his policies but he looks the part. Romney and Perry Look Presidential regardless of what you think of them. The media doesn’t have to do anything to make Paul look bad----he just Looks Bad! He is not what people expect to see and he will be rejected out of hand on that note.