The Ron Paul Smear Campaign

[TexasLawyer]

The Ron Paul Smear Campaign
Doug Kendall
May 17, 2007

By now, it is painfully obvious to most people in the freedom movement that Republican presidential hopeful, Ron Paul, has been targeted for elimination—by his own Party. The politically-connected elite within the Republican Party, along with allied organizations and operatives, are working overtime to make sure that Ron Paul is burned at the stake for daring to speak the truth and defy the Good Ol’ Boy system.

In all honesty, Dr. Paul should have known that he would be set up in the second debate—after he scored so high in poll after poll, following the first debate—and after he made it clear that he would not tow the neo-con, police-state, Giuliani-style “war” on terror line.

Everyone from Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, so-called “conservative” news websites and columnists, and even local talk radio shows have done everything in their power to define Ron Paul as a “nut-job,” “dope,” and “moron,” calling for his removal from the debates because his views are supposedly “dangerous” for the country. Glenn Beck even went so far as to repeatedly label Ron Paul a “libertarian”—because there is always some kind of negativity associated with it, when Beck uses it—and then used that as a vehicle to beat up on Libertarians, in general, masterfully trying to kill two birds with one stone.
It’s very telling, and very sad, watching these elitists attempt to exterminate those who favor increasing freedom by reducing the size and scope of government.

The latest and most sickeningly obvious attempt to discredit Ron Paul, called “Big Outrage,” is coming from Fox News. Fox News anchor, John Gibson, recently stated that the second presidential debate got a little “spicy” after “Paul suggested that the US actually had a hand in the terrorist attacks.” He even went so far as to attempt to link Paul to the 911 Truth crowd and Rosie O’Donnell—whose picture they flashed, twice, during the five-minute segment, along with the tagline, “ROSIE O’DONNELL STRONGLY BELIEVES IN 9/11 CONSPIRACY THEORIES.”

<snip>

http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=7166

[rinsd]

1. LOL, why are DUers so hot for a guy who wants to demolish the New Deal and the Great Society?

[TwilightGardener]

2. Have no idea--he inspires more devotion than OUR candidates here.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Yeah, it's a surprise to me too. I would think his right-wing stands would be enough

to turn them off to whatever they do find attractive in him.

[TwilightGardener]

13. I think it's easy to champion someone who has absolutely no chance of winning--

if he actually COULD win, and the possibility sinks in of watching all our beloved government-granted institutions and protections get dismantled, they wouldn't be so quick to cheer him on. He's kind of like a cute little non-threatening Libertarian pet--if he was formidable in the GOP, he's be treated like the rest of the GOPers here.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Well, maybe. I am a Kucinich fan. But I don't see him as a pet. LOL

But I am keenly and sadly aware that he is unlikely to ever get elected into the WH.

[unlawflcombatnt]

30. What a surprise

Maybe because he's one of the few candidates in either party who isn't owned by Corporate America, and whose views don't perfectly mirror those of the war-mongering, one-world government supporting, cheap labor advocates in both parties.

[primative1]

5. Why?

An honest politician that speaks from the heart is just so uncommon these days. We dont seem to have an abundance of these ourselves. Plus, and this is a big one for me ....
The guy has balls, to get up in front of a bloodthirsty south carolina GOP crowd and tell the truth, no fudging ...
I will defend him any day ...

[TwilightGardener]

7. I like his honesty and his stand on the war, but he goes far beyond merely conservativism--

he espouses "scorched earth" ideas of governing.

[Warpy]

8. Honestly NUTS

I don't know why the GOP is trying to make sure he runs as an independent, his economic policies are just like theirs: deregulation, privatization, and the complete denial that the people even exist, much less deserve protection from the powerful.

My guess is that those rich old men who think they own the party aren't behind it, it's the PNAC wackjob arm of the party.

[primative1]

9. Exactly

>>> it's the PNAC wackjob arm of the party.

Arent they our current problem?
My thinking is that a few of them at least have leaked over here on our side too. The HONEST economic conservatives are almost refreshing by comparison.

[unlawflcombatnt]

32. Paul's Economic Policies are NOTHING like the rest of the Republicans

He's voted against unrestricted free trade 100% of the time. He's also been a sponsor of a bill to withdraw from the WTO. He opposes illegal immigration, unlike the most of the other Republican candidates. He's called out the Republithugs main man, Alan Greedspan, on his plutocratic policies as Fed Reserve chairman. He voted in favor of raising the minimum wage. And, of course, he's consistently voted against the Iraq war.

He's nothing at all like the other Republicans. He's a "RINO" - a Republican In Name Only.

[rinsd]

10. I don't doubt the man's sincerity. Its his politics that are highly disagreeable.

[rurallib]

12. First ya gotta have a heart.

[unlawflcombatnt]

31. Me too

I'd vote for him if he got the nomination.

[some guy]

18. I wouldn't vote for him,

but I do like that someone is finally getting national exposure and speaking truths.

Or, actually, it might not be bad to vote for him. as a president, virtually all of his goals would be turned back by the current duopoly, so it wouldn't be too bad for the nation. On the plus side, having truth get more exposure might, in the long run, help rein in the empire before it collapses. Or at least provide some sense of what direction to take in rebuilding a nation after the empire falls.

The same 'not much would be accomplished' idea holds true for a Kucinich presidency, which I very much support.

[TexasLawyer]

19. I'm not a Ron Paul fan-- BUT

I think that Paul's treatment at the hands of Faux News and the Bush echo chamber media could have interesting repercussions.

The unfair smearing and negative spin to the point of overkill on Ron Paul is so obvious that it will be noticed and acknowledged by people (hopefully a lot of people) who normally wouldn't notice such things, or who would normally care.

To the average GOP'er, it's one thing for Howard Dean or John Kerry to be ruthlessly savaged in the media, but when that ruthlessness is directed at one of their own-- different story.

I know many anti-war Republicans, and this is the kind of thing they would pick up on. "Hey, look at how they are treating Ron Paul. Maybe this report isn't so 'fair and balanced' after all!"

[rodeodance]

21. Hope you are right.

[TexasLawyer]

22. There were tons of posts like this on U-Tube

You never know who these people are, but I thought it was interesting.

********************
Bumblebee033 (1 day ago) marked as spam

This media is scared shitless of Ron Paul. He must be doing somthing right. The elite do not want to give up the power they have over this country, it is time for a grass roots movement in support of Ron Paul for 08 !!!!!
(Reply) (Spam)

GiveMeFreedom08 (1 day ago) marked as spam

Yes the media is scared, because the people are waking up and not listning to them. Ron Paul 08
(Reply) (Spam)

HungryDingo (1 day ago) marked as spam

If the Republicans keep this "Stay the course" attitude on Iraq, it won't matter who they run. The winner of this coming 2008 election is going to be the candidate who gets American troops out of Iraq the quickest. Ron Paul is the only anti-war candidate and one of only a couple from both parties (Edwards, Clinton, & Co. can choke for all I care, they voted for the war).

********************

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB1laGq62Ac and other YouTube postings on Paul v. Giuliani

[Alexander]

20. Because in all his nuttiness, he's oddly the most sane of all the (R) candidates?

Not that I'd vote for him for so much as dog catcher, although truth be told I am a libertarian-leaning Democrat. There are many libertarian-leaning Democrats, Republicans (like Paul) and Independents - and we ignore them at our peril. I'm convinced we'd win many states out west if the Democrats appealed just a little bit more to libertarians.

He spoke more truth than anyone else on that stage (even the moderators), and that is something not often found in today's Republican party.

[SlipperySlope]

28. No matter what you think of him, he is getting the shaft.

I just think it is fascinating to watch him get tore apart by the media because he doesn't fit their mold.

[leftwingnut]

3. It's just like Paul said...

...in his interview with Blitzer about Giuliani..."Read the 9-11 Report" it's all in there.

[trof]

4. I first read this as 'Ron Smear Paul Campaign'.

My dyslexia is showing.
;-)

[Double T]

6. Desperation is setting in if the rethugs are 'swift boating' their own.......

the bigger question is will they eat their young too?

[rurallib]

14. When they finally get done purging and purifying the 'party'

it will be very white, very socially fascist, the women left will be Stepfordish. Almost sounds like a science fiction story.
Free thinking will be allowed as long as you think like the leader.

[Old and In the Way]

16. I'd be happy if Paul was the Republican standard bearer.

Of course, I'd still do whatever it takes to get the Democratic nominee elected, but I'd hope his nomination shows that there is still a rational wing left in the Republican Party. I'd relish the day when we can get back to debating policies based on principles...instead of the greed factor that seems to drive our national agenda today.

[CGowen]

17. If you "smear" the Mafia, the Mafia smears you

His statements from 2003 about the true nature of the Neoconservatives didn't help him

or Necroconservatives called by H20 MAN
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x906504

.........
More important than the names of people affiliated with neo-conservatism are the views they adhere to. Here is a brief summary of the general understanding of what neocons believe:

1.They agree with Trotsky on permanent revolution, violent as well as intellectual.
2.They are for redrawing the map of the Middle East and are willing to use force to do so.
3.They believe in preemptive war to achieve desired ends.
4.They accept the notion that the ends justify the means—that hardball politics is a moral necessity.
5.They express no opposition to the welfare state.
6.They are not bashful about an American empire; instead they strongly endorse it.
7.They believe lying is necessary for the state to survive.
8.They believe a powerful federal government is a benefit.
9. They believe pertinent facts about how a society should be run should be held by the elite and withheld from those who do not have the courage to deal with it.
10.They believe neutrality in foreign affairs is ill advised.
11.They hold Leo Strauss in high esteem.
12.They believe imperialism, if progressive in nature, is appropriate.
13.Using American might to force American ideals on others is acceptable. Force should not be limited to the defense of our country.
14.9-11 resulted from the lack of foreign entanglements, not from too many.
15. They dislike and despise libertarians (therefore, the same applies to all strict constitutionalists.)
16.They endorse attacks on civil liberties, such as those found in the Patriot Act, as being necessary.
17.They unconditionally support Israel and have a close alliance with the Likud Party.
.......
http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr071003.htm

[TexasLawyer]

23. Yeah, that list would definitely do it!!!

wow-- just skimmed through the rest of this piece. Very brave writing.

[CGowen]

33. no chance of getting it from c-span but youtube has the speech

http://www.youtube.com/?v=aewpvcxAwTk

[Canuckistanian]

24. Even Stephanie Miller cheered him

She said he was a throwback to the good old days of her father's party, when politicians called a spade a spade.

[Telly Savalas]

25. What the hell is the "freedom movement"?

[file83]

26. Bush ate our freedoms and is now dropping the kids off at the pool.

Freedom movement.

[Bullet1987]

27. They're not going to kick him this early...but they're probably already threatening him behind the

scenes. But what I want to know is how is Ron Paul going to frame his comeback. He's going to have everyone on the stage waiting over his words like vultures over meat. He's going to have to come prepared and ready for the worse next time. They're playing a dangerous game though, because if he hits a homerun himself and comes out strong with evidence...he WILL get cheers (even if they're small).

[Bullet1987]

29. Ron Paul is #8 on Yahoo Search engine...

...see what these idiots in the media don't get is by constantly bashing someone...you're putting the spotlight on him! Many people feel that the media's reaction PROVES that they see him as a threat...so now, people are more interested in WHY that is. They're exposing people to him and his views BY their actions!! They're so dumb it's hilarious!!! I mean I'm seriously sitting here chuckling while I'm writing this. No one cares about what Tancredo or Gilmore think, but by the media's attacks, the people now see Ron Paul as important enough to look into. HAHAHAHAHA!!! I hope Paul gains many supporters over this!!

[CrispyQ]

34. Gravel/Paul 2008

;)

[TexasLawyer]

35. Media Matters for America now reporting on this as well

Wed, May 16, 2007 5:25pm EST

Media echoed, applauded Giuliani's distortion of Paul's comments about 9-11 attacks

Summary:

Several media figures mischaracterized a response that Rep. Ron Paul gave at the Republican debate, with some asserting that Paul had "blamed" the United States for the 9-11 terrorist attacks and others simply accepting Rudy Giuliani's misrepresentation of Paul's statement -- that the United States had "invited the attack."

In fact, Paul did not blame the United States for the 9-11 attacks or say that the United States had "invited" them.

<snip>

http://mediamatters.org/items/200705160009?f=h_latest

[Solon]

36. Here's part of his voting record...

He voted to extend the Bush Tax Cuts and to NOT increase the minimum wage in July of last year.

Here's a link:

http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=BC031929