In my Sunday DMN column, I expanded on some earlier thoughts I expressed on this blog about the difference between honor and pride, and why I think that's confusing Republican minds on the way forward in Iraq. I praised Ron Paul in the column, and noted in passing that he "has virtually no support."
Naturally I'm hearing from a few angry Paul supporters saying that I'm wrong, and wanting to know how can I say that when he wins online polls after debates, huh, huh?
Folks, get a grip. When the GOP primaries are held here in Texas, I will almost certainly be voting for Paul. I may even write him in on my presidential ballot in 2008 as a protest. This is the second column I've written in which I praised Ron Paul's good sense. But the fact of the matter is that Ron Paul has virtually no support. He's polling at about 3 percent among Republican voters, though he has a huge Internet following. In fairness, Time magazine does point out that there's a good chance standard telephone polls are missing younger voters who don't have landlines, but rather use cellphones.
Still. Ron Paul is polling at around 3 percent. I'm sorry to tell you this, but it's true. We'd have a more interesting race if that weren't the case, but there you are.
Paul supporters are understandably passionate, but they should keep in mind that just because they and their friends are wild about Paul, it doesn't mean everyone is (compare this to the Nader enthusiasts on the left in 2000). You don't want to end up like the New Yorker's Pauline Kael in that apocryphal story in which she's supposed to have said that she doesn't know how Nixon won, because she doesn't know a soul who voted for him.
UPDATE: This just came in:
Ron Paul's support is becoming huge. The mainstream media has done everything it can to not cover this support or marginalize what does get through in the news. However, they cannot contain it for much longer! Ron Paul speaks truth to a system that is heinously corrupt and not 'for the people' anymore! He speaks logic and truth when the other candidates are still using rhetoric and lies to maintain their place on the fence and the flow of money to their pockets from special interest groups. I trust Ron Paul to not sell the U.S.A. out!! I believe in Ron Paul! I love the man!
Good for you! I'm getting a lot of letters like this now. But come on. Just because somebody tells you something you don't want to hear doesn't mean that person is conspiring to hide the truth, or keep a good man down. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm glad Ron Paul is in the race, I'll probably vote for him, and I love it when he gives the other Republicans hell in the debates. But my positive feeling toward Ron Paul has not translated into much measurable support in the polls. And neither has yours. If you have data that say otherwise, let's hear it. Online polls don't count; they're scientifically worthless.
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Marian:
At least in my state (Oklahoma) it is legally as well as physically impossible to "write in" anyone on a ballot. All ballots are tabulated by little squares next to the approved candidate's names. If you mark outside the square, the ballot is rendered immediately void.
No manual tabulation, no nothing.
Pauli -
Ron Paul is not "for" gay marriage; he's for keeping the federal government out of defining marriage. Here's what he's said about the issue:
"Paul has said that federal officials changing the definition of marriage to allow same-sex marriage is "an act of social engineering profoundly hostile to liberty." Paul stated that "Americans understandably fear" the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage.[122] He says that in a best case scenario, governments would enforce contracts and grant divorces but otherwise have no say in marriage." from Wikipedia article on Ron Paul.
So let's stop playing the Prisoner's Game in our elections. Casting a vote for a candidate who ends up not winning is NOT "wasting" your vote. A wasted vote is a vote cast for a candidate you don't really want to win. Let's stop wasting our votes.
Hear, hear. Couldn't agree more. Voting for the lesser of two evils, simply guarantees that "evil" prevails.
yes!
don't be a sheep.
read the constitution.
read Bastiat's 'the law.
learn how to think again. remember taxation without representation??
vote for the constitution or be a slave.
What do you consider support? Clearly you as well as the MSM take corporate phone polling to be the end all be all of credibility.
I dont know who these people are calling, what questions they ask or how many people they call. I do know that Paul alienates much of the neo-conservative base, which is good, because if he didnt, I sure wouldnt support him. I can only speculate, but id imagine the polling companies think this is the target demographic, as they only poll registered repiblicans that have voted republican in the past.
I dont see people marching in 100 degree weather for anyone else. Hes surrounded by supporters everywhere he goes. I went to support him and met him personally when he landed at LAX. Im apolitical, never supported ANY candidate ever and I spent consitutution day at 3rd steet promenade in Santa monica handing out Ron Paul slim jims and waving signs. ME of all people doing this. His support comes from all over the political spectrum. I registered rebublican to vote for him, ive been a democrat my whole life.
He consistantly sells out fund raisers and his rallies outdraw his opponents significantly.
I assume you havent seen this:
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/
Ron Paul's Head-to-Head Records (Win-Lose-Tie):
Rudy Giuliani 20-3-0
Mitt Romney 13-10-0
Fred Thompson 10-12-0
John McCain 20-2-0
Mike Huckabee 19-2-1
Sam Brownback 19-2-1
Tom Tancredo 20-1-0
Duncan Hunter 19-2-0
These are NOT online polls, but traditional straw polls. This is NOT the results of a 3% candidate, sorry.
If you want to talk online polls, well I dont need to quote you any, Paul OWNS the internet, which by the way, is made up of real people.
Paul even won Fox news post debate phone text poll for crying out loud, which only allows one vote per phone.
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