Ron Paul came in second place in the Nevada caucuses today, and I am here to trumpet it on the Internet, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Tim Russert on MSNBC. Mitt Romney was the big winner for the GOP, Clinton took top honors for the Dems. McCain won the South Carolina Republican contest.
The aforementioned remark by Russert that Paul's silver medal finish in Nevada would be heralded by his multitude of supporters throughout the annals of the Internet is understandable. In the case of the Ron Paul presidential campaign, Momentum is building. Enduring a veritable vacuum of mainstream media coverage the Ron Paul movement is enjoying exponential growth by employing true grass roots enthusiasm and the power and speed of new communication technologies. That insistently obtuse phrasing obviously refers primarily to the Internet. Not only is the Internet the quickest and most comprehensive information resource for people curious of Paul's politics, but the congressman is often the only White House hopeful facing a dearth in mainstream TV or newspaper coverage. And when people discover Paul's message and platform and are inspired, they are moved to action. Ron Paul signs have been appearing on suburban street corners around Southern California in recent weeks. I can only assume that the phenomenon is being repeated throughout the country. Yesterday driving on the 10 freeway I saw a banner on an overpass that said simply "YouTube Ron Paul." Speaking of which, I wanted to share two YouTube videos that I found especially evocative of earnest optimism in the face of incomprehensible odds. This one is a music/image/text montage celebrating Ron Paul's showing in Nevada and edifying Paul supporters. Here is a poignant testimonial from a Nevadan caucus-goer and Paul advocate.
Paul's progress in this race is virtually the inverse of what Rudolph Giuliani's has been: a year ago it was a commonly held belief that Giuliani stood the strongest chance of winning the Republican party's 2008 presidential bid. Now the man is barely an afterthought in the coverage of this campaign, overshadowed by Mormon car salesmen, fundamentalist preachers and half-senile television actors. This phenomenon has now been officially termed The Giuliani Implosion. This free-fall surely has nothing to do with the former mayor's shameless exploitation of the terrible tragedy of 9/11, or the fact that New York firefighters harbor a host of grievances related to Giuliani's management style.
Here is a clip of Fox News' coverage of the Nevada caucus, with special attention paid to the air time allotted for Ron Paul during live coverage of a race that the he finished second. And also notice how the television personalities are desperate to rationalize the obvious support for Paul, which is understood as a mathematical impossibility in the ideological universe they inhabit. "Keep pushing the Huckster!"
Isn't this fun? Right now there are no clear front leaders for either of the Two Big Parties and it seems that anything is possible. All I am sure of is that the real winners in 2008 are all the news junkies and knowledgeable observers of American media politics, and lovers of big circus entertainment everywhere.
Another interesting catch in the Web today: AntiRonPaul.com
Until next time friends, keep going for The Gold!
1 comment:
I love the point Paul makes about nation-building. It was the Republicans who were dead against it, and who were saying it was not a value of the Republican party. Now the Republicans are doing just that in Iraq and elsewhere. Ron Paul has it right! Get out of Iraq now!
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