ABC news- Tom Cruise, Ron Paul and the Sex Pistols Intersect with Leno

[KewlRonduderules]

It seems like ABC has toned down the rhetoric but they are still doing it in subtle ways. They still want to portray him as "fringe". There is hardly any comments so start typing away!!!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/10/tom-cruise-ron-.html


ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: There he was, sandwiched between megastar Tom Cruise and a reunion of The Sex Pistols, singing "Anarchy in the UK" on the Tonight Show.

Texas Congressman and Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul was not about the jokes when he sat down on Jay Leno's couch and talked about the Austrian School of Economics - "Free market and hard money." Paul doesn’t think the government should be "printing money out of thin air."

Leno, who in his opening monologue joked that as an OB-GYN Ron Paul is the "only person in Washington who said take your clothes off to more women than Bill Clinton," seemed a bit skeptical of the Austrian school.

He asked Paul about all the people on social security and Paul shot back that he is the only candidate to consistently vote against spending from the social security trust fund. "Mine is really the only way to protect social security," Paul said, clarifying that he wants to continue benefits for those who have been promised them while transitioning to a system where people can opt out.

Leno pushed, asking how you'd pave roads without the IRS and the income tax, which Paul pointed out has only been in existence since 1913.

"We did a lot of good things before 1913," Paul argued.

He went on to discuss his anti-war, non-interventionist foreign policy ideas and his notion that, more than terrorism, "Our greatest threat is to civil liberty here at home."

Paul's one joke came when Leno asked him if there was actually a chance he could win.

Paul mentioned his fundraising and growing online army of supporters.

"It's certainly way beyond what I had originally conceived," Paul said. "So there is a risk I could win."

Indeed, stranger things have happened: The Sex Pistols are back together.

After the commercial break, with Paul still on the couch, Leno introduced the Sex Pistols. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that green room.

Johnny Rotten and Paul may actually have a lot to talk about -- some look at the Sex Pistols lyrics and say Rotten is libertarian too.

[evadmurd]

I don't see anything wrong with this. Fairly good synopsis really. He did great, that's for sure.

[DrNoZone]

Nice coverage.

[brumans]

Good stuff. He could of had a better answer for the Income Tax question, though.

[Question_Authority]

I thought it was a great blog!

[werdd]

give the tonight show feedback at mailto:tonightshowfeedback@nbcuni.com

[Ron Paul Fan]

Good stuff. He couldn't of had a better answer for the income tax question.

[JMann]

Good stuff. He could of had a better answer for the Income Tax question, though.

He responded that we would still have as much revenue as in 2000 the reporter just failed to mention that part. I do think his 1913 response didn't really represent his position but he isn't going to hit every ball out of da park.

[margomaps]

The blog was fine. It did incorrectly give the impression that Leno wasn't buying Paul's answers though. Leno was very obviously playing the weak devil's advocate and tossing softballs for Ron to hit out of the park. It was clear to me that Leno was on Paul's side throughout the interview.

[Bradley in DC]

I thought it was a great write up, more than a fair account of the evening. We need to get past the insecurities that every article that isn't a rave about Dr. Paul is an implicit or explicit "hit piece" and accept that most reporters are just doing their job (some much better than others).

[malibu]

Good piece by ABC -

"Leno, who in his opening monologue joked that as an OB-GYN Ron Paul is the -
"only person in Washington who said take your clothes off to more women than Bill Clinton."

Leno does use some material over again - especially political.

Expect this joke again sometime in the future - especially when we get hotter in the polls and primaries. It is all good.

[KewlRonduderules]

I thought it was a great write up, more than a fair account of the evening. We need to get past the insecurities that every article that isn't a rave about Dr. Paul is an implicit or explicit "hit piece" and accept that most reporters are just doing their job (some much better than others).

Never said it was a hit piece.

It was just an impression that was not so favorable in my opinion. But then again I don't speak for everybody.

This is the part that got to me which seemed questionable:


"It's certainly way beyond what I had originally conceived," Paul said. "So there is a risk I could win."

Indeed, stranger things have happened: The Sex Pistols are back together.

After the commercial break, with Paul still on the couch, Leno introduced the Sex Pistols. Oh to be a fly on the wall in that green room.

Johnny Rotten and Paul may actually have a lot to talk about -- some look at the Sex Pistols lyrics and say Rotten is libertarian too.


FYI, it is good to know that others view it favorably. Looks like our advocacy is paying off.

:)

[steph3n]

That part that seemed questionable to you sounded like they wanted to be there to hear Johnny rotten say "President Paul!" :D

[Cindy]

The blog was fine. It did incorrectly give the impression that Leno wasn't buying Paul's answers though. Leno was very obviously playing the weak devil's advocate and tossing softballs for Ron to hit out of the park. It was clear to me that Leno was on Paul's side throughout the interview.

Yes! I hope not to many saw him as being skeptical. However, Leno's comment about how will roads be build without the income tax was just ignorant. They are paid for with the gasoline tax or are privately built and funded through tolls.

Oh well, the article is what it is and I left a comment regarding the income tax. At least ABC wrote about Pauls time on Leno in the article and not Toms or the Sex Pistols. :)

[jmdrake]

Good article. I just wish it had mentioned the fact that Ron Paul said he would pay for people who still need social security by rolling back the American Empire.

Regards,

John M. Drake

[jmdrake]

Yes! I hope not to many saw him as being skeptical. However, Leno's comment about how will roads be build without the income tax was just ignorant. They are paid for with the gasoline tax or are privately built and funded through tolls.

Oh well, the article is what it is and I left a comment regarding the income tax. At least ABC wrote about Pauls time on Leno in the article and not Toms or the Sex Pistols. :)

Unfortunately there are a lot of "ignorant" people in the country. As soon as you talk about getting rid of the income tax people start thinking about things that actually want the government to be doing. And the average American doesn't know what taxes pay for what functions. Remember, you're dealing with a population that can name more characters from the Simpsons than they can freedoms outlined in the bill of rights.

Regards,

John M. Drake

[MsDoodahs]

I thought it was a great write up, more than a fair account of the evening. We need to get past the insecurities that every article that isn't a rave about Dr. Paul is an implicit or explicit "hit piece" and accept that most reporters are just doing their job (some much better than others).

Agreed!

This was an excellent piece!

[allyinoh]

I thought it was a great write up, more than a fair account of the evening. We need to get past the insecurities that every article that isn't a rave about Dr. Paul is an implicit or explicit "hit piece" and accept that most reporters are just doing their job (some much better than others).

I agree with you. Sometimes I will read an article and say, "That's not so bad." Then my husband will say it was negative.

I think as RP supporters we are defensive, and there's nothing wrong with that but I think sometimes we over analyze things.

I thought the Jay Leno interview was great and the coverage has been nice.

One thing, did anyone hear when Jay Leno said the song, "Anarchy in the UK" would fit him perfectly? What does anyone think about this?

The reason I ask, and feel free someone to open this discussion in a new thread but people are starting to say that Leno was refering to the first two lines in the song that says, "I'm the antichrist, I'm an anarchist." Personally, I thought he meant along the lines of being against government...

Any thoughts? (I don't really want to take over the thread but I'm curious about this)

[LizF]

I agree with you. Sometimes I will read an article and say, "That's not so bad." Then my husband will say it was negative.

I think as RP supporters we are defensive, and there's nothing wrong with that but I think sometimes we over analyze things.

I thought the Jay Leno interview was great and the coverage has been nice.

One thing, did anyone hear when Jay Leno said the song, "Anarchy in the UK" would fit him perfectly? What does anyone think about this?

The reason I ask, and feel free someone to open this discussion in a new thread but people are starting to say that Leno was refering to the first two lines in the song that says, "I'm the antichrist, I'm an anarchist." Personally, I thought he meant along the lines of being against government...

Any thoughts? (I don't really want to take over the thread but I'm curious about this)


One thing, did anyone hear when Jay Leno said the song, "Anarchy in the UK" would fit him perfectly? What does anyone think about this?

I didn't care for that comment, as it misrepresents RP's positions. (RP wants much less govt, not anarchy.)

Still, my sense was that Leno probably meant no harm (and might have thought he was being clever by saying that).

[davidhperry]

What "subtle ways" are we talking about? I don't see them. This is what honest reporting looks like.

[The Only Woj]

he could have made a better effort to point out the STATES should be paving roads, not the federal government. but he did say that money stays with the people and the state, so hopefully people can put 2 and 2 together on that one.

[constituent]

Hey, I tried my hand at sensationalism (headlines) can i get some constructive criticism on
This (http://www.ronpaulnation.com/?p=305)? PM or another thread is fine.


thank you

[Cindy]

he could have made a better effort to point out the STATES should be paving roads, not the federal government. but he did say that money stays with the people and the state, so hopefully people can put 2 and 2 together on that one.

Most of the newer toll roads are all being paved and maintained by private foriegn investors.

Not sure how I feel about the foriegn part.

Local roads are still pretty much covered by local taxes. The main street my subdivision is off of is going from a 2 lane to 4 lane off a CDD tax the homeowners in just the new developments off of it pay and the roads within our devlopment are also paid for from the CDD tax that only we homeowners in it pay.

The developers of CDDs in Florida (Community Development Districts) are their own taxing districts. We pay county taxxes like everyone and a second tax to pay off the public bonds issued to pay for the infrastructure of the developments, though they remain public, even though they are privately funded and maintained.

That's a whole nother corrupt mess of double taxation without representation, " until homeowners get control of the District Boards and in some cases, that never happens and the developer keeps building to keep control. ( Florida is so corrupt)

Anyway, Leno was way off when he suggested to brain dead Amercia that roads are paid for from out the Income tax. ( I was brain dead when I bought into a CDD- though I love it here, wouldn't do it again on the principle of how they are unfairly structured in favor of the developers wallets and not the homeowners)

I hope it gets Americans who watched the show talking more about this stuff and asking questions.