"An In-Depth Look at Ron Paul": NPR's On Point featuring Nick Gillespie

Yesterday, I was on the NPR show On Point, which is hosted by Tom Ashbrook and produced outta Boston. Here's the show's summary:

Texas congressman and libertarian-minded Republican Ron Paul has been in politics for a long time now. Twelve terms in the House. More than one swing – typically quixotic – at the presidency.

But never has Ron Paul's sway been as apparent and his presidential ambitions as on fire as they are right now. The country is worried, and Ron Paul is a refreshingly candid "true believer" with an answer. Slash government to the bone. Bring the troops home from everywhere. Scrap the Fed. Defend personal liberty. And go free market.

This hour, On Point: the banner year of Ron Paul.

I was joined by callers throughout and

Ned Martel, reporter for the Washington Post. His recent story on Ron Paul is here.

Ben Levine, a student at Drake University and an Iowa precinct captain for Ron Paul 2012.

Max Boot, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The exchange with Boot on foreign policy issues and defense spending is especially interesting, I think. Boot dismisses Paul's bring-the-troops-home rhetoric as good old-fashioned isolationism and ineffectual on the policy debate. More to the point, he talks as if the past 20 years or so doesn't exist and we're still locked in a twilight struggle with the Soviets, ChiCom, and others. The only reason Europe isn't once again awash in mass destruction within its borders, don't you know, is because of American troops stationed there. That comes towards the end of hour.

You can listen to the show here.