Ron Paul's Army hopes for a New Hampshire miracle

[RonPaulFTFW]

http://www.reason.com/news/show/124202.html

New Hampshire's primary politics could change dramatically after the Iowa caucuses. Fred Thompson might drop out of the race, Mitt Romney could steal momentum back from John McCain, Obama could fade and free up independent voters who had planned to back him. And that Republican race, moribund for months until John McCain started perking up, is going to be less attended to than the Democratic race. The number of volunteers working for Paul could match the talent, if not the numbers working for the frontrunners. They will probably exceed the numbers working for Giuliani and Thompson, who are doing poorly in pre-primary polls. After the Iowa Caucus results proved that Paul does appeal to independent voters, and that his poll numbers don't fade on election days, we'll see what's going to work in New Hampshire.

 

[JDouglasFisher]

I will say this, the national campaign better get their shit together and start running a REAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN from here on out.

They had many of us convinced that they were very organized in Iowa, and that GOTV efforts were strong.

Guess what? THey lied. The GOTV Sucked, the organization was horrible.

And, to top it off, after speaking with some New Hampshire volunteers last night, I was told they are out of campaign materials (except signs) at the NH Headquarters.

Look, I want Ron Paul to win badly, but I tell you what, his campaign sucks, very disorganized, very arrogant, very unprofessional, and I can only hope should we get Ron Paul elected, that none of these campaign people are given high up positions in government.

I still agree with some in the forum, call the campaign, and voice your displeasure about how they are running it...

Then call Faux News sponsers, and rattle their cages too...

 

[AlexMerced]

I'm just cintuning to hope the candidates neutralize each other, Romeny is gonna be super fierce these next couple of days against mccain, hopefully that ends up sending those people our way

 

[wfd40]

I'm just cintuning to hope the candidates neutralize each other, Romeny is gonna be super fierce these next couple of days against mccain, hopefully that ends up sending those people our way

forget other campaigns neutralizing each other.. HQ is neutralizing ourself just fine

But in his strategy and his priorities for the campaign, Chicoine illustrates the gap between Ron Paul staff and Ron Paul volunteers. Apart from the debates and select rallies, when Paul has unabashedly talked about the war on drugs, foreign policy blowback, and monetary policy, the candidate and the campaign have focused more on the issues that motivate conventional Republican voters than the ones that speak to libertarian stalwarts. Much of the direct mail that the campaign is blasting across the state could have been designed by pander-happy Mitt Romney or hard-right Duncan Hunter. Simple green fliers, designed for drop-offs at churches, contain the text of Paul's eulogy for Pope John Paul II. One mailer boasts of Paul's donations from military members and features a photo of a massive gunship and the promise that Paul will "Defend America by Defending Our Borders." An optimistic mailer with pro-life overtones fronts an adorable baby smiling above the legend, "Millions like me are counting on you." On a more explicit pro-life flier, the baby is giving a thumb's up.

Some of the volunteers agree with those messages, but just as many wish the campaign would get off them. Anthony Reed, a 20-year old volunteer from Texas, complains that the anti-immigration ad now plastered across the New Hampshire airwaves alienated a friend. Now she supports Obama. There's grumbling in the office about independent voters (the minority of them who pick up their phones or answer their doors) voicing support for Paul but saying they'll vote for Obama or McCain because they want "change." How does a cash-flush insurgent campaign like Paul's win those voters? Try and get the campaigners to agree.

Sorry for the negative post.. but I'm nearly sick to my stomach over the possibility of an inept HQ blowing this from us. Just play the god damn Avaroth and eLiberty videos... enough of this pandering bullshit. People want CHANGE, RON PAUL IS CHANGE... but if you saw any of the shit HQ put out and how they are shaping RP's message, you certainly wouldn't think so.

 

[RPDelegate]

I will say this, the national campaign better get their shit together and start running a REAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN from here on out.

They had many of us convinced that they were very organized in Iowa, and that GOTV efforts were strong.

Guess what? THey lied. The GOTV Sucked, the organization was horrible.

And, to top it off, after speaking with some New Hampshire volunteers last night, I was told they are out of campaign materials (except signs) at the NH Headquarters.

Look, I want Ron Paul to win badly, but I tell you what, his campaign sucks, very disorganized, very arrogant, very unprofessional, and I can only hope should we get Ron Paul elected, that none of these campaign people are given high up positions in government.

I still agree with some in the forum, call the campaign, and voice your displeasure about how they are running it...

Then call Faux News sponsers, and rattle their cages too...

Or get off your ass and actually canvas your precinct so people know who RP is - just a thought...

 

[Gorgy]

Or get off your ass and actually canvas your precinct so people know who RP is - just a thought...

Listen, you should be a little more understanding. Amateurs are getting off their asses and doing a shitton for Ron Paul and the campaign. THAT is why venting takes place. Do you realize how difficult it is to work hard at something and to love it and make it your own only to have the supposed professionals screw it up? It's disheartening and telling people to just be quiet and suck it up does not help. Let them vent, let them purge, and then let them get back to handling business.

We all realize now that it is entirely on our shoulders.