TIME: How Rudy Won the Second Debate.

[Harald]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1622571,00.html

By JOE KLEIN

... Ron Paul who seems like your uncle the bartender who has a Big Theory about everything: some of his ideas are brilliant, others weird. He rates a mention because his singular moment of weirdness--proposing that al-Qaeda attacked on Sept. 11 because the U.S. had been messing around in the Middle East...

But Giuliani was having a good debate even before he reduced Paul to history.

 

[Melchior]

Why does everyone think that statement from Giuliani "reduced Ron Paul to history?" Or some other ways I've heard it; obliterated, annihilated, owned, etc.

I keep reading the quote over again to see how it might be a good rebuttal, but in reality the response "wow, I've never heard that before, take it back!" is not a clever rebuttal at all. He didn't even make an argument, he just "reacted."

 

[NMCB3]

Notice that picture. Rudi is on the left where your eye naturally goes first. Ron is all the way on the right with his back to the camera.

Rudi was definitely not having a "good debate" before then or after. The media across the board wants to marginalize Ron because he threatens both Republican and Democrat power. There really is no such thing as an honest MSM in America. Its all controlled by the political machine. Thats not a conspiracy theory, thats a fact.

 

[CurtisLow]

I sent a Letter to the Editor... misguided reporting .

 

[cujothekitten]

My letter to the editor:

Joe,
I just read your comment about Ron Paul where you stated, "He rates a mention because his singular moment of weirdness--proposing that al-Qaeda attacked on Sept. 11 because the U.S. had been messing around in the Middle East, bombing Iraq". Moment of weirdness? Let me quote you something from our very own 9/11 commission report:

"America's policy choices have consequences. Right or Wrong; It is simply a fact that... American actions in Iraq are dominant staples of popular commentary across the Arab and Muslim world."

Now, I would love to know how his views are “weird” when our very own bi-partisan investigation came to a similar conclusion. Frankly I’m a bit taken back by the news coverage over this. For the first time in my life I’m beginning to doubt the sincerity of my party and the press.

 

[ButchHowdy]

Gotta read the full transcript - it is nearly flawless! This man's [RP's] mind and thoughts are crystal clear. Remember, while we as a nation freaked out
over 9/11 - RP had the only clear head.

RP - America's Designated Driver!

 

[billv]

Rudy sure did do a good job of reducing him to history. He's been on all kinds of shows. If they had left it alone, they would have been far better off though. It seems like Time is a pretty liberal mouthpiece, am I wrong? Could they feel threatened by Congressman Paul as well.

I haven't seen Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in a while but don't they try to smear Mr. Smith too when he stands up for the people?

 

[jon_perez]

... Ron Paul who seems like your uncle the bartender who has a Big Theory about everything: some of his ideas are brilliant, others weird. He rates a mention because his singular moment of weirdness--proposing that al-Qaeda attacked on Sept. 11 because the U.S. had been messing around in the Middle East...

But Giuliani was having a good debate even before he reduced Paul to history.

- Joe Klein, Time

Joe Klein is entitled to his opinions. It is remarkable enough the he mentions that some of Ron Paul's ideas are brilliant.

Ron Paul supporters must rely on people's ability to think critically as their ally and not on rhetoric (e.g. rhetoric such as "down with the Fed") otherwise they will just be like the politics-as-usual crowd that Ron Paul is trying to replace.

While I do know that Ron Paul himself is NOT such a person, I don't think it will do him any good if his supporters are portrayed as frothy mouth zealots. Ron Paul is open-minded, humble and very smart. He has some firm convictions which might sound radical but he did not arrive at them without thinking at great length and without listening to contrary positions (read transcripts of his congressional inquiries of Greenspan as well as Bernanke), and it would behoove his supporters to also adopt the same attitude.

Of what use is liberty if people do not use it to exercise independent thinking?