Paul attacks Perry for being liberal, Perry hits back by calling Paul too conservative??

[RileyE104]

I feel like I'm in a dream world now.

I loved how the campaign finally took the gloves off and is going after the supposed "front runner" of the race.

I also love how the Perry campaign decided to strike back by releasing Paul's 1988 'retirement' letter.

I mean, seriously, anyone who takes the time to read that letter and then thinks hard about the current times we're in, they'd see WHY people call Ron Paul the "Godfather" of the Tea Party.

All the Perry campaign did was confirm what Paul's campaign was trying to convey in the new ad: that Paul has for decades been consistent with the principles of liberty and limited government, and especially a fiscally conservative government. WHO CAN YOU TRUST AMERICA? :)

[bluesc]

I'm not sure if it was an intentional plan, but it worked beautifully. I mean, it was picture perfect.

I hope Ron uses "being attacked for being too conservative" in the debate tomorrow. After this ad, he will pretty much be required to back it up. We don't want to pull a Pawlenty.

[Karsten]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?

[refuge]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?
You mean to run for president? I believe back in 88, he was running moreso to make a point, knowing he wouldn't win, whereas in the 2008 election, he was running to win, which pretty much requires to be in one of those two parties.

[RileyE104]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?

He left politics after 1988. He returned in 1996 to have another go at making a difference in the GOP. I think he felt obligated to stand up for what he believed in after 9/11. I'm sure if he didn't get the following he got in 2008 he would have retired again.

[Karsten]

You mean to run for president? I believe back in 88, he was running moreso to make a point, knowing he wouldn't win, whereas in the 2008 election, he was running to win, which pretty much requires to be in one of those two parties.

No I don't mean to run for President. I mean 2001-2007, why did he stay?

[Rudeman]

He only retired from the Republican party to run for President as a Libertarian. He has mentioned numerous times why he wouldn't do it again.

[Karsten]

But I agree though. What a stupid, weak-ass (from a tactical point of view) response from Perry.

[sailingaway]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?

He didn't leave 'because of Reagan' but because the party under Reagan, with a GOP congress, didn't achieve what it said it sought.... AND because he was going to run on the libertarian ticket to make a point of how far the GOP had traveled from where it had been. In the course of that run he discovered how slanted the process is against third parties, so while he ran again after Bush, to protest policies, he didn't run third party. He has always won his seats as a Republican, he just has frequently thought the GOP didn't stand by its platform.

[RonPaulCult]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?

He thought the libertarian party was a viable way to bring about the changes he's been fighting for his entire career. Whoops - it turns out the system is biased against third parties. He came back to the party because really, you only have two choices in politics. He doesn't like the system, but since '88 he has learned the system.

[BamaAla]

From reading the retirement letter, I have to ask: Why did Ron Paul leave the Republican Party after Reagan, but stay in the Republican party during George W. Bush (who was FAR worse than Reagan)?

I've gotten hit with the "he's a hypocrite" a few times today on other internet forums. It really isn't easy to defend without looking like a homer.

I still love the ad though as it will grab some low hanging fruit who are just looking for buzz words like Reagan.