11/11 Update: According to
this article Ron Paul recently raised $4.2 million online in a single day. I really like Congressman Paul but still see him as an ultra-longshot.. we are just not ready for this kind of straight talker.
8/10: According to
this CNet News Article:
Paul, 71, enjoys about 160,000 mentions on Digg.com, more than the next four most popular candidates combined. Alexa.com's statistics show Paul's Web site with a narrow lead over all the Democratic candidates and a sizable one over his fellow Republicans. Similarly, a report by Hitwise puts Paul's Web site ahead of other GOP candidates in terms of popularity.
The libertarian-minded Republican enjoys a hefty lead in two unscientific online polls: 56.3 percent in one hosted by the conservative group FreedomWorks.com, and 56 percent in a poll created by GOPstrawpolls.com, with undeclared candidate Fred Thompson coming in second at 18.7 percent. Paul is Technorati's most searched-for term, in front of stalwart contenders such as "iPhone" and "Paris Hilton," and recently reclaimed the spot after briefly falling behind a Puerto Rican singer with the undeniable advantage of having a sex tape on the loose. He's a close second to Barack Obama (and far outpaces Hillary Clinton) on Eventful.com's list of in-demand politicians, and, as The New York Times notes, is the most "friended" Republican on MySpace.com.
George Stephanopoulos recently told Ron Paul that he would wager his "every cent" that the GOP presidential candidate would not become president. I tend to agree more with George on this one than 'the internet'
J
8/10: According to this CNet News Article: 
Working on the Hill for as long as I did, and having the advantage to being able to find out how Paul handled things on a day-to-day basis (and how he got along with his colleagues), I have to agree with both you and George.
ReplyDeleteI wish we didn't have these attractive "spoilers" to distract us from the serious duty of holding our noses and picking out candidates from the realistic pool.
ReplyDeleteHe's a smart guy.
So the question rises, are we going to see legitimate 3rd party campaigns from guys like Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich or Mike Bloomberg? If so, what impact would they have - I'd think they'd likely tilt things toward Hillary, an interesting echo of the Ross Perot effect in '92. A lot has to happen before either of these guys breaks out on their own, but they each seem to articulate a view or an approach that would present an attractive alternative to the presumed Giuliani-Clinton match-up.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I just wonder what Ron Paul plans to do with all that money? Where is he focusing his strengths? Is there an early state where he thinks he could have an impact? Even a top-3 finish would get his ideas taken more seriously!
I usually vote third party 'cause I don't think it's fair I have to "hold my nose." (That was a good one, therese z!)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Ron Paul is close enough for me this year. His standings are almost nose-to-nose with mine so far.
Am I young or foolish, or both?
I usually vote third party 'cause I don't think it's fair I have to "hold my nose." (That was a good one, therese z!)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Ron Paul is close enough for me this year. His standings are almost nose-to-nose with mine so far.
Am I young or foolish, or both?
I don't think Giuliani's win is so much in the bag yet. Even my ultra-liberal non-Christian brother likes Huckabee, and when he told me that, I believe I heard silence in Heaven for the space of half an hour.....
ReplyDeleteThe "Ross Perot" effect is EXACTLY what I had in mind, KB. Didn't Ralph Nader stick his oar in before that sometime, too?