Rand suspends campaign

[cajuncocoa]

If strength is what you're looking for, then Rubio is your man, there's nothing tougher than a guy willing to use our arsenal to turn the Mid-East into a sea of glass, though Trump's people are the only one musing over using the nukes publicly. Meat-heads are drawn to testosterone infused barbarians, which explains your love for Trump. Rand came off as a beta to you because he used logic, whereas you were looking for caveman grunts.

Your idea of a Hercules and Liberty don't go together anymore than water and petroleum.

Strength? Tough? What's so strong and/or tough about sitting behind a desk and ordering other people to turn the Mid-East into a sea of glass?

 

[Mike4Freedom]

He came off too much as a beta. Like it or not, people are drawn to strength. Someone should look into a Liberty Hercules for future endeavors.

wtf? beta? Trump got military deferments form vietnam because of "bone spurs" in his foot. He is a fucking pussy. Rubio wants to send everyone else to die. Why doesnt he go? I will buy him a fucking ticket. Cruz couldnt fight his way out of a paper bag. 30 seconds in a dark alley with me he would be on his knees begging and I do not consider myself to be a hardass. Rand is the only one who had courage to say what was unpopular. He has fought for liberty when he could of easily sold out and got millions for it. That is courage.

Take your beta shit the fuck out of here.

 

[hells_unicorn]

Strength? Tough? What's so strong and/or tough about sitting behind a desk and ordering other people to turn the Mid-East into a sea of glass?

Don't ask me, I was being completely sarcastic there. That's the definition that more than half of the GOP is going on, and pretty much everyone supporting Trump since he plans on doing the same thing. Do any of these jackasses that plan on voting for Trump think that he's going to personally go and put 2 in the back of Snowden's head like he suggested a couple years ago? Nope, he has others to do that for him.

 

[Weston White]

Should at least stay in until he runs out of money to indoctrinate others with the message of liberty.

Guess, I won't be registering to vote this year. I do not trust Cruz and Trump is a wolf in sheep's clothing--i.e., he believes the federal government should retain control of 1/3 of America's landmass and that he wants to repeal Obamacare, but only to replace it.

I have been saying Americans are not ready for a libertarian president, will all the money and energy invested into that cause and the odds of getting the presidency being slim to none, and even if that goal is achieved, it will be short lived for four-years and eight at the most, it would be much more effective to apply those funds and efforts to taking control of the House and Senate, then whatever stooge is crowned as president can just go pound sand throughout their entire time in the White House--that is until Americans have become ready for a libertarian president though the prolonged efforts of a libertarian controlled House and Senate.

 

[Mani]

A little piece of me just died when I read he stopped the campaign.

I knew things weren't looking good and was terribly disappointed with IA, but still had some hope of being top 4 in the live free or die state, and figured if he can keep picking up delegates along the way he would have a chance to make some noise in a long term brokered convention strategy. I was thinking of NV of Maine where his dad had strong support. I thought at least until NH or Super Tuesday he would march through then assess and decide what to do.


But I get it, he's got a Senate race to defend and there is a little bit of solace that we can still see him fighting for Liberty as a Senator. He's also young, so this wasn't a do or die moment. He can come back in 2020 or 2024 as a seasoned senator.

Maybe for the next 4-8 years he can truly build his profile as a champion of liberty, build some allies in the GOP and beyond and become a candidate where others will watch his back and endorse him.

The longer he stays in the race the more dirty it gets where he has to rip on Cruz and the rest, so maybe he wants to maintain that respect and wants to keep building bridges not burning them with others in Washington so he can get more done day to day as a senator. AND eventually have an eye to the future where he can get more endorsements, build allies, build relationships, establish credibility, be seen as a leader, and show productivity with some future projects/bills/committees in DC. Build up his resume and portfolio to show he's ready when the time comes.

 

[CPUd]

Holy fuck I'm not starting a new thread for this, but articles like this make me want to see Cruz crash and burn so hard:

Ted Cruz tries to seize Rand Paul's libertarian mantle

Goffstown, New Hampshire (CNN)Ted Cruz isn't in Iowa anymore.

Gone Wednesday morning was the vow to investigate Planned Parenthood. In was the punch line about the White House tapping your cell phone.

The Texas senator, who barnstormed Iowa with a preacher's pitch that carried him to victory Monday, unveiled a new stump speech here that signaled a new profile he will try to build as a government-fearing, gun-hugging outsider who will protect New Hampshire from the evils of Washington.

Making things easier Wednesday: Rand Paul quit the race.

Winning libertarian voters has been a centerpiece of the New Hampshire strategy for Cruz, who has flirted with the GOP's libertarian views on foreign policy. Cruz has argued that he is the natural inheritor of the modern libertarian movement built by Ron Paul, which was especially resonant here in New Hampshire, where the elder Paul won second place four years ago. And now, with his son's decision to drop out, Cruz's best path to a strong showing in the bunched GOP field here could be to dominate -- no longer split -- that group of Republicans.

"There are a whole bunch of areas that the federal government has no business sticking its nose in," Cruz said to hollers here in Hooksett. "I will fight every day for you, for your freedom, for your right to run a small business, for economic growth and for keeping government the heck off your back."

Cruz's entreaties appear to be paying off. A number of state legislators -- in places ranging from here in New Hampshire to the Paul family's Texas -- signed onto the Cruz team.

One major Republican megadonor, who had been one of the biggest backers of pro-Paul super PACs, Silicon Valley titan Scott Banister, pledged on Wednesday to Cruz as well -- though he said he has not yet decided to give to a Cruz super PAC.

"I've interviewed Ted, and while we don't agree on every issue, I believe he's one of us," Banister said in an email to CNN, "and libertarians will discover that."

Cruz's team at the outset of the campaign saw Paul as a top rival for libertarian-minded voters. But as Paul's campaign lagged amid poor fundraising and diminished national support, Cruz meticulously moved onto his turf, sharing libertarian-targeted videos before some Cruz rallies and working behind the scenes to poach several of the Paul family's most loyal activists.

...

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/04/politics/ted-cruz-new-hampshire-rand-paul/index.html

And to hell with any so-called libertarians who buy into that crap.

 

[Jdayh]

unless there is some deal, or some benefit to this at this time.. that is not being seen.. I SEE NO WAY IN WHICH THIS IS A GOOD IDEA!!
CRUZ WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED LEGALLY ABLE TO HOLD OFFICE(2 major lawsuits already filed) Trump will fall away as he has no boots on the ground, that leaves who?? RAND PAUL! WHO THE FUUUCK IS GIVING HIM CRAPPY ADVICE? THE SAME ONES WHO TOLD HIS DAD TO NOT FIGHT FOR DELEGATES ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONVENTION?

HE RAND, PROMISED HE WOULD BE IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN, ALL THE NEVADA PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO GIVE HIM ALL THE DELEGATES IN THAT STATE... HE WOULD HAVE GONE ON TO GET A CHUNK OF DELEGATES FOR THE CONVENTION!!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM????

 

[CPUd]

unless there is some deal, or some benefit to this at this time.. that is not being seen.. I SEE NO WAY IN WHICH THIS IS A GOOD IDEA!!
CRUZ WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED LEGALLY ABLE TO HOLD OFFICE(2 major lawsuits already filed) Trump will fall away as he has no boots on the ground, that leaves who?? RAND PAUL! WHO THE FUUUCK IS GIVING HIM CRAPPY ADVICE? THE SAME ONES WHO TOLD HIS DAD TO NOT FIGHT FOR DELEGATES ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONVENTION?

HE RAND, PROMISED HE WOULD BE IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN, ALL THE NEVADA PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO GIVE HIM ALL THE DELEGATES IN THAT STATE... HE WOULD HAVE GONE ON TO GET A CHUNK OF DELEGATES FOR THE CONVENTION!!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM????

Would you have been able to deliver him the popular vote?

 

[RonPaul4Freedom]

I've been lurking here since fall of 07 and seen the community through all the ups and downs since then but did not see this coming to an end so abruptly. It's as if life was pulled from under the campaign by the student vote that did not materialize.

 

[Jdayh]

maybe....

Would you have been able to deliver him the popular vote?

it epends on wheter you mean the state primaries/aka delegates, or the general election.

 

[Chieppa1]

Those 20K new NH residents need to get their snowballs ready.

 

[Sujan]

Rand can't energise people. That's a vital personality trait you need to have to gain traction in becoming the president.

 

[Rede]

Rand can't energise people. That's a vital personality trait you need to have to gain traction in becoming the president.

Hey energized me every time I saw him talk or hit the debate stage, but I'm a libertarian not just anti-something like most of Ron's coalition who could be energized by a Trump, Cruz or Sanders.

 

[orafi]

Strength? Tough? What's so strong and/or tough about sitting behind a desk and ordering other people to turn the Mid-East into a sea of glass?

Tongue in cheek.

 

[devil21]

unless there is some deal, or some benefit to this at this time.. that is not being seen.. I SEE NO WAY IN WHICH THIS IS A GOOD IDEA!!
CRUZ WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED LEGALLY ABLE TO HOLD OFFICE(2 major lawsuits already filed) Trump will fall away as he has no boots on the ground, that leaves who?? RAND PAUL! WHO THE FUUUCK IS GIVING HIM CRAPPY ADVICE? THE SAME ONES WHO TOLD HIS DAD TO NOT FIGHT FOR DELEGATES ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONVENTION?

HE RAND, PROMISED HE WOULD BE IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN, ALL THE NEVADA PEOPLE WERE WAITING TO GIVE HIM ALL THE DELEGATES IN THAT STATE... HE WOULD HAVE GONE ON TO GET A CHUNK OF DELEGATES FOR THE CONVENTION!!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH HIM????

I agree that the timing doesn't make much sense at all. What was the urgency? I think that's what most people don't understand, especially after his post-Iowa speech implied he would be continuing.

Dunno about you folks but it's raised my alertness a couple notches.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Whelp, it looks like I'll be voting 3rd party again, though I will probably support the GOP locally given that they've done a decent job in my area, all things considered. The national party isn't ready for freedom, and the liberty movement still hasn't found its identity. I'm not voting for Cruz or Trump, and if I'd have to pick which one would be less terrible, I'd maybe say Trump by a nose, and only in terms of some isolated things he's said on foreign policy which are probably lies, but oh well.

I prefer Cruz but I don't really like either. IF Cruz is being honest he would probably push the overton window slightly our way. Don't really trust him much but Trump is even more a loose cannon.

 

[CPUd]

I agree that the timing doesn't make much sense at all. What was the urgency? I think that's what most people don't understand, especially after his post-Iowa speech implied he would be continuing.

Dunno about you folks but it's raised my alertness a couple notches.

From what I gathered, they were prepared to run through NH after Monday night. On Tuesday Rand made the call to shut it down.

 

[CPUd]

 

[CaptainAmerica]

 

[jct74]

I was going to post this in a new thread but decided not to, don't want to draw that much attention to it and there are enough threads on the subject. But here is my analysis if anyone cares to read. I could be wrong with some of this.


--


There were a lot of reasons why Rand's presidential campaign didn't fare well. Trump was a big factor. So was ISIS. Maybe he should have focused more on X issue instead of pushing Y issue, or should have taken this position instead of that position. Most of the analysis I have seen of why his campaign did poorly has focused on these things. But I think there are a lot of other reasons why he did not do well. A big one being that he is probably not skilled enough as a politician to become president, regardless of what his political platform is. Of course he is still an extremely skilled politician overall, enough to get elected as a U.S. senator, which is saying a lot. But running for president and winning is just too huge of a step up and exposed some of his deficiencies.

A lot of that has to do with personality. Rand comes across as a nice guy and great person. His service as a doctor and charity work reflect extremely well on him. But his personality is just kind of awkward in many ways. I don't know about everyone else, but I cringe during too many of his interviews and speeches. Especially when he goes on those comedy shows and tries to crack jokes and be funny. Same thing also during the debates with some of his answers and especially attacking Trump a few times, came across as very awkward and not very likable. I think that stuff matters more than some people realize. Other people have said he comes across as prickly or whiny at times and I agree with that somewhat.

One incident that did not reflect particularly well personality-wise was during the late night Patriot Act filibuster during the early phase of the presidential campaign. When he accused his opponents of wishing for a terrorist act so they could blame it on him. A lot of people here cheered when Rand said that, and it can be argued that there is some truth to that statement... but I thought it looked really bad. Fox News covered the remarks several times in the following days and it was picked up on many conservative sites, and I think he paid a price for it. Right around that time is when Rand's favorability rating suddenly took a huge dive which he never recovered from.

Another flaw of Rand's is being imprecise with his words / misstating his positions too much. How many times did he get in trouble over some remark and have to go on Greta's or Hannity's show to clarify and smooth things over with some segment of the electorate he offended? It seemed like a weekly thing for a while. It also seems like he exaggerates too much in his speech too often. Or sometimes says things that are not really true, and repeats them after they are pointed out to be not true. Just not polished enough in that regard.

He has also seemed kind of politically tone deaf / insulated on a few occasions. Like praising Thad Cochran after he defeated the tea party challenger in that contentious senate race, or some of the things he said about Ted Cruz a few months ago. I noticed Hannity really turned on Rand after the Cruz remarks. I'm sure there are other examples. Some people are going to cite some of his outreach to African Americans (Ferguson, confederate flag), or his immigration policy. There may be some truth to that, but I am mostly thinking of instances when he said something stupid and it would have been better to keep his mouth closed, not so much policy positions/actions. Kind of goes along with being imprecise/sloppy with his words as mentioned above. I've also noticed these verbal slip-up seem to increase when his schedule is particularly hectic and he is doing a lot of interviews. The drone comments in the Fox Business interview come to mind. I think Rand's ambitiousness hurt him sometimes in causing much of his sloppiness. The plagiarism stuff is an example of that, and then the way he defended it kind of ties in with the prickliness mentioned above.

I could probably think of some other examples of Rand's flaws as a politician but the bottom line is this was a significant factor in his campaign performing poorly. Getting elected president is perhaps too big of a step up for Rand. Too much scrutiny and pressure at this level and you have to make yourself likable while dealing with that scrutiny and pressure. He handled it extremely well during the senate campaign, but the presidential campaign was too much. The fact that he was advocating for liberty makes it all the more difficult too. But you got to give him a whole lot of credit for trying and sacrificing all that he has.