Paul exhorts 1,500 Mo supporters to hold fast, fight for liberty
BRANSON — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who continues to be a thorn in the side of his party and presumptive nominee John McCain, said Friday night that he won’t endorse McCain or campaign for him.
“I can’t support anybody who supports the war,” Paul said, in a brief interview while he signed hundreds of copies of his book brought to Friday night’s “Freedom Rally” by some of his supporters.
Paul reaffirmed, however, that he won’t conduct a third-party candidacy.
About 1,500 turned out Friday night to hear Paul for an hour at the Tri-Lakes Center. (The estimate came from the building manager; yours truly counted at least 1,000.)
“We need to lead the Republican Party kicking and screaming back to its senses,” he said, in remarks that prompted repeated standing ovations.
Many of those ovations came as Paul laid out his key views:
End the war in Iraq;
Repeal the Patriot Act;
Get rid of the federal income tax;
Eliminate the Federal Reserve Bank;
Get the U.S. out of the UN;
Get the U.S. out of the World Bank, the IMF and other international bodies;
Slash federal spending;
Paul blasted the Bush administration for the way it has attacked terrorism. The U.S. either gives money to countries, or attacks them, he said. The U.S. rarely just talks to nations, Paul added.
The Bush administration seems to focus on bombing countries “incapable of attacking us,” he said, using Iraq as Exhibit A.
Referring to former Iraq leader Saddam Hussein, Paul said, “As bad as he was, he wasn’t a threat to us.”
Paul accused the administration of using terrorists and the war as an excuse to eliminate personal rights.
“…We don’t need secret courts and secret prisons,” he said. “…They say we’re being attacked because we’re free and rich. Their thinking seems to be ‘if we’re less free, they won’t attack us…’ “
Paul also called for a return to habeas corpus (The guaranteed right for a person to go before a judge when charged with a crime.)
Several hundred of the Paul supporters in Branson are to be delegates Saturday morning at the state Republican Party’s once-every-four-years convention.
The delegates and alternates had a private meeting with Paul and his state leaders late Friday night, presumably to discuss how to proceed. About half of the pro-Paul delegates have been challenged by state GOP leaders, so it’s up to the convention to decide if any of them get seated.
In his address, Paul blamed the rise in gasoline prices and the shipping of jobs overseas, in part, to monetary problems that have weakened the U.S. dollar.
“We owe $13 trillion to foreigners,” he said.
He blasted what he called a “flawed monetary system, a flawed economic system…a flawed foreign policy that has to be changed.”
Before the rally, state Treasurer Sarah Steelman stopped by to talk to Paul supporters milling in the lobby as they waited for the doors to open to the auditorium where the rally was held.
Steelman, a Republican running for governor, said later that she did so to appeal for their votes.
Ron has his reasons for not wanting to run third party and he is entitled to them. It is unlikely he will endorse either Barr or Baldwin as he is friends with both of them. He has made statements that he generally wishes them both well.
Therefore, what should Paul supporters do in November if a miracle does not occur in St. Paul. Both Barr and Baldwin are good candidates. They probably differ most in style and hot buttons. But Barr will be on the ballot in at least 48 states, hopefully 50. Baldwin will be on many fewer. By all means if both of them are on your state’s ballot, vote your conscience; vote for whomever you would truly like to see sitting in the oval office. But don’t write-in Ron Paul UNLESS he has filed as a certified write-in in your state.
Write-in votes are only counted for certified candidates. We don’t know yet if Ron will file for such status but my guess is that he won’t. PLEASE vote for someone on the ballot if you want your vote to have any impact.
While I have nothing against Chuck Baldwin, I will vote for Barr on a strategic basis. A strong Barr showing can get the LP status as a ballot qualified party in a number of new states. That will require between 5 and 10% in most cases. I think Barr can do that. Although the same argument holds true for Baldwin and the Constitution party, I think that the is less likely to achieve that high a vote because of lower name recognition and less press coverage.
And don’t forget about polling. It will take 15% in at least one “popular” poll to get either of them into the debate. If you are personally polled keep the above criteria in mind as well.