Abraham Lincoln was somewhat gangly and awkward, and had what was described as an unremarkable speaking voice. He did not seem at first to have exceptional leadership qualities. But he was honest, respected the Constitution, and came along at just the right time in our history to reunite a divided nation.
I believe that Ron Paul has come along at a time when our nation is once again fiercely divided - not between north and south states, but this time between red and blue states. The Civil War was fought, in part, to end human slavery in this country, yet we now find ourselves trapped in another kind of slavery - this time to the federal government… working several months each year to pay our burdensome federal taxes which, used for many unconstitutional expenditures.
Although military conflict was necessary to resolve the Civil War, we thankfully now have the ability to make a peaceful course-correction by choosing to reject the deceitful politicians who swear to uphold the Constitution and then violate it.
I think that it is time for us to seriously consider the value of voting for statesmen (and women) like Ron Paul and reject the destructive politics of the recent past.

Lets make a difference people. Spread the word about Dr. Paul. We can make a difference. GO RON!

Ron Paul is the Dr. Seuss of the campaign, simplifying everthing in nice convenient simplicities. His campaign slogan should be,

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Get rid of income taxes???

They would raise sales taxes like the Republicans in florida.

Great idea! tax the poor and not the rich

Freedom is on the way!

While I disagree with Ron Paul on some issues, I have a conclusion to announce. Ron Paul is a real Republican and Dennis Kucinich is a real Democrat. The rest of the guys: fluff and politics as usual.

Im sick of SOME of you all saying "Ron Paul aint got a shot" its that mentality that is hurting the movement. WE THE PEOPLE can change the outcome. As long as we stick to PAPER BALLOTS and not DIEBOLD ELECTRONIC voting machines which were PROVEN TO be easily hacked. We must rise up and do our part. Spread the word of Dr. Paul. Love, Peace, and brutal honesty at all cost. Peace to you all even the haters. RON PAUL FOR PREZ 08′ down with the dictatorship of GW and his croonies.

People, look at the trend. At this rate Ron Paul is clearly going to be a front runner come primary voting time. His donations are up as other candidates donations are trending down.

Don't let CNN's empty suit fool you. Ron Paul can win the primary. If he does, he's the only one Republican that can beat the Dems.

While I won't be voting for Congressman Paul, we need to respect him on his terrific fundraising and message outreach, which for a candidate who doesn't have alot of powerfull friends with alot of money is quite impressive.

On this I raise my hat to you, Ron Paul.

Heather - Chicago

You said, "Please be careful about spreading mis-information. Dr. Paul is 100% against Illegal Immigration."

Heather, I cited Ron Paul was against the Border Fence. Here is the source is you like: http://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm

BRAD - MESA, AZ

You said, "The fear that, if Departments and Laws are removed at the federal level, all of a sudden people may some how "Stop Breathing" or "Mad Chaos" Might Ensue is evidenced in many posts."

Brad, You can live in a Polly-Anna world where people are "generally good will self-regulate". The REAL world has repeatedly demonstrated there are very bad people who wish to do harm (Tim McVeigh, Theodore Kaczynski, the Mob, home-grown terrorists, Islamic Fundamentalists, serial killers, etc etc). What you advocate is for the Federal Organizations which pursue and eliminate these threats to be extinguished… and the citizens simply arm themselves.

I am a fierce 2nd amendment proponent - but returning to the Wild West in America is not a solution to fight the threats against our society.

In addition to eliminating these agencies which protect our society, Ron Paul would advocate legalizing drugs.

Uh huh - drugs, guns, FBI and Homeland Security dissolved…. Are you sure you're not really John Gotti?

Go Ron Paul go ….

Viva Texas, Bravo USA!

If it REALLY is the news leader that it claims, it is about time CNN starts giving its viewers(the 80% who are interested in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) an honest coverage of Dr. Ron Paul.

Please don't report what others assume or falsely accuse him of. Just talk to the man and get the FACTS right out of his mouth. Here we have somebody who does not read or recite a politically correct script. Unlike other politicians he will tell the truth, and viewers like me have the right to expect CNN to give him the same coverage as the SCRIPTED candidates.

It pains me to see the fear of the detractors.

The fear that, if Departments and Laws are removed at the federal level, all of a sudden people may some how "Stop Breathing" or "Mad Chaos" Might Ensue is evidenced in many posts.

I believe that this fear is based upon the mistrust of people to actually take care of themselves. The Stem of, "Without the oppression of people their would be a free for all of hedonistic anarchy." is unfounded.

If no one is fit to be responsible for ones own actions then who among us is fit to be responsible for all?

It is the argument of position that you either believe that people are generally Good or people are generally Evil.

One thing as evidenced by history is that people will always act in their own self interest. To assume benevolence is foolish. Power given is not so easily removed.

I believe that people are generally good and will self regulate. However when choice is removed and judgment is not allowed in situational evaluation, No Good Can Come Of It. This is the state of affairs with most of Federal Governmental Rule.

Mandatory Sentencing, Over Regulation, and Abuse Of Power can be seen with relative ease in most aspects of society and the unintended consequences of these actions are becoming monumental.

I implore those who feel scared to allay your fears and recognize that the only danger to yourself is what is in your immediate area. Things will remain the same with or without the Federal Government as long as the citizenry is still armed.

Guns make for a polite society; People are responsible for their own safety.

The Peace Violence brings is temporary; the damage it does lasts a lifetime.

Semper Fidelis.

I hope he gets the GOP nod, but if he doesn't I hope he runs as a third party candidate.

Ron Paul may be the only reason in the world to vote Republican. This sly old dog has the charm of Sean Connery and the brooding handsomeness of Johnny Carson. I picture him sitting next to Sinatra in a smoke-filled room on a velvet sofa, laughing about broads with a drink in his hand.

That’s the kind of President I’m talking about.

I can't speak for all female supporters, but I'm still reserving my 100% endorsement of Ron Paul until he is declared the GOP candidate. I intend on voting for him in my state's primary election, but at this point in the game I'm still trying to figure out if the critiques I hear about him are valid. If the best one can do is "Ron Paul's crazy! He's a lunatic! His platform is ridiculous!", then I'll continue to support. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop and hopefully it won't.

CNN thanks very much for reporting Dr. Pauls campaign contributions. I am proud to say I gave money to DR. Puals campaign. My Son just graduated from College and was a Political Science major.He converted my Wife and myself to Dr. Paul as a Presidential candidate. Just tired of the same old stuff from the Republicans and Democrats.
I am 60 years old and Ron Paul is honest,has character and honesty, rare qualities now a days.

Henry Tucker - just because the traitorous supreme court has "interpreted" something to be constitutional, doesn't mean it really is.

It was so much fun to watch the donation thermometer rising every few seconds. First goal in the last week of September was $500,000 which was met 3 days early!

The count kept on and went past $1,000,000 with more than 24 hours still to go. Those dollars will keep on coming in.

I joined the campaign when media was showing him at 1%. Wait for Tsunami Tuesday (Feb. 5). This is history in the making and I am glad to be a part of it.

First off the U.N is totally about a one world gov't, hence the term UNITED NATIONS. Its not that difficult. They are all about global population control. But I guess that is a good thing *sarcasm*. Kudos to Ron Paul for his cool 5 million. Thanks CNN for reporting some REAL NEWS. Peace out peeps

Glenn Ray,

You wrote, "To the "real James": I stand by my points made regarding your comments in the previous Political Ticker post. However, I agree with you that hijacking of identities is making any real debate difficult. I apologize for the confusion and will take more notice in future postings."

No need to apologize. I completely agree - debate and discussion is vital for our country. Whether or not we agree on the issues, at the end of the day we share the common ground of wanting the freedoms to live life on our terms, opportunities for all to succeed, and a safe place to call home for us and our families.

To Henry Tucker - Please be careful about spreading mis-information. Dr. Paul is 100% against Illegal Immigration, and even proposed an amendment to end the "Anchor Baby" clause. Dr. Paul believes that it is futile to spread our military across the globe while we leave our own back door wide open. Also, as a Doctor in a border state, he realizes all too well the real costs of welfare and seocial services provided to illegal immigrants - and is committed to truly curing the disease, not just patching the wound.

I've noticed that there doesn't seem to be too many vocal female Ron Paul supporters. I don't doubt there are some out there, but I have yet to hear from large numbers of them. I'm honestly curious as to why that is.

To the "real James": I stand by my points made regarding your comments in the previous Political Ticker post. However, I agree with you that hijacking of identities is making any real debate difficult. I apologize for the confusion and will take more notice in future postings.

Folks, don't let "James from Phoenix, AZ" distract you from the real news. He also implied in the first PT posting ("Paul's fundraising shock", Oct. 3) that George Saros contributed to Dr. Paul's campaign, yet has provided no evidence to support his arguments. He also incorrectly stated that Dr. Paul is opposed to a border fence, when in fact he voted for it in HR6061. James is full of rhetoric and weak analogies and offers no factual debate.

Let's rise above that and continue constructive and critical discussion on the merits of Dr. Paul's candidacy.

The message is real, the money is real, and the votes will be real. Freedom is the desire of the masses.

For all you Ron Paul Disciples…. I want you to explain something…

If Ron Paul contends he wants to strictly follow the Constitution… and that the current various government agencies (FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, IRS, etc) are not permited in the Constitution - why doesn't he file a motion in Federal court contending these agencies are "unconstitutional"??

The Answer: Because they are not unconstitutional. The Constitution was written to provide a guidance for Government but the purpose was to PROTECT citizens rights. Courts decide whether laws are permitted under the Constitution or if they're "unconstitutional". Agencies of the Government are not and will not ever be "unconstitutional" - unless you attempted to create the Dept of Christian Enforcement or Dept of Slavery.

Ron Paul will not - could not ever win on a platform calling for:
- Elimination of the FBI, CIA
- Legalized Drugs
- Closing our military facilities all over the world
- No foreign Aid
- Non-participation in the UN
- Non-participation in the WTO
- No Border Fence

TO JAMES FROM PHOENIX, AZ. YOU MUST BE AS BRAINWASHED AND BRAIN DEAD AS THEY COME.

Actually Danny, you're right. The moron who continues espousing he is "James - formerly Conservative James" is making ridiculous statements to discredit the real James, Phoenix.

CNN obviously doesn't want or care if silly games are played on their website - so it seems. They require we enter our name and email address. They could block the ISP of this juvenile - perhaps they will?

"Jeri Thompson - Trophy Wife" - why is that the Ticker Headline? Don't you think there is something perhaps more newsworthy?

You might as well get on the Ron Paul bandwagon CNN. A massive media blitz is being prepared as we speak - soon Ron Paul's message of freedom, peace & prosperity will be all over the airwaves. Nearly everyone who is exposed to his message embraces it - because it is truly the message of the American spirit and people. This message is brought to you by the blood, sweat, and tears of ordinary American citizens - American Patriots - and the Revolution WILL be televised.

TO JAMES FROM PHOENIX, AZ. YOU MUST BE AS BRAINWASHED AND BRAIN DEAD AS THEY COME. GET REAL. OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE TRUTH. SEE THROUGH THE SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH. MUST BE SOME GOOD KOOL-AID YOU ARE DRINKING. GW IS NOTHING SHORT OF DICTATOR. AND I QUOTE "DICATORSHIP WOULD'T BE SO BAD, JUST AS LONG AS I WAS THE DICTATOR" -GEORGE W. BUSH-

I was stunned to see up-front coverage of Dr. Paul's fundraising accomplishment on CNN.com AND FoxNews.com. Thanks to both of these news organizations for stepping forward to acknowledge his heightening appeal, which is building as more people get to learn more about him and his guiding principles.

thank you for reporting this. GO RON!

Dr. Paul has what it takes to be pres. he has a ton of great ideas that A LOT of Americans embrace and support as by the 5+ million he raised. even Faux news gave him a little coverage but OF COURSE the called him a LONGSHOT. Not such a long shot anymore you fools in the corporate controlled media aka msm. Oh and 911 was totally an inside job. Just ask the WTC janitor of 20years William Rodriguez. He saved 15+ people that fatefull day and heard explosions before the planes ever hit!! Unless al CIA duh had explosives planted too. Which goes against the "official conspiracy theory" then explain that???

Ron Paul is right. Freedom, free markets, free expression, free from the iron fist of government intervention. That's what we need, not free healthcare or free housing or free food. What's up with Hillary trying to buy votes with these "baby bonds"? That should be illegal. Viva Ron Paul!!

Listen up, CNN. Unless Ron Paul has interjected himself into the newsworthy lives of Britney, Lindsay, or Paris, I don't want to hear about him.

Ok James, whatever. typical sheep being led along without much original thought. Go ahead and march in line with the "front runners" or whoever else that is bought and paid for.

Actually, he has said multiple times that he does NOT think 9/11 was an inside job. Though he hs been on the radio with Alex Jones, Paul explains that people are drawn to his (Paul's) ideas, and that he's not necessarily drawn to their (Jones, for example) ideas. He does NOT think it was an inside job, and he wants more investigation for the purpose of exposing government incompetency.

Well, 9/11 was an inside job. At the very least there were controlled demolitions of neighboring buildings.

Straw Poll Results Here:
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/

For those who want to see where Ron Paul Stands in the polls of the American people please go to this link..

Actually Ron Paul doesn't believe 9/11 is an inside job, he believes that the investigation should be re-opened. There is a HUGE difference!!!! Way to spread disinformation pal! You need to know the facts before you try to smear someone as honest as Ron Paul….
Ron Paul for President 2008!!!!!!!
The People's Choice!!!!!!

Go Ron! America needs you! You are the champion of the US Constitution!

Los Angeles is coming together for you! We have a booth planned for the upcoming Sherman Oaks Street Fair in Sherman Oaks, CA on Sunday, October 21st.

God bless you sir!

Glad to see Dr. Paul get some exposure on here. It's still not enough. His own party fears him and is doing whatever they can to put up roadblocks for him since he does not bow to the industrial-military complex and defends the constitution. if you have read the news that the media buries you'll see that the GOP is setting up a cutoff date to declare yourself a Republican. They are trying to cut off any Dems or Independents from voting for Dr. Paul. Shame on them. Quit trying to steer the elections.

That was fair and balanced. Thank you for your help with getting Ron Paul's message to the electorate.

Sweet! Thanks for the linky Ben, I would like to hear him in person to see what he has to say. I take it by all this media bluster about his fundraising that they are SHOCKED he could possibly raise this amount of money as the elite Beltway class has already established that Mr. Paul is not a viable candidate. How arrogant can you all be?

It's beyond me why this man isn't recognized as the only "true" conservative candidate. The only
things the neo-cons were right about,
is the sorry state of the average
American IQ, and how easy it was to
ultimately brainwash them. The U.S.
has been reduced to a laughing stock
from every angle. When are Americans
going to divert themselves from this
"left-right" nonsense, and start initiating intelligent thought applied
to real issues? There's really not that
much time left, until this whole sham of an enterprise finally caves in on itself. I used to be sad about it, but
now I'm almost willing it to happen, so
this ignorance finally receives what it
so direly deserves….

Ron Paul 2008!!

He is the most qualified candidate out of everyone. This man has my vote!

Learn more at : http://www.ronpaul2008.com

Has anyone else noticed that Ron Paul's fundraising numbers dont yet reflect his 3rd quarter numbers? Seems CNN is really doing there job hugh?

Isn't this the guy who said if people had hand guns on the planes, 9/11 would have never happened.

Wow, thats all we need, Bubba on a plane with a loaded gun after having 12 drinks at the airport bar.

Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate that could actually get a fair chunk of Democratic voters support.

What world does Ron live it? I hope he doesn’t suffocate from the sand.

I'm glad he's doing well because he does raise important issues. He will never be elected President — even in times of crisis American voters stay close to the center — but it's worth the money and time of the volunteers to keep the issues out there.

People take note of this. Even news articles about Dr. Paul unite people. No bickering, no partisan B.S. just good honest, hopeful people coming together.

God I missed this. Thank you Dr. Paul

It is delightful to see finally someone, Dr. Paul, speaks the truth. I believe his concerns of this nation’s problems are sincere. There are many politicians do not deal with the real issues with their heart because they only worry about their political career. Dr. Paul is a true representative for American citizens. He is the leader who can lead our country to the right direction.

Good stuff. I'm all about freedom and prosperity. There might be some challenges to get back to that point, but in the end, will be worth it.

It's times like these when I feel like an American. It's really hard in this generation to feel national pride.

I pray for those in Burma (Myanmar) and would like to point out how governments can bash it's citizens after it takes away their guns.

Don't vote for change or socialism, they always fail. Vote for peace and prosperity. We didn't have these problems before our government started growing so it's totally obvious our government is at fault whether it's inside our borders or outside.

A note to anyone reading this who plans to vote for Dr. Paul in the state primaries. Be sure to register as a Republican in your state so you can be ensured that you can vote in the Republican primary even if they choose to close the primary to members of the Republican party only. If you are already registered as another party it is important to do this as soon as possible so that you make sure you hit the deadline.

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/primary-and-caucus-information/

I am a registered republican and I only have a cellphone. Why has no one called me to answer a survey about who I would choose for President? My Birthday is Oct. 5th and I will be 27 years old and hearing about Dr. Paul making tons of money is the best gift I could ever receive!

I had to laugh…a couple of weeks ago the wife and I were going up north for the weekend {we live in Michigan}and on the way we seen the Ron Paul "Home made" banners on the side of the road, we were delighted!!! When we got up north some friends of ours who live there came over that night, these folks are neocons to the max, when we told them who was going to get our vote the first thing out of there mouth was "you are going to vote for THAT crazy old lunatic!!" we new right then and there that we made the right choice, the neocons are scared to death of this guy!!!

*Just from my blog*
The sissy w's from KSFO radio

Worthless, Wimps, Wussys, Weasels, Warmongers(as long as someone else is doing the fighting).
This SallyBoy and his (should be) co-defendents shows how un-American some blabbering mouths can be.
I am not a big Ron Paul supporter, or even a small one, but SallyBoy says that Dr Paul and all of his followers should be killed. Good thing SallyBoy represents the extremeist,hate mongering, right or he would be in
big do-do.
My link takes you to http://www.spockosbrain.com/, where he provides links to the story.
It is the Sept.25 post.

Remember one very important thing here folks.
These people are on the air at the behest of ABC/Disney.
Sorry for calling them people.

GO DEMOCRATS! lET'S SEND THE REPUBLICANS WHERE THEY BELONG!

Mike of Greenville, SC, said: "The common thread that knits all of these people together isn’t simply their broadband connection. It’s the US Constitution; the dream of what America was- and can be again."

Beautifully stated, Mike. Thanks.

Those of us who want to restore our Republic to what the Founding Fathers intended know that there is only one candidate who is committed to the ideals of individual liberty and to the Constitution. That candidate is Ron Paul.

With every Republican besides Ron Paul running on a platform 70% of Americans are opposed to, (Keeping over 100,000 troops in Iraq and keep spending more borrowed US tax dollars for years if not decades until the Iraqis can one day magically get along and take care of themselves) Ron Paul is the only chance the Republicans will get in the White House in 2008. If they knew any better they'd be supporting him than the other 8 or 9 G.W. clones running.

As someone against the war from the start, and someone who normally despises Republicans I'd easily vote for Paul over a fake anti war bandwagon jumper like Hillary.

On top of that, Ron Paul is a true conservative, not a fake one like most Republicans are.

Thank you CNN for reporting on Ron Paul's fundraising success. There is something exciting happening here, and his support is very real.
Ron Pauls pricipaled commitment to the constitution is a breath of fresh air to many who have been disapointed by our elected officials.

I hope more Americans will take the time to find out where Ron Paul stands on issues important to them.

Ron Paul's support is growing exponentially. The people of this country will be heard and our rights will not be taken away. Ron 08!

I’m sure I’m not alone in my sincere appreciation of CNN, for not allowing this turning of the tide to slip beneath the radar. I would only add to the report that while Mr. Preston is correct in that the internet has been a friend to Dr. Paul… the common thread that knits all of these people together isn’t simply their broadband connection. It’s the US Constitution; the dream of what America was- and can be again.

We need President Paul.

I think the mainstream media is in for more surprises come primaries.

decent report but i don't think ron paul's a long shot to win, and he definitely doesn't trail huckabee in the polls

Ron Paul represents hope for the majority of America and at the same time instills fear amongst the ruling class. It is time for change. It is time for common sense. Do we really want to elect another politician with so much corporate and interest group influence? Five million dollars for Ron Paul says a lot more than five million for the other candidates; he does not take huge donations from large corporations or groups. 5 million in support for Ron Paul is huge. He will be president.

It is good to see Sen. Paul in the spot light for once. I like this man very much not because he is Republican because normally, I vote democrat but because of what he represents in values. I did some digging on what he had to say during the debates, and what he did say was the truth.

I don't understand why he was attacked or criticized for exposing the truth. I think the values he represents are the true American values that quite frankly, our leadership and other candidates lack. Truly, I think he is a front runner not because of his numbers but because of his views and values.

I don't understand how they can claim that Ron Paul is doing poorly in the polls. On his website at http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/ he's got a huge amount of 1st and 2nd place wins. That is momentum that is just going to get stronger. If you want Ron Paul to win the Republican nominee for 2008, it's up to you to donate and spread the word. Giuliani is a joke and will only give us more of the same in the White House if he wins the nomination. I also just watched Sean Hannity interview Fred Thompson… what qualifications does this guy have to be President? And how is it that he a front runner and Ron Paul is still considered a second tier candidate? If you haven't woken up to the fact that we're being spoon fed front runners, we need to let them know that WE are going to be the ones to decide who gets the Republican nomination.

Looks like he's here to stay. He is so far the only candidate who speaks on principal, and is honest. We need a true statesman in the white house, not just another politician who is all talk.

Ron Paul, you have my vote.

Thank you CNN for taking the time to expose Ron Paul.

Ron Paul 2008!!!

The revolution has begun. Ron Paul will lead it!

Thank you for spreading Dr. Paul's message. He brings together people from all parts of the political spectrum. Who would've thought that there would be a candidate that could unite pro-life/pro-gun conservatives and the anti-war left. The majority of Americans want to be out of Iraq and have a smaller government. Ron Paul is the only candidate that embraces both of these beliefs.

If you're in the Nashville area, come meet Dr. Paul this Saturday. http://www.nashvilleforronpaul.com