Ron Paul: I’m the ‘flavor of the decade’
(CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul said Sunday that his presidential campaign rises above the temporary ebbs and flows of the Republican nominating process.
“We’ve had the flavors of the month up and down so far in this campaign,” Paul told CNN’s “State of the Union with Candy Crowley” in reference to different candidates reaching front-runner status, and then declining just as quickly.
Meanwhile, his campaign keeps “plodding along on the issues that are really striking a chord with the people,” Paul said of his third bid for the GOP nomination.
“I’d like to think of myself as the flavor of the decade,” he said.
Paul will retire at the end of his 12th congressional term after next year’s election, even if his presidential ambitions fall short. He expressed optimism that some supporters of businessman Herman Cain, who dropped out of the race Saturday, would now back his campaign.
In particular, Paul cited Cain’s support from tea party conservatives as a point of connection with his unorthodox policies and style.
“Actually, the tea party was started last cycle with our campaign,” Paul said. “There are a lot of people that did like the independent-mindedness of Herman Cain, so I think we’ll probably do better” with the addition of former Cain supporters.
Asked about a perception that he would not fare well in a general election against President Barack Obama, Paul said he can generate support from beyond the traditional Republican backers.
“You don’t win with just with a hard-core Republican base. You have to have a candidate that’s going to appeal across the political spectrum,” Paul said. “I think with my views, they’re quite different than the hard-edge views (that) so many on the Republican side are frequently showing.”
Also see:
Cain suspends presidential campaign
Reporter's Notebook: The Rise and Fall of the real Herman Cain
Cain Iowa supporters: Media 'took a good man down'
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Ron Paul the true last American Hero , , , even Chuck Norris Back hims !
If republicans want our votes they have to nominate Ron Paul or Jon Huntsman
If democrats want our vote they have to give 5Hrs energy drinks to Obama every 5 hrs
Both won’t happen so we request Ron Paul to run as third party candidate
Am a democrat and now for the first time am voting for a real change am voting for Ron Paul.
I like Ron Paul because he thinks for himself and can't be manipulated. And that's exactly why the GOP hates him.
If memory serves me right, the only thing Obama had stacked against him during the primaries was that he was a senate newcomer and he voted on his party line. Every one of the GOP candidates has several damaging items stacked against them. If I were a republican I would be praying for an independent, and no it shouldn't be Ron Paul....he has said the craziest crap in the past. The only viable candidate is Buddy Roemer and you won't hear that much about him due to media bias.
Well Stanley, it just goes to show you – we have had SARAH DARLIN', MICHELE DARLIN', HERMAN "CAIN I HOLD YOUR HAND", PERRY WITH FLACCID POLITICAL SAVVY, HUNTSMAN WITH THE "WHO IS HE?" CAMPAIGN, TRUMPs ARE FAKE DIAMONDS, MITT WHO IS SOOOOOOOOO WELL LIKED BY THE TEANUT-GOP, NEWT WITH THE STRADDLING ACT, and now MR. PAUL.
..
Does this mean that GRANDPA IS GOING TO BE PRESIDENT, OLLIE ?
..
..Well Stan, ONLY IF HE CAN STAY AWAKE DURING THE CONVENTION.
Too bad that flavor is musty, old, and unpaletable.
Ron Paul would destroy the US. But the Paul-bots don't care. They know he will take them to the home planet if elected.
Too bad the "flavor of the decade" has gone rancid!
Keep the momentum going Dr.Paul.. you're the only man who can really turn this country around.. Ron Paul 2012
Ron Paul is the flavor of the 1800's.
I find Ron Paul to be more amusing, than anything else. You can't really take him seriously, even though some of his ideas are ok, because some of his ideas are just ridiculous.
One thing that appears to be needed, though, is that he needs a hearing aid. I am fairly certain, he does not hear well out of one ear.
Ron Paul would never never win the Whitehouse but he is 100 times smarter than Donald Trump and would never be caught dead on Trumps reality show like Ronmey,Perry or Gingrich
Ron Paul will turn this country around alright, till we're headed back to the 18th century.
Dr Paul,
I admire your position on the current political situation in USA.
Other presidential candidates are not brave enough to face the truth. They are more worry about the political correctness than the future of the country.
You are the true Patriot.
At least he has Ideas(worthy of all the other candidates stealing). The status quo sure is an angry bunch. They fear real change and common sense.
I keep reading people saying some of his ideas are crazy.. which ideas? I see what were doing now as pretty crazy. Huge deficits, massive debt, shrinking liberties, massive militarism. What are we doing now that is working?
WhereIsPalin,
How would he destroy the US? Are you saying we are not destroying ourselves right now? We are repeating the same actions that have destroyed every great empire in history
Cain started that flavor of the month thing.......I wanted to tell him and all of the rest of these candidates that "Flavor of the month" generally refers to ice cream.......................remember,...ice cream melts when things get too hot!!!!!!!!
Nice write-up! Let's hope many supporters of the Cain Train will jump to the maverick Paul instead of the establishment candidates.
Ron is way too far "out THERE" If he's the nominee, there must also be a Coherent VP choice.
So Ron is retiring unless he becomes President? That doesn't give me much confidence in his drive. Sounds more like he wants to put his rocking chair on the porch of the White House. Republicans will never support someone who doesn't believe in Imperial America. His ideas about the military and foreign affairs will always make him a Republican never-ran.
Ron Paul is the only one up there who does not pander or sell out to interest groups. As Jon Stewart said, Ron Paul seems to have principled and honest integrity. Americans don't usually go for that. The funny part is that of all the negative comments calling him crazy I have yet to hear concrete evidence of why they are crazy without taking his views out of context or twisting them around.
@ Vic, From Nashville
Why don't you and your other independent friends who like Dr. Paul vote in the republican primary for him. You have an open primary in Tennessee so just show up on the day of the primary with all of your like minded friends and vote for Ron Paul!
Nothing can stop Paul.
Ron Paul 2012!!!!
Ron Paul, the Lyndon LaRouche of the Republican Party.