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Paul showing ideals have place in campaign
Published November 23, 2007
Congressman Ron Paul not only has emerged from darkhorse status to player in the race for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, he is doing it with a campaign method that is out of the dark ages.
He’s saying what he truly believes. Off the cuff. Straight off the top of his head.
How unusual is that in today’s age of scripted sound bytes? In modern politics, candidates are trained to repeat phrases as though they are voicing a See-N-Say. Point the arrow to the picture of an illegal immigrant, pull the handle and hear, “We must protect our borders.”
That’s not the case with Paul, the Lake Jackson Republican who two decades ago ran at the top of the Libertarian Party ticket. Say what you will about his politics that veer from the safety of conventional thought or lack of signature legislation he has sponsored being passed during his time in Congress, there is no nuance or hedging in his stances.
His true beliefs are turning thousands of Americans into true believers in his brand of politics, if not his ideology.
If only we could trust all presidential candidates to be as unscripted and genuine.
Of course, we can’t. They stick to their message, their practiced phrases which appear to answer a question but are so superficial they really commit to nothing.
Watching Paul during a debate or interview is refreshing for voters. They appreciate his honesty and the passion with which he presents his case. And they have responded by contributing millions of dollars to his campaign, much of it through the Internet. This grassroots support is shocking to the pundit crowd in Washington and, in some ways, the candidate himself.
These supporters — largely a blend of young adults participating in their first presidential election, those who had tuned out past campaigns and Republicans who believe the party has abandoned its principles — are saying they are tired of the way the country is headed and those who are heading it that way. Paul’s case that we need to return to the ideas of the Founding Fathers resonates with them.
Consider it the perfect marriage of old-school politicking and new-school idealism.
As we have said before, being pragmatic, we do not expect our favorite son to win the Republican nomination. With his stark differences from the other GOP hopefuls, it is unlikely he would be chosen — or accept — being in the second spot on the party ticket or be considered for a Cabinet post should Republicans retain the White House.
But for the time being, we should relish the forthrightness of Paul, who is doing more than making the presidential race interesting. His unconventional campaign shows that someone with genuine, heartfelt ideas can have a voice among the tap-dancing, polished politicians.
Americans have heard Paul’s message and responded. Is it too much to hope the other presidential hopefuls will hear Americans’ message about what we want from our candidates?
This editorial was written by Michael Morris, assistant managing editor of The Facts.
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