Strange comments from Rand Paul to Iowa delegates

[rp08orbust]

Treasure Island, Fla. – The son of the presidential candidate that most of the Iowa delegation wanted as their president told them today he’s optimistic about the future of the GOP – and their role in it.

“Some of the Ron Paul people have been disappointed,” U.S. Rep. Rand Paul of Kentucky told Iowans at their morning breakfast meeting. “I know there were a lot of delegates here and you guys did great in Iowa and are probably happy with the process.”

Many of the Iowa delegates were not happy with the process, saying they have felt disrespected and sneered at for their support of Ron Paul, a congressman from Texas who is retiring in December after three presidential bids. They also felt changes to the party rules hurt grassroots activists like themselves.

“But there are some states that didn’t get seated and some of them aren’t happy and I say to them, ‘Now look politics is messy.’ You can look at it two ways: Some would say Ron Paul got a very small percentage of the vote and got a much larger proportion of delegates because they worked hard and got through the system. You could argue you had a disproportional influence here. I’m not arguing you had too much influence, but you can look at it both ways.”

Twenty-two of Iowa’s 28 delegates cast their ballots for Ron Paul Tuesday night during the official nominating process of the Republican presidential candidate. Just six voted for Mitt Romney, who nearly tied for first place in the Iowa caucuses in January. Paul finished in third place, but his backers carefully followed the rules to strategize how to get themselves into delegate slots.

Rand Paul told the Iowans today: “In the end we didn’t win the nomination so really it’s about participating. It’s about being here. It’s about making the platform better.”

“We got a lot of good things in the platform. Audit the fed is in the platform,” he added, to wild applause from the Iowa delegates and about 100 guests.

Several of the Iowa Ron Paul loyalists said after the speech they’re hopeful that Rand Paul will carry on his father’s cause and seek the White House in 2016.

Today is the third day of the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/08/29/rand-paul-to-iowans-you-could-argue-you-had-a-disproportional-influence-here/

Did Rand Paul attend the same convention I've been reading about?

Nearly everything quoted here sounds patronizing and rubs me the wrong way.

[CaptUSA]

You know what this sounds like to me?

This sounds like the result of the conversation that has been going on in the Paul household for years. Rand arguing with his father about the strategy for influencing the GOP. I believe Rand probably feels his side of the argument has been vindicated by these results. Maybe it came off as a little, "I told you so."

Still, I hope we can all understand our disagreements are only about strategy and not really about policy. From his voting record, Rand seems to be pretty much with us. However, his ability to inpsire may be lacking. Still, Robert the Bruce did far more for Scottish independence than Wallace did.

[brandon]

Some would say Ron Paul got a very small percentage of the vote and got a much larger proportion of delegates because they worked hard and got through the system. You could argue you had a disproportional influence here.

Really Rand? You're going to repeat that tired old line, and try to sugar coat it with "some people say" weasel words? If you were actually paying attention you would know Ron Paul was under represented at the convention (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?387795-Ron-Paul-was-under-represented-at-the-convention).

[kahless]

" You could argue you had a disproportional influence here"

When you look at the straw polls compared to the delegates then that would be correct. Leaving out the belief some have that the straw polls may have been rigged.

I really do not see a problem with his comments. Politics is messy. Your opposition is going to block you at every turn. It the oppositions foolish miscalculation in doing so since you do not disenfranchise votes that you need un-necessarily in a close election.

[rp08orbust]

Even if Rand is just playing politics, telling the Iowa delegation (with a Des Moines Register journalist present) that "some might say" they have out-sized influence in politics doesn't seem like the move of a political genius. Unless he's already been tipped off by the Romney-controlled RNC that part of their agenda is to strip Iowa of its first-in-the-nation caucus status.

[CaptUSA]

Even if Rand is just playing politics, telling the Iowa delegation (with a Des Moines Register journalist present) that "some might say" they have out-sized influence in politics doesn't seem like the move of a political genius. Unless he's already been tipped off by the Romney-controlled RNC that part of their agenda is to strip Iowa of its first-in-the-nation caucus status.Exactly. He may be giving us a warning the delegation that this is what the RNC may have in mind.

Rand aruguably has the most difficult task in the world. Trying to change the GOP without them realizing it, and at the same time, trying not to piss us off too much. I'm sure he's got a plan, but it's not going to be easy. I bet you that this is what the conversations are at the dinner table.

[July]

Unfortunately I think that is true what he says about the "disproportional influence" being looked at both ways. I've been worried about it for a while, because the idea of direct democracy is so popular. There are those who believe exactly that, and right now they may be feeling angry and indignant, as if we weren't playing fair, or that we trying to somehow undermine the will of the people. Of course I don't think that is true at all. But that's probably what some of those other delegates who tried to help censor us were thinking. We can be angry about it. But it helps to understand where our opposition is coming from, in order to learn from it...and anticipate how they are going to react.

[newbitech]

Ron Paul received a little less than 10% delegate votes. That is pretty much in line with the popular vote, no? Little more than what national polls showed fairly consistently as well I believe.


He certainly outperformed all the other candidates in respects to popular vote vs representation (besides lazy susan).

What's the beef? If/when liberty is popular, the results will show it. Until then, it's a struggle to outperform at every turn.

[July]

//

[Badger Paul]

The caucus date is determined by the secretary of state (because Democrats like to caucus too). The only way the RNC could have any influence on the date is by ordering the state of Iowa not to hold their caucus before a certain date or else they strip their delegates. But since it didn't work with Florida, why would they think Iowa Republicans would heed the same warning?

[rp08orbust]

The caucus date is determined by the secretary of state (because Democrats like to caucus too). The only way the RNC could have any influence on the date is by ordering the state of Iowa not to hold their caucus before a certain date or else they strip their delegates. But since it didn't work with Florida, why would they think Iowa Republicans would heed the same warning?

You're assuming the same rules will apply in 2016. What's stopping the RNC from making up new, more severe penalties, like not letting them have any delegates, or cutting off funds for their candidates, if they disobey?

[McChronagle]

All of this deciphering and reading between the lines needs to stop. Look at the mans record and over time we shall see what he is all about. We all know hes going to pay lip service to the establishment and dodge questions so he doesn't look so bad to them. This is all just a distraction.

[Josalyn]

One more reason why I won't vote for Rand. This just seemed like a "stop crying about it" kinda thing. It was disrespectful.

[CaptainAmerica]

Way to make thousands of hard working campaign staff and grassroots feel worthless

[Romulus]

Re: disproportionate.

Rand, its called our delegate system and it protects us from an ignorant majority.

[rp08orbust]

All of this deciphering and reading between the lines needs to stop. Look at the mans record and over time we shall see what he is all about. We all know hes going to pay lip service to the establishment and dodge questions so he doesn't look so bad to them. This is all just a distraction.

Your belief that Rand is merely paying lip service to the establishment is as much of a theory based on reading between the lines as any other theory about who the real Rand Paul is. I'm not saying your belief is false, just that it remains to be proven.

[rp08orbust]

Re: disproportionate.

Rand, its called our delegate system and it protects us from an ignorant majority.

True. How would Rand Paul and other Republicans feel if Wyoming's electors were thrown out of the electoral college because the system amplified Wyoming's influence? Would that just be "messy politics"?

[Bruno]

So glad we spent millions of dollars and volunteer time to influence a platform no one will ever read or adhere to. That wasn't our plan, Rand. And that is not what we Iowans were told when I was called numerous times by Ron's campaign and told to "STAY AFTER THE CAUCUS IS OVER AND BECOME A DELEGATE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!" And when we were again told to become delegates at the district and state levels, too, to work our way through the system. And also not what Ron said numerous times when he said, "We may not have won the beauty contest last night, but my sources tell me we sure won the delegates!"

[Romulus]

There will only be ONE Ron.

Kids nowadays.

[AuH20]

Rand Paul is astute enough to look forward, instead of throwing a temper tantrum about past events you have no control over. Smart man.

[McChronagle]

Your belief that Rand is merely paying lip service to the establishment is as much of a theory based on reading between the lines as any other theory about who the real Rand Paul is. I'm not saying your belief is false, just that it remains to be proven.

Yeah but im not jumping to conclusions like a lot of people here. I'm saying the deciphering is a waste of time either way because all that matters is his record and there is no way of knowing for sure if he will be a champion for our cause or not. Only time will tell, not reading between the lines or taking what he says too seriously. We know for sure he is at least paying lip service to the establishment. We don't know what the result will be yet. All you can do is criticize the small record he has right now.

[July]

Rand Paul is astute enough to look forward, instead of throwing a temper tantrum about past events you have no control over. Smart man.

The same thing used to frustrate me about Ron. Why isnt he getting angry, etc? Then I realized Ron has been seeing the corruption for many years now, and I was so angry because I had just realized it.

[pcosmar]

"It’s about making the platform better.”

That's what I'm afraid of. :(

http://www.nps.gov/fosm/historyculture/images/285gallows.jpg

[ninepointfive]

It's not a disproportional influence when we went trough the process fairly and honestly. So what if the straw poll numbers don't match - it's their process done by their rules.

Nothing is disproportional about following the RULES!