Richard in Austin
Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2007
- Messages
- 240
I just received this via email from [email protected]. I'm not sure I subscribed for this, but it's possible I registered somewhere so I could leave a comment and forgot to opt out.
"The Unintended Ron Paul Public Service
By Bob Parks, Intel Radio Network
After this recent encounter with Ron Paul supporters, I now realize I've been looking at this the wrong way. Mr. Paul, whether he realizes it or not, is providing a real public service. He is giving America a lesson on entitlements.
Ron Paul is for smaller government. Part of the smaller government dream, and I say "dream" because conservatives have been harping on that for years, is the reduction on Americans' dependence on entitlements.
I remember writing a column about young people years ago, when they demanded "respect" upon your first encounter with them. I countered that people deserve to be treated in a courteous manner. "Respect" is earned.
As a former candidate myself, I felt I had a superior plan as opposed to the non-existent one of my incumbent opponent. He received all the press, and my candidacy was basically ignored. So what did we do? Did I start publicly whining that we were being ignored? No. I started working harder.
My opponent, like today's presidential candidates, began working on his reelection years before the race officially began. Here in Massachusetts, Mitt Romney began to grease his presidential wheels years before leaving the State House. He established himself with the media, made the necessary connections, so when the campaign officially began, the first press question wasn't "Who are you?"
No one is entitled to a fair shake. Just because you declare yourself a candidate doesn't entitle you to wall-to-wall press coverage. I knew that as a candidate. I learned that you get the press when you win.
Should Ron Paul win the Republican nomination, the press will be "reaching out" to him in ways you could never imagine. They will obviously have been caught blindsided and will have a lot of catch-up to do.
As a teenager, my father told me "You have to kiss ass until you can kick it." Valuable words for you Ron Paul supporters who seem to feel entitled to equal coverage in the media.
My niche as a writer is to respond to press coverage, not initiate it. It's not my job to prop up any candidate. As some of you may remember, what incurred the wrath of Ron Paul supporters was a column I wrote blasting the Republican frontrunners by name. I glossed over those who aren't perceived as viable candidates. Had I blasted Mr. Paul by name, I'd be receiving more than the chapter-length emails I'm receiving now by people who feel the duty to "set me straight."
If you feel Mr. Paul isn't getting the coverage he deserves, then it's the responsibility of his campaign and supporters to work harder to win the primary. Believe me, we all DO know his positions, but that'll be all for naught if he loses.
As a former candidate who's been there, spend more of your time educating the grassroots who will ultimately do the voting. Sending angry emails to the very people who'll be covering your campaign will not endure them to your candidate, in fact, you'll piss the media off. Judging from my brief encounter with Paul supporters and the lack of mainstream media coverage of his campaign, you may have already damaged your own candidate beyond repair.
Mr. Paul is not entitled to fair media coverage. The President of the United States can tell you that.
If Ron Paul wins, that will all change.
Bob Parks is a member/writer for the National Advisory Council of Project 21, Senior Writer for the New Media Journal, VP of Marketing and Media Relations/Staff Writer for the New Media Alliance, VP of the Massachusetts Republican Assembly, and commentator for the Intel Radio Network.
Forward this email to a friend."
What do y'all have to say about this? Can anyone come up with a GREAT response for this guy?
"The Unintended Ron Paul Public Service
By Bob Parks, Intel Radio Network
After this recent encounter with Ron Paul supporters, I now realize I've been looking at this the wrong way. Mr. Paul, whether he realizes it or not, is providing a real public service. He is giving America a lesson on entitlements.
Ron Paul is for smaller government. Part of the smaller government dream, and I say "dream" because conservatives have been harping on that for years, is the reduction on Americans' dependence on entitlements.
I remember writing a column about young people years ago, when they demanded "respect" upon your first encounter with them. I countered that people deserve to be treated in a courteous manner. "Respect" is earned.
As a former candidate myself, I felt I had a superior plan as opposed to the non-existent one of my incumbent opponent. He received all the press, and my candidacy was basically ignored. So what did we do? Did I start publicly whining that we were being ignored? No. I started working harder.
My opponent, like today's presidential candidates, began working on his reelection years before the race officially began. Here in Massachusetts, Mitt Romney began to grease his presidential wheels years before leaving the State House. He established himself with the media, made the necessary connections, so when the campaign officially began, the first press question wasn't "Who are you?"
No one is entitled to a fair shake. Just because you declare yourself a candidate doesn't entitle you to wall-to-wall press coverage. I knew that as a candidate. I learned that you get the press when you win.
Should Ron Paul win the Republican nomination, the press will be "reaching out" to him in ways you could never imagine. They will obviously have been caught blindsided and will have a lot of catch-up to do.
As a teenager, my father told me "You have to kiss ass until you can kick it." Valuable words for you Ron Paul supporters who seem to feel entitled to equal coverage in the media.
My niche as a writer is to respond to press coverage, not initiate it. It's not my job to prop up any candidate. As some of you may remember, what incurred the wrath of Ron Paul supporters was a column I wrote blasting the Republican frontrunners by name. I glossed over those who aren't perceived as viable candidates. Had I blasted Mr. Paul by name, I'd be receiving more than the chapter-length emails I'm receiving now by people who feel the duty to "set me straight."
If you feel Mr. Paul isn't getting the coverage he deserves, then it's the responsibility of his campaign and supporters to work harder to win the primary. Believe me, we all DO know his positions, but that'll be all for naught if he loses.
As a former candidate who's been there, spend more of your time educating the grassroots who will ultimately do the voting. Sending angry emails to the very people who'll be covering your campaign will not endure them to your candidate, in fact, you'll piss the media off. Judging from my brief encounter with Paul supporters and the lack of mainstream media coverage of his campaign, you may have already damaged your own candidate beyond repair.
Mr. Paul is not entitled to fair media coverage. The President of the United States can tell you that.
If Ron Paul wins, that will all change.
Bob Parks is a member/writer for the National Advisory Council of Project 21, Senior Writer for the New Media Journal, VP of Marketing and Media Relations/Staff Writer for the New Media Alliance, VP of the Massachusetts Republican Assembly, and commentator for the Intel Radio Network.
Forward this email to a friend."
What do y'all have to say about this? Can anyone come up with a GREAT response for this guy?
