No conspiracy: Ron Paul just dislikes Santorum.

[kathy88]

HAHAHAHA. Nice.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/no-conspiracy-ron-paul-just-dislikes-santorum/2012/02/23/gIQAMbLaXR_blog.html

[kathy88]

Vote in the poll too.

Who won Wednesday's Republican presidential debate?
Newt Gingrich - 10%
Ron Paul - 36%
Mitt Romney - 43%
Rick Santorum - 12%
Total Votes: 5,695

I broke the link because of the poll.

[Jeremy]

use [break] tags to break the link

then people can just copy/paste it

[sailingaway]

I don't trust that woman as far as I can throw her, and she HATES Paul. But it is for foreign policy. Maybe if she thinks he isn't impacting that, she doesn't care.

Or more likely, she's concerned the rumors will enhance Ron and Rand's standing.

[aloneinthewilderness]

use [break] tags to break the link

then people can just copy/paste it
I've been curious, what's the significance of breaking the links?

[bbartlog]

Nice article... I read it and then went to see who wrote it and was *shocked* that Jennifer Rubin (previously a big advocate of Santorum's) would write such an evenhanded account of the whole affair.

[Jeremy]

I've been curious, what's the significance of breaking the links?
Websites can see where they were linked from. So if a poll, for example, sees RPF they might claim the results were biased.

[sailingaway]

I've been curious, what's the significance of breaking the links?

they get 'track backs' of where people coming to their site come from. If a bunch come from here they pretend to think it is just one person over and over and pull the poll, or Ron's name.

[aloneinthewilderness]

Websites can see where they were linked from. So if a poll, for example, sees RPF they might claim the results were biased.


they get 'track backs' of where people coming to their site come from. If a bunch come from here they pretend to think it is just one person over and over and pull the poll, or Ron's name.

Gotcha. Thanks for explaining.

[amabala]

voted

[Dianne]

That was a great article !!!

[KingNothing]

"When I asked Brabender for reaction to the accusation that he was practicing the art of distraction, he e-mailed, “It sounds like something the Romney campaign told the Paul campaign to say.”"


Holy crap. Really!?

Great article, from one of the biggest hacks in the business.

[airborne373]

Maybe after his failed primary attempt Rick Santorum can get a job from Planned Parenthood. Heaven knows Planned Parenthood sure owes Tricky Ricky the favor.

[bronxboy10]

That was a good article. Too bad at the end, they don't take into account the possibility of Ron Paul being president some day.

[Tyler_Durden]

It's on DRUDGE!!!!

[AuH20]

Bullseye:


If he he can’t win the nomination, Paul’s interests at this point are threefold. He wants: 1) to be influential on issues he cares about (the Fed, fiscal sobriety); 2) to been seen as a responsible figure who brings his followers into the party; and 3) to leave his son Rand in a position to lead his segment of the party. With Romney, those are within his grasp. With the other two, they become increasingly remote.

[WD-NY]

I don't trust that woman as far as I can throw her, and she HATES Paul. But it is for foreign policy. Maybe if she thinks he isn't impacting that, she doesn't care.

Or more likely, she's concerned the rumors will enhance Ron and Rand's standing.

I think the fact that she's been so horrid towards Ron (over his foreign policy) in the past, makes this article all the more amazing/genuine/interesting.

Note how she never dismisses Ron's ability to actually win the nomination. Everything is crouched in "if Paul isnt able to win the nomination..." - words matter and this a actually a very big change in tone for those backing romney. Does she think Ron will win? No, but that doesnt make it smart/ok to dismissively write "of course, Paul has no shot at winning the GOP nomination..."that's incredibly smart/savvy of her (and the Romney team whom I suspect drafted this op-ed).

I have a few other thoughts on the Romney-Paul alliance and how the reaction to it by Washington pro-Obama press (which includes part of the right which loves having Obama in charge bc it gives them a boogy-man to focus on /blame)... but I'm on my cell and so will post to this thread later. I'm sensing real surprise and FEAR over Romney's success at making nice with Paul. I don't think these people ever expected Romney or Paul to be disciplined or politically perceptive enough to not only acknowledge the importance/value of each other but actually go so far as to form an alliance of sorts (or rather, as much of one as he can be allowed without raising any red flags until both santo & gingrich are out of the game).

Make no mistake about it, the pro-obama press is freaking out right now over the simple fact that Romney + Paul = obama losing by +5%. I don't think they ever expected this alliance to form - they expected Romney to be McCain/Dole2.0... Their panic is palpable - and is almost beginning to make me question and/or entertain the possibility that Romney has only been acceptable to the establishment so long as he remained a destined-to-lose 'patsy' (ala McCain). There is no way the washington establishment is going to let a self-made deca-millionaire beat their guy (re: Obama) - think about it...how the heck can they buy off/blackmail a crystal clean family man like Romney? Same goes for Paul. Both are threats in their own unique ways.

Rubin is right. This IS the biggest story right now by a mile, and no doubt, the silence towards seems to suggest that team Obama still has no idea how to handle/attack/destroy it.

[wgadget]

What's not to dislike? :D

[wgadget]

Jennifer Rubin is the Romney girl that the neocon Newt/Santorum folks HATE. LOL I've heard her arguing with the socons (on the radio, of course) and she's VERY articulate, imo.

[sailingaway]

Bullseye:

you and the neocon author both forget the winning the presidency part.

[ctiger2]

Jennifer Rubin = icky Zionist nutter

In Jennifer's mind: Israel > United States

[WD-NY]

Comments below the article are certainly interesting

[PolicyReader]

Even handed article from a partisan? Color me stunned :eek:

One note I'd like to sound tho (in hope the issue will soon die the ignominious death it so richly deserves)
There is NO Paul - Romney alliance




Radio Interviewer asks Rand about the Rumor. Rand says it's misrepresented. His 1st choice is obviously Ron Paul and Paul Presidency, with Rand as an advisory role. He said when asked by a reporter, he replied it would be an "honor" if nominated as Romney VP, the same as if someone is honored to be nominated for an academy award. That story has now been overblown.

The Paul strategy is to acquire delegates. Paul may have won Iowa and Maine delegates. This is the unwritten story. He doesn't like the misrepresented story of the Romney alliance.


Based on the comments I see on facebook, Rand pretty much put clarified that it's not going to happen. The top comment so far (44 likes):

This will be the 4th time I'm posting this...

Ron Paul doesn't make deals with neoCons.
Ron has stated that being a vice would be pointless because there is no real power in that position.
Of all the GOP candidate Ron is so different then Mitt this idea is laughable.
To be someones vice you at least have to endorse them. To endorse them you have to agree with their positions. If Ron endorse Mitt he would loose his consistency and his integrity.

If you know anything about Ron Paul you would not even humor this notion. The Same Goes For Rand!
21 minutes ago

No surprise there but nice to see that the Pauls as well as the Official PCC (via Doug Wead (http://youtu.be/V9WeqvXy3Ew)) are moving proactively to quell this ludicrous "Romney buddy movie" tripe. Hopefully the whole grassroots will get back to supporting Rons bid for the whitehouse now rather than speculating on this media shell game.


Ron Paul doesn't make deals with neoCons. <--- this says it all, and it's something that anyone who's read Dr. Pauls voting record knows to be factual.

[The Free Hornet]

Even handed article from a partisan? Color me stunned :eek:

One note I'd like to sound tho (in hope the issue will soon die the ignominious death it so richly deserves)
There is NO Paul - Romney alliance

It may not die because there doesn't need to be an alliance or agreement.

All that matters is an aligning of interests.*

I suspect the Ron Paul campaign wants Grinch and Frothy dropped out and endorsing Romney like they were supposed to by now. In all contexts, we want the country to make the cold-hard choice: statism or Ron Paul. It is *not* Obama or Paul. Big O didn't start the fire (and I am not excusing his actions as President).


*Feeling hungry - may go to store later on - we have no agreement, no ... alliance - yet somehow I suspect an aligning of our interests means I'll be walking out with some grub

[WD-NY]

It may not die because there doesn't need to be an alliance or agreement.

All that matters is an aligning of interests.*

I suspect the Ron Paul campaign wants Grinch and Frothy dropped out and endorsing Romney like they were supposed to by now. In all contexts, we want the country to make the cold-hard choice: statism or Ron Paul. It is *not* Obama or Paul. Big O didn't start the fire (and I am not excusing his actions as President).


*Feeling hungry - may go to store later on - we have no agreement, no ... alliance - yet somehow I suspect an aligning of our interests means I'll be walking out with some grub

Any more thoughts? I love reading/discussing campaign strategy