Romney wins straw poll. "Ron Paul's fans were crushed. 'That's not legit!'"

By GottaLaff

It's time for the results of the big SRLC straw poll! Drum roll....

Can you stand the suspense?

Drum roll continues....

Is this taking too much time? Can you even stand it? Ready? Ready?? It's a squeaker!

Romney took 439 votes (24 percent) to Paul's 438 votes (also 24 percent), a result that disappointed a Paul-heavy crowd that had stuck around to watch the results. Sarah Palin came in third with 330 votes (18 percent), and Newt Gingrich came in fourth with 321 votes (18 percent); Mike Huckabee, who did not attend the event, scored 4 percent. Total ballots cast: 1,806.

Willard Romney by a coiffed hair!

Losey McThirdPlace will have to make do with her two Tee Vee shows, her truckloads of cash, her screeches, er, speeches, her ghost written books, and her ghost written Facebook blog. I mean, come on, she shouldn't be piggy. Nobody can have it all, even with a ClusterFox contract.

To be fair, Willard did have a little help. Evangelicals for Mitt bought about 200 tickets, 800 copies of Willard's book, plus 2,000 piggy banks with the logo "Evangelicals for Mitt" on them.

Paul's fans were crushed. "That's not legit!" one fan yelled when the votes were announced.

Go here for more little tidbits-o'-fun!

Video- The Paultards Are Back!!

Boy did I miss them. But, like their birther buddies, they still can't make music worth a shit.

At 31% Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll, Palin? 7%

By GottaLaff

Just in via CNN:

Ron Paul won the CPAC straw poll.

Via Greg Mitchell:

Fox anchor says "amazing how much support Ron Paul has, I've never seen a politician with such a strong organization." No, not a joke.

Poor Mitt Willard Romney. His winning streak is over.

Results via Mike Madden:

Straw poll at #CPAC10:

Ron Paul wins with 31%,
Mitt Romney 22%,
Sarah Palin 7%,
Tim Pawlenty 6%,
Mike Pence 5%,
Newt Gingrich 4%.

Losey McSevenPercent comes in third. And Newtie? Yeah, no.

Then again, these things don't mean much. But it is fun to snark about.

Palin Mixes Up the Pauls

By GottaLaff

Where's a TelePalmer when you need one?

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) provided a less than vigorous defense of her endorsement of Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul’s (R) campaign on Sunday, vaguely referencing his “domestic” agenda while mixing him up with his father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

I bet Rand is thrilled to pieces to have an advocate like this pluggin' away for him.

Dep't. of Too Late- Graham: GOP 'not going to be the party of angry white guys'

By GottaLaff

How ironic that Mini McCain is bff with an angry white guy named JSid, and so, so many more. Has he taken a gander at his side of the aisle lately? It looks a little something like this:

"I'm not going to leave the Republican Party," Graham said when one questioned asked him why he hasn't yet joined the Democrats. "I'm going to grow it. We're not going to be the party of angry white guys."

Too late, Linds.

His comments were met with a salvo of boos and shouts of "Ron Paul!"

"I love this party," he responded. "I'm not going to be let it be hijacked by Ron Paul."

Too late, Linds.

VIDEO- Ron Paul & Michele Bachmann: Two “wingnut worlds“ meet

By GottaLaff

The UpTake's video of Ron Paul’s speech:



It's nearly too much to take, both of them at one event:

Writing for The Daily Beast, Maureen O’Connor notes that the event melded two “wingnut worlds“: “the fanatically religious Bush-era neocon, a flag-waving patriot who likens gay sex to bestiality and fantasizes about lobbing nukes at Iran” and the libertarian “Ron Paul Revolution.” Indeed, for Bachmann, the presence of Paul created numerous awkward moments, particularly as the Texas congressman sermonized at length about his isolationist views. [...]

For Bachmann — a typical neoconservative on foreign policy issues — Paul’s rhetoric stunned her into stone-cold silence. O’Connor describes the scene:

As Paul spoke passionately about ending all military operations and keeping government out of people’s “lifestyles,” a lone heckler began to shout, “Tell her!” Bachmann remained serene, hands folded in her lap, facing Paul. Bringing up Obama’s announcement that Iran had secret underground nuclear facilities, Paul announced that he had had enough of “fear-mongering” for the sake of the “military-industrial complex.” Bachmann, who once advocated nuking Iran, kept her eyes trained on Paul as her heckler repeated, “Tell her! Tell Michele! Tell her!”

Bachmann issued a very simple statement saying that she believes in “the mission of our men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

I guess Michele yelling, "You da man!" at Ron Paul wasn't an option then.

Rand Paul, Ron's son, announces exploratory committee for U.S. Senate run

By GottaLaff

Dr. Rand Paul is on the Rachel Maddow Show, saying he's interested in running in Kentucky. He just announced his exploratory committee for a 2010 Senate run.

VIDEO: Ron Paul says secession 'worth a discussion'

By GottaLaff


I wonder if eBay sold Texas yet. It's worth a discussion. And saying Ron Paul is losing it is worth a discussion, too:

"It is very American to talk about secession. That's how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle," Paul said in a video posted on YouTube.

The self-professed libertarian, who garnered a substantial grassroots following when he ran for president last year, stopped short of endorsing secession for his home state, but said the idea is "worth a discussion."

"What about all the strong endorsements we have give the past decade or two to all the republics that seceded from the Soviet system? We were delighted about it," Paul also said.

Seceding from my promise to myself to be civil about Ron Paul is worth a discussion.

Ron Paul, Barney Frank Introduce Hemp Legalization Bill

By GottaLaff

Why this hasn't happened yet is beyond me:

Sponsored by Reps. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the bill would allow U.S. farmers to grow industrial, non-psychoactive hemp, which manufacturers use for everything from soap to shoes to car upholstery. Current law allows hemp to be imported, but not cultivated domestically.

See that, psycho-naysayers? "Non-psychoactive".

Ron Paul:

It is unfortunate that the Federal Government has stood in the way of American farmers, including many who are struggling to make ends meet, competing in the global industrial hemp market. Indeed, the founders of our Nation, some of whom grew hemp, would surely find that Federal restrictions on farmers growing a safe and profitable crop on their own land are inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of a limited, restrained Federal Government.

Nine additional House lawmakers are supporting the bill: seven Democrats and two Republicans.

(Via. Click on image to enlarge)

St. (Ron) Paul, Tucker Carlson, and rat heads in Coke bottles

By GottaLaff

Odds and ends from St. Paul, emphasis on "odds":

Grover Norquist is talking about decapitated rodents.

"Those Republican elected officials who vote for tax increases are rat heads in a Coke bottle," booms the president of the Americans for Tax Reform, cheered by a crowd of thousands here. "They damage the brand for everyone!"

These people are serious.

Quite a contrast from the gentlemanly tone of Barack Obama and Joe Biden's gang.

At today's Rally for the Republic, a celebration of the candidacy of one-time presidential candidate and grassroots messiah Ron Paul, a slice of newly activated political consciousness is on stunning display.

The project of Paul campaign offshoot Campaign for Liberty, today's rally could top an attendance of 15,000 supporters, organizers say. The cavernous Target Center stadium in Minneapolis, which seats somewhere south of 20,000 at capacity, is already seating several thousand vocal Ron Paul supporters -- hours before the Texas congressman is scheduled to make his keynote remarks.

Oh please siphon many, many votes away from John Sidney McCain, ohpleaseohpleaseohplease.

Among the phrases dropped by lineup of speakers so far: "the war of Northern aggression;" "Barack Hussein Obama," "McBama," "chickenhawks," and "the environmentalists who have made toilets too small to flush completely."

We environmentalists just have trimmer derrieres than the Ron Paulers, I am proud to say. I bet they didn't consider that when they made the tiny toidy remarks, now did they?

Personalities and entities of all political stripes are vigorously booed upon mention. Jeer-ees include Madeleine Albright, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman, Sean Hannity, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Ben Bernanke, the New York Times, FOX News Channel, the "neoconservative death cult," "the blockheads who rule us," and any mention of the RNC over the river in St. Paul, a.k.a. "that snorefest down the street."

And, of course, the two current presidential candidates – who receive robust raspberries each time their names are uttered.

And who'd the ringmaster? Which dynamic personality is running the show?

MSNBC's own Tucker Carlson is emceeing the rally. Carlson opened the event by lauding Paul as "a sincerely gentle human being" with the generosity and vision to advocate for the legalization of marijuana, despite having never seen the drug in person.

So that's why Tucker loosened up a little and stopped wearing bow ties. Pass the brownies.

McCain in Discussions with Ron Paul

I just don't see this happening.

Sen. John McCain's campaign "has been negotiating with Rep. Ron Paul to win his support and acquire the names of his sympathizers among the 4,607 delegates and alternates at the Republican National Convention," according to the Washington Times.

"The aim is to try to win support for the John McCain-Sarah Palin ticket from Paul sympathizers, some of whom formally committed to Mr. Paul during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and others of whom are closet sympathizers of his libertarian brand of Republicanism."

Conventions: John Sidney McCain vs. Ronald Ernest Paul

By GottaLaff

J Sid is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day:

Now snubbed former Republican Presidential Candidate Ron Paul and his supporters have decided to hold a party of their own across the river from the Republicans in beautiful downtown Minneapolis.

Not content with a planned rally at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena on Sept. 2, the Paul forces now plan a three-day "Rally for the Republic" that will climax in a 10-hour extravaganza at the Target Center arena.

"It's getting exciting," said Marianne Stebbins, a longtime GOP activist who ran the Texas congressman's campaign in Minnesota. "We realized [Williams Arena] wasn't big enough for everything we wanted to do." - Strib

What's a Republican candidate to do? First Gordon Brown wants to withdraw troops, then a volunteer disses him publicly, then he becomes Vanity Fair's latest cover girl, and now this. Maybe he should just put on his jammies, put his teeth back in their glass, and go back to bed.

Nevada GOP Runs Scared From Ron Paul Supporters

By Paddy


Oooh, this is rich beyond belief.

The Nevada Republican Party decided Thursday not to reconvene its scuttled state convention this month, claiming it couldn't generate enough interest to reach a legal quorum to elect delegates to the national convention in St. Paul, Minn.

The state party abruptly ended its state convention in April to head off a delegation of Ron Paul supporters who had captured control of the proceedings and appeared on track to elect a majority slate to the Sept. 1-4 national convention.

Party officials planned to reconvene on July 26. But only about 300 delegates sent in RSVPs, well short of the 675 needed for a quorum.

(snip)

Longtime Nevada Republicans said they've never experienced an aborted state convention.

"I don't ever remember such chaos in the party," said Barbara Vucanovich, a former congresswoman who has been involved in party politics since the early 1950s. "Frankly, its an embarrassment for our state and also makes it difficult for John McCain. He needs all the electoral votes he can get."

Barr Barr Black Sheep

By GottaLaff

Which party would be most affected, hmmm?

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr said he’s receiving backing from supporters of Ron Paul’s failed White House bid.

Barr told reporters on Thursday that he’s in contact with the Republican congressman from Texas. And he added that Paul supporters are contributing to his campaign and working as volunteers.

Ron Paul's Montana supporters refuse to give up

Gotta love them. Plus, there's always the possibility that they'll make a HUGE stink at the GOP convention.

MISSOULA, Montana (AP) — Sen. John McCain may be the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, but supporters of Ron Paul in Montana refused to abandon their candidate.

The group led an impassioned fight Friday at the Montana GOP convention, shaking things up in a failed effort to secure the state's 22 national convention delegates for Paul — who suspended his presidential bid earlier this month.

While the battle jazzed up a normally dull delegate selection process, Paul supporters could not muster enough votes to trump McCain's backers. In the end, McCain received all 22 delegates
despite a close vote, party officials said.

(snip)

Paul's supporters said they would continue to fight for delegates at the national convention to honor the principles of the campaign, and as a way to continue pushing their ideals.

Paul finished second in Montana's Super Tuesday caucus — behind Mitt Romney and ahead of McCain, who came in third.

Paul suspends presidential campaign; forms new organization

By Paddy


Awww dammit. What about the alternate convention?

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Thursday he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to focus his time on building an organization to help recruit and elect “limited government Republicans.”

“We want to elect constitutionalists, limited government Republicans across the country at the state and federal level,” said Paul spokesman Jesse Benton.

The congressman will speak about his political plans at the Texas Republican State Convention being held in Houston. Late Thursday afternoon, Paul launched a Web site for his new organization where he explained the decision to suspend his presidential campaign and form “Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty.”

Post-primary fun for Democrats! Fun, fun, fun!

By GottaLaff

See Republicans squirm. Squirm, squirm, squirm! Cringe, Republicans, cringe! See Democrats laugh! Chortle, chortle, chortle! Fun, fun, fun!

Frank Rich lays out a snarkalicious post-primary scenario:

For all the fears of a Democratic civil war, the planets may be aligning for a truce, and possibly a celebration. As fate has it, the nominee’s acceptance speech is scheduled for the night of Aug. 28, exactly 45 years after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. electrified the nation with “I Have a Dream.”

The next day brings another anniversary: Mr. McCain turns 72. And then, on Sept. 1, comes the virtually all-white G.O.P. vaudeville in Minneapolis-St. Paul. You’ll be pleased to know the show will go on despite the fact that the convention manager, chosen by the McCain campaign, had to resign last weekend after being exposed as the chief executive of a lobbying and consulting firm hired by the military junta in Myanmar.

The conventioneers will arrive via the airport whose men’s room was immortalized by a Republican senator still serving the good people of Idaho. This will be a most picturesque backdrop to the party’s eternal platform battles over family values, from same-sex marriage to abortion.

For good measure, antiwar demonstrators from within the G.O.P. — Ron Paul devotees — could provide at least a smidgen of the 1968-style disruptions the Democrats may avoid.

Bye-bye, Repubs, bye-bye! See Dems win!