Politico: Ron Paul supporter hopes lightning will strike twice

[Bradley in DC]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/7055.html

[sharedvoice]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/7055.html

Nice! Going to digg it right now. This is very important.

[Fyretrohl]

Anyone see a new career coming up soon for Mr Lyman? :)

[walt]

lame

[sharedvoice]

I think he's found his nitche. :)

[austin356]

This really turns the heat up. We must fulfill the goals laid out by the press.

[thisisgiparti]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.

[micahnelson]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.

Im thinkin troll. 5 posts and already one of "these". What say you RPF?

[user]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.
RP isn't particularly close to Cato, or as some of us libertarians like to call them, Stato.

[voytechs]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.

I was just watching RP on Morning Joe show (http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=138), and he talks about this. The campaign didn't expect all of this money, so they are now really just brainstorming how to spend it. Of course Dr. Paul puts it in economic terms, the demand is there and we have to fulfill our obligation.

So basically, they don't really know how best to spend it, it was never planned to be like this. I really think Dr. Paul didn't expect this thing to take off, he really was reluctant as he has stated. So first off, they started out with the easy ideas, send out fliers, TV and radio ads. Hit up another state and open another office, which wasn't in the plans originally. And now they are scratching their head as to what to do next.

To bad he didn't mention the blimp on the show. May be he doesn't even know. We should let him know somehow, so next time he can mention it. Its a good conversation piece on lose talk shows where the conversation can take off on its own.

[JeffersonThomas]

The campaign is spending it in lots of ways. There have been lots of radio ads in Nevada that I haven't seen the campaign post on the website. I assume the same is being done in other early primary states. Also he is doing lots of mailings and those recorded phone messages.

[Maverick]

This really turns the heat up. We must fulfill the goals laid out by the press.

Yeah, we've really set a high bar here for ourselves, and the media is finally latching on to our efforts. Now we have to make sure that both events are successful in order to prove that we're for real.

[Primbs]

He could purchase 100, 000 signs for New Hampshire and 100,000 signs for Iowa. Hire hundreds of grassroots coordinators.

Super Tuesday will have 21 states going at once. He may need to purchase one million signs to cover states like California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey.

In California, one Los Angeles campaign used 36,000 signs. That takes a lot of people to distribute the signs.

It can take ten people about one hour just to unload one thousand signs from a truck to a central distribution point.

Florida is another contested state. We don't want to see Romney or Rudy lose New Hampshire only to sweep fifteen or twenty states on Super Tuesday.

That is what is going to be realistically needed in some of those states.

We need all the money we can get and all the volunteers we can get.

[Eric21ND]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.

Don't taze me TROLL!!!! :p

[user]

Don't taze me TROLL!!!! :p
Don't troll me, bro?

[francisco]

...This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.

thisisgiparti,

You don't sound like a Ron Paul supporter. So why are you here? Find a candidate you like and go support that campaign's grassroots.

[Maverick]

thisisgiparti,

You don't sound like a Ron Paul supporter. So why are you here? Find a candidate you like and go support that campaign's grassroots.

Here's a crazy idea: how about, instead of criticizing the new posters who may be simply misinformed, and telling them to go somewhere else, how about we actually try to educate them and show them that Ron Paul can be the right candidate for them?

I thought this was supposed to be an open forum that embraced everyone and tried to bring as many people into the campaign as possible. Whatever happened to that post in the intro section titled "There are no trolls here"?

[inibo]

Here's a crazy idea: how about, instead of criticizing the new posters who may be simply misinformed, and telling them to go somewhere else, how about we actually try to educate them and show them that Ron Paul can be the right candidate for them?

I thought this was supposed to be an open forum that embraced everyone and tried to bring as many people into the campaign as possible. Whatever happened to that post in the intro section titled "There are no trolls here"?

I generally tend to agree that we are way too quick to drop the troll hammer, but in this case

Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary

That doesn't strike me as "uninformed" it strikes me as malicious. I've been wrong before, though.

[Maverick]

I generally tend to agree that we are way too quick to drop the troll hammer, but in this case


That doesn't strike me as "uninformed" it strikes me as malicious. I've been wrong before, though.

Perhaps, but I think it's more productive to simply ignore someone if you feel they're just trying to stir up trouble. Or, if you're worried that their misrepresentations will convince potential supporters to go astray, simple debate them on the points and clear up the bad information while trying to leave out the personal attacks or accusations. I believe that more potential supporters would be turned off by long-standing members bashing new posters than anything the supposed "troll" could ever do.

[Kade]

Don't taze me TROLL!!!! :p

Notre Dame?

[Kade]

thisisgiparti,

You don't sound like a Ron Paul supporter. So why are you here? Find a candidate you like and go support that campaign's grassroots.

That's the spirit. That's how President's are made.

[thisisgiparti]

just rattling your cages. I like Ron Paul, but he is like a kindly old grandfather surrounded by Jim Jones cult members.

some people responded with constructive ideas about how Ron Paul could spend his campaign money. others explained that the campaign is still bewildered by Ron Paul's unprecedented fund-raising and soaring popularity.

then you have "senior members" who call people trolls. I have visited Daily Paul, too, and you guys are comparatively restrained. Mike Nystrom is worse than any them, a fat nerd with a bullhorn. it seems these people are liabilities, yet Ron Paul keeps them close. there are a couple of CATO plants in HQ proper; that whole entity seems completely out of touch.

take this Politico article. Trevor Lyman barely got a thank you from Ron Paul. his name was even rudely garbled on national TV. well, that's great that he believes in something so strongly that he'll work for free, without recognition or compensation. I actually thought Ron Paul came across as a dotty old fool. Is it too much to thank someone properly? Does he not carry notes?

I have always kept separate in my mind Ron Paul supporters and the candidate himself. it is harder now that the candidate seems to be unable to run his own campaign and has belligerent whackjobs filling in the ranks.

do any of you think that was cool that someone at the official campaign sent a note to Trevor Lyman that went something like "Thanks for your help, but we need more money sooner?" What are the Ron Paul staffers doing? Is everything being left to the volunteers? Do the more involved people need to be so nasty? Is it too much for Ron Paul to thank people and get their name right?

Tact and diplomacy are going to be necessary qualities for whichever candidate ends up in the White House. One reason I like Ron Paul is his foreign policy approach. I want to be sure he has what it takes as a human being to carry this vision out. That goes for his supporters and staff, as well.

[user]

just rattling your cages. I like Ron Paul, but he is like a kindly old grandfather surrounded by Jim Jones cult members.

some people responded with constructive ideas about how Ron Paul could spend his campaign money. others explained that the campaign is still bewildered by Ron Paul's unprecedented fund-raising and soaring popularity.

then you have "senior members" who call people trolls. I have visited Daily Paul, too, and you guys are comparatively restrained. Mike Nystrom is worse than any them, a fat nerd with a bullhorn. it seems these people are liabilities, yet Ron Paul keeps them close. there are a couple of CATO plants in HQ proper; that whole entity seems completely out of touch.

take this Politico article. Trevor Lyman barely got a thank you from Ron Paul. his name was even rudely garbled on national TV. well, that's great that he believes in something so strongly that he'll work for free, without recognition or compensation. I actually thought Ron Paul came across as a dotty old fool. Is it too much to thank someone properly? Does he not carry notes?

I have always kept separate in my mind Ron Paul supporters and the candidate himself. it is harder now that the candidate seems to be unable to run his own campaign and has belligerent whackjobs filling in the ranks.

do any of you think that was cool that someone at the official campaign sent a note to Trevor Lyman that went something like "Thanks for your help, but we need more money sooner?" What are the Ron Paul staffers doing? Is everything being left to the volunteers? Do the more involved people need to be so nasty? Is it too much for Ron Paul to thank people and get their name right?

Tact and diplomacy are going to be necessary qualities for whichever candidate ends up in the White House. One reason I like Ron Paul is his foreign policy approach. I want to be sure he has what it takes as a human being to carry this vision out. That goes for his supporters and staff, as well.
Can you elaborate on the links to Stato?

[Kade]

Can you elaborate on the links to Stato?

Can you please stop calling Cato that?

[ronpaulitician]

Perhaps, but I think it's more productive to simply ignore someone if you feel they're just trying to stir up trouble. Or, if you're worried that their misrepresentations will convince potential supporters to go astray, simple debate them on the points and clear up the bad information while trying to leave out the personal attacks or accusations. I believe that more potential supporters would be turned off by long-standing members bashing new posters than anything the supposed "troll" could ever do.
+1

[Flash]

Ron Paul just keeps making money, but he dosn't spend it. Where does it go?

Other candidates have put in a lot of face time in NH, IA and SC. They have TV and radio ads. I have only heard of two ads in NH running at about 1.1 million. There's supposedly plenty more money, and where is it?

The campaign has done very little compared to the grassroots volunteers. Ron Paul couldn't even remember Trevor Lyman's name to properly thank him on national TV, but his campaign HQ sent a private note to double time the fundraising efforts.

This actually bugs me. I like thrift and modesty as virtues - but Ron Paul strikes me more and more as parsimonious, senile and even a little scary with all the weird CATO Institute people (they freak me out more than Alex Jones and Stormfront) and the weirdos on DailyPaul and the handlers seen at public engagements.


Rofl. You have no idea what you're tlaking about. You didn't even know who Jones or StormFront (or as you say it, 'stormfront') were before you read it from your propaganda website.

[thisisgiparti]

Rofl. You have no idea what you're tlaking about. You didn't even know who Jones or StormFront (or as you say it, 'stormfront') were before you read it from your propaganda website.

Everyone knows who Alex Jones and Stormfront are. I never batted an eye at Ron Paul's appearing three times on Alex Jones. After all, a little healthy skepticism of the gov't never hurt anyone. Several journalists, the most recent being Mona Charen, have jumped on this as an attempt to lump Ron Paul's campaign in with 911 truthers.

Then there is the ad on Stormfront, which everyone knows is a white supremacist group. I have explained to friends that these fringe groups have latched onto Ron Paul, not the other way around. Ron Paul is the one running for President, and I have never heard him say anything racist or endorsing either of these controversial groups. He also spoke about the Bunny Ranch in Las Vegas endorsing him. "I am promoting freedom, just not what is being practiced with some of this freedom."

The Bunny Ranch brought up another bone of contention from our "liberal media." AP ran a story that the Bunny Ranch has a collection box in its entrance for Ron Paul. This makes it sound like Ron Paul is accepting "dirty money." The same has been said of his $500 check from the former KKK Grand Wizard. I tell people that $500 is cheap! If the grand wizard really believed in Ron Paul's candidacy, he would donate the maximum of $2300. Some people feel Ron Paul should make a big deal of this and return the check.

My original point with my rant, though, and the reason I posted it here instead of on another forum or comment section, is that the support that IS directly associated with Ron Paul's official campaign is the most worrisome right now.

Ron Paul mentioned December 17th today on Morning Joe, yet his campaign contacted Trevor Lyman and his November 5th mailing list, asking them to downplay Tea Party and donate sooner. This sends out a message that the campaign is money-starved and that there is more general disorganization. Many people who were previously excited to help Ron Paul and donate money were discouraged from doing so and harassed about when and how. That is what I've been reading, and the Tea Party graph says as much.

Now there is the Rudysreadinglist.com fundraising drive, which I don't expect will really help Ron Paul, given that so much is tied in with another (unpopular) candidate, also losing the patriotic appeal of the Tea Party theme. Instead Dennis Kucinich is organizing a December 15th Bill of Rights fundraising event. Does it not seem like someone in the campaign is working against Ron Paul?

It's happened before. A disgruntled employee was responsible for the racist remarks in a Ron Paul newsletter that were later and are still now attributed to Ron Paul himself.

Ron Paul need to get it together and do some hirings and firings, because the message now is that he can't run his own campaign. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

[Corydoras]

Ron Paul need to get it together and do some hirings and firings, because the message now is that he can't run his own campaign. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.

At this late date, firing people WILL give the message that he can't run his campaign-- whether he can or can't in reality. The press doesn't actually care about rudysreadinglist.com or the letter from Bydlak-- whether those are good for Ron Paul or not.

The simple fact is that we don't know how Ron Paul chooses the people around him. We don't know if he has an Austin-Galveston gang or an ex-Libertarian Party gang to bring into his administration. The campaign is showing a historic level of transparency about donations, but there isn't a whole lot of transparency about the people around him.

One can imagine that Romney will have a lot of people he's done business with. And Giuliani a lot of NYC types. And Hillary, Bill's old crowd, and Obama a bunch of Chicagoans. But Ron Paul?

[thisisgiparti]

this catapulted Ron Paul into the public's eye, and it is still the most compelling part of his media coverage. otherwise, everyone is quick to write him off. how many interviewers at some point ask Ron Paul what he will do with his money, if he loses?

Jonathan Bydlak's job is to raise money for Ron Paul's campaign. that has nothing to do with Trevor Lyman or his online fund-raising drives. it would have been better if Bydlak had come up with another fundraising idea for an earlier date. Ron Paul says he has more money than he knows what to do with. The Tea Party should have been left alone. what November 5th showed us was that these themed pledge date attract new donors but still do not slow down existing donations.

something just does not seem right here. firing people, if you restructure and hire more people, may not be such a bad idea. volunteers are certainly enthusiastic and an asset, but it helps to have experts and make sure your staff are pulling their weight or at least doing more good than harm.

I'm not singling Bydlak out here, just saying that the letter seemed rude to me, and I donated on November 5th. I unsubscribed for other reasons, though. basically, I did it for the reasons I just explained. I wonder if I can actually take Ron Paul seriously. I will still vote for him at this point, if he makes it to the general elections.

[jlink7]

I'm not singling Bydlak out here, just saying that the letter seemed rude to me, and I donated on November 5th. I unsubscribed for other reasons, though. basically, I did it for the reasons I just explained. I wonder if I can actually take Ron Paul seriously. I will still vote for him at this point, if he makes it to the general elections.

So you're voting for who runs the better campaign, and not the man himself? That is part of the problem with MSM, in my opinion, I just didn't realize that some of his supporters also believe a candidate's worthiness to serve in office depends on how well his campaigns function.

[thisisgiparti]

you all may end up voting for whomever runs the better campaign, and that is politics. there is a reason Mitt Romney is polling so well, despite having less credibility than Ron Paul as a candidate and spending a lot of his own money.

Mitt Romney has been extremely organized and campaigned very hard. I hoped to see a little more from Ron Paul once his budget went up. that hasn't been the case.

instead, a flurry of emails went out urging donors to give more money sooner because "it might be too late to win NH." this was beyond clumsiness, but typical of Ron Paul's official campaign and the weirdos he keeps close.

as I said before, the fringe support that the media harps on bothers me less than the real support from HQ. it seems almost like deliberate sabotage sometimes, either that or dumb beyond belief.

Ron Paul is very lucky to have his grassroots support, and they're great communicators. despite there being a million forums, he still isn't getting the message. it's showing in his fund-raising now (which is still strong but not enough for HQ apparently.) he needs to project more confidence, spend more of this money and tighten up his campaign.

I will still vote for him, but I am tired of explaining why everyone that has anything to do with him or his campaign INCLUDING HIMSELF is a social retard. I am not donating until I see an improvement.