Strippers for Ron Paul—the Video

Nick Gillespie | August 29, 2007

Daniel Greene sends along a link to video of blogger and ex-stripper Michelle Shinghal's recent appearance on MSNBC's Tucker Carslon show:

Comments

Derrick|8.29.07 @ 6:51AM|#

Tucker is cool because he actually allows his guests to finish their sentences. That he's libertarian is icing on the cake. Also, Michelle is well spoken.

|8.29.07 @ 7:22AM|#

Tucker is as libertarian as Ayn Rynd is sane.

rho|8.29.07 @ 9:22AM|#

Excellent job, Michelle.

Derek|8.29.07 @ 9:27AM|#

I was actually surprised that Carlson was so supportive; I always assumed he was a Kool-Aid Republican, but he seemed actually excited that Paul's campaign is getting momentum.

I thought she did a great job, very articulate about why so many fans of small gov't are disgusted with the current political landscape and why we support Paul.

Episiarch|8.29.07 @ 9:29AM|#

You know, on Fox there would have been more cuts of actual strip clubs :-(

|8.29.07 @ 9:40AM|#

I thought she did a great job, very articulate about why so many fans of small gov't are disgusted with the current political landscape and why we support Paul.

True that. But we need to get organized. Strippers for Ron Paul needs to be more that a catch phrase. We need groups with members and web sites. We need a 527s like "Music Lovers for Pot".

x,y|8.29.07 @ 9:49AM|#

Excellent job miche.

|8.29.07 @ 9:52AM|#

Strippers for Ron Paul needs to be more that a catch phrase.

You heard the man, Paulistas! Get out to the strip clubs and start recruiting!

|8.29.07 @ 9:55AM|#

You heard the man, Paulistas! Get out to the strip clubs and start recruiting!

Interesting ideas swirling on soliciting campaign contributions...

Eric Dondero|8.29.07 @ 10:19AM|#

Very good job, I must admit. Michelle and I have had our run-ins. But I gotta say she is a very articulate spokeswoman for liberty.

If I was Steve Kubby, I'd seriously consider her as a running mate. Assuming she's 35 years of age. Which she seems to be right on the cusp, maybe 32 or 33?

BTW, Michigan Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis last night made a stunning appeal to Ron Paul supporters to "stay in the GOP," if he loses the nomination. It was on "Libertarian Politics Live" on Blog Talk Radio.

This is a turn-around for Anuzis who was previously very critical of the Paul campaign, even charging that he shouldn't be allowed in future debates.

|8.29.07 @ 10:24AM|#

When my ex was an Aesthetician in DC, she had me go into the strip clubs and give the girls coupons for waxing.
The things I did for that woman. Sheesh.

I have to admit that it never occurred to me to ask them if they were libertarians. It would certainly be a less awkward question than "So, how do you , uh, depilate?"

|8.29.07 @ 10:27AM|#

"Stay in the GOP" hah.

Dear Republicans,
I have never voted for a Republican in my life. I am not and have never been in your club.

|8.29.07 @ 10:33AM|#

Dear Republicans,
I have never voted for a Republican in my life. I am not and have never been in your club.

I have, however, been in numerous strip clubs.

rho|8.29.07 @ 10:50AM|#

BTW, Michigan Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis last night made a stunning appeal to Ron Paul supporters to "stay in the GOP"

Wow, what a breathtaking inability to recognize why people support Ron Paul.

I'm more convinced that if Dr. Paul got the nomination that a lot of pro-war Republicans will jump the fence for Hillary. Maybe Michigan Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis should be more concerned with keeping the elks on the elk reservation than bothering with lecturing the moose who happen to wander in.

Brian Sorgatz|8.29.07 @ 11:08AM|#

I was actually surprised that Carlson was so supportive; I always assumed he was a Kool-Aid Republican, but he seemed actually excited that Paul's campaign is getting momentum.

Watch Carlson beat the rhetorical crap out of a Republican drug warrior. Early on, he uses the term "faith-based" to mean based on wishful thinking. It gets really good towards the end, when Carlson asks, "How many people died from marijuana overdoses last year?" He refuses to take the wrong answer from his guest. Courtesy of Pot TV.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.29.07 @ 11:48AM|#

I have never voted for a Republican in my life. I am not and have never been in your club.

This will be the first time I vote Republican and I am delighted that California has open primaries so I won't have to change my registration.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.29.07 @ 11:49AM|#

I did not know Carlson was so pro libertarian until I watched Michelle's video.

|8.29.07 @ 11:57AM|#

I've always liked Carlson, despite the fact that he seems like a bit of a weasel. He almost always argues against big government-- eminent domain, smoking bans, pot laws. I remember him saying something like "There's nothing wrong with being opposed to smoking, but if that's the strongest moral message you've got, maybe it's time to re-think your politics."

|8.29.07 @ 11:58AM|#

I ran into Carlson in the CNN green room a few years ago, when he was still co-hosting Crossfire, and he went on about how much he loved Reason. At the time I thought he was just being polite, but maybe not. I don't watch his show (except for the bits I happen to see online), so it's hard for me to gauge the extent to which he leans libertarian.

|8.29.07 @ 11:59AM|#

Michelle's heart was in the right place. I wanted to enjoy her performce and believe she did a good job.

But she didn't, which is too bad. Public speaking is hard enough and answering questions in the highly unnatural atmosphere of a tv interview (under hot lights, looking into a camera lens) is much, much harder.

On the plus side, she's obviously really smart and she had earned the votes of men who really like gorgeous libertarians.

S.A. Miller|8.29.07 @ 12:02PM|#

When you combine hte presidential race and strippers, why that is why they invented cable television.

Haha.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.29.07 @ 12:07PM|#

Good Job Michelle, we appreciate you being willing to put yourself out there.

miche|8.29.07 @ 12:41PM|#

There were so many things that I wanted to say but in that atmosphere everything escaped my brain and mouth. Then I got on that stuttering kick and nothing came out.

I hoped to say Libertarian Party and Ron Paul in the same sentence and was able to do so. I'm sure tongues are wagging at the hospital right now and I'm thankful that my husband can roll with it.

highnumber|8.29.07 @ 12:59PM|#

You were great in the sense that you did not come across as any kind of a kook. You made it clear that "Strippers for Ron Paul" is an attention grabber and not some sort of oddball collection. (Not that there's anything oddball about strippers, but you know how that can come across in the hands of the mainstream media.)

|8.29.07 @ 1:30PM|#

noone here seems to know that tucker is very libertarian in some ways cause they don't watch his show. he talks about it on the show ALL THE TIME. he voted for ron paul when he ran on the libertarian ticket in the 80s. in fact the only issue he's not libertarian on is immigration which the same can be said of ron paul. everyone assumes he's just another stupid rightwing pundit cause of what happened between him and jon stewert (which i'm convinced stewert did because he didn't have the balls to go up against o'reilly) but that's never been the case. his mnsbc show is a good show. he raved about reason when tim cavanaugh was a guest on the show too a while back.

x,y|8.29.07 @ 1:35PM|#

Unfortunately, in my state, the primaries are not open.

miche, don't worry about your performance. I thought you came across well. I was on radio once and the forums are the same in the sense that you need to convey a lot of information in soundbites. But TV also adds the lights, camera, action bit. Much tougher IMO. Well done.

|8.29.07 @ 2:24PM|#

Is that our commenter "miche"?

Good job, IMO. It's nice to see someone articulate on TV who is given the opportunity to actually talk beyond soundbites. There was one point where she seemed a little nervous, but that didn't work out too bad -- she came across as more of a regular concerned person and not a paid spokesmodel, which can be danger if you have a glossy hot chick as your spokesperson.

Also now, for some reason, I feel an impulse to tuck a dollar bill into Ron Paul's waistband.

Go Ron Paul!

D. Greene|8.29.07 @ 4:13PM|#

Yes, it is the one and the same commenter! I would just like to say to the one person disappointed with the quality of her interview - it can be pretty nerve wracking being on live radio or television, especially for first timers.

But hey, maybe next time they'll want to interview "Strip Club Patrons for Ron Paul," I'd be glad to give them my thoughts.

Btw, here is the link to miche's blog regarding the interview.

|8.29.07 @ 4:34PM|#

"and ex-stripper Michelle Shinghal's..."
Can one really be an "ex-stripper" or is more like "ex-marine", as in, once a marine always a marine?
If "Reason" ever interviews her, drop a twenty or "mistakenly" give her change of a five dollar bill and see what happens.

|8.29.07 @ 5:16PM|#

Still waiting for some entrepreneur to manufacture "Strippers for Ron Paul" bumper stickers ...

miche|8.29.07 @ 5:49PM|#

If somebody dropped a twenty, I'd pick it up and hand it to him/her. It's called courtesy.

Stripping was such a small part of my work history, but Tucker's show wasn't interested in Ex-medical industry workers for Ron Paul.

smokey|8.29.07 @ 7:00PM|#

A correction to a previous post by The Wine Commonsewer: California does not have open primaries. If you would like to see Ron Paul get the Republican nomination (and who wouldn't?) you may vote for him in the primaries only after registering as a Republican.

|8.30.07 @ 12:45AM|#

wow, Tucker has put on some weight.

Tucker is as libertarian as Ayn Rynd is sane.

He is more of a libertarian then say Stephenopolis no?

Les|8.30.07 @ 1:38AM|#

He is more of a libertarian then say Stephenopolis no?

Based on what?

Nash|8.30.07 @ 3:21AM|#

"BTW, Michigan Republican State Chairman Saul Anuzis last night made a stunning appeal to Ron Paul supporters to "stay in the GOP," if he loses the nomination. It was on "Libertarian Politics Live" on Blog Talk Radio.

This is a turn-around for Anuzis who was previously very critical of the Paul campaign, even charging that he shouldn't be allowed in future debates."

If Republicans would start acting like Conservatives instead of just talking like them maybe I would. Instead I get a bunch of candidates who talk about lower taxes but don't actually lower them and small government rhetoric without actually reducing it in size and scope.

You've got Brownback whoring out my tax dollars to corn in Iowa, Rudy grabbing guns and Romney increasing "defense" spending and Fred Thompson funding abortions. Did I mention John McCain's "campaign finance reform".

Wake me up when the real Conservatives actually have influence in the party again. Until that day it is Ron Paul or I leave the party. Again.

|8.30.07 @ 7:34AM|#

Wake me up when the real Conservatives actually have influence in the party again. Until that day it is Ron Paul or I leave the party. Again.

As long as the the fundies have influence the GOP is no friend of liberty.