Could it really be true, that Rep. Ron Paul is running for a third term? Let’s hope the third time is the charm.
According to AP.com, “Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Friday that he will run for the GOP nomination for president in 2012, the third attempt for the man known on Capitol Hill as “Dr. No” because of his enthusiasm for bashing runaway spending and government overreach.”
“Time has come around to the point where the people are agreeing with much of what I’ve been saying for 30 years. So, I think the time is right,” said the 75-year-old Paul, who first ran for president as a Libertarian in 1988.
Paul announced his intentions on ABC’s “Good Morning America” from New Hampshire, where he planned his first event for his presidential campaign on Friday.
A few years ago, the ex-flight surgeon and outspoken critic of the Federal Reserve became World Wide Web sensation. He proved to be master fundraiser and it fueled his spirited bid in 2008 for the Republican presidential nomination.
From the podium Paul said, “It’s great that I’m able to announce in this state – a very special state – because there’s such a high respect for the spirit of liberty here,” Paul said at a rally at the Exeter Town Hall. “I’m very pleased to say that once again, I am a candidate for the presidency of the United States.”
As soon as he said “candidate,” Paul was greeted with the sound several hundred cheering fans, which filled both the main hall and the balconies above. It took a while for the noise to die down, and when it did Paul said a lot of things have changed since he last sought the GOP nomination in 2008. “So many people in this country have come to understand that government, with its pretense that it can take care of us from cradle to grave and police the world … is not the solution,” Paul said. “Government is the problem.”
Paul’s last campaign was plagued with gaffs at times, in 2007 Paul attacked Romney’s “consult lawyers” gaff, but within his attack, he said we had not been attacked for 220 years or so. A comment that Giuliani had took note of as he verbally attacked Ron Paul labeling him a ‘noninterventionist’ “I don’t know where you were on 9/11…have you heard of Afghanistan,” Giuliani asked, according to www.dailypaul.com.
Some other gaffs that could come back to hurt Paul are, “The Ground Zero Mosque” gaff, Paul came out in defense of the Ground Zero Mosque, and threw his support behind Barack Obama, a move that limits his appeal to Christian voters. Another Gaff that could hurt him is, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Ron Paul voted to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I suppose Paul can look forward to spending much of his time explaining his support for gays in the military.
Occidentaldissent.com says, Paul can gain traction with issues like “illegal immigration, foreign wars, the national debt, government spending, the size of government and monetary policy. There are a lot of other winning issues that Paul could campaign on like affirmative action. He could position himself at the forefront of the Tea Party as Sarah Palin has done.” Paul supporters are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping for the best. Hopefully, Paul will hire better advisors this time, and cut down on the gaffs.
