Apocalypse now: Bircheresque crank raises as much money as McCain
posted at 3:14 pm on October 3, 2007 by Allahpundit
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$5.08 mil, more than double what he did last quarter and eight times what he did in the quarter before that. Not only are the new numbers on par with McCain — with a lot more cash on hand — but they’re not terribly far behind Fred, who pulled $8 million. Huckabee, the ostensible first-tier candidate, barely cracked seven digits.
Choose your spin: (1) this proves the GOP is trending anti-war; (2) this proves the GOP is trending libertarian; (3) this proves the GOP is dissatisfied with the big four; (4) this proves Truthers have more disposable income than anyone thought. Exit prediction: the media will push ‘em in precisely that order. Marc Ambinder sets the pace.
Update: I’ve speculated before about the possibility of a third-party run by this tool and now it’s looking surer than ever. He’s got the bread, he’s got the messianism, and he’s got plenty of antipathy towards the current Republican front-runner. It’ll be verrrry interesting to see if evangelical leaders give him a look going forward as a possible protest vote against Rudy. His war stance probably makes it impossible but he’s got all the right moves on abortion and the fact that he’s an Ob/Gyn by trade can’t hurt. Assuming evangelicals steer clear, can he still do enough damage to Rudy in the swing states to tilt them to Hillary? I’m thinking … yeah, sure. He appeals to the fringe of enough conservative subgroups that two or three percent isn’t out of the question.
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This proves that South Park was right……….
……….25% of America IS retarted.
omnipotent on October 3, 2007 at 3:22 PM
I’ll go with 5) The truthers are getting desperate and selling everything they own.
doriangrey on October 3, 2007 at 3:22 PM
If I was forced to pick between mavericks, limited government Paul would get my vote over St. John.
Valiant on October 3, 2007 at 3:23 PM
i dont like paul, but face it. like dean before, paul is proving that an internet campaign is viable. dean did well in 2000 or whatever, paul in 2008. in a few cycles, the internet will be the primary way people learn about candidates.
I’m hoping for option 2, though. ;)
lorien1973 on October 3, 2007 at 3:24 PM
Yeah, but it’s 40% or more in any other country.
frankj on October 3, 2007 at 3:28 PM
has Giuliani released his numbers yet? I have a funny feeling he’s built a big war chest. The money must be going somewhere.
Vincenzo on October 3, 2007 at 3:32 PM
Paul should run as an independent, bet he takes more votes from the dems than from the Republicans. That must be where his money is coming from anyhow.
SIJ6141 on October 3, 2007 at 3:32 PM
I personally go with 3), that the top Republican candidates are NOT getting funding from their base because: they have gone too far “anti-war”, are too much behind anti-illegal immigration enforcement”, are just plain not conservatives.
If we could get a iron-spine, no BS, smaller fed. gov, lower taxes, true conservative, firebrand going on our side the money would start flowing in I bet.
While very limited evidence for sure, I know of no one personally that has donated to an “R” due to total disgust with how the party leaders have acted over the last few years.
Voidseeker on October 3, 2007 at 3:33 PM
(4) this proves Truthers have more disposable income than anyone thought.
Though there are some college kids who had to dip into their weekly weed budget in order to help fund their cult leader.
Be it 5 million or 50 million, it really doesn’t matter. His nutty supporters typically aren’t those with a Republican voting record anyways, and the Bircheresque Crank has zero chance, barring a nuclear holocaust that only leaves Paul and the college kids standing.
Thanks to the near religious devotion his followers have, he’ll do a little better in the primaries than the current polls suggest, but he’d still be lucky to come in 5th in any state.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 3:34 PM
Agreed, but 75 million Americans ain’t exactly chump-change.
omnipotent on October 3, 2007 at 3:34 PM
Offline, no one knows who he is. The story says that they are going to start running TV ads soon.
If, in areas where they run those ads, his support goes up significantly, then he could do damage. If it doesn’t he can’t.
Too soon. I’ve always suspected that Paul’s support is more based off of anti-republican fervor than actual support for Paul – and I’ve gotten quite a few paulites to virtually admit that; so I’m not sure how far the interest goes when it comes down to actually voting in the general.
lorien1973 on October 3, 2007 at 3:34 PM
Parents of the U.S., if you have a kid in college, check your credit card!
- The Cat
P.S. How much of this money is foreign? How much of this money if from dems trying to poison the Republican primary?
MirCat on October 3, 2007 at 3:34 PM
Heh. And they say today’s generation is not willing to make sacrifices.
Slublog on October 3, 2007 at 3:35 PM
I don’t think I want Barney Fife as my president.
TheSitRep on October 3, 2007 at 3:35 PM
id vote for paul over rudy
offroadaz on October 3, 2007 at 3:37 PM
The thing is he still polls within the margin of error in polls including the most recent gallop and abc/washington post poll. His support is coming from a few deadly dedicated people. And if you think about it, his supporters believe that every other candidate is part of some grand new world order that wants to destroy america. Since he is the only one that can save america they are going to give everything.
Complete7 on October 3, 2007 at 3:38 PM
As psychotic as it sounds, Ron Paul’s supports are “giving it all” in order to promote their political messiah.
Some of them are even giving away their grand kids inheritance in order to make sure this man gets elected.
Talk about crazy!
Darnell Clayton on October 3, 2007 at 3:40 PM
Oh for crying out loud, which one of you guys doesn’t realize that Ron Paul is being financial supported and promoted by Hillary Clinton? He is one of if not her best hope of getting the Nader/Perot effect to put her in the WH.
doriangrey on October 3, 2007 at 3:42 PM
I don’t like any of the choices and like the noise level of who’s running there’s not much substance.
As far as numbers go, I’ll pay to play once the tree stops a-shaken and we see who’s left a-hanging.
I mean, dontcha think it’s still too early?
Kini on October 3, 2007 at 3:44 PM
This is an honest question of which I don’t know the answer. Do Libertarians vote Republican in general elections?
bnelson44 on October 3, 2007 at 3:44 PM
That’s like saying you’d rather get shot in the chest with a .50 BMG than a .22 LR. For all his many flaws, McCain is pretty fiscally conservative, but isn’t obsessed with silly proposals like returning to the gold standard.
I’ll write in my own name before voting for Ron Paul.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 3:45 PM
not really, he claims to be ‘pro-life’ but the reality is he is pro-choice. His NARAL ratings the last 3 years are 65%, 75% and 65%….hard to explain how that is ‘pro-life’ no matter how he spins it.
he’s also against the Death Penalty, something he justifies with the same Ghandi like stance he claims to be pro-life and anti-war on…..he’s against the “use of force” by the State.
how much of this money is Soros connected, like I suspect much of the Truther’s are.
jp on October 3, 2007 at 3:45 PM
If you had said Soros or Moveon.org, I would have been tempted to agree.
bnelson44 on October 3, 2007 at 3:45 PM
A Ron Paul “Truther Party” run probably won’t hurt either party more than the other. A lot of my moron friends who are pimping Ron Paul would vote Dems if he isn’t available. It isn’t about voting for a Republican, it’s about getting that same sense of being “part of something” that appeals to conspiracy theorists. I swear, one of my uber-lib buddies changed his political description on Facebook to “libertarian”, and I strongly suspect its due to Ron Paul.
He really annoys real libertarian Republicans like me, because he associates the word with mental illness.
DaveS on October 3, 2007 at 3:46 PM
If he gets traction, the political process should be able to expose him and his multiple wild conspiracy theories and other wild remarks, to normal people that should do the trick.
there is a strong ‘anti-repbulican’ mood, and alot of it IS in the evangelical right and they are flirting with Paul. check out Doug Wilson’s blog, these are the Christians that are not pre-mil, ‘we must protect Israel for God’, falwell types. They are post and amil.
they also aren’t well informed on the issues, and believe Paul/kook talking points like the War in Iraq is Illegal and unjust, etc.
jp on October 3, 2007 at 3:48 PM
Speaking of crazy, the sole comment is (of course) from a Ronbot:
Hear that folks? If we withdraw all our troops from the Middle East, the terrorists will simply pack up their toys and go home! Brilliant!
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 3:49 PM
It’s the same $
TheSitRep on October 3, 2007 at 3:49 PM
I’m going with (5), that the stupid “text message polls” after debates, and YouTube bombing has convinced enough detached people that he’s a mainstream candidate, rather than the nutcase he is.
I’ll respond to that with one of Dubya’s most memorable quotes of all time:
RightWinged on October 3, 2007 at 3:50 PM
Oh god. Ron Paul’s an Ob/Gyn?
That voice. And… And… I can’t think of a single complete sentence that wouldn’t get me banned.
*cringe*
Tanya on October 3, 2007 at 3:51 PM
Our next door neighbors placed Ron Paul bumper stickers on their cars last week.
Strange…they looked so normal.
ProudPatriot on October 3, 2007 at 3:52 PM
There is a difference? Soro’s owns moveon, moveon owns the democratic party, bought and paid for remember? Hillary is the democrats heir apparent. You see how that works? Soro’s is a communist pretending to be a socialist masquerading as a liberal democrat. How many communist nation are there left in the world, that could put up enough money to influence the outcome of the American presidential elections, Chinagate ring any bells?
doriangrey on October 3, 2007 at 3:52 PM
Thats one of the reasons that ignoring anything that a person does in the privacy of their home/bedroom really isn’t such a good idea.
doriangrey on October 3, 2007 at 3:57 PM
Maybe that explains why his supporters are so p-whipped over him.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 3:57 PM
I’ve observed on various non-political message boards (which trend heavily leftist whenever politics comie up), that there’s a lot of enthusiasm from so-called libertarians on these boards. However, these self-proclaimed libertarians are far more “lib” than that name would suggest, and they’re all exhibiting end-stage Bush Derangement Syndrome.
I bring this up only to raise the question of who Paul voters would vote for otherwise, and my gut says they’d be Dem-voting Truthers, mainly. If that’s the case, it might not be so bad. Otherwise, it’s Ross Perot all over again and hello, Hillary care.
I hope it will cover Hillary Derangement Syndrome.
Kensington on October 3, 2007 at 3:59 PM
No way dude, fall harvest just came in so the income is comin’ in.
(and I will choose #4)
He will get exposure with the Republican party but after the nomination he will make his “independent” run for a write-in come ‘08. (obvious)
mojowire on October 3, 2007 at 3:59 PM
No kidding. A lot of people are getting sick of too much government everywhere slopping in the public trough. Defence, FAA, Interior, etc are good, but all the heaps of government stacked upon each other is a disaster. The beurocracy is a rampaging giant smothering everything and pushing the public culture in the wrong direction.
I want less government.
saiga on October 3, 2007 at 3:59 PM
AGAIN with the ‘evangelicals’. There is NO ‘evangelical’ group of people.
If you assume that all Baptists are ‘evangelical’, then what do you make of the (tens of millions of) Black Baptists who are going to vote DEMOCRAT?
Evangelical is not a ‘groupthink’ designation like ‘Catholic’ might be. Evangelical is someone who evangelizes (tells other people) the Gospel.
ThackerAgency on October 3, 2007 at 4:02 PM
A chick in one of the apartments in the house across the sreet has an Obama bumper sticker. She looked normal too… if by normal, I mean “a dirty wannabe hippy college kid”.
RightWinged on October 3, 2007 at 4:03 PM
No, sorry those that vote for Ron Paul will most predominantly be republican and independent truthers and imbecilic brainwashed indoctrinated U college kids.
doriangrey on October 3, 2007 at 4:04 PM
That is retarded, retard. ;-)
Bob Owens on October 3, 2007 at 4:05 PM
Ron Paul is an anti-semite. Its quite obvious from this statement (his response to the Israel Resolution:
He is also a racist.
I’m wishing him a dirt nap ASAP.
Andy in Agoura Hills on October 3, 2007 at 4:05 PM
Way too much BS going on in the government. Whats best is to downsize the government and stand up the agencies better that need to remain. Right now, the government seems to be a labor pool for unhireable private sector workers. So, the government simply makes more jobs to pick up the slack.
I prefer private sector workers that are motivated to perform.
saiga on October 3, 2007 at 4:05 PM
Even if he doesn’t run as an independant (a strong possibility), his hardcore supporters will write in his name whether he continues to campaign or not.
Won’t matter much though- I don’t see a lot of his supporters as those who traditionally vote Republican anyhow.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 4:06 PM
My guess is that many, many Republicans aren’t particularly excited about any of the Republican candidates. However, I do think they will vote against Hillary. Meaning that whoever gets the Republican nomination will get more votes than donation totals would leave you to believe.
Frankly, I don’t care for any of the Republicans running, but I will vote for the Republican nominee to keep Hillary away from the White House.
Buford on October 3, 2007 at 4:06 PM
Sign of the Apocalypse #347: Saw a car with a “Google Ron Paul” Bumper sticker in Denver today. They’re everywhere!
saltydogg14 on October 3, 2007 at 4:07 PM
And it’s probably money from Hillary trying to get Ron Paul to be the Republican Nomination to make her race easier.
ThackerAgency on October 3, 2007 at 4:07 PM
I was in Raleigh, NC couple weeks ago, saw an old beat up car riding around and the whole back window had “Ron Paul 2008″ on it in shoe polish, like he had just got married.
another guy at work as 3 RP stickers on his car.
A big, big, big, problem of the GOP is the misinformation campaign on the War that we’ve failed at getting truth out on. Too many now think the war is unconstitutional and illegal and Bush lied us into war….and its not just the left. There are those on the right.
when RP talks about “Christian Just War Theory” related to Iraq and other small govt. talking points it really appeals to some of the “christian right” who aren’t that familar with all the details and susceptible to the mood and junk given out by the lew rockwells of the world.
jp on October 3, 2007 at 4:14 PM
there’s also the problem of explaining the difference between bush’s non-defense spending vs. defense spending. everyone just assume bush is spending money like Democrats and fails to put the spending in context and highlight what happened to the Military in the 90’s.
jp on October 3, 2007 at 4:16 PM
If the general election becomes Hillary vs. Guiliani vs. third party candidate Ron Paul vs. fourth party candidate (insert evangelical candidate here) then Hillary really will win all 50 states.
Also, I think everyone consoling themselves with “Well everybody will come together to vote AGAINST Hillary” are fooling themselves. That was the Dem strategy in 04 and it failed. People want to vote FOR someone, not AGAINST someone else.
e-pirate on October 3, 2007 at 4:18 PM
I wonder who is looking into all of this money “raised over the Internet”.
Could it be possible that Soros and others have found a way to funnel money to candidates.
moughon on October 3, 2007 at 4:25 PM
Lets face it, the current Republican candidates are not barn burners. We need a new player that is not just another one of the usual suspects we have now. I don’t want Ron Paul pulling a John Anderson or Ross Perot, but the current players are rather lame to be honest, and none of them emulate s sense of new direction for the country except Ron Paul.
We need a new long ball hitter and we need him sooner rather than later. The problem is that i have no Idea who it is.
saiga on October 3, 2007 at 4:28 PM
It will be a pretty sorry state of affairs if the USA elects Hillary. That problem would land directly at the feet of the GOP for not fielding a decent candidate. After all, no one wants to have to vote for Hillary because she is so unlikeable it is pathetic.
We need a Republican “American Idol” search of some sort to produce a what should be an easy GOP winner against Hillary.
The dems ran Dukacus, Kerry, Gore. Must we do the same stupid thing?
saiga on October 3, 2007 at 4:33 PM
I don’t even like his mother’s lousy fishsticks.
profitsbeard on October 3, 2007 at 4:37 PM
Oh bloody hell, enough with the conspiracy theories. As usual, the simple answer is correct- he has a small but very dedicated core of supporters. 50,000 people x $100 = $5 million dollars.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 4:42 PM
This is a tolerant society.
jaime on October 3, 2007 at 4:49 PM
Fred!
unamused on October 3, 2007 at 4:54 PM
Quite right. Paul is very intolerant.
Andy in Agoura Hills on October 3, 2007 at 5:21 PM
i’m voting LaRouche/Paulson.
jummy on October 3, 2007 at 5:35 PM
I’m thinking you’re absolutely right. I run into these delusional f**ks on every web site I go to…even IllinoisReview.com. Hell, we don’t even have a GOP here anymore, but we have Bircher/Truther cranks. What the heck?
Jaibones on October 3, 2007 at 5:46 PM
well, if anything, the YOUTH sure are trending more libertarian. whether in a ron paul tinfoil hat wearing way, or a leave me alone i smoke pot way, or whatever. if anything, they represent a prime candidate for replacing the uber-christian wing of the party…if at least in fundraising
ernesto on October 3, 2007 at 5:51 PM
that’s what i’m saying. a lot worse things could happen to the right than for it to go paleo-libertarian.
jummy on October 3, 2007 at 6:02 PM
I’ve voted for Ron Paul before when he ran for president, and I think he is, on balance, a great guy. That said, he will not run as the candidate of any evangelicals, for the simple reason that Ron Paul is basically a libertarian and the evangelicals can’t stand such folk.
There is a very slim chance that he might run as a nominee of the LP, but the LP convention is over Memorial Day weekend in 2008 and he would have to divorce himself from the stupid party prior to that.
Henry Bowman on October 3, 2007 at 6:09 PM
If any conservative voter uses Ron Paul as a protest vote, I hope they will be satisfied with the outcome.
You get the government you deserve.
If we can’t unite behind our nominee, then we deserve Hillary. Plain and simple.
Hawkins1701 on October 3, 2007 at 6:31 PM
And if we can’t nominate someone who conservatives are comfortable voting for, we also deserve to lose.
That said, if I cast a 3rd party protest vote it sure as hell won’t be for Truther Paul.
Hollowpoint on October 3, 2007 at 6:35 PM
What else do 30 year olds living in their basements have to spend money on?
amerpundit on October 3, 2007 at 9:23 PM
Should be:
What else do 30 year olds living in their parents’ basement have to spend money on?
amerpundit on October 3, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Ron Paul is a disgrace.
eanax on October 3, 2007 at 9:53 PM
If Paul gets the VP nomination, he can’t very well pull a third party on us …
I can stand him getting the “warm bucket of piss” office.
Kristopher on October 3, 2007 at 10:47 PM
AP, I hope you get your iPhone, even tho you are part of the “Stick the Truther/Nutjob/Racist/Anti-Semite label on Paul” movement. I find no statements other than Paul’s comment on The 9/11 Commission Report that indicated U.S foreign policy was a contributing factor in terrorist activity. I catch hell for pointing this out, too, but is it unreasonable to do so?
No one on this blog has the contributor’s list from the Paul campaign, do they? Didn’t think so. I will grant it is fun to speculate, and yes, we should fear the most dangerous man in
Americathe world, one G. Soros. But something else is going on here.Are we getting a clue that ‘Middle America’ might be getting tired of the usual parade of clowns? NONE, and I mean none, of the candidates (save the unelectable Paul) have used these words “The Constitution of the United States”, and I bet will only look to use it once, when sworn in to office, only to forget it later. So conservatives, exactly what are we conserving?
Thomas vs Alexander on October 3, 2007 at 10:54 PM
Nah…Wes Clark is a disgrace. Ron Paul is just a nitwit.
Jaibones on October 3, 2007 at 11:58 PM
Surely you jest?
SouthernGent on October 4, 2007 at 12:53 AM
I know I’m a little late on all this, but this is just really a thrill: Michelle is having a cow because some stupid soap opera made a bad joke. And Allah is still calling a phenomenal conservative, a John Bircher. Is this the grammar school playground for Republicans or what? Get a life. This is becoming absurd.
Drum on October 4, 2007 at 1:16 AM
It is interesting to see those here on this board who lambast liberals and democrats for their methods and means to achieve power and then see the same methods and means to achieve their own power. Ron Paul is a strong believer in smaller government and personal liberty, and yet he is one of the most hated people to the ‘conservatives’ on this blog. You snobbishly claim that anyone who could think of voting for him must be a Truther, retarded, or on drugs. I can assure you that I am none of the above, and I will vote for Ron Paul. Your pet establishment candidates may love the war, but look at each one of them and you will find things that they support and believe that are the very antithesis to liberty and freedom. Rudy was anti-gun until the focus groups told him it was a non-starter and POOF – pro-gun. Illegal immigration is not a crime? Yeah, you must be on drugs, retarded, or a sheep to vote for Rudy.
King of the Britons on October 4, 2007 at 7:10 AM
Back in July, someone hung a spray painted bedsheet supporting Ron Paul from a highway overpass. I hope this influx of cash means they will be able to splurge for something a bit more professional.
BohicaTwentyTwo on October 4, 2007 at 8:42 AM
HotAir’s become that National Inquirer of Republicans. Two words would have sufficed for MM’s reply to Desperate Housewives: So What. Instead, she unloads scrolls and scrolls about of how to deal with it. And as for learning to deal with it, Allah just cannot come to terms with any ideas other than those the RNC coaches him on.
God, simple minds abound …
Drum on October 4, 2007 at 10:53 AM
I have to disagree, here are some of his votes on the matter:
12/06/2006 Abortion Pain Bill: Did Not Vote
09/26/2006 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act: Voted No
04/27/2005 Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act: Voted No
04/26/2001 Motherhood Protection Act (Substitute Amendment): Voted No
04/26/2001 Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2001: Voted No
09/30/1999 Substitute Amendment to Unborn Victims of Violence Act: Voted No
09/30/1999 Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999: Voted No
06/30/1999 Child Custody Protection Act: Voted No
Here is what he says about abortion:
So he’s as soft as Rudy is on the abortion issue. Like everything else, (i.e. earmarks) he says one thing and does the other. I hope that Allah is not drinking Ron Paul’s Guyana punch.
RINO_Hunter on October 4, 2007 at 12:32 PM
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