new conventional unconventional wisdom on Ron Paul
I note that the idea that Ron Paul might pull of a shocker in New Hampshire and/or Iowa is becoming one of those conventional unconventional wisdom. Joe Scarborough has come out in saying “He is going to shock a lot of people in New Hampshire” — a bold enough prediction, and thus this conventional unconventional wisdom has wormed its way into establishment types (Cable mcnews?). I will keep half an eye open to see if this bit of conventional unconventional wisdom floats forward from here.
It’s a prediction for people who want to be cleverer than thou, and it will either make the prognosticator of such an idea come across as absolutely brilliant, or will lead them to be complete dunderheads in a “What the Heck were they thinking” way. You will note, if you go back to “You Read it Here Third”, that I set myself up to be truly brilliant in the case of such a thing happening, with the “no big deal” if he stumbles to that small percentage point slumber.
I do not know what these things will get him. Perhaps he will be able to ride his way to the end of the debate season (if those in charge of the debates can get back to stomaching the idea of including him) as did some moderately impressive third place showing for Alan Keyes allowed him in 2000.
In the realm of the vaunted National Journal rankings — I think I would insert Paul as #5 — behind the fledgling John McCain, who — embarrassingly enough has raised less money than Paul and embarrassingly enough has a much higher burn rate– can still trout out the line on where Kerry and Clinton were at this point in the campaign, roughly stumbling just as he is. But even that is a tough call. As for the figures National Journal has stuck between the “Rudy McRomnpson” beast and our erstwhile buddy Ron Paul — the knock on Ron Paul, particularly from National Journal, is that his support is “Internet Support”. I suppose maybe and perhaps, but granted that, but that’s more than can be said for those four others.
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One more note to Ron Paul supporters: I hate to say this, but as I see still floating out in cyberspace the mean-spirited list comparing Paul supporters to Larouche supporters, and I see the news about Ron Paul’s fund-raising prowess: in the 2004 race at a comparative time, Lyndon Larouche either lead the field or was second — right behind Dean — I do not quite remember and will have to look it up. (It’s what you get when all of your supporters send you the $2000 maximum, dedicated to you as a God-like being.) It’s an interesting enough dynamic, and probably only worthy of the loosest of loose parallels — dedication in terms of ultimately a minority.
July 11th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
What about the June 30 Des Moines rally?
I don’t think those were just 1000 keyboard jockeys sitting around in their underwear.
But maybe they were Lyndon Larouche supporters in disguise… or … well, I’m sure you’ll come up with something…
July 11th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
comparing paul to larouche or even dean is facile. paul has struck a deep nerve with the american people because he favors limited government, reining in our foreign policy and returning to sound money (i.e. getting rid of the private criminal institution known as the federal reserve).
it’s not just new hampshire and iowa where he’s going to win.
July 11th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
I knew that I would get some grief for the “Internet” comment, which I tried to schlep off as what the National Journal was claiming. For the record, the Internet is nothing but a tool. It amplifies the support of Ron Paul beyond its actual support and does not do the same for — say — Rudy McRompson, but you cannot say it is “merely” that.
No, Ron Paul is not going to be the next president.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:50 am
“the Internet is nothing but a tool” is sort of like saying “mass media is nothing but a tool”. In fact, it is less true to say “the Internet is nothing but a tool” since control is less centralized than it is with mass media. No, the Internet is not merely a tool anymore than the Gutenberg Press was merely a tool. It was a revolutionary technology.
July 12th, 2007 at 11:37 am
FYI, he has placed 2nd or 1st in republican straw polls.
In the media polls, they only call people who voted republican last election, the one where most people left and voted democrat just because of the war.
The media polls are also a national average. In those polls, they don’t even list him in most states. Last I seen, in all the polls combined, he had only been listed in 32 states total. So many of those polls even less than that. Getting 0’s for not being listed in half the states, makes it so 50% was about the best he could do. Meanwhile, others like Fred Thompson who isn’t even announced yet, have been listed in polls all the way back in 2005, and is still included in them.
They hadn’t even listed him in Texas media polls last time I looked, his home state. Hardly scientific, and as every other measure of support shows, hardly accurate.
Oh, and BTW, the Iowa rally was the largest rally for a single candidate in Iowas history.
July 12th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
This time we have a choice. Ron Paul will be the next president of the United States.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Technological Triumphantalism. The late 1990s were littered with ipos with “vision statements” on the revolutionary technology that has completely shifted the paradigm, and this company will make money like a bandit with a sock puppet mascot fronting for something that boiled down to adding telephones to a specific goods.
Almost beside the point. I am thinking of concluding my experiment with Ron Paul, and making a point of never mentioning him again.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
“this company will make money like a bandit with a sock puppet mascot fronting for something that boiled down to adding telephones to a specific goods.”
Yeah, good thing you shorted Google’s stock then huh?
October 11th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I liked all the times LaRouche qualified for matching funds. I don’t know how he did it given the rules?! Magic I think, Satanic magic — maybe LaRouche does work for Cheney!!