Slog
News & ArtsMonday, February 27, 2012
2012 What Will Mitt Romney Do for Ron Paul?
Posted by Paul Constant on Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 1:17 PM
In recent days, attention has focused on the unusual relationship between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney, who are purportedly competing against each other for the Republican presidential nomination. The New York Times reported recently that Romney has “worked to cultivate” a friendship with Paul. The candidates talk on the phone frequently. And when Paul’s “campaign jet broke down last year,” Romney “offered his jet to take them home to Texas.”
Rick Santorum has directly accused Paul and Romney of working together, noting “their commercials look a lot alike, and so do their attacks.”
ThinkProgress counted, and of the 39 times Ron Paul has attacked his fellow Republican candidates during the debates, he has attacked Mitt Romney exactly zero times. Clearly, someone is getting something out of this. But what? Let's figure this out together:
3
How about: When Paul exits the race, he will endorse Romney. There is nothing nefarious in this. Paul may be far from all the other candidates, but he is still closer to Romney than the others, i.e. more of an economic than a social conservative.
4
Although never memorialized in Slog comments, I predicted a Romney-Rand Paul ticket months ago.
For one, it's just the kind of tone-deaf and stupid calculation you'd come to expect from the R-Money campaign.
For one, it's just the kind of tone-deaf and stupid calculation you'd come to expect from the R-Money campaign.
5
L Ron Hubbard
1) Battlefield Earth has been quoted as Romney's favorite book.
2) Paul is a fan of Scientology because the IRS went after them and he's for destroying the FDA and avoiding Federal assistance for mental health care. He's also spoken at a few of their events and he's the guy that the Church of Scientology supports the most.
1) Battlefield Earth has been quoted as Romney's favorite book.
2) Paul is a fan of Scientology because the IRS went after them and he's for destroying the FDA and avoiding Federal assistance for mental health care. He's also spoken at a few of their events and he's the guy that the Church of Scientology supports the most.
9
Actually, Mittens is the animatronic muppet, and Rand Paul is operating him behind the curtain, in response to Ron Paul's cues.
You didn't think his suits were ill fitting because he's cheap, did you? That's where the signaling equipment is kept so Rand knows what Ron wants Mittens to do next.
P.S.: You should be following #Vikileaks - very funny - and today's Greece crisis is because the Greeks insisted on actual labor conditions, instead of allowing the Germans to make them into literal slaves. Keep up and don't be gullible like Fnarf.
You didn't think his suits were ill fitting because he's cheap, did you? That's where the signaling equipment is kept so Rand knows what Ron wants Mittens to do next.
P.S.: You should be following #Vikileaks - very funny - and today's Greece crisis is because the Greeks insisted on actual labor conditions, instead of allowing the Germans to make them into literal slaves. Keep up and don't be gullible like Fnarf.
10
Ron Paul is a befuddled ideologue with an askewed sense of truth and consequences. Mitt Romney is a Republican Ken doll.
11
Oh yes, by all means, let's make a TEABAGGER the Vice President. That can't possibly go wrong if he finds himself in charge. But when you have no good ideas, you have to consider just about any new ideas, no matter how distasteful they obviously are.
12
I have no idea what is actually going on there, though I think Paul (Ron, not Rand) is a more likely VP pick for Romney than either of the other two guys running, because they clearly all hate each others' guts. (And who can blame any of them, really?)
I'm not convinced that the cultish enthusiasm for Ron transfers so easily to Rand.
But I really have no idea. I do think that if Ron Paul simply endorsed Romney, an awful lot of his supporters will turn on him very quickly, much as Pat Buchanan's did when he endorsed Bob Dole in 1996.
I'm not convinced that the cultish enthusiasm for Ron transfers so easily to Rand.
But I really have no idea. I do think that if Ron Paul simply endorsed Romney, an awful lot of his supporters will turn on him very quickly, much as Pat Buchanan's did when he endorsed Bob Dole in 1996.
13
I had decided to cross over and vote for Paul in the primaries as the most disruptive thing I could do. What should I do now?
14
@12: "Paul (Ron, not Rand) is a more likely VP pick for Romney than either of the other two guys running"
There's no way that the rest of the establishment candidates would let Paul that close to the presidency. I'd seriously be afraid of what the militia movement would do if they were both elected.
There's no way that the rest of the establishment candidates would let Paul that close to the presidency. I'd seriously be afraid of what the militia movement would do if they were both elected.
15
Ron Paul is setting up his son's run for President in 2016 and/or 2020. By playing the good soldier, he gets institutional support for his kid.
16
Traditionally, you choose a VP that will deliver you a battleground state, unless you're a fucking idiot like McCain.
Ron Paul represents Texas. Romney would take Texas with a Hardee's burger as his running mate. More likely it'll be a senator from Florida or Ohio, like Rubio or Portman.
I'd bet on Rubio because he's of Cuban descent. And though that won't buy Latino votes nationally (where Mexicans outnumber Cubans 18 to 1), Florida has a boatload of Cubans. In Miami, they outnumber Mexican descendants 9 to 1.
Ron Paul represents Texas. Romney would take Texas with a Hardee's burger as his running mate. More likely it'll be a senator from Florida or Ohio, like Rubio or Portman.
I'd bet on Rubio because he's of Cuban descent. And though that won't buy Latino votes nationally (where Mexicans outnumber Cubans 18 to 1), Florida has a boatload of Cubans. In Miami, they outnumber Mexican descendants 9 to 1.
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