Are you opposed to Ron Paul running in 2012?

[Nathan Hale]

McCain looks 10 years older than he is, while RP seems about 10 or more years younger than he really is -
I do not think he is too old to run in 2012.

And I, personally, do not think he is too old to run in 2012. But remember, our strategy should have nothing to do with what we think. The age issue is about what THEY think - the voters who will select the party nominees for the 2012 race. WE are but a small contingent of the overall voting populous, so we require support from a large number of people who do care about age in order to win. How Ron LOOKS is really irrelevant, because he does have a specific age attached to him, and that age can be held against history (older by almost ten years than anybody elected to the Presidency) and physical reality (how many 76 year olds do we even trust to drive a car?).

Step outside of your personal assessment of the situation for a moment and look at the race from an undecided primary voter. This empathy is ESSENTIAL in order for us to ever win a primary. It's the basis of all electoral strategy. I don't mean to rail on you, because the age issue is but a small factor among our hurdles, but it seems I'm always offering the same advice on these boards - we need to open our minds and see things from the perspective of the voters we have to win, rather than our own desires and ideologies.

 

[JohnJay]

. . .Step outside of your personal assessment of the situation for a moment and look at the race from an undecided primary voter. This empathy is ESSENTIAL in order for us to ever win a primary. . . . we need to open our minds and see things from the perspective of the voters we have to win, rather than our own desires and ideologies.

I pretty much do that and feel I have been doing that all along . . . yet still disagree with you about this.
The Grand Ole Party is trying to hang on to their generational ties too.

I feel plenty of older voters do vote for someone of older age - in their own age group. I feel plenty of old timers voted for McCain just for that reason - especially in the primaries.

If you think about it - all things considered - RP may have an advantage because of his age -
as long as health is not an issue as it was for McCain - with an appeal to older voters and younger voters.

 

[politicsNproverbs]

He's not too old, imo.

2012 RP Campaign Slogan:

Maturity, Brains, Wisdom -- vs. -- Youth, Charisma, Good Looks.

 

[The_Orlonater]

It's not a good idea for him to run again.

 

[Nathan Hale]

I pretty much do that and feel I have been doing that all along . . . yet still disagree with you about this.
The Grand Ole Party is trying to hang on to their generational ties too.

But this is a path to failure, which is why we see the party reaching out to the youth and the internet, things that Obama parlayed into victory. The days of the GOP being the party of old people will fade into the past, or the GOP itself will fade into the past.

I feel plenty of older voters do vote for someone of older age - in their own age group. I feel plenty of old timers voted for McCain just for that reason - especially in the primaries.

I don't doubt this, I could say the same for Obama's voters and their being drawn to his youth - but in either case there is also a strong case against (though in all fairness the criticisms of younger candidates' age tend to be more related to lack of experience, while criticisms of older candidates' age focuses on age itself).

The key is to find the sweet spot. In my opinion our candidate should be between 50 and 62.

If you think about it - all things considered - RP may have an advantage because of his age -
as long as health is not an issue as it was for McCain - with an appeal to older voters and younger voters.

Once again, health wasn't the issue with McCain. McCain faced the same challenges as Paul with regard to his age - references to him being potentially the oldest President elected to office. Rarely was McCain's skin cancer made the issue. I don't see Paul benefiting by virtue of his age, because he would be in such a better position if he were in the sweet spot of 50-62.

 

[kombayn]

If he ran I would support him but I don't think he should, that's not smart and he won't win.

 

[DXDoug]

i think we have a winner.. RUN Paul Run