Bradley in DC, I'm callin' you out!

[limequat]

He does too have a shot in those contests if we deliver him our vote, the anti-McCain vote, and the Evangelical vote. More importantly, it's our only real shot.

Dude, go back to hucksarmy. Huck has no better shot than Paul.

 

[Revolution9]

If McCain sweeps the primaries tomorrow its game over for a brokered convention. Therefore, we need to do anything possible to support the Huckabeast tomorrow. If Huckleberry Hound forces a brokered convention, we/RP can affect the outcome by having delegates (whom are bound some number of rounds). The more delegates, the more influence. It would even be possible for RP to win if everyone worked their butts off to win those delegate slots but it is very unlikely to get everyone to do that at this point.

You are dead flat wrong and ask people to give up sacred principle for political expediency. This is what this movement is trying to kill for it drives the heart of the beast.

Randy

 

[Revolution9]

1. I'm not supporting Huck and his chances don't even matter. It's only his chances of stealing delegates from McCain that matters; he's our only shot!

2. Sorry, you're wrong. If he sweeps tomorrow he'll only need like 35% of those remaining and since most of the states left award their delegates proportionally, he'll have it locked up. Not to mention he'll kill of the Hucksters momentum/air.

McCain is going to explode or implode spectacularly as the top GOP get the message from several different wings of the party all at once. He was a traitor and songbird in Viet Nam and there are several radio broadcasts to prove it.

Best
Randy

 

[JulioForPaul]

Let me save you time in waiting for Bradley in DC's response. Here it is:

"Your posts are a load of crap. Please stop spreading misinformation. You are doing more harm than good when you have no idea how the delegate process works. Every state is different. Please stop."

 

[Shink]

Let me save you time in waiting for Bradley in DC's response. Here it is:

"Your posts are a load of crap. Please stop spreading misinformation. You are doing more harm than good when you have no idea how the delegate process works. Every state is different. Please stop."

No, the point of this thread is to get him out of copy/paste mode. I'm sure he's got some good suggestions/input relating to campaign or grassroots strategy.

 

[goldstandard]

You are dead flat wrong and ask people to give up sacred principle for political expediency. This is what this movement is trying to kill for it drives the heart of the beast.

Randy

Exactly.

 

[Bradley in DC]

We have work to do!

Sorry for the delayed response, I was out this morning and will probably be offline much of today and tomorrow.

Bring it! Nah, kidding. Here's the point of this thread: some STRATEGY discussion. Hey, that's a novel idea around here lately!

Bradley, you are constantly clubbing your head into a wall when you see anybody say anything about delegates. Now, I don't doubt that you know more about the process than most people do, but: with your knowledge of the delegate process, how about some suggestions for what to do to next? It's fine to tell people they're wrong about a strategy, but how about putting forth your opinion of our best move/best strategic bet?

*What are chances now of a brokered convention?

As I posted an answer a few days ago, nothing's changed: this is no time to slack off. EDIT: also, about half of the delegates have not been selected yet: it might be mathematically possible for Dr. Paul to win on the first ballot yet! There is a lot of resistance among numerous circles to a McCain nomination. Who knows what is going to happen? For all I know some six-year-old Cuban boy will wash up on shore and that will be the deciding factor for the rest of the elections.

Also, I answered this previously:

I've been asked this several times by PM, email, here, etc., so here is my answer:

Mathematically, Senator McCain does not have a majority of the delegates. In practice, his "mercurial" disposition and opposition from conservatives may combine to sideline him. A public meltdown is not out of the question. Half of the states still have to weigh in on the process.

So, yes, a brokered convention is possible--and not just in a Divine intervention, I believe in an all-powerful God sort of way.

What happens then is anyone's guess. Put aside whatever "we" think about what "they" should do and try to think as if you were a Republican Party apologist. It will be very late in the game. They will want to beat Hillary-Obama (or Obama-Hillary, I don't know, whatever). Stop thinking in terms of what's right, the Constitution, the rEVOLution...wait, never stop thinking about those things...what I mean is just for this one mental exercise: "I'm a Republican and I want to win and ..." If the "and +" = nominate an anti-war candidate because the polls show it is the only way to beat the Ds, then we nominate an anti-war candidate (or whatever the polls a half a year away --eons in politics--tell us). This is just one "for example." For Pete's sake people, stop acting as if any of this has to make any sense in terms of rationales--this is politics! If Paul on the ticket = victory, then, well, they aren't as stupid or evil or whatever you want to think. The powers that be want to still be the powers that be.

Does obsessing over any of this now really help? Please, FOCUS: we have half of the contests now to compete in and, finally, we have professionals running HQ. This is no time for the grassroots to start acting like the weak link.

*What could possibly be done to (try to) make one occur?

This would have to be a state-by-state strategy. You people living in multi-stage, multi-process states just live with a weird system. I won't venture to suggest anything to those there except to look for guidance from local supporters who know the local rules, local people, local tricks to the trade, etc. What the WV supporters did making a tactical alliance with the Huckabee forces was great.

If your state is winner-take-all (either At-Large and/or by Congressional District), it might make some sense to vote for the second strongest candidate after McCain but best to try to do it in alliance with another camp (Huck, Mitt) so that we pick up some delegates too.

If your state awards delegates proportionately (caucus or primary), then do everything you can to turn out our people as much as possible--and vote for RP!

*Will Ron staying in as a Republican up his chances with this race?

ABSOLUTELY!

*Anything else you want everyone to consider?

The checklist

In response to requests, here is a quick checklist that should apply everywhere (rules in different states are so different it's hard to give general advice).

1. identify supporters and turn them out to vote.
2. identify "supervoters" who usually vote and spread the message to them; if you can't get a list of the actual voter rolls with histories, then look at the election returns--especially for primaries--and see which precincts have the highest turnout of Republicans (rank them by most Republican supervoters to least, hit as many precincts at the top of the list as you can; use the official campaign's Precinct Leader list to supplement your efforts but keep the information on a Google.doc spreadsheet accessible to the others with whom you are working).
3. identify all of the voting locations (make sure signs are posted at all voting locations in accordance with local ordinance the night before and have people leafleting for Dr. Paul there--dress well and be polite!)--if a caucus, follow leadership in your state on speeches or whatever.
4. each group needs to act to contact media about events and get their own endorsements for the campaign.
5. use your efforts to help Dr. Paul AND the other Liberty Candidates out there--make the most of your efforts!
6. SMILE We have so much to be thankful for in finding each other, Ron and Carol sacrificing so much of themselves, for having this opportunity in this great country...

McCain is going to explode or implode spectacularly as the top GOP get the message from several different wings of the party all at once.

Best
Randy

Yup.

We need to concentrate on delegates in ALL states, at ALL levels. Delegates do more than nominate a presidential candidate. They also vote on party rules and platform. Even if a delegate was bound to another candidate, they can still have an impact on the rules and platform

Yup.

No comment on Ninja oneness with Spirit Animals

Let me save you time in waiting for Bradley in DC's response. Here it is:

"Your posts are a load of crap. Please stop spreading misinformation. You are doing more harm than good when you have no idea how the delegate process works. Every state is different. Please stop."

HA! Please do check RNC by-laws and/or state election law before reposting information that might be bad even if--especially if--from official HQ.

 

[acptulsa]

Why not just get Ron a win by getting out the vote? I really disagree with the 'let's vote for Huck' thing...if someone will vote for Huck, who's to say they won't just go along with being a delegate for Huck too?

In a winner-take-all state we'd be foolish to split the vote. In a proportional state we'd be downright stupid to deprive our man of any delegate we can get. Sad facts.

One state, which is a sort of combination of the above (close enough to winner-take-all, actually winner-take-district) I just hate to concede. The press has ridiculed a Texan. That Texan in the White House stabbed our Texan in the back in public. Texans love to put Texans in office--even the vice presidency.

How the hell do we get Texans to vote for their man?!

 

[Shink]

Alright, we got in this thread what I was looking for. A couple points:

My 'will Ron staying in the race as a Republican' question was not referring to an idea that third party might be more worthwhile. My question was basically--do you think we are/will gain momentum in such a way that it will be worthwhile for Ron to stay in. Perhaps you answered that, I just didn't want any misinterpretation.

Next point--yep, I'm in Iowa, and I'm a delegate that is waiting on word about the next stage of the process. I don't know much about what I should say or do to move on to the next step, but I know from being around the GOP people during the big caucus day that it's very easy to get people to follow my lead. I'm a veteran, I don't put silly "the GOP needs to let God do all the work and just do your job" things as suggestions in the platform, people voted for my very Ron Paul-centric pledges for the GOP to incorporate into their platform almost across the board that day, etc. So I guess I'm just hopeful that there won't be trouble in moving up beyond a local delegate position.

And for the other stuff: where's a good spot for all of us to track down the relevant info we need to make our nationwide delegate operation a success? Links, in other words.

 

[acptulsa]

McCain is going to explode or implode spectacularly as the top GOP get the message from several different wings of the party all at once. He was a traitor and songbird in Viet Nam and there are several radio broadcasts to prove it.

Best
Randy

Yes indeed--but if we don't get him to do it before he sews up the nomination, there's no guarantee the arrogant ass won't concede even if he has no chance. Psychopaths don't do what's best for the party. That's how they become collaborating songbirds--and sometimes senators.

Even if he doesn't, we should keep working on it though. Delegate rules could get changed if he gets too stubborn...

 

[Avalon]

Yes indeed--but if we don't get him to do it before he sews up the nomination, there's no guarantee the arrogant ass won't concede even if he has no chance. Psychopaths don't do what's best for the party. That's how they become collaborating songbirds--and sometimes senators.

Even if he doesn't, we should keep working on it though. Delegate rules could get changed if he gets too stubborn...

Exactly! And it seems like he's being given the nomination just so he can lose in november (as if they couldn't stack the deck any more).

 

[Sey.Naci]

McCain is going to explode or implode spectacularly as the top GOP get the message from several different wings of the party all at once. He was a traitor and songbird in Viet Nam and there are several radio broadcasts to prove it.

Either that, or he'll be very heavily medicated as an attempt to prevent it. Look for symptoms of that.

 

[Avalon]

You are dead flat wrong and ask people to give up sacred principle for political expediency. This is what this movement is trying to kill for it drives the heart of the beast.

Randy

Maybe, I don't think I could stomach voting for Huckabee myself. But most people we can influence do not care for whom they vote. We certainly shouldn't be attacking Huckabeast like others on this forum are trying to do. Anyway, I'm just giving practical advice/input which people can be free to make use of or discard at will.

 

[LEK]

Let's not ignore Romney's suspension. Someone on DailyPaul intimated he could have made this move so as to come to the convention as the party's "savior". Not impossible.

We can't forget that he too would be a terrible representative of conservatism and republicanism. He's basically a fair-weather politician and not a man of or for the people. He's duplicitous.

Perhaps a comparison of his record as governor and his flipping that record when he decided to run for president. People have short attention spans and if enough time goes by they will forget.

I guess what I am saying is when you speak against McCain's lack of integrity, don't leave Romney out - he truly isn't any better and will certainly not be a savior to anyone or anything.

 

[No1ButPaul08]

And for the other stuff: where's a good spot for all of us to track down the relevant info we need to make our nationwide delegate operation a success? Links, in other words.

This is currently in the works. A couple of us are putting together gopdelegates.com , which when it's done should have all the reveleant info.

 

[BrettCates]

He does too have a shot in those contests if we deliver him our vote, the anti-McCain vote, and the Evangelical vote. More importantly, it's our only real shot.

NO HE IS A AGENT OF MCCAIN

THEY HAVE ALREADY MADE THE FUCKING DEAL

STOP BRAINFUCKING US

 

[Pauliana]

On an emotional level, I can't imagine having one (possibly only one) opportunity to vote for RP and then for some stupid strategy BS reason voting for Huckabee.

Imagine if you had the chance to vote for Goldwater... or Thomas Jefferson... and didn't. Wow. I just couldn't do it.

 

[aksmith]

If we're going to get smoked in a winner take all state, then it does make some sense to write in Huckster. But if it's a proportional state, any vote not for Ron is a major mistake.

 

[Bradley in DC]

If we're going to get smoked in a winner take all state, then it does make some sense to write in Huckster. But if it's a proportional state, any vote not for Ron is a major mistake.

It might make sense to vote for Huck. Check with local polls, sentiments, see if you can make alliances, etc. It should NOT be an automatic.

 

[stevedasbach]

He does too have a shot in those contests if we deliver him our vote, the anti-McCain vote, and the Evangelical vote. More importantly, it's our only real shot.

I'm voting for Ron Paul in the Virginia primary tomorrow and I hope everyone else stays committed to Ron as well. Playing the "lesser of evils" game is what got us into this mess. We berated people who preferred Paul but voted for someone else because they bought the media spin that "he can't win". Let's not fall for it ourselves.