http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox_Ron_Paul...evolt_0513.html


Fox commentator:
Ron Paul revolt could be 'disaster' for Republicans
David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday May 13, 2008



Rep. Ron Paul is still in the GOP race and even drew 16% of the vote in the recent Pennsylvania Republican primary. Now his supporters are planning to stage a "revolt" at the Republican National Convention in September, possibly with the aim of securing Paul a prime time speaking slot.

Conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher told the hosts of Fox and Friends on Tuesday, "There is no question that this could be a major headache for John McCain."

"John McCain would be well-served to kind of reach out and give him an olive branch at the convention," Gallagher continued. "Let him speak, give him a role, because if these people are disrespected -- you know, this, combined with Bob Barr's announcement that Barr now is running as a Libertarian, is going to just take votes away from John McCain and could be a disaster for the Republican Party."

Bob Barr recently cited Paul's success as having helped inspire his own candidacy, pointing to "what Ron Paul has tapped into in terms of reaching an awful lot of young people in particular and illustrating very clearly that in this day and age it is possible to reach a lot of young people through the Internet."

Democratic political consultant and commentator Bob Beckel then joined into the Fox discussion, saying of Paul, "I think he ought to get a prime time speech at the convention. This is the only guy that has a bobble doll made for him that his head doesn't move."

"They're nuts," Beckel said of Paul's supporters, hastening to add, "I don't mean nuts in a bad way. They're nuts about their guy."

"I think they ought to do it, Mike," Beckel concluded, laughing. "I think it would be great for you guys to have Ron Paul at your convention."

"It'll show some diversity at the convention," Gallagher acknowledged.

"That's the kind of diversity you need, brother," Beckel affirmed.

Is that the first mention in this forum of Barr's candidacy?

He's saying all the right things (for me, a relatively conservative anti-Republican) but I'm a little leery. He was a loyal Repug for so long, stuck by Reagan through Iran/Contra, then had a huge problem with Clinton getting a BJ, finally left the Repugs after they betrayed him personally (combined his district with that of a more popular Repug, who beat him in the primary).

I re-watched Borat to see his most recent media appearance. After Barr takes a bite, Borat says "My wife made this cheese from the milk of her tit."

I hope Paul does get to say what's on his mind. They need to hear it.

Barr is more of a joke than Paul ever was, and he'll pull less than 1% of the general popular vote. Someone give paul a megaphone, so he can get arrested like Alex Jones, and get the press he deserves.

Let's be realistic; the "big tent" wasn't going to last forever anyway. I think the culture wars may soon be coming to an end. Old, uptight religious right leaders are dying out, public support for abortion is still reasonably strong, homosexuality is becoming increasingly acceptable, and a new breed of evangelicals is becoming more focused on poverty and environmental justice, which could make them allies of the Left, not the Right (if they even remain political, which they may not).

America's conservatives may start taking a clue from those in other Western countries and retreat to a less heavy-handed brand of government. Honestly, I think this election will mark the dawning of a new age. Obama and Edwards are the new Democrats, McCain is the last descendant of a dying ideology, and Republicans will spend the next 8 years (at least) trying to reinvent themselves now that the inherent contradictions of the Reagan alliance and neoconservatism have revealed themselves.

Isn't that what everyone said during the second Clinton term?

Very well said, and I agree. Obama's message about "change" strikes a cord that resonates through the familier.