Video: The Ron Paul blimp is now fully operational
posted at 12:45 pm on December 14, 2007 by Allahpundit
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It took off this morning at 9:23; if all goes well it should be approaching Raleigh, North Carolina, imminently. So moved am I by its majesty that I decided to take its advice and google Ron Paul, only to discover he’s a Bircheresque crank. No matter; this is about the moment, not the man. Flickr photos of the liftoff are already online but you’re well advised to open a new tab and pull out the blimp homepage itself, where video is streaming intermittently. That’s where this screencap comes from. If you think grainy footage of a blimp hovering in a gray sky is exciting, then son, you are really missing out.
No Star Wars music, alas, which was a major mistake. Click the image to join the rEVOLution.
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Should have started from Kitty Hawk — you know, the place where the Wright Brothers ALLEGEDLY flew their plane when in fact there are serious questions about the government’s involvement, blah blah blah.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on December 14, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Send it up north. There’s a Noreaster on the way.
JammieWearingFool on December 14, 2007 at 12:49 PM
This blimp gives me a creepy Max Zorin, “View to a Kill” vibe.
World B. Free on December 14, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Goof Zeppelin.
Bad Candy on December 14, 2007 at 12:50 PM
I can’t wait to see it when it gets near DC.
muyoso on December 14, 2007 at 12:51 PM
wasted rubber
abinitioadinfinitum on December 14, 2007 at 12:54 PM
How much aluminum foil did it take to line the inside of this thing ?
elgeneralisimo on December 14, 2007 at 12:54 PM
HAHAHAHAHA!
Seriously, can someone report a violation of our airspace and get that thing out of our sky?
Alert the Federation, the Ronulans have crossed the Neutral Zone!
Frozen Tex on December 14, 2007 at 12:54 PM
I prefer:
Who is John Galt?
Jared_MA on December 14, 2007 at 12:55 PM
L. Ron Paulbot
peski on December 14, 2007 at 12:55 PM
DUDE! It should be going by my house within the hour! Wait, I hear something
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 12:56 PM
For some reason the Empire theme is in my head, though.
BKennedy on December 14, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Bum bum bum bum-dee-bum bum-dee-bum.
peski on December 14, 2007 at 12:57 PM
That picture is a fake…you can tell by the pixels at the edge of the sign. I know because I’ve seen quite a few photoshops in my time.
James on December 14, 2007 at 12:57 PM
nah, that was just a regular SEL prop. You want I should go find it and take a picture of it? I have some errands I can run.
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 12:58 PM
I’ve got that on my cell phone, set to go off if work calls (I work for the local government).
Frozen Tex on December 14, 2007 at 12:58 PM
Hopefully it will cross into the restricted airspace around DC and will be intercepted.
F15Mech on December 14, 2007 at 1:02 PM
My God.. I thought that was a joke!
GoodBoy on December 14, 2007 at 1:03 PM
Airship of Fools.
ReubenJCogburn on December 14, 2007 at 1:04 PM
Letter of Marque and Reprisal
To all who shall see these present letters, greeting.
Under the Authority of CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES I hearby authorize any and all privateers to hunt down and claim as prize the AirShip known as GoogleRonPaul in whatever places they may encounter it, on the coasts of their own countries, in their ports or on their rivers, and even on land in such places as shall deem fitting to make landings to assail the said enemy, utilizing all the means and actions permitted by the laws of war; to make them prisoner, with their blimps, weapons, and other possessions.
We request and require all kings, princes, potentates, lords, estates, republics, friends, or allies and all others whom it may concern, to accord every favor, help, assistance and shelter in their ports, with his ship, crew, and whatever he may have captured during his voyage, without offering or allowing that he should suffer any let or hindrance; engaging to do the same for them when they shall request it.
BohicaTwentyTwo on December 14, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Zardoz!
ronsfi on December 14, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Hahahahaha! I LOVE it! That’s simply fantastic. I mean it–Paul’s raising the bar, baby! (*snort*)
aero on December 14, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Someone please use a pellet gun and just end the madness.
df4jc on December 14, 2007 at 1:05 PM
Hey F15 Mech. Too bad about the greatest plane ever built, eh? Are they going to even TRY to get the 15’s flying again? Or are they going to just move on to other projects? We were gonna get a flyover a couple weeks ago right after they were grounded, but alas, no jets.:(
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 1:05 PM
My vote would be for Lakehurst, NJ. The Hindenburg is far more emblematic of the Paul campaign.
highhopes on December 14, 2007 at 1:06 PM
I’ll take internet cultural references for $200, Alex.
James on December 14, 2007 at 1:06 PM
By the way, that was a laugh, not an Obama impression.
aero on December 14, 2007 at 1:06 PM
How does that thing go all the way to Mars?
d1carter on December 14, 2007 at 1:07 PM
Can someone explain to me how this blimp and the company is not violating finance laws?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States
Isn’t this liberty company, or whatever its called, clearly in violation?
And if they aren’t, what stops some random company from cropping up - some foreign government or super wealthy person, throwing a billion dollars into it and promoting an individual candidate. With no expectation of transparency - where the money comes from, where its being spent etc.
Explanations anyone?
lorien1973 on December 14, 2007 at 1:09 PM
James on December 14, 2007 at 1:06 PM
SEL = Single Engine Land propeller plane just flew over. That’s what I heard. . . it wasn’t the blimp. . . but it should be here soon. I think I’m going to go find it. I’ll be back later:)
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 1:09 PM
LOL
abinitioadinfinitum on December 14, 2007 at 1:11 PM
Take your shotgun.
GoodBoy on December 14, 2007 at 1:13 PM
So I’m sitting at home yesterday waiting for my wife to make it home in a blizzard, at about hour 2.5 of what turned out to be her 3.5 hour trip (usually it takes her 45 minutes to get home), when the phone rings. Caller ID said it was an Unknown Name, but I foolishly answered it, since last time I’d talked to her she said her battery was running dangerously low (and no car charger), so I was thinking it was her calling from a payphone.
“Good news!” said the Voice from Beyond. “Dr. Ron Paul is running for president!”
Had this been any other time, I would’ve stayed on the line to register my disgust, or ask why that’s good news. Since I needed to keep the line open, I just hung up.
I can’t wait for the next call. Even if I didn’t already know about his nonsence, that would’ve been enough to convince me to not vote for him. I’m in the middle of a snowstorm, worried sick about my wife who is 2 hours overdue, and I’m getting “good news” from the Moonbat Brigade of Ron Zeppelin?
crazy_legs on December 14, 2007 at 1:14 PM
Send out as many of these as possible.
Frozen Tex on December 14, 2007 at 1:14 PM
bnelson44 on December 14, 2007 at 1:14 PM
Ah, wasn’t aware you were responding to your own post.
Potential exit question: how are people supposed to see a white blimp in winter overcast?
James on December 14, 2007 at 1:17 PM
we have blue skies here now, it was overcast this morning. We were close to 80 degrees Mon, Tues, and Wed.
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 1:21 PM
The perfect music score for Ron Pauls
inaugral lift-off,would of been.
Up,Up,and Away,by the Fifth Dimension,in my beautiful balloon.(I know it’s a blimp.)haha
canopfor on December 14, 2007 at 1:22 PM
Did you hear Rush use your comment today? Wasn’t it you yesterday who said in response to Pelosi’s comment that the Dem’s like killing babies. Rush lifted it. No hat tip to you from him, but we know better.
JiangxiDad on December 14, 2007 at 1:23 PM
“Ground Control to Major Ron,
Ground Control to Major Ron…”
Always Right on December 14, 2007 at 1:24 PM
Yeah, but where’s it going?
James on December 14, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Lame Zeppelin
Hening on December 14, 2007 at 1:33 PM
Shamelessly borrowed from another thread:
“The Goofwaffe”
bRight & Early on December 14, 2007 at 1:38 PM
JiangxiDad on December 14, 2007 at 1:23 PM
Heh, I have a hard time believing anything I say or do makes a difference to anyone. . . much less someone with an audience of 20 million like Rush. I just commented on someone else who quoted someone else.
I would be gone, but I’m talking to this Filipina who responded to a craigslist ad. There are lots of great girls over there. They are smart and funny and nice. Dang I want to see the blimp!
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 1:40 PM
From what I’ve read about this thing, the guy who owns the blimp and the company is a Paul supporter, who is technically doing this at cost…so no one is making any profit off of this. I think that’s how it’s getting around FEC regulations.
JetBoy on December 14, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Oh! The humanity!
TheSitRep on December 14, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Where’s Christopher Walken and the Zorin blimp when you need them?
Nethicus on December 14, 2007 at 1:44 PM
Well - Ron Paul and his blimp have something in common:
THEY’RE BOTH FULL OF “HOT AIR” !!!
(Don’t bother to correct me - I know it is full of helium)
OBX Pete on December 14, 2007 at 1:46 PM
I thought she would just ride her broom.
abinitioadinfinitum on December 14, 2007 at 1:48 PM
whats the weather forecast for Tea party day in Boston? I hope there is a blizzard
jp on December 14, 2007 at 1:55 PM
How appropriate. A giant gasbag.
Ransom on December 14, 2007 at 1:55 PM
I can’t wait for the Ron Paul submarine.
mesablue on December 14, 2007 at 2:08 PM
I don’t see where that’s relevant. FEC says that corporations cannot explicitly campaign for any candidate. That’s what this is doing, right?
The best explanation I’ve gotten from a Ronulan is that they are simply buying “advertising” and that doesn’t wash cuz it doesn’t matter - even if they do Ron this week. Gravel next week. You are still explicitly campaigning for them.
lorien1973 on December 14, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Give the blimp some time….
James on December 14, 2007 at 2:10 PM
@ F15Mech on December 14, 2007 at 1:02 PM
That would probably do nothing but help the campaign a LOT. Shooting down the blimp and killing those onboard would bring days of media attention to Ron Paul and would underscore a lot of the points he has been talking about at the debates.
muyoso on December 14, 2007 at 2:15 PM
How about the Ron Paul secret volcano base? They need places to store these vehicles, you know.
crazy_legs on December 14, 2007 at 2:18 PM
Not necessarily killing, but how ’bout a nice slow leak, slowly bringing it back to earth, and leaving it limp and flacid, much like how his campaign well end up?
Frozen Tex on December 14, 2007 at 2:20 PM
This is the kind of spontaneous publicity — your name in print — that makes people. Things are going to start happening to him now.
saint kansas on December 14, 2007 at 2:21 PM
air - ship of fools
DrW on December 14, 2007 at 2:26 PM
growing up in Pittsburgh, every time I hear Paul’s voice, heavily laden with a Pittsburgh-eese accent, I want to wretch. He gives the ‘burgh accent a bad name. Sort of like when Mikey Moore wears a ballcap from my alma mater, Michigan State i just want to tear it off his fat head and slap his face.
DrW on December 14, 2007 at 2:29 PM
Heh. Navin R. Paul.
James on December 14, 2007 at 2:33 PM
Right now the Weather Forecast for Boston on Tea Day, is Cold, WINDY and calling for Wintry mix
darn /sarc
jp on December 14, 2007 at 2:33 PM
I thought Michael Moore and Rosie were the Ron Paul blimps.
RobCon on December 14, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Oh brother…people have been asking for the Ron Paul Blimp music…Well, I actually found it: CLICK HERE for the YouTube vid…”Say goodbye to the Federal Reserve….”
I just knew there had to be one…
JetBoy on December 14, 2007 at 2:37 PM
its scary to see a parade like that in Aiken, SC.
these people are being duped by someone who lie’s and politicizes the Constitutiton and our History, on so many levels and his followers are clueless.
Ron Paul’s voting record matched CYNTHIA McKinney’s 80% of the Time.
jp on December 14, 2007 at 2:52 PM
Oh the humanity!
Mike Honcho on December 14, 2007 at 2:54 PM
I’m actually a little jealous, not of the blimp or of the blimp animation, but that someone apparently has been able to settle on a candidate.
That said, whatever happened to the 50-foot robo-Michael Jackson, and what do the candidates propose we do to protect ourselves from it?
saint kansas on December 14, 2007 at 2:58 PM
The truthers have a use for a blimp ….
Kristopher on December 14, 2007 at 2:59 PM
Letters of marque? We don’ need no steenking letters of marque!
mojo on December 14, 2007 at 3:06 PM
I SEEN IT! I SEEN IT! I went out for my errands. Normally I take a short cut, but I wanted to head off the blimp at the pass in case I was late. Good thing I took the long way because the timing was perfect. I snapped a few pics of ronulans holding up signs with the blimpy in the background and then went on to do my errands.
On the way back I passed by the Alamance Battleground where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought in 1771. We lost so they don’t count it, and it wasn’t in New England where everything happens so they don’t put it in history books. . . but it happened.
Anyway, as AP said, it’s about the moment and not the man. It’s cool to see the blimp because I have thought about using for my business too.
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 3:12 PM
When this thing transforms and kills us all. Then you’ll see!
- The Cat
MirCat on December 14, 2007 at 3:27 PM
DeceptiRons?
James on December 14, 2007 at 3:31 PM
HA!
Frozen Tex on December 14, 2007 at 3:35 PM
So you’re voting for Ron Paul then?
Or are they still calibrating the hypno-beam?
saint kansas on December 14, 2007 at 3:49 PM
I didn’t say that, I saw the blimp and it was cool. I’d have thought it was cool if it was Hillary’s blimp.
I’m just glad to see a campaign spot that doesn’t include some network and an ‘I’m (fill in the blank) and I approve this ad’.
I bet it will be on all the local news channels this evening too. It is brilliant. I appreciate brilliance. I know, I’m supposed to only appreciate those that can spend massive amounts of money on BS TV spots filled with the candidates blowing their own horn about how good they are.
I’ve always thought that if you were TRULY good, you wouldn’t have to tell people, they’d tell you. But all the R candidates are too busy telling people how good they are, they don’t give anyone a chance to put in a good word for them (if they had a good word).
I forgot, it’s all about how much money you can raise. Why vote? Just give the election to the person who raises the most money - that way you could give the money you raised to the poor and forget about the campaign.
ThackerAgency on December 14, 2007 at 4:17 PM
Oh the Humanity…!
whatthecrap on December 14, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Fully operational? But will they take the risk of actually flying it, considering all of the “black helicopters” Alex Jones has seen flying around? Speaking as a Texan, I wish Mr. Paul would shut his pie-hole.
second digit on December 14, 2007 at 5:03 PM
Wait, What should we Google?
;)
whatthecrap on December 14, 2007 at 5:19 PM
Nice shot right here
mram on December 14, 2007 at 5:19 PM
Allah, will you find the site and link here to order replicas of the blimp?
paulsur on December 14, 2007 at 5:59 PM
I can’t wait for the Rudy G Surface-to-Air missle launcher, the Mike Huckabee stinger batallion, or the Mitt Romney F-18.
highhopes on December 14, 2007 at 6:42 PM
Opie: What in tarnation is that?
Andy: I dunno, but it’s scarin’ the fish.
The Ugly American on December 14, 2007 at 6:53 PM
I suggest we use it
…but let’s not be too proud of the technological terror we’ve created
Ochlan on December 14, 2007 at 7:06 PM
“Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station!”
- Ronulan I, doing a bad imitation of Palpatine, right before being shot down in restricted airspace (sarc)
Suihei Deloi on December 14, 2007 at 7:20 PM
Paul should be lucky that none of the local hunters took a shot, just to see if it would blow around like a regular popped balloon.
William Teach on December 14, 2007 at 8:25 PM
Off-topic I know.
I sure hope they get the F-15 flying again (the E models will), it really all depends on how bad the metal fatigue is. If it repairable and able to be inspected as part of a regular maintenance cycle then they will fly again.
The jet is able to fly with only one wing retraining the pilots to fly it as it breaks up is another option (not sure I would recommend that).
F15Mech on December 14, 2007 at 11:06 PM
Better headline: It’s Official! Ron Paul now airhead.
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on December 15, 2007 at 12:49 AM
limp blimp
BL@KBIRD on December 15, 2007 at 2:41 AM
What? He’s not going to claim its a UFO?
Ryan Gandy on December 15, 2007 at 2:49 PM
The Hindenburg
I know what you are thinking - “Full of hot air, launched with the financial backing of Nazis, destined to crash and burn”…
But enough about Ron Paul’s campaign.
Has anyone noticed how similar his blimp looks to the Hindenburg?
Here’s a little photo montage to jog your memory.
uptight on December 16, 2007 at 6:19 AM