BREAKING: Ron Paul OFFICIAL STATEMENT on DELEGATE STRATEGY

[BenMuldowney]

Then that could affect the hoped for outcome

which is why i immediately slammed yesterday's email.. not for the delegate focus strategy but the announcement itself. so many other ways to say it without this kind of damage.

 

[TrishW]

OK... I get it. We never had much of a chance. At the end it would have taken a miracle to win the nomination. All we had was hope... lots of it!

Now that is gone. No, it was not taken away by defeat, it was given away by surrender. I still don't actually know why? They say money? How much would it have cost NOT to send an email?

This is only my personal opinion, and probably bears no weight on reality. We did not stop because we were losing, the fight was called because we just might have won. When we were losing, everything was fine. Now that the delegates were coming our way... game called. Ron Paul was set to retire after this push for freedom, he never expected nor wanted to be President. He was only helping Rand.

 

[jay_dub]

Everyone that's feeling dejected about this news needs to understand the big picture! We have NOT lost our leader, he has simply shifted gears. Regardless of your thoughts on his strategy, are YOU the one making his campaign decisions? NO, you're not, so quit your bitching and accept reality!

Reality is; Ron Paul has changed and will continue to change this country for the better!

It's ALWAYS been a long term strategy, NOT a short term fix!

All of you who are thinking it's over now need to take a LONG HARD look in a mirror and ask yourselves why you supported Ron Paul in the first place. Were you REALLY behind his message, or were you simply another breed of sheeple, going along with the crowd because you couldn't think for yourself.

If you are willing to give up just because things aren't going your way, you don't have a place in a true revolution! Good bye & good riddance!

I'll take option 3, which you don't seem to be able to consider.

I AM 100% behind Dr. Paul's message, BUT I expected the campaign to take a serious shot at WINNING. This e-mail from Jesse was totally unnecessary. We've already heard from Doug and Jack concerning yesterday's (also unnecessary) e-mail. This most recent one just cements that the campaign is not looking to win. We already knew it was a long shot, but look at the recent victories, look at the actions of the GOP, of the Romney campaign and of the media. THEY were all scared of what we have been accomplishing. Just the day before the first e-mail, the media narrative was showing a new-found respect for what we've accomplished. I guess they can all relax now that it's 'official' that RP is not in it to win it.

Well, some of us ARE in it to win it. We didn't need to be told to carry on. That WILL happen. My only question is, if we deliver for Ron Paul, is he ready for that?

As for your last sentence, just because some have a different view than you doesn't mean we're giving up. I'm not going anywhere but will happily put you on ignore and I suggest you do the same for me.

 

[V3n]

You all were happier when you thought "Ron Paul dropped out - no no it was a tactical strategy!" then Benton sends out an email and everybody is freaking out again.

Where's the thread for those who want to keep fighting, keep supporting the money bomb, and keep trying to win delegates?
Nothing's changed! We can't give up now, if not for this election, for our future!

 

[Carlybee]

One month ago there was a slim chance that there could have been a brokered convention. The chances got increasingly slimmer as Romney continued to win. Once Santorum and Newt suspended it got even slimmer. Even as far back as two months ago, the chances may have been greater but were contingent upon the tide being changed and support shifting away from Romney and onto another candidate. It just didn't work out the way everyone had hoped.

And the lying, cheating and stealing had nothing to do with it or the press calling RP a kook at every turn.

 

[BenMuldowney]

OK... I get it. We never had much of a chance. At the end it would have taken a miracle to win the nomination. All we had was hope... lots of it!

Now that is gone. No, it was not taken away by defeat, it was given away by surrender. I still don't actually know why? They say money? How much would it have cost NOT to send an email?

This is only my personal opinion, and probably bears no weight on reality. We did not stop because we were losing, the fight was called because we just might have won. When we were losing, everything was fine. Now that the delegates were coming our way... game called. Ron Paul was set to retire after this push for freedom, he never expected nor wanted to be President. He was only helping Rand.

i wondered about this... there was a statement i read yesterday that ron had criticized efforts in AZ or OK saying our delegates were out of line. does anyone else recall this?

 

[RileyE104]

He'll be speaking at MN and TX conventions, and several other STATE CONVENTIONS! Woot!

Great idea which will get the delegates out in droves.

I'm so glad he's going to be at the Texas Convention... I didn't get to go to a single rally here because I work so much but I will be at the convention as an at-large delegate. Hopefully I can meet him again, it's been over 4 years.

 

[tbone717]

And the lying, cheating and stealing had nothing to do with it or the press calling RP a kook at every turn.

Oh sure it has a lot to do with it. The perception that average voters had about Paul prevented him from being able to win those primaries which are needed to be competitive. We just weren't able to overcome that bias. In hindsight, if we would have won Iowa and/or NH things might have been different, but all we can do now is keep working locally and be ready for the next race. Most, if not all of us, have state and local elections in 2013 that we can start to prepare for, and some of us are fortunate enough to have liberty candidates running in this year's general election. The work of an activist never ends, we just move from one race to the next.

 

[sailingaway]

Benton basically said what I have been saying for weeks yet I have been attacked by many on RPF?

so is Benton, notice. REality will be what it will be but as long as there is a chance, imho it is worth fighting for, and just having the chance to fight for gives much more enthusiasm to those going through thankless days of conventions where emails have been sent out in advance on the other side that you are demon spawn.

 

[Athan]

I have a message to any campaign members who may be watching.

You know, I can't defend the campaign if your justifying all the attacks made by supporters. Let me be clear, I'll be professional and respectful, but I'm not doing this to play nice with these establishment assholes and their country club mentality. I HATE dealing with liars and corrupt people and the campaign is making me feel like I've wasted my time. I'm in it to help Paul win and continue with the movement, but you guys are doing a bold face lie to those evangelicals and loyal Patriots that asked if you were going all the way. Your not going all the way. Sloppy seconds is not going all the way.

You all seriously need to get your act together, be professional like Jason Borne, and GROW A PAIR. Start fighting like the REST OF US. Yes, Dr. Paul has opinions, but we are not there to push him to do anything other than getting him get him elected. Do you really think they are going to be respectful of us and let us in if we don't have an OVERWHELMING majority enough to dash Romney's hopes of nomination? I've dealt with these people upclose and the reason they are hooting and hollering over what is going on IS BECAUSE THEY ARE DAMNED CORRUPT EVIL PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR POWER. Only when we break them do we the little guy get a voice. You need proof? When we win states, we get noticed finally after months of being ignored. One stupid UNPROFESSIONAL and badly worded (and unnecessary) announcement and look at how the media is trying to shoot us down.

 

[kathy88]

so is Benton, notice. REality will be what it will be but as long as there is a chance, imho it is worth fighting for, and just having the chance to fight for gives much more enthusiasm to those going through thankless days of conventions where emails have been sent out in advance on the other side that you are demon spawn.

Well, I think we will get some insight into how the Romney camp actually perceives us now. If more demon spawn letters are sent AFTER Benton's Look at me press release, then we will know just how terrified the other side is of us. Fear can be useful. Look how it's turning "activists" into mealy mouthed little bitches whining about rules.

 

[CJPrinter]

I'll take option 3, which you don't seem to be able to consider.

I AM 100% behind Dr. Paul's message, BUT I expected the campaign to take a serious shot at WINNING. This e-mail from Jesse was totally unnecessary. We've already heard from Doug and Jack concerning yesterday's e-mail. This most recent one just cements that the campaign is not looking to win. We already knew it was a long shot, but look at the recent victories, look at the actions of the GOP, of the Romney campaign and of the media. THEY were all scared of what we have been accomplishing. Just the day before the first e-mail, the media narrative was showing a new-found respect for what we've accomplished. I guess they can all relax now that it's 'official' that RP is not in it to win it.

Well, some of us ARE in it to win it. We didn't need to be told to carry on. That WILL happen. My only question is, if we deliver for Ron Paul, is he ready for that?

What exactly are you in it to win?

As for your last sentence, just because some have a different view than you doesn't mean we're giving up. I'm not going anywhere but will happily put you on ignore and I suggest you do the same for me.

Yeah, it sucks they are essentially admitting they aren't going to be able to win the presidency. Are you willing to accept that and continue the fight for revolution? Reading your response, it looks to me like you are. In that case, you are not the intended recipient of my message.

 

[seraphson]

You obviously missed the part of the statement where Benton said that Romney is within 200 votes of securing he nomination. There are nearly 600 delegates that will be awarded via primary results in the 11 remaining states. You don't need a crystal ball to figure that one out.

Yikes. Sorry. With all do respect and all things considered didn't this crystal ball exist many months ago? I kept hearing delegates, delegates, delegates, and checked some of the numbers a month or so ago but I didn't realize the spread was that wide. So why was everyone so amped up if you're just gonna drop a "crystal ball" comment bomb like that?

 

[JWZguy]

This email may have been to reassure the Romney people that Ron Paul delegates who are supposedly "bound" to Romney will not break their "pledge." It seems we are getting more and more of those spots in every convention and they are starting to panic.
In reality, if we have the majority of delegate spots in Tampa, we win - binding means nothing. You don't have to take Swann's word for it, because he quoted his sources...RNC lawyers. But if our people are never seated, it won't matter.

 

[CJPrinter]

You all were happier when you thought "Ron Paul dropped out - no no it was a tactical strategy!" then Benton sends out an email and everybody is freaking out again.

Where's the thread for those who want to keep fighting, keep supporting the money bomb, and keep trying to win delegates?
Nothing's changed! We can't give up now, if not for this election, for our future!

^^^ EXACTLY!!! ^^^

 

[wizardwatson]

So is everyone going to freak out now that Jesse Benton said he can't win the nomination? Are people going to refuse to believe him?

That's pretty much what I've been seeing so far.

 

[treyball3]

This long-term project stuff is BS. First of all, even if Romney agrees to anything we want added to this so-called "platform", he's not going to uphold it. And if Ron is setting the stage for his son, game over. If Romney becomes President, then Rand won't even have a chance until 2020, because they don't run Republicans against an incumbent Republican. Do any of you really think that we have 8 years of this crap left? The way we're quickly turning into a police state, with no rights, we'll be lucky to survive that long. Either the economy is going to collapse, or we'll be taken out because of our terrible foreign policy. Or we'll all be in FEMA camps.

This peaceful revolution crap is never going to work. They change the rules when we play by the ones they've made. They cheat, they keep us out, etc, etc. Not that I'm advocating a non-peaceful revolution, but this one isn't going to work. Sure David can beat Goliath, but can David beat 1000 Goliaths? When you're fighting not only the GOP establishment, but major media, big banks, complacent sheeple, etc, it just seems a lost cause.

I've always known RP was a long shot for president, and that "they" would never let it happen. But I always held out hope... I guess I can still look forward to the "I told you we needed Ron Paul" day when everything goes to crap...

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

while the campaign repeatedly stabs everyone in the back, great motivation.

If we have the smarts to ignore media, I think we also have the smarts to ignore Wead or Benton as needed.

I would venture to guess that those who are only focused on the short term may decide that they do not want to attend. But those who see this as a long term project will still attend.

People should be showing up in Tampa whether they have a delegate seat or not.

You all were happier when you thought "Ron Paul dropped out - no no it was a tactical strategy!" then Benton sends out an email and everybody is freaking out again.

Where's the thread for those who want to keep fighting, keep supporting the money bomb, and keep trying to win delegates?
Nothing's changed! We can't give up now, if not for this election, for our future!

RIGHT HERE.

 

[Tod]

It's not just about this election. It's about changing policy, restoring the party, your donation and Ron Paul's fight helps do that.
It's for the future of the country for the next generation, not just the next 4 years.

This ^… must. not. be. sidetracked.

 

[klamath]

Well well well, so the artificial enthusiasm bubble has been popped and people are crashing and giving up far worse than if realistic expectations had been set. I am glad the campaign is not completely delusional, as it is it kept up the false pretense of being in it to win far too long.