Paul suspends presidential campaign; forms new organization
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/12/art.paul.gi.jpg caption="Ron Paul is suspending his presidential campaign."]WASHINGTON (CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Thursday he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to focus his time on building an organization to help recruit and elect “limited government Republicans.”
“We want to elect constitutionalists, limited government Republicans across the country at the state and federal level,” said Paul spokesman Jesse Benton.
The congressman will speak about his political plans at the Texas Republican State Convention being held in Houston. Late Thursday afternoon, Paul launched a Web site for his new organization where he explained the decision to suspend his presidential campaign and form “Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty.”
“With the primary season now over, the presidential campaign is at an end,” Paul said in the letter. “But the larger campaign for freedom is just getting started.”
Arizona Sen. John McCain locked up the GOP nomination back in March, but unlike his fellow Republicans running for president, Paul never abandoned his White House bid.
Paul’s decision to leave the race is an acknowledgment he had no chance of winning the GOP nomination. But even in loss, Paul is one of a handful of candidates who walked away from this presidential contest a winner. His presidential campaign had a broad base of support that included traditionally fiscal and socially conservative Republicans to young people who were angry about the U.S. decision to wage war against Iraq.
The Internet helped to tie together his group of supporters who joined the “Ron Paul Revolution.”
“The work of the Campaign for Liberty will take many forms,” Paul wrote in the letter posted on his Web site. “We will educate our fellow Americans in freedom, sound money, non-interventionism, and free markets. We’ll have our own commentaries and videos on the news of the day. I’ll work with friends I respect to design materials for homeschoolers."
He added, “Politically, we’ll expand the great work of our precinct leader program. We’ll make our presence felt at every level of government, where just a few people with our level of enthusiasm can make a world of difference. We’ll keep an eye on Congress and lobby against legislation that threatens us. We’ll identify and support political candidates who champion our great ideas against the empty suits the party establishments offer the public.”
Paul will not endorse McCain, unless the Arizona senator “wants to change some of his positions,” Benton said. But Benton added that this effort in no way is intended to hurt McCain in November.
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I still trying to understand why someone wouldn't want limited government...I think the more people listen to libertarian ideas, the more it will be embraced...Ron Paul has a great deal of support among young people and hopefully that will translate into a new way of viewing governments role for future generations
Why I wont vote for McCain…
1st. McCain has a reputation as a politician who has difficulty keeping his pants zipped, according to Republican sources. He acknowledges that his adultery broke up his first marriage.
2nd. McCain's second wife Cindy, the daughter of a wealthy Budweiser beer distributor, was addicted to prescription narcotics and even stole hard drugs from a medical charity that she ran.
3rd. In 1995, McCain sent birthday regards, and regrets for not attending, to Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonano, the head of the New York Bonano crime family, who had retired to Arizona. Another politician to send regrets was Governor Fife Symington, who has since been kicked out of office and convicted of 7 felonies relating to fraud and extortion.
Also he was a founding member of the Keating Five. If you dont know you better do some research on who you are voting for.
OBAMA 08
Paul should have stayed in the race since Rep have doubts about his ability to win. Nancy Pelosi should not have said Dem will not impeach Bush. I have no opinion however, If he or any state or federal judge, senator, gov, mayor, attorney general or ADA or anyone that commits an criminal offense should be prosecuted like anyone ordinary citizen in the criminal justice system. To let Bush go when their exist evidence lends precendence for future president by the dem party and leads to corruptible acts in the Dem party not to prosecute or impeach government officials. It appears to be a trade off or stand off,, let one of mine go we let one of your go. This is not fair to the american people who are tried and convicted for criminal offenses. If anyone in government or public becomes aware of corruption then their is an obligation to expose it and tried does for their conduct. thats what I expect of the next president. If Nancy Pelosi stands by her statement than that leads to not prosecuting people in their own party rep or dem
What a joke!! Again where is the ppl that were voting for this joker? LOLL so funny hahahhahah!!!
What happened to the Revolution March on Washington.....was it not suppose to be today??
Shucks Paul! We were counting you to give the GOP a bad case of heartburn!
"What." is absolutely correct. Anyone - women in particular - who decide to vote for McCain simply because they DON'T want Obama need to check McCain's voting record on womens' issues.
He's opposed legislation that would help womens' health care and medical insurance issues, among other bills that relate to women.
Add to that his opposition to the G.I. bill sponsored by Jim Webb, and other critical legislation he has OPPOSED, and it all begs the question: WHAT DOES THIS MAN SUPPORT???
He misspeaks entirely too much and has way too many senior moments for me.
Maybe now he can join the party which stands for freedom: the Libertarians!
I know America is doomed now. The only honest politician running for President is out. God help us!!!
Ron Paul is not looking to be VP. Anyone who would think that is extremely ignorant to Ron Paul. My hat is off to Dr. Paul. I thought I was alone in my desire for limited government and a society where freedom has the final say, until Ron's awesome and bold campaign. He was overlooked by major media outlets and his opponents disrespected him like it was a team sport. RON PAUL-A TRUE PATRIOT!
More government with limited intelligence, please.
In Reagan's era the Republicans were fiscally conservative and, while Reagan is still the patron saint of the party, Ron Paul is a marginal figure in the party of runaway spending and mismanaged big federal agencies...
How come that the leading advocate of fiscal conservativism is a marginal figure in the GOP?
@Angus: He's not trying to get a VP slot. In fact when he was asked about that he said he didn't think he'd ever be offered, but that he wouldn't accept unless McCain changed his positions. Just as he said in the article he wouldn't endorse McCain unless he changed a bunch of positions. If he won't endorse there is no way he'll accept a VP slot. Not that McCain would ever offer him the VP slot to begin with.
McCane is an arcane man with arcane views about women.
Have you noticed how he treated his wife? He left a sick wife to climb on the shoulder of his new young one, Cindy.
How can any of Hillary's supporters even think for one second that they can vote for this guy, is beyond me.
I can understand if they don't vote at all, but I cannot understand how they can lower themselves to the level of John McCane?
ZZZZzzzzz... ZZZzzzzz... Ron Who?
Ron Paul should stay away from the Republican party. He was my second choice for president, after Obama. (Though I'm am a little wary now of Texas Republicans.)
It didn't surprise me that he dropped out. I think Ron Paul is probably one of the most honest and best politicians we have that supports the american people and respects their needs and request. I hate that I cannot support his party for president "liberterian" right now because the stakes are to high with that socialist anti- american Obama running. I will vote for John McCain because of that fact. I will be more than happy to support anybody that he wants to endorse for the house or senate.
I Am Still Not Voting For Mccain!
Ron Paul already said he would not endorse McCain....unless he (McCain) changed some of his views.
he's obviously going to endorse bob barr
I'm with you Ron Paul. I'm not much of a Republican, but your vision of US foreign policy and fair, respectful international diplomacy is better than the other two "let's bomb Iran and Pakistan" jokers.
-–What-- Show some Respect for Hillary. Her name is not Billary
It's wierd how people who have no idea about Ron Paul feel inclined to comment on an article about him. First of all John McCain will never ask RP to become his running mate, and for some strange reason he did, RP would decline. The reason being is because Ron Paul couldn't disagree more with McCain and his policies.
You all have only begun to feel the impact of the revolution...
Ron Paul IS the only true Republican left! I, personally, will vote obama this year, but Ron gave me pause.. He was the only one in the GOP field who had a clue about real people and our nation. He was not cynical or bought off.
I'm glad he is there to remind the GOP how far they've fallen.
I'm with you NH, Texas. That would go against sooooo much of what he's been campaigning for.