Bradley in DC
08-21-2007, 10:39 PM
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NEWS08/208210354/-1/news08
Paul marks birthday with stops in region
Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2007
By JOSEPH G. COTE
Telegraph Staff
NASHUA – U.S. Rep. Ron Paul showed up at Martha’s Exchange Restaurant and Brewery after walking down Main Street with a group of supporters trying to shake his hand and take a picture with him.
That’s part of the down-to-earth, everyman attitude that has made an impression on many supporters of the Texas Republican’s presidential bid, according to Jane Aitkin, the campaign’s Hillsborough County chairwoman. There’s no SUV. No entourage of men in dark suits.
And that attitude carried over into his stop in Nashua on Monday.
Paul lunched with around 25 supporters at Martha’s Exchange to celebrate his 72nd birthday Monday. Paul was presented with a large birthday card and a cake with a custom frosted image of himself and the message “We the people.” Later, he visited Papergraphics in Merrimack, Pete’s Gun and Tackle Shop in Hudson and the Hollis Pharmacy.
The Texan doctor, after delivering more than 4,000 babies, has served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
During that time he’s earned a reputation among his most fervent supporters as a man who pays attention to a 200-year-old document not enough politicians adhere to: the Constitution.
“He’s the only candidate who follows the Constitution in his voting pattern,” Manchester resident Dave Ridley said.
“He just votes the way he thinks is best for the people,” Aitkin said.
Paul’s announcement that he would run for president was overdue for some of his fans and kicked off a movement of collaboration between his supporters, who didn’t know about one another before.
“We all woke up and found out that we’re not alone,” Merrimack resident and Papergraphics co-owner Linda Lagana said. “I’m very concerned that our government is trying to take the country away from the people. It’s time to fight back. I think now we’re all empowered and know we’re not just one crazy person. Our mission now is to get more people to hear this message and wake up.”
And it’s grassroots organizing that Paul’s campaign has excelled at thus far in the primary season.
He doesn’t have a New Hampshire headquarters, but a large and youthful base has organized itself on the Internet and with 700 “meet-up groups” across the country. That’s something that came together on its own, Paul said, not because of some master strategy his campaign concocted to harness the power of the Internet.
“I imagine I’ve been planning that since I’ve been in politics,” he said. “I always wanted people to come together on these issues. A lot of things just came together and people got excited and made their own groups. Things seemed to break through with the Internet presence and this campaign.”
So far it’s working better than many media outlets are reporting, according to his supporters. Paul won the Strafford County Republican Committee’s straw poll this weekend by a huge margin, with 208 votes. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came in second with 26, according to the committee’s site.
Aitken pointed to his “impeccable family life and voting record” as her reasons for her support.
Paul has been married to his wife, Carol, for 50 years. They have five children and 18 grandchildren.
“This doesn’t happen very often, where we have a candidate we can put our whole heart and soul behind,” she said. “He has all these well-studied ideas. He’s not just someone speaking out of turn.”
Paul opposes free trade agreements such as the North American and Central American free trade agreements, and the U.S. economy’s dependence on Saudi Arabia and China that he says erode our security. He’s staunchly pro-life and wants troops brought home from the Middle East and so we can concentrate on securing our own borders, according to his Web site, www.RonPaul2008.com.
Paul marks birthday with stops in region
Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2007
By JOSEPH G. COTE
Telegraph Staff
NASHUA – U.S. Rep. Ron Paul showed up at Martha’s Exchange Restaurant and Brewery after walking down Main Street with a group of supporters trying to shake his hand and take a picture with him.
That’s part of the down-to-earth, everyman attitude that has made an impression on many supporters of the Texas Republican’s presidential bid, according to Jane Aitkin, the campaign’s Hillsborough County chairwoman. There’s no SUV. No entourage of men in dark suits.
And that attitude carried over into his stop in Nashua on Monday.
Paul lunched with around 25 supporters at Martha’s Exchange to celebrate his 72nd birthday Monday. Paul was presented with a large birthday card and a cake with a custom frosted image of himself and the message “We the people.” Later, he visited Papergraphics in Merrimack, Pete’s Gun and Tackle Shop in Hudson and the Hollis Pharmacy.
The Texan doctor, after delivering more than 4,000 babies, has served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
During that time he’s earned a reputation among his most fervent supporters as a man who pays attention to a 200-year-old document not enough politicians adhere to: the Constitution.
“He’s the only candidate who follows the Constitution in his voting pattern,” Manchester resident Dave Ridley said.
“He just votes the way he thinks is best for the people,” Aitkin said.
Paul’s announcement that he would run for president was overdue for some of his fans and kicked off a movement of collaboration between his supporters, who didn’t know about one another before.
“We all woke up and found out that we’re not alone,” Merrimack resident and Papergraphics co-owner Linda Lagana said. “I’m very concerned that our government is trying to take the country away from the people. It’s time to fight back. I think now we’re all empowered and know we’re not just one crazy person. Our mission now is to get more people to hear this message and wake up.”
And it’s grassroots organizing that Paul’s campaign has excelled at thus far in the primary season.
He doesn’t have a New Hampshire headquarters, but a large and youthful base has organized itself on the Internet and with 700 “meet-up groups” across the country. That’s something that came together on its own, Paul said, not because of some master strategy his campaign concocted to harness the power of the Internet.
“I imagine I’ve been planning that since I’ve been in politics,” he said. “I always wanted people to come together on these issues. A lot of things just came together and people got excited and made their own groups. Things seemed to break through with the Internet presence and this campaign.”
So far it’s working better than many media outlets are reporting, according to his supporters. Paul won the Strafford County Republican Committee’s straw poll this weekend by a huge margin, with 208 votes. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came in second with 26, according to the committee’s site.
Aitken pointed to his “impeccable family life and voting record” as her reasons for her support.
Paul has been married to his wife, Carol, for 50 years. They have five children and 18 grandchildren.
“This doesn’t happen very often, where we have a candidate we can put our whole heart and soul behind,” she said. “He has all these well-studied ideas. He’s not just someone speaking out of turn.”
Paul opposes free trade agreements such as the North American and Central American free trade agreements, and the U.S. economy’s dependence on Saudi Arabia and China that he says erode our security. He’s staunchly pro-life and wants troops brought home from the Middle East and so we can concentrate on securing our own borders, according to his Web site, www.RonPaul2008.com.