What I find odd about the data is that when we look at specific issues, (at least on the republican side), the data suggests Dr. Pauls positions are spot on with the majority! However, he is also relatively high in the dislike catagory. Does this suggest that A) they don't know/understand his posittions ? OR B) They like the message and not the messenger(s)?
I think it is a combination of A and B. However unfairly, Paul has the whiff of a crank around him, whether it is Dr. No, etc. For the new converts, crossovers, unorthodox people, that is ok, but it is a lot to swallow for people to say, yeah, this guy that has been dismissed as a loon is our new leader.
That has happened in the past - Reagan was dismissed as a loon, and had been a Democrat until age 51. But as good as Paul is, Reagan was a virtually unparalleled messenger, the "Great Communicator", so this helped him a lot.
Me, I think Paul could express his anti-war positions a little better so they don't sound like naive pacifism - again, I understand his points, but sometimes the presentation can sound like this, and maybe lay off the neocon scolding/blame laying which sometimes serves to draw conspiracy theorists and accusations of anti-Semitism, again however unfairly.
Generally speaking, the most positive aspects of his campaign have been the most positive aspects - individual freedoms, the greatness of our Constitution and American traditions, etc. Reagan expressed these themes supremely well in a manner that created a whole new generation of Republican voters - Southern populists, Northern working class ethnics, etc.
), so the relationship has, um, "deteriorated."
