Media pretending Ron's 4000 person events in MI aren't happening

[tbone717]

Regarding the downer tone of this thread: Ron does seem able to turn out rockstar type event numbers. But there is a downside to this: A lot of those people think going to a rally is all that's necessary and they don't vote. Some of them tend to be too young to vote. And some are from out of state, and follow Ron around to rallies like he's the Grateful Dead.

The other problem is that relying on delegates means we have to rely on the R party to act fairly at conventions. And we know from long experience that this won't happen. I've been involved in two conventions here in NV, '98 and 2008, where the party was willing to break the rules and/or run from the convention room and shut off the lights to keep candidates from getting their earned number of delegates. We know that TX and LA decided to use the "deaf convention chair" gambit. I expect a lot more of this one. And MO intimidated delegates with hot light interviews challenging their legitimacy, suppressing our turnout.

If Ron doesn't start winning the vote in a state or two, these tactics will all be in play again and, as we see over and over again, the media doesn't give a flying fig and won't even report the facts.

So, Ron really does have to win a state or two to help us on the ground out. I'm a delegate in NV and I'm already hearing of suppression tactics being used. Ron can help us by picking maybe two states and living there until they vote. That would give us the ammuntion, along with the latest poll that shows only Mittler and Ron beating Obama.

I see a campaign that is capable of growing and actually accomplishing a lot. And Ron seems to be going out and doing what we've asked him, to campaign hard. Now he has to focus on one or two winnable states.

While I am not condoning any of the type of tactics you mentioned in your post, I can kind of empathize where these people are coming from. I like to look at things from other's perspective sometimes, and thought to myself - what if Paul was the national frontrunner, he won our state by 45% and had won a bunch of other states, and then at the delegate convention a bunch of Newt supporters tried to use the process to gain an advantage. We'd probably have a similar reaction as some of these folks are having. Again, that doesn't justify it, since we are playing by the rules, but you can see maybe where they are coming from.

Which means that you are correct. Paul does need to win some states to legitimize our efforts. We cannot expect to be taken seriously hobbling along in third or fourth place in one state after another, and then pull this "surprise, we stacked the delegate deck in our favor" without some eyebrows being raised. The strategy to win the delegates is a sound one, but it does also require us to win the old fashioned way as well - with a plurality of support at the ballot box.

 

[tfurrh]

A lot of those people think going to a rally is all that's necessary and they don't vote.

Honestly, I don't think that's the case.

 

[opinionatedfool]

Some of the local media has been picking it. I had four people on the radio station list I sent out saying they wanted to interview Paul today. I forwarded them to gary howard and I know they made a slot for at least one of them.

 

[Liberty74]

I wonder how many are now wanting to go the Indy route as I have said all along?

You can't ignore someone polling at 20% in a 3 way general.

 

[opinionatedfool]

I wonder how many are now wanting to go the Indy route as I have said all along?

You can't ignore someone polling at 20% in a 3 way general.

He's at second or maybe even first in delegate count. Why would he switch?

 

[happyphilter]

I live in Michigan and I have a completely different perspective, at least within my age group. All the students at my school , a private conservative University, are voting Ron Paul. The students and graduates I talk to all support Ron Paul, aside from a few Romney backers. My entire family has voted Ron Paul, and even one of my dads employees called him up to remind him to vote for Ron Paul. Now I am on my way to go vote for the man himself. Paul definitely has the support of younger voters, but that support is spreading.

 

[harikaried]

Someone posted this:

 

[randomname]

It doesn't translate into votes BECAUSE the media makes a huge deal of saying 'he isn't contesting' a state where he is drawing thousands in attendance. If the covered him objectively this would turn into votes.

hmm. Santorum also said Paul wasn't contesting MI, I also saw pundits on MSNBC or CNN mention this... I wonder where they get their information from?

 

[gerryb]

Someone posted this:

Need to put location and time/date stamps on those pictures. Then +rep

 

[Keith and stuff]

I have lots of hope, because I live in the free state

In all seriousness, anyone who thought this was going to be a one year battle is deluding themselves. Restoring liberty is a generational effort, and that's true whether Paul gets elected or not. We need to do what we can to spread the ideas of liberty through the RP campaign, and then continue to do everything we can to defend and restore liberty after the presidential election is over.

Really though, if you're feeling discouraged or alone, moving to NH and getting involved here is a great cure.

Ron Paul did do pretty well in New Hampshire



As to what is happening in MI. I'm not at all happy with what the media is doing. It appears that Santorum and Romney are very close there. It seems that the media is playing that up and in some ways, ignoring the other candidates. Perhaps it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[socal]

Sorry for repeating the same thing a few times now, but there's no excuse for the campaign not having their own media center with YouTube hosted videos of rallies (and interviews if necessary because of copyright issues), and posted in a convenient, easy to search format on their website. If they can afford 2 security men, they can afford 2 or 3 media people to professionally record every one of their events, with crowd shots, and a very part-time programmer to maintain the web page.

Some of the other complaints like RP's claimed lack of speaking ability I have no problem with, because he's not superman and I think his speeches are getting better and better. Plus the turnout he's getting would seem to invalidate that complaint.

 

[tbone717]

Sorry for repeating the same thing a few times now, but there's no excuse for the campaign not having their own media center with YouTube hosted videos of rallies (and interviews if necessary because of copyright issues), and posted in a convenient, easy to search format on their website. If they can afford 2 security men, they can afford 2 or 3 media people to professionally record every one of their events, with crowd shots, and a very part-time programmer to maintain the web page.

It's not a bad idea, but honestly if something like this was in place from the start does anyone really think that it would have made a significant difference in the vote totals so far? Retail politicking is what wins elections. I would be much happier with Ron drawing a crowd of 50 people and winning MI, than him drawing 4000 and losing. Rallies do not win elections, nor do they give an accurate portrayal of a candidate's support, all it shows us is the enthusiasm behind that support.

 

[dannno]

Good plan there chief, rely on the corrupt corporate media propaganda machine!

What the hell do you think we are doing here exactly?!

THIS is the media.. This website is MEDIA. Not corporate media, but we are media. We are spreading the truth to people. People here are calling their relatives in Michigan and telling them the truth about what is happening. They can then talk to their friends. If enough people hear the truth, then they will stop trusting the corporate media. If they stop trusting corporate media they might start understanding Ron Paul's ideas a bit better. That translates into votes. What part are you missing??

 

[Ivash]

Aside from Maine (which we all admit was extremely, extremely questionable), is there any actual proof that rigging was going on? Particularly in Iowa, because that would have made the largest difference to the campaign.

 

[No Free Beer]

I have to say it and I will prob receive a lot of flack for saying it, but Hazek has been right all along when it comes to the media.

They control EVERYTHING!

 

[Ivash]

I also think that the media is more interested in the whole Santorum vs Romney thing than anything that Gingrich or Dr. Paul are doing. Heck, they are pretty much completely ignoring Arizona since that is expected to be a 'lock' for Romney.

 

[sailingaway]

I also think that the media is more interested in the whole Santorum vs Romney thing than anything that Gingrich or Dr. Paul are doing. Heck, they are pretty much completely ignoring Arizona since that is expected to be a 'lock' for Romney.

the AP saying Ron isn't contesting Michigan when he has 4000 people at a single event and only one, inner city event with less than 1000, is a bit rich though, don't you think? And it is picked up across the nation, as well as in Michigan. Factual accuracy at that level should be dependable. Otherwise, why do we want a free press? Free to tell us lies?

Michigan has proportionate delegates, something not very well reported by those saying it is 'only' a Santorum/Romney race in Michigan. That drives people to think a vote for any other candidate is useless. Impacting our vote with wrong information is not at all cool.

 

[Ivash]

^I wasn't commenting on their factual accuracy (I understand where the misconception came from, so I don't actually think it was a lie) but rather on the fact that newspapers exist to make money. If Santorum vs Romney sells better than Paul having a 4000 person event (which it undoubtably does), then that is what they are going to put on the front page.

 

[Feeding the Abscess]

You know what sucks? All of these rallies and what not that we saw in Michigan? That's a huge chunk of the people who will vote for Ron. He got what, close to 10,000 people at the several rallies, including the people who were turned away due to capacity crowds?

If the media reported this insane numbers, we'd actually get soft support, rather than almost the only people voting for Ron being diehards.

 

[gerryb]

but rather on the fact that newspapers exist to make money. If Santorum vs Romney sells better than Paul having a 4000 person event (which it undoubtably does), then that is what they are going to put on the front page.

F-35's sell. That is what their job is.