It’s true…check out these websites:

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/states/missouri/

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/missouri-delegate-training-for-ron-paul-campaign-1/2597432702?icid=acvsv1

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/missouri-delegate-training-for-ron-paul-campaign-2/2607259458

The delegates are bound to McCain only for the first few rounds of voting at the convention. You see, the national convention is, in and of itself, an actual election. Only this time is the only election the really matters in determining who the party’s nominee will be. Some states send “bound” delegates to the convention who must vote for the candidate who garnered the popular vote win. Those delegates must vote for that person whether or not they support him or her. Each state has different rules, but the delegates are not bound forever. If, for example, McCain fails to get 1191 of the delegates to vote for him in the first election round at the convention, some of the delegates (depending on what state you’re from) are “released” and then can vote for whomever they want in round two… some are still bound and are not released until round 2 or three. I believe that after round three, however, that ALL delegates from ALL states are “released” and can vote for the candidate of their choice and it doesn’t even have to be a candidate who is even running!!

This is exactly how Abraham Lincoln was nominated. He went into the convention with virtually no delegates bound to him. The front runner at the time was a devisive figure (much like McCain is today) and was unable to garner the requisite number of delegate votes in round one. As delegates started to be released after each round, Lincoln garnered more and more votes until finally, after the 5th or 6th round (I don’t remember which off the top of my head) Lincoln received the requisite number of delegate votes and became the party’s nominee.

Bottom line… you’re state’s primary election results mean next to nothing in the overall nomination process.

Thanks, Aaron for explaining to the masses what we Ron Paul supporters already know, and that’s exactly why we will be elected delegates. We are passionate, we are intelligent, we will be heard. Peace..

As somebody who sympathizes with Ron Paul’s political views and likes him as a person - indeed, I even made a small, early contribution to his campaign - it pains me to see my fellow “libertarian Republicans” grasping at these straws. Today, the delegate count stands at 1,260 for McCain, 272 for Romney, 270 for Huckabee, and 14 for Paul. Since 1,191 are needed to win, and primaries still remain in which McCain will almost surely gain hundreds more delegates, it is ridiculous to talk about what would happen “If, for example, McCain fails to get 1191 of the delegates to vote for him in the first election round.”

In reality, even if McCain drops dead tomorrow, it is still very unlikely that Paul still would be the nominee. So just stop it!

If Paul supporters want to have influence in politics, and in the Republican party, a failed backdoor effort to nominate Paul isn’t the way to accomplish it. Rather, actively participating in the Republican party, getting to know the players in your township (and becoming one yourself), and working to advance the view and candidates in your area, will secure your place in the party for years to come.

Personally, there are plenty of issues on which I disagree with John McCain. But McCain has pledged to veto any bill which contains earmarks, an issue on which he has a long personal history. If he sticks to his word on this, his Presidency will be revolutionary in a way that any Paul supporter will enjoy.

Jody - sorry to be so dense, but when you say ‘we will be elected delegates’ are you saying that you’ll try to get elected as a McCain delegate and then vote RP in the general election when you are free to do so? Are you also suggesting to RP delegates that we try to become McCain delegates and do the same thing? I’m new to this and am a bit overwhelmed. Thanks.

Yes, the Paul backers, not having won at the polls, are going to try to win at the various County contentions to be held in Texas on March 29th. The Paul supporters that took over our precinct (Travis Co., 251) said as much.

What they don’t understand, largely because this is their first time in the political process, is that the Republican Party will shut these guys down. The nominee has been chosen and any attempts at disrupting that, of trying to turn our nominating process into something that only the Democrats could love right now, will only hurt Dr. Paul and his supporters down the road.

Bottom, winning between 3%-6% of the Primary vote pretty much kills your candidate’s chances of being the nominee.

Jim - how will the party ’shut these guys down’?

The odds of anyone besides John McCain winning the nomination are extremely low, but no, he doesn’t have it locked up, and he doesn’t have anywhere near the required number of pledged delegates yet, despite the media reports. That being said, if Republicans decide that McCain isn’t viable due to illness or scandal, they would probably just hand the nomination to Romney.

Even so, Ron Paul supporters have plenty of reasons to try to get elected as delegates to the state and national conventions. They can help shape the state and party Republican platforms, moving them back in a more pro-liberty, smaller-government, pro-Constitution direction. Those who say Ron Paul supporters should give up on seeking the nomination and just get active in the party are missing the point — trying to get as many delegates as possible IS getting involved in the party, at the highest levels.

And no, there’s no reason to try to “shut these guys down” — Ron Paul supporters share the deepest philosophical principles that the Republican Party is supposed to have, just as Ron Paul does — he is pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, anti-amnesty, pro-smaller government and pro freedom. No one is advocating breaking any laws or party rules.

3-6 percent huh? How about checking CNN and seeing these numbers for Ron Paul’s results: Montana 25%, Washington 22%, North Dakota 21%, Maine 19%, Alaska 17%, Minnesota 16%, Nevada 14%, Kansas 11%, and Iowa 10%. I suppose you missed those on the news, since everyone glossed over how well Ron Paul actually did.

This is going to be a fun convention. Although McCain might have the delegates, we the Ron Paul supporters are not done yet. Not in this race or in the republican party. The party’s over, Neo-Cons and we are not going away. We have been ignored, maligned, and slurred by the establishment GOP and we will not FORGET! Look forward to seeing y’all in St. Paul

Oh…and btw we’ll see if we have 3-6% in 2012. I’m betting a lot more and when we don’t support McCain this time…see if you need our votes to beat the democrats. Nothing like losing to change your attitudes Neo-Cons!