Is Dr. Paul a top-tier candidate yet?

[Starks]

Honest answers please.

[JoshLowry]

It's really just a personal interpretation on where you rank the candidates.

The MSM can use it to divide and conquer to a degree, so don't let them tell you what to believe.

I think he's "first tier" :)

[njandrewg]

I think he is in the middle. Not exactly front runner material yet, but they can no longer disregard him as irrelevant

[UtahApocalypse]

The MSM will still be calling Ron Paul irrelevant and obscure at his Inauguration :D

[Starks]

MSM sucks nowadays

[kalami]

I think the trend is to demote McCain instead of promoting Paul.

[atilla]

he's a "first class" candidate

[CJLauderdale4]

I believe he is in the top 5, however, not a "front runner" just yet. Success in Iowa and New Hampshire would propel him there...

[RonPaulCult]

Not yet but there is plenty of time and AT THIS RATE he will be one very soon

[xcalybur]

Honestly, I think he is the front running 2nd Tier candidate. Give it about another 1-2 months and he'll be up there with the big boys. At the latest, the end of the 3rd quarter.

[torchbearer]

I think the trend is to demote McCain instead of promoting Paul.

I think you got it right. It looks more like a slam on McCain. They are trying to take him out. Why would anyone donate anymore money to mccain after this news? Thus, the MSM is axing him early to get more funds to another top tier candidate.

[angrydragon]

He's always been first tier to the corrupt republicans.

[maiki]

My opinion still depends on if Fred Thompson announces anytime soon and what Huckabee's numbers are, if they are higher. If only one of those two happens, he is a middle-tier, not bottom of the barrel candidate at least. If both happen, more work still needs to be done, but he still be "middle tier", but would be fighting with Huckabee for the spot. If neither happen, then yes, most definitely.

[randolphus maximus]

The ABC article made it to www.drudgereport.com

Which is pretty good news. People are starting to take notice

[CurtisLow]

He would be a top-tier if the news media (mainly TV) would give him air time.

But Rupert Murdock says hell no!

http://axiomsun.com/home/video/leaked_fox_memo_shows_how_they_slant_the_news.html

[brumans]

he won't be considered top-tier until he does better in the "scientific" polls

[Original_Intent]

This is just my personal take on things.

Romney, Giuliani (add Fred if he announces - 1st tier.

Paul, McCain - tier 1.5, Paul climbing and McCain dropping.

The rest - unknown, depends on Q2 numbers My gut tells me that Huckabee will probably do well and Tommy T will be on the way out.

[jj111]

I think this "top tier" and "second tier" candidate talk at this point is a false paradigm. I do not think we should buy into it and use this language.

What is a better paradigm? How about one of these:

Grassroots candidate versus special-interest corporate-bought candidates?
Honest candidate versus dishonest candidates?
Honest candidate versus corrupt candidates?
Which candidate has the most grassroots volunteers meeting locally to help him organized through groups like Meetup?

I think it is too early in the race to look at national polls.....
I don't think popularity in terms of polls, or special interest money is a fair way to look at the candidates.

This is a bottom up candidacy, unlike all the others which are top down.
It is a paradigm shift, and the old labels and paradigms don't apply very well for this campaign....

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

If you want to break it out into three tiers, he's top of the second. The Iowa Straw Poll will determine whether he's a 1st tier candidate, so put EVERYTHING you've got into that. Every Iowa GOP caucus attendee needs to get called before August 11.

[aknappjr]

He needs more name recognition to be considered "top tier". Go out and tell 10 friends about him EVERY DAY. People want to be a a part of the freedom movement.

[remaxjon]

not until he gets 10% in a national poll. Until then we will be listening to the same old shit from everyone

[Silverback]

Thompson and Giuliani are front runners.

Romney and Paul are "second tier", possibles but longshots.

Everyone else is an also ran, including McCain.

The "scientific" polls may not reflect that and the MSM certainly won't report it but that's the reality of the situation.

ETA- Thompson's been running for six months, he's just determined that the less he actually says, particularly without a script to memorize, the better.

[paulitics]

1) Fred thompson (if he runs)
2) Giuliani
3) Romney
4) RP

5) all others. McCain has the least chance of any candidate right now. He will be bankrupt in a month. I have no idea what the true poll numbers are for RP, but he is the top second tier candidate

[surf]

ABC promoting an "exclusive interview".... i'd say he's getting there. keep up the good work.
from an optimistic viewpoint, i'd say he's swapping tiers with McCain

[paulitics]

This is shaping up to be RP versus the new three headed monster: Frudy Romnliani. Be prepared to be called a racist anti -semite sometime around August or September.

[SeekLiberty]

Honest answers please.

Are "candidates" whom don't believe in following our Constitution really a legitimate "candidate" for Constitutional Presidency for WE THE PEOPLE?

It's all a matter of viewpoint. Who's viewpoint is correct? The Ministry of Truth? The Collectivists? or WE THE PEOPLE who believe in Individual Rights and our Presidents OBEYING our Constitution for WE THE PEOPLE?

From my viewpoint as part of WE THE PEOPLE, I consider Ron Paul not only a First Tier Candidate, but a FIRST CLASS, First Tier candidate. :D

I'll even go so far as to say that he's the ONLY legitimate, candidate for Constitutional Presidency of either "major" party.

There's only ONE option for WE THE PEOPLE ... Dr. Ron Paul! :)

- SL

[atilla]

He needs more name recognition to be considered "top tier". Go out and tell 10 friends about him EVERY DAY. People want to be a a part of the freedom movement.
what if you don't have 10 friends?:o

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

what if you don't have 10 friends?:o

People you meet in chat rooms who don't hate you too much do count. Look, we all live virtual lives too, so we understand.

[Bradley in DC]

This is just my personal take on things.

Romney, Giuliani (add Fred if he announces - 1st tier.

Paul, McCain - tier 1.5, Paul climbing and McCain dropping.

The rest - unknown, depends on Q2 numbers My gut tells me that Huckabee will probably do well and Tommy T will be on the way out.

We have some unofficial numbers: Brownback raised "nearly $1.5 million" and Tommy T. raised $473,126 (including an additional $75m loan in addition to a previous $25m one). Does anyone know of any other numbers from anyone (besides Rudy, Mitt, McCain).

[angrydragon]

Tommy has 75 million dollars?

[maiki]

he means 75k. ;)

[wecandoit]

Paul is in the "lone tier" in my book, alone at the top.

What this may mean though, is the next debate may be his first debate to be taken seriously by many for the first time. Hopefully that will translate into equal time/questions.

[Scribbler de Stebbing]

Tommy T. raised $473,126 (including an additional $75m loan in addition to a previous $25m one).

Poor Tommy T. I'm sure he used to be well respected, but, um, not everyone ages as well as Ron Paul. What the hell, how many people get to run for president. So he got that on his resume.

[Rocky Mtn Liberty Lover]

I look at it from this perspective: of the people that have heard of Dr. Paul, probably 40 to 50% support him. If this is accurate, it is a very remarkable statistic and should propel him to the top-tier as debates continue and hopefully he can stir up some more idiotic retorts from the neocons to get his name and philosophies out there further.

However, I would guess that no more than 25% of the total population is familiar with him right now. Until that gets up to two-thirds to 75%, I don't think he can be considered top-tier.

[LastoftheMohicans]

We have some unofficial numbers: Brownback raised "nearly $1.5 million" and Tommy T. raised $473,126 (including an additional $75m loan in addition to a previous $25m one). Does anyone know of any other numbers from anyone (besides Rudy, Mitt, McCain).

Huckabee's campaign stated that they've raised more than the 500K that they raised in the 1Q. But they won't say how much.

[aknappjr]

what if you don't have 10 friends?:o

Tell 10 enemies. Tell 10 random people you meet.

1. Put a Bumper Sticker on your car. Now
2. Wear a large bumper/sticker 24/7 (except at work)
3. Tell 10 new people.

[aknappjr]

I look at it from this perspective: of the people that have heard of Dr. Paul, probably 40 to 50% support him. If this is accurate, it is a very remarkable statistic and should propel him to the top-tier as debates continue and hopefully he can stir up some more idiotic retorts from the neocons to get his name and philosophies out there further.

However, I would guess that no more than 25% of the total population is familiar with him right now. Until that gets up to two-thirds to 75%, I don't think he can be considered top-tier.

No way is it near 25%. Closer to 5%. Do a random survey of 100 people.

[Derek]

I think you have to put Paul above every other so-called second tier candidate, including Mike Huckabee. He's on the same level now as McCain, who is on his way down.

Paul's showing in the Iowa straw poll in August will be important though. If he can place in the top three there with at least 10-15 percent, I think we'll have moved into the top tier.

[ronpaulitician]

To me? Definitely.

To the public? Not until he gets more than 5% in one of the established offline polls.

[STA654]

Paul is in the "lone tier" in my book, alone at the top.

What this may mean though, is the next debate may be his first debate to be taken seriously by many for the first time. Hopefully that will translate into equal time/questions.

No way, Ron Paul could have raised 100 million dollars in Q2 and he still would be pushed aside in the debates as a "longshot".

[Jared]

I think Freddy and Ghouliani are the only candidates doing better than Ron Paul right now. Ghouliani is slipping, I think, but we're going to have to start looking at Freddy because he has a huge following in the conservative wing.

[dude58677]

I would say so. He passed up John McCain in money. The MSM said this would never happen and they were wrong.

[CJLauderdale4]

I say he's number 4 or 5, out of whoever is left. This is based on finances, because at this point in the campaigns, that is all anyone is focusing on.

I really hope Rudy, Romney, and Fred Thompson are in the top 4 with Ron Paul after next year's primaries, and that the rest of the candidates drop out. This will make things so much easier for Ron. These three opponents have absolutely nothing but name recognition to go on, and no substance on the real issues.

[dude58677]

I say he's number 4 or 5, out of whoever is left. This is based on finances, because at this point in the campaigns, that is all anyone is focusing on.

I really hope Rudy, Romney, and Fred Thompson are in the top 4 with Ron Paul after next year's primaries, and that the rest of the candidates drop out. This will make things so much easier for Ron. These three opponents have absolutely nothing but name recognition to go on, and no substance on the real issues.

That's a very good point.

[STA654]

I say he's number 4 or 5, out of whoever is left. This is based on finances, because at this point in the campaigns, that is all anyone is focusing on.

I really hope Rudy, Romney, and Fred Thompson are in the top 4 with Ron Paul after next year's primaries, and that the rest of the candidates drop out. This will make things so much easier for Ron. These three opponents have absolutely nothing but name recognition to go on, and no substance on the real issues.

It's too bad so many people vote based upon image rather than substance.

The reason why Kerry won the democratic primaries last year was because he had a 'presidential' image.

[alaric]

The MSM will still be calling Ron Paul irrelevant and obscure at his Inauguration :D

all right! this is the attitude!:cool: