RON PAUL WOULD WIN A BROKERED CONVENTION

“THE RON PAUL REVOLUTION WON’T STOP HERE”

I have made the case that Ron Paul is not only changing the Republican Party, but is catering to a new, emerging electorate that eschews the big government aspects of both parties. Writing today at CNN.com, Timothy Stanley makes some of the same observations:

Paul’s campaign represents a message that is bigger and perhaps more popular than the candidate himself. As it continues to collect small numbers of delegates and capture control of local GOPs, Paulism is proving itself to be in rude health. Long after Mitt Romney is nominated, feted at the convention, beaten by Obama and recycled as a question on Jeopardy (“In 2012, he lost every state but Utah.” “Who is … Britt Gormley?”), Paul’s philosophy will still be a factor in national politics — something to be feared and courted in equal measure…

I have to declare a great deal of affection for Paul. Unlike other politicians, he seems motivated by ideas — and he communicates his passion with the zeal of a nutty professor detailing the thrilling possibilities of quasars and black holes. This is a doctor who refused to accept Medicare payments but lowered his prices for patients who couldn’t afford him, who declined a government pension and never voted for a tax increase, who told Republicans they need to end the War on Drugs (and most other wars, too). He’s pure…

Paul’s 2012 candidacy has had certain hidden successes. Aside from all the money he raised, Ron Paul also attracted an unusual coalition of young people, libertarian Republicans, and disaffected Democrats — a coalition large enough for him to run even with Obama in some polls. The pull among the kids was big enough to fuel talk of a new generational voting bloc. In Iowa, he took 48% of the under-30s, compared with Santorum’s 23% and Romney’s 14%. In New Hampshire, he got 47%, while Romney took just 26%…

Within the GOP, the Paulites are still the unbeaten masters of the administrative procedure. Last Saturday, they swept a confusing ballot process in Louisiana to give themselves control of 70% of delegates attending the state’s nominating convention, which could mean they end up numerically “winning” Louisiana. Similar things have happened in Minnesota and even Romney’s home state of Massachusetts.

Combine this administrative brilliance with generational politics and you get a silent grass-roots revolution that is putting many Paulites in positions of power. In 2010, more than a dozen of them won elections as Republicans, including Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan and Sen. Rand Paul (son of Ron) of Kentucky. This year, two dozen active Paul backers are seeking election to Congress, along with more than 200 running for local office. The Paulites have effectively taken over the Iowa GOP. The state central committee now has six members who are passionate for Paul, and the head of the local party is now a Paulite. Given the importance of Iowa to the 2016 nomination, this is a coup in every sense.

All of this means the GOP can no longer ignore its libertarian “fringe.” On the contrary, it will have to reach out to a new generation of activists who don’t regard religious piety or continual warfare as sacred tenets of conservatism. Even Romney will have to take Sarah Palin’s advice not to “marginalize” the Paulites if he is to emerge from the nominating convention with a united party.

Whatever happens in 2012, we are living through a significant moment in the history of conservatism. The age of Bush and Obama — twin specters of lavish spending and imperial design — have birthed anti-government movements of right (tea party) and left (Occupy). The one that will last longest and have the most impact is the one that has been the most pragmatic and politically savvy.

The Ron Paul revolution won’t stop here.

Newt Gingrich Still Thinks Mitt Romney Lied During Campaign

By Elicia Dover | ABC OTUS News – 8 hrs ago

Former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said Mitt Romney "said things that weren't true," over the course of the campaign.

Shown a new ad from the Obama campaign during an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer Thursday - a clip reel of Gingrich's slams on Romney during the primary season - Gingrich laughed and said, "You have a rough-and-tumble primary season and you'll get words like that."

He was asked if he still believes Romney is a liar.

"I still believe the Romney campaign said things that weren't true," Gingrich said. "I also believe that compared to Barack Obama, I would trust Mitt Romney 100 times over."

Gingrich did not officially endorse Romney at the announcement he was suspending his campaign on Wednesday. He said he would do so in a couple of weeks, though the two had "not set a specific date."

Gingrich said the public would "absolutely" see him on the trail with Romney.

As for Gingrich's debt, he said he would conduct a lot of meetings, "begging people to help."

Gingrich also weighed in on the nomination for vice president, saying he thought Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was ready to be president and "very knowledgeable."

Gingrich also mentioned Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, New Mexico Gov. Susanna Martinez and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels as people Romney should consider.

"I like [Sen.] Rob Portman a lot," Gingrich added. "We have a really deep bench now of a whole new generation of people who are very confident."

Gingrich said that looking back on his campaign, the more "visionary" he was, the better he was doing in the polls.
"The more I got sucked into daily politics, the weaker we were," Gingrich said.


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Gingrich toys with idea of dropping out

Newt Gingrich suggested Monday that the end may be near for his struggling presidential campaign.

In an interview with NBC news, the former House speaker acknowledged that he would have to "reassess" his bid if he fares poorly in Tuesday's Republican primary in Delaware, a state where he has spent considerable time campaigning.

"I think we need to take a deep look at what we are doing," Gingrich said. "We will be in North Carolina tomorrow night and we will look and see what the results are."
He told NBC, "I would hope we would do well here — either carry it or come very, very close."

Gingrich has won only two states so far — South Carolina and his home state of Georgia — and his campaign is $4.3 million in debt, according to FEC filings.

And he has garnered more attention lately for being bitten by a penguin in St. Louis and bouncing a check in Utah.

Still, Gingrich has refused to bow out. Even after Rick Santorum suspended his campaign two weeks ago, Gingrich insisted that he was "committed to staying in this race all the way to Tampa so that the conservative movement has a real choice."

In Delaware, he also had some words of caution for presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

"Gov. Romney is clearly the frontrunner but that doesn't mean he is inevitable," Gingrich told a small crowd at GOP headquarters in Wilmington. "It is very dangerous for frontrunners to start behaving like they are inevitable because the voters might decide that's not so true."