Wow, look at the raging stupidity that Ron Paul faced in 1988

rp08orbust

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I hadn't seen this clip before (it contains much more than the fat kid clip that's been posted many times before). Part of the stupidity is a reflection of the show itself, but still, I don't remember Ron Paul ever facing anywhere near this level of stupidity and disrespect from 2007 to 2012. I guess that's kind of encouraging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeViJPKr8mw&feature=youtu.be
 
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Haha...that hand gesture that Ron did in the last second of that clip had me rolling.
 
There aren't any shows like Downey Jr today. I guess the closest thing is Bill Maher but even that show wasn't as confrontational as Downey's show.
 
That was my first exposure to Ron. I had forgotten all about it until 2007.
 
same here and i thought he was stupid. i was only a child of 8. wow how times have changed and how my mind has changed since becoming a responsible adult.
That was my first exposure to Ron. I had forgotten all about it until 2007.
 
There's a much better video of Ron doing a debrief of his campaign in 1989 -- he mentions that Morton Downey Jr wanted him on again to discuss some proposed Texas law to cut off people's fingers for theft or something. His face was priceless. He said he told them no, thank you.
 
here's the 1989 video:



The part where he mentions the Downey show asking him on again starts around 9:30.... I had misremembered the bill, it was to chop fingers off drug dealers, one for every time they were caught.
 
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I had already quit watching TV by 1988, so I never saw this program, although I did hear of MDJ. I don't see how it's that much different than the criticism today, though. It's sensationalized, but it's still the same criticism. I hadn't heard of Ron Paul then, but I was definitely aware of Bush's affiliation with the CIA and the CIA's involvement in drugs. It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret. It was just a matter of which side of the fence you sat on. If Bush would have run against someone--anyone--other than Dukakis, he would have had a much more difficult time getting elected.
 
I had already quit watching TV by 1988, so I never saw this program, although I did hear of MDJ. I don't see how it's that much different than the criticism today, though. It's sensationalized, but it's still the same criticism. I hadn't heard of Ron Paul then, but I was definitely aware of Bush's affiliation with the CIA and the CIA's involvement in drugs. It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret. It was just a matter of which side of the fence you sat on. If Bush would have run against someone--anyone--other than Dukakis, he would have had a much more difficult time getting elected.

I like how this old stuff keeps turning up, though.
 
I wasn't born until 1995 and didn't know who Ron Paul was until 2010, so I obviously didn't ever see that clip until just now. I can't imagine Ron Paul shouting at people like that anymore. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but his style definitely seems to have changed. He's calmed down. The substance is the same but he's definitely learned to speak more softly. Or at least that's the impression I get.

I'm also a little surprised he didn't mention the states at all. While it is completely obvious that Ron Paul supports individual drug freedom, he also supports the tenth amendment. I remember him being asked that question in one of the GOP Primary debates and although he did say something off handedly about "If a state legalized heroin, well we don't need the government to tell us not to use heroin" but he has generally framed it as a state's rights thing. I'm just surprised he didn't mention it at all in 1988.
 
I like how this old stuff keeps turning up, though.

It is cool to watch, especially since I missed the first time! I don't remember much about MDJ, but wasn't he into drugs? Or am I remembering that wrong?

eta: Google says it was Robert Downey Jr.
 
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Aren't you guys glad Ron changed his delivery style? Many of us could learn a lesson here. Antagonism never brings people your way. The Ron Paul that drew millions to the cause did so by staying true to his principles, but removing the hostility for those who don't get it yet.
 
we're still up against those mindsets. most people think of laws as winning/losing propositions. that is, they want law that support their beliefs and customs. so if a law is being debated, they aren't thinking about it at the meta-level of 'do we need a law about this at all', but rather 'oh, i don't like x so i want a law against it'.

oh, the humanity.
 
I've watched the entire segment in the past and I have mixed feelings.

I like the fired up Ron Paul. I hate how they're disrespectful towards him.

"Let me go to loudmouth number 2, Mr. Orstrosky...", hahahah.
 
Aren't you guys glad Ron changed his delivery style? Many of us could learn a lesson here. Antagonism never brings people your way. The Ron Paul that drew millions to the cause did so by staying true to his principles, but removing the hostility for those who don't get it yet.

That wasn't ever Ron's style. He was acting like everybody else did on that show. If I weren't on my mobile I'd go find the episode where Al Sharpton got shoved out of his chair.
 
i kinda like this Young Ron. An AR-15 carryin, takes no prisoners, pulls no punches kinda guy.

wish we had this guy to beat up Romney. You got fragments of it when he was thumping Newt, Santorum and ridiculing Bachmann

but then again the media would have portrayed him as more of a kook than they already did.
 
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