Ron Paul Takes Himself Off Campaign Trail, Says He's Still Running to Win As Much as He Can

Ron Paul speaks, from a press release today:

This campaign fought hard and won electoral success that the talking heads and pundits never thought possible.  But, this campaign is also about more than just the 2012 election.  It has been part of a quest I began 40 years ago and that so many have joined.  It is about the campaign for Liberty, which has taken a tremendous leap forward in this election and will continue to grow stronger in the future until we finally win.

"Our campaign will continue to work in the state convention process.  We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that Liberty is the way of the future.

"Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted.  Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have.  I encourage all supporters of Liberty to make sure you get to the polls and make your voices heard, particularly in the local, state, and Congressional elections, where so many defenders of Freedom are fighting and need your support.

"I hope all supporters of Liberty will remain deeply involved - become delegates, win office, and take leadership positions.  I will be right there with you.  

My book on how Ron Paul got to where he is now, Ron Paul's Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired.

Comments

[sarcasmic]

At least someone can shamelessly pimp their book. Do you read me Jacket?

[Groovus Maximus]

You know, the least Doherty could have done was omit the book pimping for such a serious post. I think at this point he cares more about the book than Paul's campaign. It's like trying to sell someone a ShamWow after being told they have been DX'd with cancer.

[cthorm]

Are you saying cancer survivors don't want to save money by eliminating paper towels?

[Warty]

If anyone is in need of a ShamWow, it's someone who's about to be puking and shitting all over the fucking place. What are you, stupid?

[Groovus Maximus]

Don't drag me into your scat play with Epi. Besides, you sell the ShamWow to the person capable of cleaning the mess. Patients, generally, on chemo and radiation have a bit of time cleaning up this stuff, you insensitive dolt. You are the worst salesman I have ever seen, you agglutinated vaginal blood fart.

[Warty]

You don't make your patients clean up their own puke? You moron, you're just encouraging their weakness. Make them clean it up, and don't forget to yell at them.

[Groovus Maximus]

Sorry Warty, as fun as it was for Thulsa Doom, The Tree of Woe and Wheel of Pain approach tends not to get the best results.

Now if they get uppity after being in remission, then the trach and throatfuck technique is entirely appropriate.

[DesigNate]

And do it with your top hat and monocle. What are you? Some kind of Democrat?

[sarcasmic]

As someone who was nicknamed "Queef" in high school, I resemble that remark!

[Brian D]

"Ron Paul Suspends Campaign"

sin,
FOX, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS...

[Brian D]

Shep Smith just announced his campaign is over. Sheesh.

[sloopyinca]

Aw, fuck!

[Clich? Bandit]

All about perception. While he is still continuing it will be seen as concession to Romney. Excellent news for Gary Johnson 2012.

[NoTalentAssclown]

I think this more has to do with the "Love the Paul, Hate the Paultards" that has become a growing sentiment around here. I think with all of the "trouble" caused during these latest conventions, that he's trying to wash his hands of the actions of some of these supporters. Even though the statement says they'll continue the fight for delegates, it seems like he is "officially" trying to distance himself from the "gaming of the system" that the MSM is getting wind of now.

[DesigNate]

You mean the shenanigans that the establishment has been partaking in to make sure Romney is the nominee, because it's his turn?

Sure Paul supporters can be overzealous, but fuck the GOP if they are going to throw out the rules when it looks like the guy they don't want more than Romney might actually be winning.

[The Derider]

When has it looked like somebody other than Romney was going to win?

[sloopyinca]

Right after Iowa? Right after South Carolina?

Hell, there have been several times, but the MSM made sure they spun the news so Romneybot would stay at the forefront of the coverage.

If you think for a second Ron Paul has gotten fair coverage, you are more retarded than I thought.

PWNAGE!!!!!!11!11112@@22!@!2!!1!!!!!

[The Derider]

Romney has never been anything but the presumptive nominee. Post-Iowa and post-SC were the media working themselves into a lather thinking that someone else had a chance. But they never really did. Romney and Paul were the only two with any real political infrastructure-- and Paul was always too extreme to win.

[hk]

There's not much extreme about Paul, since everyone believes in his economic policies now.

His military policies are right in line with some of the most successful countries in Europe.

Paul lost because of the newsletters and the neocons want control the GOP.

[DesigNate]

When you actually look at the delegates and not the fancy popularity votes that aren't even binding in most states.

[The Derider]

I'm not the only one looking at fancy popularity votes. Lots of Republicans are politically sophisticated enough to support a candidate that can actually win in November.

[DesigNate]

And yet Paul has been neck and neck with Obama in nearly every poll I've seen, same as Romney.

[JimDee]

> the "gaming of the system" that the MSM is getting wind of now.

I logged in just to tell you that you're a fucking idiot.

The MSM "misses" all the system gaming that matters.

[NoTalentAssclown]

you fucking idiot that's why i put it in scare quotes... i don't believe he's gaming the sytem, but if you read every piece of coverage it paints his campaign that way

Trust me, I wan to see chaos at the convention and i think the delegate strategy is great.

I'm just pointing out that this is gonna be spun by the msm against him, and he's trying to officially distance himself from some of this as to not piss off the Republican establishment too much. I think he's not trying to burn every bridge.

[kevbo]

I don't think he cares about that, but I think he realized that he needs to lower expectations a lot and give many of the illuminati-fighting supporters a dose of reality. Many people on Ron Paul websites still believe that this is some sort of secret plan to win the nomination by suppressing the Romney vote. The rhetoric has gotten out of control. There's no doubt in my mind that Paul and Romney do have a tentative deal to change the party platform, but I'm not sure it's going to go over well.

[Fist of Etiquette]

This would make sense. He's hit the point of diminishing returns on the trail. The machine can still work its delegate magic, if there is any magic to be had.

[ChrisO]

He fought the good fight. It'll be interesting to see whether the GOP gives him a speaking slot at the convention. My guess is no.

[Brian D]

What'll be more interesting is if his supporters continue to gain delegate seats even in states that have not yet held primaries or caucuses, nominate him from the floor in Tampa, he gains enough votes to be the GOP nominee and the GOP still doesn't allow him to speak.

[Res Publica Americana]

A conscientious Paul presidency would be exceptionally good for the United States, and fuck, do I hope he can pull it off somehow.

[ChrisO]

The rules appear to be elastic enough to permit delegate shenanigans by the Paul folks, and also to permit the GOP establishment to completely ignore results they disagree with. Unfortunately, it will amount to nothing.

[Almanian...still]

Whatever

[0x90]

Well, the general take on this will certainly not be predictable, at all. And it surely will not be reported widely, nor in a timely fashion. No, sir.

[Peter L]

The media has been treating Paul as if he sent out this statement sometime in January.

[The Derider]

That's the last time he had any chance to win the nomination.

[Ranter]

Exactly. Instead they hand the mic to any GOP idiot that looked like they had the idea to run. Cain, Santorum, GINGRICH.

Ugh, just putting lipstick on the pig of the week. Pretending like a lack of ideas and mindless talking points would make up for integrity or character.

The GOP has decided to squander their influence on the mindless bland dreck that is Mitt Romney. They honestly think he's different or changed after watching him fumble the nomination to Cain 4 years ago?

It's going to be a lose-lose election, no matter what.

[Mensan]

Off topic:
George Lucas turns the tables on NIMBY HOA. Sick of the HOA blocking his attempt to build a studio, he is instead using the land to build low income housing.

[The Derider]

Pretty sure HOAs are completely consistent with libertarian minarchism.

[Brandon]

They are. What's your point, dipshit?

[The Derider]

That HOA's are a type of government that you support. Indeed, they'd be significantly more important in the absence of local government.

[R C Dean]

That HOA's are a type of government that you support.

HOAs don't claim a monopoly on the use of force.

They are entirely a creation of voluntary contract.

They don't fit any definition of government that I am aware of.

[np]

The problem is HOAs would still resort to using government force.

If it were voluntary, you can just opt out of it after buying the property, forgoing all the services offered.

The only way they should be able to enforce compliance is if they have some/share title ownership on your property.

[The Derider]

He should convert the rest of his campaign chest into gold dollar coins, get on his blimp, and circle the Fed throwing them out the window. He could destroy fiat currency!

But would the common man respect him afterword, knowing he was in the pay of King Louie?

[Res Publica Americana]

Wrong site. The Democratic Underground is THAT way *points*, right next to Satan's asshole and the Federal Reserve.

[The Derider]

Not a Neil Stephenson fan, I guess.

[hk]

Obama is even crazier.

[Groovus Maximus]

derp

[NAL]

Could this possibly be a winning strategy for getting votes in future states? I mean, if the perception is that Romney is unopposed, a lot fewer people are going to bother getting out and voting for him. Ron Paul's voters, on the other hand, will turn out anyway (I know I'm going to in NM's June primary).

[NAL]

That second sentence should say, "a lot fewer of Romney's voters are going to bother getting out and voting for him.

[A Serious Man]

Republican turn out is usually fairly high, and most will just shurg and vote Romney while in the voting booth.

I'm predicting CA and Texas will look like Virginia: 50-60% Romney, 40-47% Paul.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Shurging sounds like something gross, as well it should be if it involves voting for Romney.

[A Serious Man]

He had a much better run than Newculear Titties and Rick Shitorum, and that satisfies me a lot. In the end you knew Mitten's giant money advantage would prevail, even if he is an unlikeable, pandering dickhead.

[CE]

As a Californian, my only response to this news was... to make sure to mail in my voter registration, because the deadline is next Monday.

[CE]

There are still 6 Republican candidates for President on the California ballot (fundraising totals in parentheses):

Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III (510,502)
Newt Gingrich (20,949,494)
Rick Santorum (15,699,090)
Ron Paul (34,354,651)
Fred Karger (482,548)
Mitt Romney (75,380,575)

[The Derider]

Wow, I had no idea Ron Paul has raised that much money.

If you combine Newt, Santorum and Paul, they raised 70,000,000 to Romney's 75,000,000. Romney's still got a clear advantage, but considering that both Newt and Santorum were gunning for him, it's not as big as I assumed it was.

[CE]

That's the biggest travesty of the whole campaign. The media have (mostly) treated Ron Paul like a fringe candidate, even though he had the second strongest campaign from day one, by all objective measures.

[R C Dean]

Interesting. Paul has raised just a hair less than Gingrich and Santorum combined. And I would expect him to raise at least a little more, so he should surpass their combined total.

And the Repub establishment can't piss on his movement enough. Idiots.

[Chadwyck]

It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for 'em.

[sloopyinca]

Ladies and gentlemen, I have been to the Great Wall of China, I have seen the Pyramids of Egypt, I've even witnessed a grown man satisfy a camel. But never in all my years as a sportscaster have I witnessed something as improbable, as impossible, as what we've witnessed here today!

[RingoHungo]

SOmetimes you jsut have to throw your hands up in the air and say Who is your Daddy?

http://www.Privacy-Facts.tk

[GroundTruth]

I guess I'll be doing a write in this November.

RON PAUL 2012!!!

[sticks]

http://www.theatlantic.com/pol.....nt/257167/

who the fuck is Molly Ball?