Ron Paul Congratulates Michael Steele

[low preference guy]

LAKE JACKSON, Texas -- Congressman Ron Paul today issued the following statement on Michael Steele’s recent comments that Afghanistan is a war of President Obama’s choosing:


“I would like to congratulate Michael Steele for his leadership on one of the most important issues of today. He is absolutely right: Afghanistan is now Obama’s war. During the 2008 campaign, Obama was out in front in insisting that more troops be sent to Afghanistan. Obama called for expanding the war even as he pretended to be a peace candidate.

“Michael Steele should not resign. Smart policies make smart politics. He is guiding the party in the right direction and we are on the verge of victory this fall. Chairman Steele should not back off. He is giving the country, especially young people, hope as he speaks truth about this war.

“I have to ask myself, what is the agenda of the harsh critics demanding this resignation? Why do they support Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s war?

“The American people are sick and tired spending hundreds of billions of dollars a year, draining our economy and straining our military. Michael Steele has it right and Republicans should stick by him.”

http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100703005010&newsLang=en

[low preference guy]

Next time, try to get the press release out quicker.

[specsaregood]

“I have to ask myself, what is the agenda of the harsh critics demanding this resignation? Why do they support Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s war?


Bill Kristol supports Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.

[MRoCkEd]

Great statement. I really hope Steele stands his ground. I doubt he will.

[low preference guy]

I really hope Steele stands his ground.

Not a change. But everyone knows he spoke the truth, accidentally.

[Lord Xar]

i've read some posts on his facebook page, man - there are some real zombie neo-cons on there. I can't believe the repubs have fallen so far... disgraceful.

[t0rnado]

Ron Paul made a mistake by sending this press release out. Steele thinks that the troops currently in Afghanistan should be moved to Iraq. He's not for ending any foreign occupations, any wars, or any violence. He is just making statements that oppose Obama's policies.

[Natalie]

I think this was an excellent statement by Dr. Paul :)

[specsaregood]

Ron Paul made a mistake by sending this press release out. Steele thinks that the troops currently in Afghanistan should be moved to Iraq. He's not for ending any foreign occupations, any wars, or any violence. He is just making statements that oppose Obama's policies.

You don't make a mistake when you speak the truth. I thought everybody by now was on the get them out of Iraq boat? Where does steele say we should be increasing the troop size in iraq?

[TCE]

The Neo-Cons don't want to leave any country, so Michael Steele bucking the establishment on this one is great. Agree with Low Preference, with a quicker release, Ron Paul could have made a much bigger splash.

[NYgs23]

I'm afraid that's probably the last thing Michael Steele wanted to hear right now: a congratulations from Ron Paul.

[t0rnado]

You don't make a mistake when you speak the truth. I thought everybody by now was on the get them out of Iraq boat? Where does steele say we should be increasing the troop size in iraq?

http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Michael_Steele_War_+_Peace.htm


A: The Defense Department did not give the president the kind of strategy that he needed to prosecute this war. From the beginning we didn't have enough troops on the ground, from the beginning there was no clear decision to win the peace here.

It would have taken less time to make your post than it would have to simply Googled Michael Steele's position on the occupation of Iraq.

[low preference guy]

I'm afraid that's probably the last thing Michael Steele wanted to hear right now: a congratulations from Ron Paul.

I think it's a positive for him. Ron Paul's status has raised a lot since 2008.

[sailingaway]

Ron Paul made a mistake by sending this press release out. Steele thinks that the troops currently in Afghanistan should be moved to Iraq. He's not for ending any foreign occupations, any wars, or any violence. He is just making statements that oppose Obama's policies.

I really doubt Ron has any illusions at all, he just wants the debate to be open, not shut down as soon as someone opens their mouths in a way Kristol doesn't like.

I have to tell you, while I didn't get drawn to Ron from the foreign policy side, per se, I was a Republican a long time never having any idea my 'first principles' were supposed to be 'internationalism' as Kristol and his buddies put it. Who the hell are they to speak for the GOP?

[michaelwise]

Bill Kristol needs to resign for his Zionist statements.

[specsaregood]

http://www.ontheissues.org/International/Michael_Steele_War_+_Peace.htm
It would have taken less time to make your post than it would have to simply Googled Michael Steele's position on the occupation of Iraq.

That quote is from 2006. It is now 2010 and the situation in Iraq and our status there has changed drastically. How about finding a relevent up to date quote.

[catdd]

Buck the neocons! Let's show them they don't own the Republican Party anymore.

[t0rnado]

That quote is from 2006. It is now 2010 and the situation in Iraq and our status there has changed drastically. How about finding a relevent up to date quote.

Tell me what drastic changes occured in our status in Iraq from 2006 to 2010. The one quote I posted and the dozens underneath it at that link are from 2006 because Steele ran for Senate in 2006 and was open about his views.

[tremendoustie]

Excellent press release. Very well said. Also, leverages the left-right paradigm to push the republican party in the right direction. :cool:

[specsaregood]

Tell me what drastic changes occured in our status in Iraq from 2006 to 2010. The one quote I posted and the dozens underneath it at that link are from 2006 because Steele ran for Senate in 2006 and was open about his views.

Well for one, we had the troop surge in 2007 AFTER that comment. So basically the military got what he was saying, more troops AFTER that comment. By most accounts the troop surge worked and in late 2007 we started a drawdown of forces under the Bush presidency (republicans). So once again, please show me a quote where Steele under the OBama presidency has pushed for more troops to go into Iraq? I didn't say that he never wanted troops in Iraq, I said, "I thought everybody by now was on the get them out of Iraq boat?"

[t0rnado]

Well for one, we had the troop surge in 2007 AFTER that comment. So basically the military got what he was saying, more troops AFTER that comment. By most accounts the troop surge worked and in late 2007 we started a drawdown of forces under the Bush presidency (republicans). So once again, please show me a quote where Steele under the OBama presidency has pushed for more troops to go into Iraq? I didn't say that he never wanted troops in Iraq, I said, "I thought everybody by now was on the get them out of Iraq boat?"

I haven't seen a single refutation made by Steele towards his original comments regarding the occupation of Iraq. If Steele did want to end the wars, he would have mentioned Iraq as well in his recent speech instead of just saying that Obama "demonized" it.

[low preference guy]

this isn't too complex.

steele said the afghan war isn't winnable. which is true.

people want him to resign. but we can't have him resign over this, even if he has a lot of flaws. so it's better for us that he stays.

period. end of discussion.

[specsaregood]

I haven't seen a single refutation made by Steele towards his original comments regarding the occupation of Iraq. If Steele did want to end the wars, he would have mentioned Iraq as well in his recent speech instead of just saying that Obama "demonized" it.

This is what you said:

Steele thinks that the troops currently in Afghanistan should be moved to Iraq.

That is what I questioned. I have yet to see you back that claim up.

[devil21]

I haven't seen a single refutation made by Steele towards his original comments regarding the occupation of Iraq. If Steele did want to end the wars, he would have mentioned Iraq as well in his recent speech instead of just saying that Obama "demonized" it.

You're probably not going to because that simply is not what a politician does. They don't just say "oops I was wrong". They move in a different direction suddenly and hope the past is just forgotten. Im putting Steele in the same category as Glenn Beck. Do the right thing when it matters and Ill trust, but to expect him to come out and say he was wrong is unrealistic and holding him to that standard will not work to spread our message. We need to observe when people like Steele turn in the direction of our platform, even if it's for the wrong reasons. People will take notice and that's where WE come in to clarify the "why" to the sheep.

Politics 101
(for those that don't know, this same sort of political cycle has happened a few times before...history always repeats itself....William Jennings Bryan was one of the older "versions" of Ron Paul but there are others.)

[7_digitz]

I'm afraid that's probably the last thing Michael Steele wanted to hear right now: a congratulations from Ron Paul.

the rnc establishment hates ron paul with every fiber in thier bones. a rp indorsement may help him on here, but it's like the knife turning and grinding while steele's trying to get it out.

[t0rnado]

This is what you said:


That is what I questioned. I have yet to see you back that claim up.

Maybe I worded it incorrectly, but Steele would prefer more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan based on what he stated in 2006. If he has changed his views on Iraq since then, he hasn't made a clear statement about the change.

Literally moving them from Afghanistan to Iraq is not what I meant.

[catdd]

Him congratulating Steele on this issue will put us farther out of touch with the status quo majority.... but I don't care anymore. I think we should let it all hang out this time around.
A ground victory in Afghanistan is impossible, Bldg 7 did not collapse the way it did due to office fires, nothing but total transparency of the fed, etc. etc. etc.
The status quo will not like us no matter what, so let's stop trying to please them.

[MN Patriot]

i've read some posts on his facebook page, man - there are some real zombie neo-cons on there. I can't believe the repubs have fallen so far... disgraceful.

So then why is the Tea Party / Liberty Movement trying to hitch our ride to the Republican Party?

As I have been saying since day 1, we need to create our own third party, put the Republican Party into irrelevancy, and give voters a REAL choice. I know, I am a heretic. Me so bad. :(

[low preference guy]

So then why is the Tea Party / Liberty Movement trying to hitch our ride to the Republican Party?

As I have been saying since day 1, we need to create our own third party, put the Republican Party into irrelevancy, and give voters a REAL choice. I know, I am a heretic. Me so bad. :(

That party has already been created. It's the libertarian party.

[djdellisanti4]

Is Paul trying to get Steele's support? Things could get very interesting if Steele supports Paul in the primary. How will establishment reps feel? What will the tea partiers do? I know all of us libertarians will support Paul almost no matter what, but the tea partiers are all about anti-establishment, almost blindly. Will they turn against Paul because the head of the Rep establishment supports him? Will the tea party shift to being openly pro-war just to go against Steele? Lots of questions, but most of them dependent on Steele backing Paul in the primary, which is still unlikely.


That party has already been created. It's the libertarian party.


Yeah and its about time that we got behind them.

[low preference guy]

Yeah and its about time that we got behind them.

lol

[djdellisanti4]

lol

lol?

[catdd]

lol

[SLSteven]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100704/ap_on_re_us/us_mccain_steele


McCain says party chairman Michael Steele's recent comments about the Afghanistan war are "wildly inaccurate" and inexcusable.

The Arizona Republican says Steele needs to assess whether he can still function in his job and must make "an appropriate decision" about his future.

[catdd]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100704/ap_on_re_us/us_mccain_steele

Of course he is. According to the recent FOX poll, 80% of republicans believe Steele should go. McCain has never had the nerve to buck the system.

[Aratus]

if ron paul is defending michael steele as john mccain is directly attacking him, why does
mccain not see that this war has ceased to be george w. bush's and is now obama's war?

[jct74]

Front page of Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/04/ron-paul-praises-embattle_n_635067.html

Head on over to the comment section to defend Ron. A lot of liberals seemed to have turned against Ron Paul and libertarianism lately. They see him as a threat now.

[Flash]

Of course he is. According to the recent FOX poll, 80% of republicans believe Steele should go. McCain has never had the nerve to buck the system.

How the fuck is Ron Paul going to win the Republican nomination in 2012 if 80% of Republicans now oppose Steele for saying something as small as this? I just don't see it happening.

[low preference guy]

How the fuck is Ron Paul going to win the Republican nomination in 2012 if 80% of Republicans now oppose Steele for saying something as small as this? I just don't see it happening.

they're opposed to Steele for much more than this. people have been calling for him to resign since 2009.

[A. Havnes]

I had the misfortune of watching Fox News with my Grandpa today, and this was one of their big stories. 4th of July this year was all about continuing the war.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Anyone catch the coverage on CNN with Ron Paul and that Communist Clown anchor, Don Lemon?

Whata jerkoff Don Lemon... then I looked at Don Lemon's BIO... surprise, surprise. This is the hypocrisy of marginalization, misleading, and condescending.

Lemon... a Chicago Liberal Ass Lickin Obama/Democrat supporter. Then Lemon brings on CNN political hack Mark Preston to pump one another. Lemon got all defensive when it's labeled "Obama's War.

http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lemon.don.html

http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/images/lemon.don.jpg

[nbruno322]

Anyone catch the coverage on CNN with Ron Paul and that Communist Clown anchor, Don Lemon?

Whata jerkoff Don Lemon... then I looked at Don Lemon's BIO... surprise, surprise. This is the hypocrisy of marginalization, misleading, and condescending.

Lemon... a Chicago Liberal Ass Lickin Obama/Democrat supporter. Then Lemon brings on CNN political hack Mark Preston to pump one another. Lemon got all defensive when it's labeled "Obama's War.

http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lemon.don.html

http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/images/lemon.don.jpg


Agreed

This is absolutely pathetic, though common course, for American main stream media.

Freedom Watch is a fantastic start, but dammit, the freedom movement needs its own channel.

[Matt Collins]

http://r3publican.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/ron-paul-steele.jpg

[Matt Collins]

I heard a rumor that Rush Limbaugh is backing Steele on this one. Can anyone confirm?