Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - When Rep. Ron Paul walked into Hy-Vee Hall last month, a single blue sign with a simple message was placed near the escalator that took him upstairs to a fundraiser attended by 300 Republican activists.
It read: "President Ron Paul 2012."
The sign was symbolic in many ways: Even as Iowa Republicans are focused on midterm elections, the 2012 presidential contest is not far from their minds. And it was just three years ago that Paul did not receive an invitation to participate in a presidential candidate forum held in this very building.
From CNN Politics
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I like Ron Paul and he brought many good ideas into the 2008 presidential contest – however, I highly doubt his party would ever nominate him. A third-party run might be his ticket.
I used to think that Ron Paul WAS the alternative. Fresh ideas, a refreshing change from the mainstream. Now, the more he is exposed, the less belief in my previous statement. I hope he runs though, as the so called "independent base" that is looking for a third party candidate, will support him as will a majority of the "Tea Party Express". This will water down the vote any other Republican candidate will receive. . . another term for President Obama and a majority Democratic house and Senate.
Then you will see real CHANGE!!!
A.B.O. – ANYBODY But Obama.
Ron Paul would be a quantum step up from our current Administration. I'm sure we would truly see a change for the better with someone like Paul, he has some great ideas to bring us back home and away from this World Police posture we have morphed in to.
Crazy old man with a crazy son.
Ron Paul PONDERS every election and get NOWHERE!!! And who will be his VP – RAND??? Jeez, what the HECK??
What ever respect I had for Ron Paul as a candidate was lost with his statement about 16,000 armed IRS agents coming to your house.
This guy is just a little too detached from reality to be entrusted with the job of POTUS.
I made a mistake and voted for Hillary in the primaries – now I will vote for Rand. He makes more sense than the rest of them – and no, never Obama. Hope America learned their lesson when they tried to be politically correct.
WOW 300 activists? That's more than voted for him in all the primaries in 2008!
I can see this country with no taxes - no highways, no bridges, no police, no firemen, no utilities, no hospitals, no schools, etc. - WOW. Wonder where they'll find the money to pay the politicians? India and China and Mexico make donations?
Ron Paul for president? With Sarah Palin as VP? Please don't make me sick! If this were to happen, our country would become one with only the very wealthy and the extremely poor.
It's all working out according to plan.
Ron Paul or some other fringe candidate ends up running as a third party candidate in 2012, siphoning off votes from the GOP.
Obama wins re-election with 45% of the vote.
Thanks Ron! The Great Liberal Conspiracy will contact you as needed with further instructions.
Shouldn't that read "Rand Paul Panders Politics"?
Were he truly serious about his beliefs and positions he would eschew the Republican party and run as an independent! Instead he's just trying to pull the puppet strings from above so that he doesn't get blamed for what the party does and doesn't get blamed if the Republican party loses the election from divided votes.
He would never win. What would he do to protect the public when a company makes a defective product? How would he handle this oil spill. I don't think that he knows enough about what the government does and what people have come to expect that it does for them.
I remember an interview he did with Tim Russert. He didn't know how much it would cost the government to get rid of the IRS and the income tax. That shows that he isn't aware of enough of what is going on in the country and government.
Rep Paul is too good a man to run for president. He can never win because 1/2 the voters of the USA are blacks, Jews, gays, Latinos, unions who do not consider the Constitution to be the basis of our governance. But Rep Paul is a constitutionalist down to the bone, and he can never win with the special-interest blocs now cowtowed-to in the US. The special-interests all believe, like Obama, that the Constituion is just a guide and should be changed to suit them. Save your money, Rep Paul, sorry!
Ron Paul 2012: Apocalypse Now.
Maybe the Mayans were warning us about this guy.
Look at that face: there is a man who could ride a nuke into oblivion waving a ten-gallon hat and shrieking YEEEEEE-HAW all the way down.
Are you sure that its not "President Ron Paul -1912"?
Go ahead and run Paul. And take Palin as your running mate. I haven't had a good laugh in a long time. LOL.
We've already seen what's in your gene pool.
Anyone who could spawn such an idiot is not worthy of consideration for the highest office. Enough said.
He should stick to Texas and give Governor Goodhair,the brainless one, a run for his money.This guy couldnt handle foreign policy if it hit him in the face.
lets give it the old campaign spin Ron tell the american voters that
you want little government oversight and then you can let the your
butt buddies the oil companies to do what ever they want and lets not forget about your boy Randy and all that money that he is getting
from your boys in wall street
I sort of like this guy, but he needs to make his positions known in more detail. I suspect he named his son in part at least after Ayn Rand, and his son Rand is a Neanderthal maybe even beyond his namesake. My concern is sins of the parents, or is it other way 'round now...
Ron Paul should not run in 2012. He is just a spoiler for the Republican. He is a liberal and should not be treated as a Conservative candidate.
It really would be refreshing and do a whole lot of positive good for this country to have a third party involvement. The extremists of both present parties don't recognize the general public/independent voters concerns nor priorities.
I say – Jump in Ron, and give it a shot!
I could support a Ron Paul for sure. He may not be a "Mama Grizzly", but he definitely has common sense.