tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post2077621168491315995..comments2023-05-20T03:16:48.111-07:00Comments on The Libertarian Surge: "I spent $25 million and all I got was this lousy primary."Clay Rhanulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339809112176157914noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-44255711799638311332008-01-13T14:46:00.000-08:002008-01-13T14:46:00.000-08:00Sometimes those of good nature find it hard to sta...Sometimes those of good nature find it hard to stand for their own rights but will fight like hell for yours. I sort of get this feeling about Dr Paul. He needs fighters on his side to help him fight his personal battles. Help him understand “his problems are ours also”. You are only as good as those that work for or with you. This is a nice guy and if were not careful they will tear him apart with this sort of game. This is probably how the letters were written, he trust some that may use him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-17487471997845946052008-01-13T05:53:00.000-08:002008-01-13T05:53:00.000-08:00Original Bloggers intimations are borderline libel...Original Bloggers intimations are borderline libelous. Poster attempts implicating Ron Paul's current campaign staff with charges of fraud because some prior campaign worker was accused of it. <BR/><BR/>Even responding to these allegations is a waste of time, except to make the point that this is the kind of infighting and calumny that withers a campaign and wastes our energy.<BR/><BR/>Go forth and promote Ron Paul and educate your fellow citizens about limited constitutional government.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-21055776876585797482008-01-13T02:06:00.000-08:002008-01-13T02:06:00.000-08:00I didn't assert betayal never happens in politics ...I didn't assert betayal never happens in politics or it's not worth persuing and digging it out..., I said it's "inpractical" for this reorganization to be taken into as Super Tuesday is approaching. <BR/><BR/>You know, the day that will determine if this campaign is over or not, and where all his resources need to be focused on states he wants to win...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-88331182332885806022008-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:002008-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:00Perhaps it would be excessive to fire his entire s...Perhaps it would be excessive to fire his entire staff, but nonetheless there are plainly individuals with the campaign organization who are undermining him, and they must be dismissed before they cause greater damage. <BR/><BR/>To assert that betrayal never happens in politics or that it's an issue not worth pursuing, one must be unimaginably naive or have an agenda of one's own. I'll put you down as naive.Clay Rhanulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339809112176157914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-81443962204256288042008-01-11T20:29:00.000-08:002008-01-11T20:29:00.000-08:00Genuineness is subjective, and for old-school vote...Genuineness is subjective, and for old-school voters is unneccessary in terms of commercials. His message is genuine from what the other Neocons offer and he has never been better in a debate as in Jan 10, so we'll see what happens next. If you feel passionately about making avant-garde 29 second spot commercials by all means go apesh*t on youtube but it wouldn't phase more likely Republican voters who just care about the issues. Alienating his staff at this point is a non-issue, with Super Tuesday approaching it's inpractical for him to have a facelift of all his organization when he needs to campaign hard. <BR/><BR/>And he certainly isn't going to run after 4 years again because of his age, so either ride this out now for all it's worth or seriously, dismiss yourself quietly. <BR/><BR/>lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-55820783772595842002008-01-11T18:25:00.000-08:002008-01-11T18:25:00.000-08:00The ads suck not only because of their lack of fla...The ads suck not only because of their lack of flashiness but also because of their lack of genuineness. It is a remarkable achievement, for usually the one virtue of a low budget is to convey sincerity. And how do you manage to convey insincerity when your subject is Ron Paul? As far as I can see, you have to work at that.<BR/><BR/>I am glad you choose to support the candidate. Perhaps you could persuade his staff to do likewise.Clay Rhanulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339809112176157914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-33374548172680045352008-01-11T17:06:00.000-08:002008-01-11T17:06:00.000-08:00Yeah, the ads "sucked" to us internet savvy suppor...Yeah, the ads "sucked" to us internet savvy supporters but did any of the other candidates have amazingly innovate works of political art for ads? Please don't mention Chuck Norris. <BR/><BR/>It doesn't seem like the people who go out to vote, the old tried and true voters that always participate care how flashy or innovative your ad is... the industry norm for these types of things are just what Paul did. Usually it's some voice over with a low register voice and some text for an issue and an American flag. <BR/><BR/>NONE of the candidates had groundbreaking cinematic 29 second spots here, come on....It would appeal to the people on youtube who already are going to vote for Paul and not regular voters who are use to regular campaign tactics.<BR/><BR/>As far as the embezzlement thing from his run before, I think I'm getting full of negative news, jesus.<BR/><BR/>That little snidey finale to the article about dropping and taking the movement away, yeah show me the next Ron Paul 2.0 that still has that powerful of a message and track record in congress minus some human error. That debate last night firmly convinced me I'm seeing this thing through all the way, I'm not disengaging from this once in a lifetime candidate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-20893342840940843952008-01-10T17:58:00.000-08:002008-01-10T17:58:00.000-08:00In the universe we live in, past Presidents have n...In the universe we live in, past Presidents have not been paragons. They've been afflicted by stroke, heart attack, senility, drug addiction, and alcoholism. Some have been what we call 'stupid.' (Not to name names.) A few of them have even been morally challenged.<BR/><BR/>Ron Paul is mentally and ethically sound. He needs to dismiss his campaign staff and get a better one. The volunteers can help him do that. If he will heed their advice, then he will have proven himself worthy of the job. Unless, of course, a paragon comes along.Clay Rhanulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339809112176157914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-49410844097808267592008-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:002008-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00Even in an alternative universe where the Doctor h...Even in an alternative universe where the Doctor had a chance at being elected -- he doesn't sound like a person capable of organizing an effective White House team.MPHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09832807936475030356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-7942476791086143192008-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:002008-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:00After the money bombs started bringing in the mill...After the money bombs started bringing in the millions, the staff evidently decided that maybe the volunteers were at least 'useful idiots,' and toned down the passive-aggressive undermining of the volunteers.<BR/><BR/>But they're still keeping the volunteers at arm's length. Even Trevor Lyman (the bomb and blimp guy) has had only a few minutes one-on-one with the candidate.<BR/><BR/>All candidates live in a bubble created by their sycophants, and few ever realize that their reality is being filtered. It is up to the volunteer movement to break through the bubble. But that is only the first step. The next, and much bigger step, is to get the candidate to accept the remedy, which will involve dismissing (i.e., 'sacking') people that he's known for decades and has considered friends. That could be traumatic, but unless the candidate is willing to take that step, he is unfit for an executive role.<BR/><BR/>All of this assumes that irreparable damage has not yet been done.Clay Rhanulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339809112176157914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-86759806751653138492008-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:002008-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:00Very interesting. Well written with a great deal ...Very interesting. Well written with a great deal of citation. However, your comments at the end bummed me out.<BR/><BR/>It can certainly be said that the campaigning has a lack of direction and its staffers generally inexperienced. That's one thing. It is another thing all together to claim that the staffers are seeking power to the detrement of the campaign. It makes me wonder if such a claim comes from a misapplication of the Libertarians' suspicions for those in charge.<BR/><BR/>I don't see anything sinster in the slip of the wacko comment. I simply see inexperience. While you do point out that petty greed has hurt the campaign before, I do not see any gain that would motivate the staffers to discredit the independent supporters. The campaign has recognized that such groups help them.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16076414714469078194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-63378071024691422692008-01-09T19:01:00.000-08:002008-01-09T19:01:00.000-08:00Nobody's perfect, and this seems to be Ron Paul's ...Nobody's perfect, and this seems to be Ron Paul's one flaw: loyalty to staff and ability to overlook their incompetence. He could bring so much good to the office of the President that I don't think it is anything to hold against him, any more than Giuliani has the same problem as well as some things I've heard of Huckabee.<BR/><BR/>Dondero seems to be a case of RP keeping an absolute idiot around because the guy was a libertarian and worked hard (by all accounts, the one thing Dondero can do very well is gather signatures for libertarian causes) and because Dr. Paul is obviously loyal. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Dondero who wrote those newsletters.<BR/><BR/>An accompanying problem to the staff incompetence is the media's ignoring Dr. Paul. This could have been helped by a good staff experienced with the media. With $20 million we could have gotten crack staffers the last two months.<BR/><BR/>Oh, well. Lesson learned. Even if you have a laissez faire managerial style, you need to look for actual results and have the compunction to fire people every once in a while.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09276840581613067386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-2026230547730500702008-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:002008-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:00Whether correct or not, this is a legitimate argum...Whether correct or not, this is a legitimate argument. Although I am not a seasoned campaign analyst, my profession is advertising, and the campaign's choices for ads have been interesting, to say the least. I offered up both of these ads I created for free to the campaign, said I would make any changes they wanted free of charge, as well as my services in addition to these, totally free, and I never got a call back or response.<BR/><BR/>Imagine America Ad<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Med926aDBoc<BR/><BR/>Ron Paul Is Ad<BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8mMTa79Uzc<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that these are the ads that they should go with, but in comparison to what they are airing, it may be a better approach to help validate Dr. Paul as a top notch candidate.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, grassroots (myself included) will continue to do everything in our power to get Ron Paul elected, I just wish I felt that the official campaign was doing the same, with the same amount of passion.creativechopshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10830499449017911165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3027216586727591174.post-9370793329285807192008-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:002008-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00Compelling analysis. And strangely, this is the la...Compelling analysis. And strangely, this is the last place we might have thought to look for infiltrators.<BR/><BR/>The TV ads sucked, and the media buys for one-hour TV specials feel suspicious to me. Better to advertise during a show people are already watching.Benjamin J. Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15442216767111062022noreply@blogger.com