Ron Paul Fires Up His Supporters

Presidential Hopeful's Small But Passionate Group Of Followers Are Web Savvy And Committed

(AP)  Passengers on a plane leaving New York could see three words in 4-foot block letters painted on an East Village rooftop terrace as they ascended: GOOGLE RON PAUL.

The entreaty to search the Internet for news of the Republican congressman from rural Texas is one of the more visible signs of enthusiasm from a do-it-yourself base of Web fans. Their support doesn't show up in public opinion polls, but it's unmatched among presidential candidates in its passion.

On their own, the fans have developed a Ron Paul Revolution logo, marketing the idea through YouTube. Message boards and Web sites debate his virtues.

The Web fans for Paul's anti-establishment campaign run away with online polls and blanket Web sites with caps-locked, exclamation-point endorsements of the contrarian Republican, even though he measures no more than 2 percent in most national opinion polls.

The supporters have an entrepreneurial drive and get their political news from Internet sources outside the mainstream media, especially blogs and news aggregators that rely on popular vote to determine news value.

That same spirit inspires them to canvass parade routes in 100-degree heat, argue campaign strategy in two-hour meetings or paint the roof of a Manhattan apartment building.

"To get your arms around everything and understand what is going on is really impossible to do," Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said of supporters roaming the Web.

Paul's message is gospel among his base, which Benton described as mostly old-school conservatives.

Supporters can recite his talking points at length.

"They forge their own intellectual world to find the obscure, unusual sources of information that lead them to obscure, unusual candidates like Ron Paul," said Brian Doherty, a columnist for the libertarian magazine Reason.

Avery Knapp is typical of the Paul Web supporter. A 28-year-old radiology resident, Knapp describes himself as a lifelong conservative who voted for President Bush in 2000 before growing disillusioned with the Iraq war and federal spending.

Bush "did nothing but increase the size of government. The Republican Party needs to move back to its core principles," Knapp said. Many Paul supporters share Knapp's disdain for what he called a "neo-conservative clique" and hope Paul can spark a Goldwater-style insurgency.

At 46, Kevin Leslie has never bothered with politics. After watching an interview with Paul during his 1988 campaign as candidate for the Libertarian Party, Leslie told himself, "If this guy ever runs for president again, I'll back him."

Paul did, and Leslie was good to his word, starting a prominent Paul blog in February and traveling to the recent straw poll in Ames, Iowa.

[j-whitman]

Forget about Ron Paul bringing a party of change --- The GOP is run by Bush/Rove wackos. It''ll take a decade or more to purge them out.

[septem-2009]

Ron Paul would be a good candidate for the republican party of change from what the republican party has become.

[septem-2009]

Ron Paul would be a good candidate for the republican party of change from what the republican party has become.

[usnotun]

As mainstream media continue to promote the Council on Foreign Relations approved candidates, more Americans are learning about Ron Paul, the only alternative to perpetual, undeclared foreign wars, more government, less freedom, more inflation, and government interference in our personal lives. Ron Paul is the only candidate running who stands for Constitutional government. Ron Paul in 2008!

[cfin5]

jivedadson,.....Thanks anyway, but I don''t have time to preach to the choir. You can use any (if any) good ideas I post here. I am only here to purge any dross out of my perception of what is truth and maybe someone elses along the way. It is also my way of extending my "exercise time" of my 1st. amendment right instead of just a "one night voting booth stand" every four years. I''m with ya'' though.

[jivedadson]

Vali585 and cfin5: Join up! Go to ronpaul.meetup.com. There are over 36,000 of us, and growing every day. I am going to a meetup in a couple of hours. We do not just sit around and talk. We work at this thing!

Aside: The Constitution does not give the Supreme Court a monopoly on deciding what is constitutional. Every congressman and every soldier swears to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Ron Paul''s veto pen alone will make a huge difference. So will the bully pulpit.

[ronpaul14521]

This Constitutional Republic was not founded and was never envisioned as a democracy. But due to the dumbing down of our children in Govt controlled schools, our children and many adults in this country don''t know squat about what it means to be American or the difference between a Republic and a democracy. All democracies are doomed to failure. For almost 80 years the American people have been duped into believing we were this democracy and our country is going down the tubes, both morally and financially due to our so-called leaders lack of intestinal fortitude and total lack of honor In honoring our most sacred law, our Constitution. People ask, "but what can we do to fix our country?" Follow the Constitution "TO A TEE" and all problems in America will fix themselves. The only problem with America is that those who have been elected to protect it and it''s sovereign people have forgotten their Oaths to follow the Rule of Law, our Constitution and have simply followed the Almight Dollar, which isn''t worth a plug nickle today. Our leaders are no longer American, but at least Hitler would be proud of them. Vote Ron Paul and help save America!

[cfin5]

RON PAUL, THE UN- SOCIALIST! 2008

[barbjc1]

I personally back Ron Paul''s concept of the role of the federal government per the Constitution, however, if any of you think one term or two terms in the office of the Presidency will change this you are very naive. Remember the final say comes from the Supreme Court. There would need to be a major change not only in the White House but also in Congress. How many of the voters in this country bother to check out all candidates on election day, from local government up to and including federal elections.

[camd115]

Ron Paul has integrity. He does not flip flop. He does not get divorced and marry someone younger than his children. He has been against this awful Oil War from the earliest days. Dr. Ron Paul cannot be bought by anyone. Can your candidate speak freely about what they think and believe? I seriously doubt it.

Go Ron Paul!