Huff Post: Ron Paul: The World's Most Popular U.S. Congressman (VIDEO)

[bobbyw24]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/22/ron-paul-the-worlds-most_n_217971.html

[angelatc]

Is there a direct link? I don't "do" HuffPo.

[dannno]

Wow!

[dannno]

Is there a direct link? I don't "do" HuffPo.

Oh come on..they have some really good articles on occasion..


i.e. the one in the OP:



Ron Paul: The World's Most Popular U.S. Congressman (VIDEO)

Months after his long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination ended, Rep. Ron Paul has become a hot ticket on the international stage. Unlikely as it may seem, Paul, a Texas Republican, is the most popular member of Congress outside the United State, if foreign television appearances are any indication.

Paul expected his international influence to diminish after the quixotic presidential campaign. In fact, it's gone the other way.

"It's actually building," he told the Huffington Post. "It really truly baffles me. I see myself as somebody who's been saying the same thing for about 30 years and not too many people paying any attention."

How much international media does a typical member of Congress do? "Practically none," says a top House GOP communications aide. Foreign media appearances are so rare, he says, that the party doesn't track them.

Paul says he doesn't go looking for the appearances. "I have a low resistance, because they pester me to death and I usually get talked into it. I don't usually look for 'em, but if somebody wanted to honestly ask me questions and express myself, because they relate to international affairs, I'm on [the] international relations [committee], and so they ask me," says Paul, pausing, probably realizing there are 46 other members of that committee who get nowhere near the number of foreign requests. "I don't know how it came about," he concludes. "It certainly isn't planned, because I'm not looking for more interviews."

Turn on Russia Today any given afternoon and you're likely to see Paul waxing political. A Paul-seeking viewer could also find him on the BBC and other outlets in Great Britain -- "too many to count," says the spokesman, Jesse Benton, for his ongoing Campaign for Liberty) -- or on stations in Canada, Holland, Sweden, Australia, Brazil and Argentina.

He's also routinely asked to appear in person. "Dr. Paul currently has invitations to speak all over the world, including Turkey, The Czech Republic, the U.K and Hong Kong," says Benton.

"Yes, we do get more foreign media requests than we can accommodate," affirms Rachel Mills, his congressional spokeswoman. In the last month, she says, he's appeared on Italian National Television, Russia Today, BBC and Iran's Press TV. A number of others were declined for lack of time, she said.
Story continues below

Told of Paul's foreign popularity, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) lets out a chuckle. "He's a great member of our caucus," he says, smiling.

Stepping back, it's not hard to guess why Paul is so popular among foreign producers. He's a fierce critic of American policy from top to bottom -- foreign policy, fiscal policy, monetary policy, civil liberties. And he's popular with audiences.

"When he is a guest, ratings increase. He is huge on the internet and CNN, Fox are trying to utilize that as well," said a journalist who works for a foreign network. "Also, when Dr. Paul was running for president, a lot of his interviews on the mainstream made him look like a lunatic...that has changed dramatically."

Paul reads the Constitution strictly and votes against any bill he thinks goes outside Congress' authority as granted within it. He strongly opposes sanctions and U.S. military interventions in foreign affairs and favors legalizing drugs, gambling and other vices. He deems the American government "broke."

Those are popular positions for viewers with anti-American sentiments and if Paul's popularity abroad is any evidence, those sentiments are alive and well, despite President Obama's international outreach. Take Russia Today, a network with an undercurrent of hostility toward American foreign policy -- though also a station independent of the Kremlin and not in the tank for its own authoritarian tendencies.

Paul, a regular on Russia Today, tells its audience the same thing he says on the House floor: that the U.S. and its puppet, NATO, should stop meddling in Russian affairs or in nations nearby. That's just what they want to hear.

Russia Today reporter Dina Gusovsky is happy to tee one up for Paul in a typical interview. "[C]an you comment on the NATO exercises in Georgia that are supposed to take place in early May?" Gusovsky asks. "There's already the bad blood between Russia, the U.S. and NATO. Is this going to exacerbate tensions? I mean, why is the United States spending so much money and effort in that region?"

Paul knocks it straight down the middle of the fairway, telling Gusovsky, "you're right to say United States because NATO is United States, and that's our policy. I think it's a waste of money especially since we don't have any. We have to borrow that from the Chinese in order to go and do these things and pretend it's a NATO operation. But I think that is just antagonistic. I strongly oppose it. I don't even think we belong in NATO. I think if they need a pact of countries in Europe then they should do it, but not with our help. Because my position is that not only should we back off from moving in that direction of getting involved in the countries and republics that are very close to the Russian border, I think we should leave Europe. And we'll have to, just like how the Soviets had to break up their system for financial reasons, eventually the United States will have to do the same thing and that's why I've always been preaching that the best way to follow fiscal conservative views is to change our foreign policy and not spend so much money just getting ourselves into more trouble."

The interview goes on for nearly eight minutes, a lifetime by U.S. cable standards. The more deliberative format appeals to Paul.

"The interviews are always very friendly. There's less noise and less gotcha type of stuff and no shouting," he says. While he's generally willing to do foreign shows, he's less eager to do American ones, he says, because of the crossfire setup that engenders confrontation.

"The format we have now isn't very healthy, where we just yell and shout at each other," he says. "I try to turn down these things where they put two people on a screen and to try to explain your position you have to yell louder than the other guy. As a matter of fact, I tell me staff I don't even want those. But if people are serious and want to ask me a question and want to know why I want to legalize marijuana and bring the troops home I'll tell them and try to explain it."

Paul's popularity extends to the ground level in foreign countries. His website draws readers from all over the globe, as this graphic world map shows. Paul's YouTube videos get high in Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, the Czech Republica, New Zealand and Poland. During the campaign, there were Paul MeetUps in 118 countries. And there are still Campaign for Libertry groups almost everywhere - from Afghanistan, the Aland Islands and Albania to Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe (where there are three). Benton says the campaign doesn't solicit foreign involvement, yet it continues to grow.

That kind of foreign entanglement -- the voluntary kind -- is the type that Paul, often derided as an isolationist, seems fine with. And much of the rest of the world seems fine with it, too.

"It has nothing to do with isolation," he says. "I want to talk and travel and trade with people, before we start boycotting and bombing and embargoing. And I guess that falls on receptive ears internationally."

WATCH Ron Paul on Russia Today in April:

YouTube - 'Obama won't fulfill his promises' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKcJvGAfvSA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2009%2F 06%2F22%2Fron-paul-the-worlds-most_n_217971.html&feature=player_embedded)

[RonPaulVolunteer]

And some doubt he could possibly win in 2012! pff...

[bobbyw24]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-cohen/10-republicans-who-should_b_157374.html

Ron Paul

http://goatmilk.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/ron_paul_photo_4.jpg

Ron Paul won pretty much every Republican debate hands down, proving that brains and ideas won't get you far in the GOP. The doctor from Texas ultimately failed because he decided to tell the truth about the massive hypocrisy and corruption of the Republican Party, and tried to offer something similar to the original Republicanism of small government, civil liberties, and a humble foreign policy. Paul's small government libertarianism may be outdated (probably by a hundred years or so), but his analysis of the United States fiscal and foreign policy were incredibly accurate and insightful.

On Bush's version of capitalism, Paul said:

Deficits mean future tax increases, pure and simple. Deficit spending should be viewed as a tax on future generations, and politicians who create deficits should be exposed as tax hike

On the war in Iraq, Paul less kind:

Cliches about supporting the troops are designed to distract from failed policies, policies promoted by powerful special interests that benefit from war, anything to steer the discussion away from the real reasons the war in Iraq will not end anytime soon


Amen. Please stick around Ron

[RonPaulR3VOLUTION]

Video from the article:
YouTube - 'Obama won't fulfill his promises' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKcJvGAfvSA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2009%2F 06%2F22%2Fron-paul-the-worlds-most_n_217971.html&feature=player_embedded)

[stu2002]

Nice

[MRoCkEd]

Digg it!!!!

http://digg.com/politics/The_World_s_Most_Popular_U_S_Congressman

[dannno]

Digg it!!!!

http://digg.com/politics/The_World_s_Most_Popular_U_S_Congressman

Finally! Thanks.. dug..

[DAaaMan64]

wow she's hot.

[InTheoryTV]

I like the article talking about Ron Paul's popularity. I don't like calling why he is popular anti-American.

Dugg.

[Expatriate]

Good article, but most of the comments are pretty ignorant.

Dugg.

[dannno]

Good article, but most of the comments are pretty ignorant.

Dugg.

Hah, the negative posts are totally getting pwned in their replies, great job whoever is correcting these people!

[sluggo]

The bury brigade is out.

I Dugg the article and it went to 26.

Refreshed the page and it went down to 25.

[dannno]

The bury brigade is out.

I Dugg the article and it went to 26.

Refreshed the page and it went down to 25.



Need more diggs!!

http://digg.com/politics/The_World_s_Most_Popular_U_S_Congressman

[Original_Intent]

I am glad to see a return to some standards - they used the word 'quixotic'.

[dannno]

I am glad to see a return to some standards - they used the word 'quixotic'.

Hah, I finally looked up that word.. TERRIBLE!!


foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals ; especially : marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action

Monsters..

[Expatriate]

Hah, I finally looked up that word.. TERRIBLE!!

Yeah, remember back in 07/08 when every news article said his campaign was quixotic? I noticed the trend and started counting the number of times that word was used in the media to describe Ron Paul, I stopped counting around 423... It's a form of conditioning through repetition.

Motto of the mainstream media: If At First They Don't Believe, Lie, Lie Again!

[tajitj]

one of the best articles about Ron Paul ever. Especially coming from Huff Po. I think some are coming to realize Obama is more of the same and it take a man like Paul who never sells out and don't give a crap about popularity to get real change.

Vote it up at REDDIT
http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/8unna/the_worlds_most_popular_us_congressman_video/?already_submitted=true

[JasonC]

Did anyone notice the story about Mark Sanford at the top of that page? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/22/mark-sanford-disappeared_n_219139.html

[pacelli]

Happy to see it. Although it would have been a great story to be released when it would have mattered.

[Carole]

"Paul expected his international influence to diminish after the quixotic presidential campaign. In fact, it's gone the other way. "

quixotic presidential campaign
quixotic presidential campaign
quixotic presidential campaign
quixotic presidential campaign
quixotic presidential campaign

There's that usual condescending word again. :mad:

Otherwise nice article.

[torchbearer]

bump

[dr. hfn]

Ron Paul 2012!!!

[Expatriate]

What the crap? Is this person just making things up? RP charged with animal cruelty?


mollymac I'm a Fan of mollymac

This guy voted AGAINST every animal cruelty and animal protection bill before congress. Every single one! What a creep! I wouldn't vote for this guy if he was walking on water. He also has animal cruelty charges in the past. Ewwwww. Phony piece of work.
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:51 PM on 06/22/2009

[Brian Defferding]

Ain't it funny how Ron Paul is getting the last laugh now? Suddenly when the economy is in the shitter, NOW they listen to him.

[amy31416]

Hah, the negative posts are totally getting pwned in their replies, great job whoever is correcting these people!

Thanks.

[Danke]

Wow the Canadian, "AmandaBC" is such a tool.

[james1906]

wow she's hot.

+1

I want to do very naughty things with her.

[Reason]

as long as yall realize that the only reason russia today is giving RP the time of day is because it fits their agenda...

[Emmitt2222]

People pointed out the quixotic thing, but I feel like this whole article is loaded with back-handed compliments.

"favors legalizing drugs, gambling and other vices"

The person who wrote the article is very smart and good with language. The above quote is phrased perfectly, appearing to be almost approving and also making the Dr. seem crazy at the same time by saying he wants to legalize bad things. I personally thought it was a decent article for the exposure of his international appeal and, yet, it is chock full of insults and made me just want to stop reading it. They essentially say he is popular abroad because he is against America. Screw Huff-Po.

I am surprised that many people in this thread said nothing of the sort. Just because the media is getting more subversive with their insults, does not mean we should rejoice when they write something about him. But, then again, considering most articles written by the left have been worse, I guess we also take what we can get and by those standards this isn't too bad.

[rp08orbust]

What the crap? Is this person just making things up? RP charged with animal cruelty?

Are they confusing him with Mike Huckabee's dog-torturing son?

[gilliganscorner]

Yeah, remember back in 07/08 when every news article said his campaign was quixotic? I noticed the trend and started counting the number of times that word was used in the media to describe Ron Paul, I stopped counting around 423... It's a form of conditioning through repetition.

Motto of the mainstream media: If At First They Don't Believe, Lie, Lie Again!

I remember 'gadfly'.

Now it's 'green shoots'?

Is there somebody carefully coordinating these phrases or is it just really stupid reporters quoting each other?

[anaconda]

RP sounds like a friggin' genius in this Russia Today interview. This interview really shows off his understanding of a wide range of issues.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Yeah, remember back in 07/08 when every news article said his campaign was quixotic? I noticed the trend and started counting the number of times that word was used in the media to describe Ron Paul, I stopped counting around 423... It's a form of conditioning through repetition.

Motto of the mainstream media: If At First They Don't Believe, Lie, Lie Again!
Oh... George Carlin's "The American Dream" comes to mind

Almost all those online MSM site (POLITICO, MoveOn, The Nation) and the Bought and Paid For (PAYOLA media). I think I remember an entire section here on RPF dedicated to Bad Media and Press.

BTW, The POLITICO reported on Ron Paul's H.R. 1207 Bill as "QUIXOTIC" just last week.

[gilliganscorner]

You folks remember this site?: http://whowouldtheworldelect.com/

[Expatriate]

You folks remember this site?: http://whowouldtheworldelect.com/

Yeah, that was great!

Remember it getting buried on Digg because the "power users" said it was fake and people were just lying about being from those countries? Well, I just noticed this page, it shows the amount of people that changed their location from what their IP indicated. Only 5% did.

http://whowouldtheworldelect.com/results/

[acptulsa]

Thanks.

That you, Audi?

[libertarian4321]

If he's on Russia Today that often, maybe I should watch it more often (its free on the internets).