Johnnybags
08-15-2007, 04:17 PM
Dispatch From Texas
Posted Aug 15th 2007 11:54AM by Christopher Weber
Filed under: President 2008, Iraq War, Ron Paul
It's good to get out from behind the desk here in L.A. and find some perspective. I just spent a long weekend in southeast Texas, home of 100+ degree temperatures, finger-licking-good BBQ and...... Ron Paul. In the tiny town of Driftwood (population: a few hunnerd) there were a host of signs along the main drag touting the maverick Republican -- dozens of them, in numerous front yards, all hand-painted. One said: "Ron Paul will end the war." Throughout the Hill Country, there were tons of Paul bumper stickers on the backs of trucks. Nary a sign of support for Giuliani nor Romney. None of that surprised me too much though. After all, Paul is a Texas boy with a libertarian streak and it makes sense that the pickup-and-gun-rack crowd would rally behind him.
But I was really shocked during the time we spent in Austin -- an oasis of blue in one big red state. Yeah, there were a few Obama '08 t-shirts, some Hillary stickers. But not a lot. Then my friends started pointing out the Paul bumper stickers alongside the Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age decals on the backs of beaters, presumably the cars of UT students. The owner of one old pickup truck had painted "What do you think of Ron Paul?" on the sides of his vehicle, along with Paul's web site address.
In a bar I spotted a dude -- tattoos, rocker haircut -- in a Ron Paul shirt with the sleeves ripped off. We chatted briefly and he told me he's never voted Republican in his life but is pulling for Paul because of his stated intention to yank U.S. troops from Iraq immediately. Wow.
Obviously all this is anecdotal and the random counting of bumper stickers is hardly scientific polling. But if Ron Paul is a fringe candidate, as he loves to say he is, he's got to be awfully pleased with his support on the fringes. Down there in Texas, the grassroots appear to be growing strong.
Posted Aug 15th 2007 11:54AM by Christopher Weber
Filed under: President 2008, Iraq War, Ron Paul
It's good to get out from behind the desk here in L.A. and find some perspective. I just spent a long weekend in southeast Texas, home of 100+ degree temperatures, finger-licking-good BBQ and...... Ron Paul. In the tiny town of Driftwood (population: a few hunnerd) there were a host of signs along the main drag touting the maverick Republican -- dozens of them, in numerous front yards, all hand-painted. One said: "Ron Paul will end the war." Throughout the Hill Country, there were tons of Paul bumper stickers on the backs of trucks. Nary a sign of support for Giuliani nor Romney. None of that surprised me too much though. After all, Paul is a Texas boy with a libertarian streak and it makes sense that the pickup-and-gun-rack crowd would rally behind him.
But I was really shocked during the time we spent in Austin -- an oasis of blue in one big red state. Yeah, there were a few Obama '08 t-shirts, some Hillary stickers. But not a lot. Then my friends started pointing out the Paul bumper stickers alongside the Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age decals on the backs of beaters, presumably the cars of UT students. The owner of one old pickup truck had painted "What do you think of Ron Paul?" on the sides of his vehicle, along with Paul's web site address.
In a bar I spotted a dude -- tattoos, rocker haircut -- in a Ron Paul shirt with the sleeves ripped off. We chatted briefly and he told me he's never voted Republican in his life but is pulling for Paul because of his stated intention to yank U.S. troops from Iraq immediately. Wow.
Obviously all this is anecdotal and the random counting of bumper stickers is hardly scientific polling. But if Ron Paul is a fringe candidate, as he loves to say he is, he's got to be awfully pleased with his support on the fringes. Down there in Texas, the grassroots appear to be growing strong.