Rand Said He Would Endorse The Eventual Nominee Quite Some Time Ago...

[anaconda]

So why is this such a big deal over the last couple of days? What? Did half the people here think he didn't mean it? Why weren't the same people up in arms when he made that statement? Just curious..

[July]

I don't know. It makes me wonder if some people who feel like this came out of the blue weren't really paying any attention to Rand--which is fine and completely understandable, because this was Ron's campaign and not Rand's. But I'd been following him close for months, and he gave us plenty of gentle and direct warning this was coming. He always said he would endorse the nominee, whoever it was. He was honest about how likely it was to be Romney too, once it started looking likely. He's been nothing but honest and upfront about it, so it really kind of pains me to see such harsh punishment.

I will say this though, there appears to have been massive psychological warfare by trolls online, trying to push RP supporters into revolting at the convention, ignore signals from Rand and the campaign, and ignore Ron's concession. That certainly couldn't have helped.

[matt0611]

I agree. This couldn't be stated enough. Almost everyone around here pretends like he never said it a thousand times. Where have you people been?

Rand has decided to play the game to get the political power that Ron never could.

[jj-]

But Romney is not the nominee. The convention hasn't occurred yet.

[ChristopherShelley]

The problem is no one knows wtf is going on.

[Yieu]

I didn't realize the convention was over.

[Roxi]

Some perspective from my own point of view.

I had heard that Rand said he would support the eventual nominee, but hadn't heard his exact words myself. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I was picturing Rand on some random CNN interview after the convention saying something like "Yes, Mr. Romney has my support"

I didn't however expect him to make a "big announcement coming" message, preceding a special appearance on Sean fucking Hannity, 3 days before the KY primary, and months before the convention to not only endorse him but to say he would campaign for him as well.

So yeah, I'm a little butt hurt. Was it a strategy that was good for us? I don't know. Was it a good trade off? I hope so. Did he have good reasons for what he did? Maybe.

Does it change anything for me or my support of Ron and the rEVOLution? Hell no. I never put Rand up on a pedestal in the first place. I always put him in the "not awesome but better than the rest" category. I'm still upset about it, I think the timing is weird, I think it hurt the movement and the amount of delegates that will show up in Tampa, but I'm no campaign expert, and I don't know everything. So all I can do is sit back and wait and hope like hell there was a good reason for all of this.

[matt0611]

I didn't realize the convention was over.

It isn't but Ron doesn't have the numbers to win.

[jj-]

It isn't but Ron doesn't have the numbers to win.

So what? It was clear that Ron was unlikely to win since SC. Rand still shouldn't have endorsed him then. He shouldn't have endorsed Romney before the convention.

[matt0611]

So what? It was clear that Ron was unlikely to win since SC. Rand still shouldn't have endorsed him then. He shouldn't have endorsed Romney before the convention.

Maybe there was a good reason that we don't know about why he did it now rather than later.

[jj-]

Maybe there was a good reason that we don't know about why he did it now rather than later.

Maybe he didn't act out against his father during his teenager years and he is now letting it all out?

[Spoa]

So what? It was clear that Ron was unlikely to win since SC. Rand still shouldn't have endorsed him then. He shouldn't have endorsed Romney before the convention.

What's the difference? If Senator Paul endorsed Governor Romney after the convention, I don't think most of you purists would be any happier. You would still be yelling bloody murder. You would still be trying to kick him out of the movement. I support Rand Paul, and I hope he will ignore rude and disrespectful comments. Senator Paul is a public servant, not a public slave. He has the right to endorse whoever he pleases, just as you have the right to not support him anymore. I hope you will continue to support him, but that is all I can really do...hope. I PROUDLY STAND WITH RAND PAUL!

[jj-]

You would still be yelling bloody murder. You would still be trying to kick him out of the movement.

No. Do you enjoy pretending that you can read my mind and most people's? I wouldn't mind if Rand endorsed after the convention, but doing it before does real damage to the efforts of the delagates who worked their butts off and are still trying to nominate Ron for a convention vote.

[July]

I think Rand probably reasoned, if he was going to do it, he was going to really do it, and in a visible way. If he waited or did it quietly or was wishy washy, it wouldn't have had the impact--and he would still be getting backlash he is getting now.

[jj-]

I think Rand probably reasoned, if he was going to do it, he was going to really do it, and in a visible way. If he waited or did it quietly or was wishy washy, it wouldn't have had the impact--and he would still be getting backlash he is getting now.

For a lot of supporters it is a lot different to endorse after the campaign is officially over than before. The campaign is not officially over.

[Butchie]

An off-hand endorsemnt AFTER Tampa is one thing, but to say Romney actually has good ideas and that you are going to actively campaign for him, not the same thing, also to build it up as a big announcemnt and let the whole world see you do it on the TV show of that smug bastard Hannity who has dogged your father from day one and even took a jab at Ron in the beginning of the interview - no excuse for that.

[July]

For a lot of supporters it is a lot different to endorse after the campaign is officially over than before. The campaign is not officially over.

Yes but Ron also conceded the nomination in his latest email. If Rand was going to do it, it was now or never, in my opinion.

[Jeremy]

I didn't realize the convention was over.Even Ron said he won't win. He said it directly earlier this week and implied it multiple times in the past. That's why he stopped campaigning. He only wants delegates now.

[matt0611]

What's the difference? If Senator Paul endorsed Governor Romney after the convention, I don't think most of you purists would be any happier. You would still be yelling bloody murder. You would still be trying to kick him out of the movement. I support Rand Paul, and I hope he will ignore rude and disrespectful comments. Senator Paul is a public servant, not a public slave. He has the right to endorse whoever he pleases, just as you have the right to not support him anymore. I hope you will continue to support him, but that is all I can really do...hope. I PROUDLY STAND WITH RAND PAUL!

Yup, its just an excuse for all of those types to bitch about it. I stand with Rand too, and proudly.

[Jeremy]

Yup, its just an excuse for all of those types to bitch about it. I stand with Rand too, and proudly. I think people tend to be more dramatic over the internet.

[Lucille]

At that Cato talk on Doherty's book (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?376827-Watch-Brian-Doherty-and-Rand-Paul-Talk-About-Ron-Paul-Live-on-C-SPAN-%28video-added%29), Doherty said he thought it would be best if Romney won in '12, was the disaster that he will be, and had a primary challenger in '16. Rand was there. Maybe he took it under advisement.

Just something to consider.

[matt0611]

At that Cato talk on Doherty's book (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?376827-Watch-Brian-Doherty-and-Rand-Paul-Talk-About-Ron-Paul-Live-on-C-SPAN-%28video-added%29), Doherty said he thought it would be best if Romney won in '12, was the disaster that he will be, and had a primary challenger in '16. Rand was there. Maybe he took it under advisement.

Just something to consider.

Obama will still probably win anyway.

[Lucille]

I agree, Matt. I almost edited that into my post!

I think Raimondo hit the nail on the head here.

Mitt Romney: In Your Heart, You Know He’s A Loser
Are the Republicans deliberately throwing the presidential election? (http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2012/03/29/mitt-romney-in-your-heart-you-know-hes-a-loser/)


Romney isn’t so much a serious candidate for the presidency as he is a national joke: his record as a "flip-flopper," his inability to project anything remotely resembling sincerity, and his Richie Rich persona have all combined to turn him into a human piñata for both liberals and conservatives to pick apart. Which leads us back to the question I asked at the beginning: is the GOP deliberately throwing this election?

It makes sense if we take the economic critique proffered by anti-inflationists like Ron Paul and Gerald Celente seriously: would you want to be President if we’re on the brink of another Great Depression? As the American dollar is destroyed, and the buying power of the average American is about to become the equivalent of a consumer in, say, Zimbabwe, is it really in the GOP’s interest to take the White House this year?

[NoOneButPaul]

But Romney is not the nominee. The convention hasn't occurred yet.

Ron admitted he couldn't win.

Rand then endorsed the nominee like he said he would.

I'm so stupefied at how hard this is for people to understand...

[QueenB4Liberty]

What's the difference? If Senator Paul endorsed Governor Romney after the convention, I don't think most of you purists would be any happier. You would still be yelling bloody murder. You would still be trying to kick him out of the movement. I support Rand Paul, and I hope he will ignore rude and disrespectful comments. Senator Paul is a public servant, not a public slave. He has the right to endorse whoever he pleases, just as you have the right to not support him anymore. I hope you will continue to support him, but that is all I can really do...hope. I PROUDLY STAND WITH RAND PAUL!

Great post! I agree with you completely!

[QueenB4Liberty]

I agree, Matt. I almost edited that into my post!

I think Raimondo hit the nail on the head here.

Mitt Romney: In Your Heart, You Know He’s A Loser
Are the Republicans deliberately throwing the presidential election? (http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2012/03/29/mitt-romney-in-your-heart-you-know-hes-a-loser/)

That was a great article and I think he's right.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

But Romney is not the nominee. The convention hasn't occurred yet.

Rand Paul must have got Ron Paul's e-mail.

[Indy Vidual]

So why is this such a big deal over the last couple of days? What? Did half the people here think he didn't mean it? Why weren't the same people up in arms when he made that statement? Just curious..


I agree. This couldn't be stated enough. Almost everyone around here pretends like he never said it a thousand times. Where have you people been?

Rand has decided to play the game to get the political power that Ron never could.

QFT

[Yieu]

Even Ron said he won't win. He said it directly earlier this week and implied it multiple times in the past. That's why he stopped campaigning. He only wants delegates now.

I'm holding my tongue a bit because I do not want to disparage Rand or his father, but I was hoping that we would keep trying until the convention was over, and not stop a moment sooner. Even if it seemed futile. I think it would have been worth it to keep trying. Even just to humor us.

[anaconda]

So what? It was clear that Ron was unlikely to win since SC. Rand still shouldn't have endorsed him then. He shouldn't have endorsed Romney before the convention.

Romney didn't have the requisite delegates after South Carolina.

[EBounding]

Did Rand's voting record change in the past few days?

[ShowMeLiberty]

A question for those of you who are berating Rand. Did you register as republican in order to vote for Ron in your caucus or primary even though you privately despise the GOP? If you're in an open primary state, would you have registered republican if your state was not open? If you answered yes, did you not compromise politically to advance principles?

Now ask yourself if that is really so different from what Rand did, albeit on a much bigger stage?

[anaconda]

Did Rand's voting record change in the past few days?

But he's a legislator! How can you ask such an irrelevant question!? :D