Ron Paul discusses Mitt Romney

[Agorism]

Ron Paul says he likes Mitt Romney...to some degree anyways

edit: I added the whole quote


Paul offered limited approval for Romney in the interview, yet he wouldn’t commit to supporting him as the 2012 Republican candidate.

“I think he probably understands how the market works as a businessman a little bit better than a guy like Gingrich does and the people who have never been in business,” he said of Romney.

Paul also suggested that he sees Romney as being more presidential than some of the other candidates.

“I think he has a decorum that’s different,” he said. “He’s a little bit more diplomatic, I think, in the way he handles things.”

Still, Paul said he doesn’t think Romney has “convictions that come close to mine,” and that he views all of his rivals as being political insiders.

“I put them all in the same category,” he said. “They all are part of the status quo.”

'Serial Flip-Flopper’

Asked why he has been less critical of Romney than some of the other candidates, Paul said he’s targeted his fellow Iowa front-runner for attacks on occasion.

“We’ve accused him of this vicious term that he flip- flops,” he said. “We could call him a serial flip flopper.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-30/paul-sees-placing-first-or-second-in-iowa-while-wary-of-supporting-rivals.html


http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Romney-Paul-debate.jpg

[Epic]

Dont understand this. I mean, hell, at least Huntsman gets some foreign policy right.

[Sublyminal]

Ron Paul says he likes Mitt Romney...to some degree anyways



http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Romney-Paul-debate.jpg


They're playing nice with each other, until it's just them two, then it's going to be a Pacquiao vs FMJ type brawl. (If that brawl ever happens)

[ronpaulfollower999]

I'm telling you guys. Vice President.

Think Reagan/Bush.

[amy31416]

What?

All of Romney's staff are total neocons.

[Sola_Fide]

I don't get it.

Mitt Romney has shown he doesn't understand the free market or sound economic theory by supporting bailouts and corporatism.

[RickyJ]

Saying he knows business a little bit better than Gingrich is not really a compliment.

Gingrich has never really had any business other than politics.

[Elwar]

I can see them both hoping for a Romney/Paul fight...

Paul going for caucus states and Romney going for primary states.

Another reason for the focus on Nevada.

[Austin]

This is really quite confusing. I wonder what the angle is.

We'll find out in a few days.

[Napolitanic Wars]

I'm telling you guys. Vice President.

Think Reagan/Bush.

Bush called Reagan a radical and tried to kill him. Ron would be President for 3 weeks before he died after being stabbed with a poison-tip umbrella at the airport.

[Agorism]

I actually agree with Paul on this to a degree. Romney is not ideology that conservative.

However, he is the candidate with the most impressive personal resume. Attended Harvard and did a dual graduate program of business and law at the same time. He graduated int the top 10% of the business school so he had top notch academic success. He combined this with success in the private sector by founding one of the most successful companies in the USA.

When it comes to personal story he may be the strongest candidate in the race not that Paul isn't strong in his right.

[Sublyminal]

This is really quite confusing. I wonder what the angle is.

We'll find out in a few days.


They're playing nice with each other a sort of truce for now. Deep down, I think Romney truly respects Ron Paul's ideals. That and the fact that they both want the real posers out of the race.

[Romulus]

Romneys going after Ron saying he's not going to be the nominee and crap...

[lucent]

Notice he didn't post a link? Why? Because this is from weeks ago. It was a TV interview and wasn't quite as they worded it.

[Agorism]

Romneys going after Ron saying he's not going to be the nominee and crap...

I kind of agree, but Paul dislikes Gingrich after 1996 when he tried to run a Democrat against him so he gets sidetracked with that. Plus he got to know and watch Gingrich in the house for a bit so that probably ads to his annoyance with him.

Plus Gingrich is an actual con artist where Romney doesn't quality as that.

[Agorism]

Notice he didn't post a link? Why? Because this is from weeks ago. It was a TV interview and wasn't quite as they worded it.

Hotair just posted it. That's where I got it.

[sailingaway]

Dont understand this. I mean, hell, at least Huntsman gets some foreign policy right.

Huntsman is running an ad in NH implying Ron is a racist. He also wants to invade Iran.

Romney and Ron aren't going for the same voters, and Ron thinks Romney is more level headed than Gingrich. I wouldn't make too much of it.

[vechorik]

I wish Dr. Paul had not said that. Most people say "Romney can run the US great. He has business experience."
Even Dr. Paul made a video "Government is NOT a business."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq0kv4n5Yfs

[sparebulb]

Ron is genius. He bitch-slaps Newtl'roy and is gettin' in Willard's head all at the same time.

It seems to me that he is trying to shame, or strongarm Willard into acknowledging libertarian free market truths. Willard will ignore Ron at his own peril.

[eduardo89]

Saying he knows business a little bit better than Gingrich is not really a compliment.

Gingrich has never really had any business other than politics.

What are you talking about? He was in the private sector/free market when he "consulted" for Fannie!

[muh_roads]

I have had this weird feeling since the beginning of December. Romney wants him for VP (as does the establishment to try and appease us and not cause a brokered convention) and Paul must now actually be considering it. Calls him a good guy on Leno. Doesn't attack him at all in ads. Attacking him 2 weeks ago in NH would've been so effective.

Romney hardly goes after Paul at all in Iowa.

Something is fishy. I don't like the smell of it. :(

[DinahWest]

I wish some people would stop taking this for more than what it is.

I know some are just wired that way, but is it not exhausting to constantly be in that mode?
Ron has found something complimentary about all of them to a degree. Take it for what
it is and let it go.

[lucent]

You should edit your OP with the full discussion on Romney.



Paul offered limited approval for Romney in the interview, yet he wouldn’t commit to supporting him as the 2012 Republican candidate.

“I think he probably understands how the market works as a businessman a little bit better than a guy like Gingrich does and the people who have never been in business,” he said of Romney.

Paul also suggested that he sees Romney as being more presidential than some of the other candidates.

“I think he has a decorum that’s different,” he said. “He’s a little bit more diplomatic, I think, in the way he handles things.”

Still, Paul said he doesn’t think Romney has “convictions that come close to mine,” and that he views all of his rivals as being political insiders.

“I put them all in the same category,” he said. “They all are part of the status quo.”

'Serial Flip-Flopper’

Asked why he has been less critical of Romney than some of the other candidates, Paul said he’s targeted his fellow Iowa front-runner for attacks on occasion.

“We’ve accused him of this vicious term that he flip- flops,” he said. “We could call him a serial flip flopper.”


http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-30/paul-sees-top-two-iowa-finish-while-wary-of-backing-rivals.html

[Sola_Fide]

I have had this weird feeling since the beginning of December. Romney wants him for VP and Paul must now actually be considering it. Calls him a good guy on Leno. Doesn't attack him at all in ads. Attacking him 2 weeks ago in NH would've been so effective.

Romney hardly goes after Paul at all in Iowa.

Something is fishy. I don't like the smell of it. :(

Hmmm. You think Romney wants Ron as VP? No way bro.

[Agorism]

There is an advantage to Romney and Paul getting along well in that they are the only two candidates who have money to actually run ads so have a truce maybe was good....kinda

[DinahWest]

Romney is not attacking Paul because all the others can do it and are doing it for him.
When Romney sees Paul as a real threat the foreign policy choir will be singing with
knives out for Ron.

Lighten up! lol

[69360]

It's simple and not confusing at all. Ron or mittens is getting the nomination. Neither will get the white house without some of the others supporters so they can't burn bridges with each others support right now. The others in the race are just fluff, they are going nowhere.

[blazeKing]

Maybe Romney would take Rand as VP? Doubt it but he needs Tea Party enthusiasm.

[lucent]

Calling Romney status quo and serial flip-flopper is attacking him.

[Schiff_FTW]

I'm telling you guys. Vice President.

Think Reagan/Bush.

How would that be good? The VP has almost no official responsibilities.

[ronpaulfollower999]

How would that be good? The VP has almost no official responsibilities.

I was actually thinking Romney as VP. It guarantees us establishment Republicans, but it does put Ron Paul at risk.

[RickyJ]

I was actually thinking Romney as VP. It guarantees us establishment Republicans, but it does put Ron Paul at risk.

I don't think it would guarantee establishment Republicans would vote for Paul, unless of course Romney could persuade them to. I don't really see them working together and to be running mates they would have to.

[PhineasFinn]

I don't know if a Paul/Romney \ Romney/Paul ticket would be something to look forward to.... If Paul were to be chosen as a VP, you have to understand the VP has very limited power and only acts as a back up.

[Sal Featherstone]

Willard is definitely better than that psychopathic lobbyist Gingrich.

I seriously, seriously doubt that Willard will attack Iran. He's just talking tough now to appease the NeoCon masters in the GOP, but Willard is too level-headed to rush into a war with Iran.

[TheDrakeMan]

How would that be good? The VP has almost no official responsibilities.

But everyone knows who the VP is. Rand Paul could run one day and already have a huge advantage due to the fact that his father was Vice President. Plus Paul being VP would HAVE to push Romney further to the right. Otherwise Romney's campaign wouldn't work.

[RickyJ]

But everyone knows who the VP is. Rand Paul could run one day and already have a huge advantage due to the fact that his father was Vice President. Plus Paul being VP would HAVE to push Romney further to the right. Otherwise Romney's campaign wouldn't work.

Nope, I wouldn’t even vote for Ron Paul as VP. He wouldn't do it anyway, no way. Forget about it, it won't ever happen. Now Romney as VP, that is a possibility.

[sparebulb]

Now Romney as VP, that is a possibility.

The only problem is that the powers that be would be guaranteed to give the VP a promotion, Dallas style.

[cdc482]

Paul being Vice President gives him no practical power, but I GUESS he could use the position to educate people...

Doesn't matter anyway because we're gonna win. HIT THE PHONES PEOPLE. I'm on Google voice as I'm typing this.

[Number19]

Two years ago in our district convention, the question was raised that the Party was not attracting a new generation of activists. This statement was made after some protracted debate between the old-guard neocons who had controlled the Party since Reagan and the much younger Ron Paul Republicans. This older member of the Party said that the Ron Paul Republicans should be welcomed into the Party because we represented the future.

This years election is a watershed election between the old-guard neocons and a new generation of libertarian republicans. RP has never lost his belief that this is a political battle over ideals; and he obviously believes that he and Romney can wage this fight for the future of the Republican Party solely on the merits of these ideals. I think that Romney, being who he is - a member of old school eastern establishment - is a bit of a throwback - a gentleman - and that this campaign may be something rare these days, a campaign free of the mud slinging by the two principals- and it will be up to the citizens to decide between the two.

[ronpaulfollower999]

If Ron Paul is president and we get a good VP, whats to stop TPTB from taking both out and make John Boehner president?

[libertyfanatic]

The plain and simple truth is that they would kill Paul if he chose Romney for vp.

[TheDrakeMan]

If Paul & Romney really have worked out a deal not to attack each other, it could be in our favor. I'm not exactly sure I would want Romney spending his millions of $$$ slandering Paul to be honest.

[AlexMerced]

Bottom line is this...

Mitt Romney doesn't need to win Iowa, he just needs to place, a Ron Paul wins would destroy Perry and Gingrich who he sees as his real competition.

Ron Paul doesn't want to be on Romneys radar till after Iowa because Romney has more money to run ads against him that the other candidates, once Iowa is done and New Hampshire is in sight I'd expect Ron Paul to have a last minute anti-romney ad blitz in NH and NV

[Carehn]

Bush called Reagan a radical and tried to kill him. Ron would be President for 3 weeks before he died after being stabbed with a poison-tip umbrella at the airport.

Thats why he wont sell out and attach his candicasy to another bush

[libertyfanatic]

Bottom line is this...

Mitt Romney doesn't need to win Iowa, he just needs to place, a Ron Paul wins would destroy Perry and Gingrich who he sees as his real competition.

Ron Paul doesn't want to be on Romneys radar till after Iowa because Romney has more money to run ads against him that the other candidates, once Iowa is done and New Hampshire is in sight I'd expect Ron Paul to have a last minute anti-romney ad blitz in NH and NVThis. I highly doubt that the two campaigns made a formal agreement not to attack each other. The more likely scenario is that not attacking each other serves both campaigns equally. Ron wants to be the anti-Romney and Romney doesn't think that Ron can win the neocon vote.

[Plague-of-Locutus]

I don't know if a Paul/Romney \ Romney/Paul ticket would be something to look forward to.... If Paul were to be chosen as a VP, you have to understand the VP has very limited power and only acts as a back up.

Vice Presidents more often serve as close advisers on key issues or confidants. I could easily see a Mentor / Mentee relationship between Ron and Mitt no matter who is president / VP. Ron is a powerhouse scholar on the economy and has the answers that will put the country back on track. While the public life of a VP Paul could seem pretty mundane, behind the scenes Ron could take those truth bombs, whisper them into ears and get the needed change regardless. I think Mitt likes to surround himself with smart people just like anyone else.

[69360]

If Ron Paul is president and we get a good VP, whats to stop TPTB from taking both out and make John Boehner president?

You assume he will still be speaker.

[libertyfanatic]

If Ron Paul is president and we get a good VP, whats to stop TPTB from taking both out and make John Boehner president?They would frame it so it looked like Iran did it

[Pyruuub]

The Paul campaign must know that if they isolate the field to Romney and Paul that Paul will win. Lets be honest.

Every single republican candidate has a threshold they cant break. Every one has negatives to certain segments of the republican base. The good thing we have is that we have the most devoted base. We can't be manipulated, we keep growing and we're very hard to stop. We're persistant until we win.

All other candidates are flakes and media whores. They've been created and they fall as fast.

So if we knock out santorum and Gingrich, Gingrich being a very smart man and a threat, then we isolate it to a Romney vs Paul I think our odds are much better.

We can and WILL BEAT Romney. Romney has the most attackable flip-flopping views. It will be easy to demolish his faux republican mantra. The real threat is Gingrich. Let's hope he falls.

[eduardo89]

They would frame it so it looked like Iran did it

Just Iran? You mean Iran with the help of Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, north Korea, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Somali pirates.

[RDM]

You all might be looking at this in a wrong way. Now follow me here. Who is the person they are both trying to beat? Yes, Obama. Who has a billion dollar war chest for this election? Yes, Obama. Who in a sense are frugal with their money? Yes, both Ron and Mitt. Who realizes it's gonna take a ton of money to counteract that billion dollar Obama war chest? Yes, both Ron and Mitt. Notice how Romney has spent very little money on ads at this point, even though he has a sizable war chest of his own. He also knows Ron has a endless support base that will fund him. It's all coming down to money management with Mitt. Spending money now to attack Ron is not beneficial for him down the stretch with money and Ron realizes spending money at opportune times keeps him in the game for the long haul. Ron and Mitt are not dumb and they both are very aware how this game of politics plays out.

[Feeding the Abscess]

The Paul campaign must know that if they isolate the field to Romney and Paul that Paul will win. Lets be honest.

Every single republican candidate has a threshold they cant break. Every one has negatives to certain segments of the republican base. The good thing we have is that we have the most devoted base. We can't be manipulated, we keep growing and we're very hard to stop. We're persistant until we win.

All other candidates are flakes and media whores. They've been created and they fall as fast.

So if we knock out santorum and Gingrich, Gingrich being a very smart man and a threat, then we isolate it to a Romney vs Paul I think our odds are much better.

We can and WILL BEAT Romney. Romney has the most attackable flip-flopping views. It will be easy to demolish his faux republican mantra. The real threat is Gingrich. Let's hope he falls.

I disagree, Ron has higher negatives in the GOP than Romney. It's an uphill battle for the nomination, but if Ron pulls off Iowa and places at least a strong 2nd in New Hampshire, he'll have a chance.

[libertyfanatic]

Just Iran? You mean Iran with the help of Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, north Korea, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Somali pirates.I can't believe I forgot :D

[Nate]

You all might be looking at this in a wrong way. Now follow me here. Who is the person they are both trying to beat? Yes, Obama. Who has a billion dollar war chest for this election? Yes, Obama. Who in a sense are frugal with their money? Yes, both Ron and Mitt. Who realizes it's gonna take a ton of money to counteract that billion dollar Obama war chest? Yes, both Ron and Mitt. Notice how Romney has spent very little money on ads at this point, even though he has a sizable war chest of his own. He also knows Ron has a endless support base that will fund him. It's all coming down to money management with Mitt. Spending money now to attack Ron is not beneficial for him down the stretch with money and Ron realizes spending money at opportune times keeps him in the game for the long haul. Ron and Mitt are not dumb and they both are very aware how this game of politics plays out.

+1

Romney is the only other candidate with a real campaign. I would never vote for the man but he is where he is for a reason, he is not stupid. Why waste money attacking Paul right now? They don't compete for the same voter base, Paul is doing a fantastic job of knocking out all of Mitt's challengers for the "establishment" vote & Mitt is saving his money for when he thinks he'll really need it, vs Obama. Also, he knows he CAN'T win without Paul & his supporters, (he'll never get them unless he makes some SERIOUS concessions to us, like foreign wars, the FED, police state [NDAA & PATRIOT ACT] & at least medical marijuana on the Drug War front) he has to find a way to win the nomination without not only pissing us off but somehow making a deal with us to keep us in the GOP camp while not going so far that he loses the establishment. Good luck with that Mitt.