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Ron Paul's Surprise?

David Weigel | September 5, 2008, 2:05pm

His Rally for the Republic was a media mixed bag: Lots of coverage, but just as much focused on the weirdest elements there as focused on the man's message and movement. So yesterday we learn that Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin has been invited to a 9/9 press conference with Paul, and today we get this:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jesse Benton
September 5, 2008

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – On the heels of his historic three-day rally in Minneapolis that drew over 12,000 attendees, Congressman Ron Paul will make a major announcement next week in Washington at the National Press Club.

More details will be announced Monday.

What's Paul going to do? Endorse Baldwin? I don't think so. I'm reliably informed that Paul has invited the top four third-party candidates—Baldwin, Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader—for a joint appearance. The "major announcement" will be that he encourages voters to look beyond McPalin and Obiden. At this minute Baldwin is the only one on deck.

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Comments to "Ron Paul's Surprise?":

Episiarch | September 5, 2008, 2:26pm | #

Mmm...get them all in one place so that they can be destroyed in one fell swoop. Crafty.

Travis | September 5, 2008, 2:27pm | #

If RP endorses Baldwin I will lose all respect for him.

I like the idea of gathering the third party candidates together to get press coverage though.

hotsauce | September 5, 2008, 2:30pm | #

Can I short the political effect of this announcement?

fish | September 5, 2008, 2:37pm | #

Mmm...get them all in one place so that they can be destroyed in one fell swoop. Crafty.

Yes it surely stinks of the opening scene in Braveheart.

That Longshanks bastard!

Naga Sadow | September 5, 2008, 2:42pm | #

Come on fish, Epi. Nader is to crazy mean to get ambushed. I suspect that he is as hardcore as a politician can get.

"Does it look like I got cunt written on my head? Who do you think you are fucking with?"

JMR | September 5, 2008, 2:43pm | #

The Democrats have legions of problems. I'll be the first to say that. But the Democrats had the balls to let Dennis Kucinich talk to their convention. Republicans didn't, so despite all the snide comparisons to Dennis we saw because of their positions on the Iraq adventure, I can't resist taking note. This sad lack of testicles should tell any doubters whether Republicans, despite their stolen libertarian rhetoric, are a big government party.

cb | September 5, 2008, 2:43pm | #

Bob Barr's website says that we will be at the National Press Club on the 10th, the date of Ron Paul's conference.

http://www.bobbarr2008.com/events/

JMR | September 5, 2008, 2:45pm | #

(Let Paul talk.)

Warren | September 5, 2008, 3:01pm | #

McPalin and Obiden

That's cute. First time I've seen it.

jkp | September 5, 2008, 4:13pm | #

I'm sorry, but Mr. Paul needs to move on. His role in this election is over. By associating with the libertarian or vegetarian candidates this time around, he doesn't enhance their stature but rather diminishes his own by appearing to be little more than an unimportant fringe player.

taz | September 5, 2008, 4:16pm | #

I sure wish that Barr would show up, but I doubt that he will. He's probably scared of being associated with crazies (understandably so), but has he spoken with his vp recently?

As I see it, he doesn't have much to lose...

chris lawton | September 5, 2008, 5:46pm | #

He should announce he's running as an Independent! That would shake'em up!

Seitz | September 5, 2008, 5:51pm | #

But the Democrats had the balls to let Dennis Kucinich talk to their convention. Republicans didn't

I didn't know Kucinich even wanted to speak at the Republican convention.

:)

Nate | September 5, 2008, 6:53pm | #

Ron Paul will run as an independent? Sweet, now I won't have to remember how to spell his name.

Adamness | September 5, 2008, 7:12pm | #

I sure wish that Barr would show up, but I doubt that he will. He's probably scared of being associated with crazies (understandably so), but has he spoken with his vp recently?

His website shows that he'll be there. Check cb's post.

jkp | September 5, 2008, 10:37pm | #

Oh and "Rally for the Republic"?

Someone really needs to tell Paul that he ain't Charles de Gaulle. He isn't even a Raoul Salan.

Charlie's Angel | September 5, 2008, 11:15pm | #

"If RP endorses Baldwin I will lose all respect for him."

Imagine that, a Constitutionalist endorsing the only Constitutionalist left in the race. Horrors!

Apaulogist | September 6, 2008, 12:23am | #

Reason.com must be dying. A thread like this used to pull 300 comments. Googletrends shows Reason circling the drain.

Brandybuck | September 6, 2008, 1:42pm | #

If Ron Paul runs as an independent, he will lose all of my support. He has insisted over and over that he will not run as an independent. He knew back in February 2007 that he could not get the nomination, so nothing has changed. Nothing has changed since he started, nothing has changed since the New Hampshire, nothing has changed since the remainder of the primaries. To declare as an independent now destroys his reputation as the most honest man in Congress.

nader paul kucinich gravel | September 8, 2008, 8:24am | #

Fannie & Freddie has forced the issue.

nader paul kucinich gravel
mckinney ventura
perot charts
rage

Got honesty?

Thomas | September 8, 2008, 4:57pm | #

This announcement will most likely fail to meet expectations that have only been heightened by the recent hype. If RP wanted to shake it up, he could have dropped the Republican party long ago and joined the Libertarian party where he belongs. He is much more of a Libertarian than that spineless Patriot Act supporting statist Bob Barr. Oh and Libertarian Party... stop letting the Democrats steal all the social issues. Where were you all on condemning the police state in Minneapolis?!

James Anderson Merritt | September 8, 2008, 6:44pm | #

My guess (and fervent hope!), which is informed only by what I have been watching on C-SPAN and by no insider information or connections whatsoever, is that Paul will be using his clout as a people's champion and the strength of his new organization to create "real debates," which include all candidates that are ballot-qualified (perhaps only those who have a mathematical chance of winning).

Of course, McBama will be invited, too, but they will be shamed if they fail to appear, also ceding valuable speaking time to the third-party and independent candidates who do appear.

Assuming that the major candidates will turn up their noses at "third party debates," I think that Ron Paul sponsorship might make all the difference, in terms of giving such events this year the gravitas and credibility -- and attaining audience access and mainstream media coverage -- that similar events have lacked in previous election cycles.

Bottom line: if McCain and Obama refuse to participate in a "Real" debate that isn't set up according to their careful negotiations and tight scripting, they will show themselves to be what they are: elitist posers, merely playing the role of "public servants" and "statesmen" in order to attain power. The official CPD debates will be cast as a sham operation, and the CPD may have to fold up its tent permanently. I'd love to see that.

Gabe Harris | September 8, 2008, 7:16pm | #

A coordinated left-right-paleo-cosmo effort to embarass the CPD would be a great thing.

Derrick | September 8, 2008, 8:51pm | #

A coordinated left-right-paleo-cosmo effort to embarass the CPD would be a great thing.

A viral Internet ad campaign is all that is needed to break the CPD chokehold. If I had the time and energy I'd set it up myself.