Paul compares campaign to American Revolution at rain-soaked rally
Philadelphia (CNN) - Ahead of Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary, presidential hopeful Ron Paul painted his long-shot campaign as a new American revolution at a rain-soaked event outside Independence Hall.
“In our early history, we had a major undertaking overthrowing an empire,” Paul said. “And in some ways that is what we are doing now.”
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Paul’s supporters call his campaign the “Ron Paul Revolution,” and they turned out in a steady, hard rain outside the hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and adopted.
They stood with umbrellas drawn and ponchos on, even as the sound of rain smacking on the tents in the park made it difficult for people to hear the candidate.
“It is obvious that we need to change our foreign policy because of the cost,” Paul said. “Our foreign policy is a schizophrenic foreign policy – it is on again off again."
Though the Texas congressman finds himself behind former Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, according to the CNN delegate count, he consistently raises large sums of money. In the first quarter of 2012, the Paul campaign said they raised nearly $10.4 million, with nearly $2.6 million coming in March alone.
At the end of the speech, Paul handicapped the presidential race.
“When you run, you run to win. I have won elections 12 times, and that puts a stamp of approval and what we are doing,” Paul said. “We do know that the continuation of the spirit of liberty will persist no matter what, and that is what really counts.”
Before Paul took the stage, supporters listened to performances by Indianapolis musician Jordan Page and a speech on foreign policy by Michael Scheuer, the former head of the CIA unit that tracked al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. When Scheuer joked about a recent comments by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, about President Barack Obama being “stupid,” the crowd - which had been relatively quiet during the speech - roared at the comment.
“Senator Grassley’s term stupid is exactly the correct adjective to apply to people of both parities, the media and the academy,” Scheuer said.
Following his swing through Pennsylvania, the campaign turns their focus to Paul’s home state of Texas for events in El Paso, Austin and Houston. The Texas primary is on May 29.
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We had our legislative caucus here in Seattle on Saturday and Dr Paul was the hands down winner – we're sending 11 more Ron Paul deligates to the State Convention – Go RP
What I find funny? With all the "support" RP is supposed to have, why are his poll numbers consistently low? What has he not won a single state?
Uh...firstly, Ron Paul is not an Anarchist, as anyone who has listened to him speak for more than ten minutes at a time should be able to discern. Secondly...the ignorance in some of these comments is astounding. Bob, I take it you're not a US Historian? If you were, you would know that while they all had very different opinions from one another, most believed in much of what Paul now stands for – the prevention of Central Banks and strict adherence to the Constitution being chief among them (but by no means are these the only similarities). Larry, 'his' vision is great for anyone who is intelligent enough to understand and follow the Golden Rule.
Ron Paul going to get nominated or elected to the presidency? Nothing to see here. Move on.
Thank god this nutcase will never be president....ever.
*gasp* CNN actually admitting that Ron Paul exists? Wonder where the big stories are about the 10,000 people/4,500 people events that Paul's campaign has sparked? Oh, that's right...they're too busy getting Mitt's free subs in exchange for a vote and staged photo opportunity. When are GOPers going to wake up to the big problem that is Ron Paul? Point blank, Mitt can't win without Paul supporters and Paul's supporters would rather drop dead than to vote for party over conscience. And to those "how dare he compare his campaign to the American Revolution", give it a rest. Liberty and the continual acts to keep It REQUIRE persistence...which was his original point. Good luck winning this thing without Paul's peeps!
It's sad to see people like "Strategic Bob" and "Uh oh, Mitt. They're falling out of love ... again!" posting under Pseudonyms about something they clearly have no understanding of.
The US of A is in an tremendous mess right now and the path she is on is leading to a place *none* of you want to end up in, it no longer matters if you're a Democrat or Republican a Libertarian or Green party... You are already in a place where you can't litteraly *afford* not to listen to Ron Paul. You can no longer afford Big Government or an ever expanding Foregin Policy. You say you support the troops... Good then bring them HOME and let them defend the borders of the US of A instead.
Time to wake up.
Larry L..Pauls in know way an anarchist...but u might be a socialist...if what paul is saying and has said for almost 30 years bothers u..u might be living in the wrong country...This is a republic,,not a democracy,,,we govern the government,,not the government,,governing us...this is what paul is about...and this is why he will win
There were 4,300 attendees at that event, just for perspective.
Strategic Bob:
You're perfectly entitled to your opinion, but you did nothing in your little rant to show why you thought Ron Paul drawing a comparison between his campaign and the American Revolution was inaccurate, much less why the Founding Fathers would be incensed by it.
Ron Paul wants to bring an end to arbitrary taxation, clearly something to revolutionaries had a problem with. Ron Paul is also opposed to oppressive, centralized government that is out of touch with the far flung people it governs, which is why he wants to reign in unconstitutional federal powers and institutions, returning those powers to the states.
I suggest you read the Declaration of Independence and see for yourself how many of the grievances of the colonies resonate with regard our own Federal government today.
The current administration is slowly ripping the Constitution to shreds. Ron Paul's platform is in it's most basic form following the Constitution. What's so crazy about that? Not to mention his three decades of consistent voting record to back that up. Again, what's so crazy about a truly principled and honest politician? Oh wait, I know... "Truth is treason in an empire of lies."
US is dead, look most people support mitt and they still believe what MSM says as truth. it is too late to be able to wake up from the tv show.
Oh poor old Crazy uncle Paul, who let him off his medication and all his supports need serious meds also
From looking at some of the other comments it really shows how naive some Americans are. What are they afraid of by supporting Ron Paul? What is so wrong with trying something different for 4 years? Are you not tired of Bush,Bush,Clinton,Clinton,Bush,Bush,Socialist?
Those of you bashing Ron Paul have NO clue about the man that will one day be on the new gold backed currency. All you need do is educate yourselves on his voting record over his last 12, I repeat – 12 terms, and see that Ron Paul is today's Thomas Jefferson. He is the greatest American statesman alive! Educate yourselves before you blindly post negative comments.
this article is actaully fair. thanks CNN. there is no false accusations of racism, no idiocies about ron paul having only 50 delegates so far. thank you. as for the trolls who made the first comments, I will pray that you get what you diserve in the end.
the ron paul movement will never be stopped by main stream medias blackout,,,it will only make us stronger
That's what he wants his Paulbots to do at the GOBP convention in Tampa. Obama/Biden 2012!
Pffft, these comments crack me up. So many outrageous charges, red herrings and non sequiturs
i.e. Ayn Rand was narcisistic and self-promoting, therefore it logically follows that Paul is the same.
Ron Paul is an anarchist, ergo, he further proves this with words that border on treason and sedition
Guys, please; these are not arguments, they are lousy smears by association and ad hominen attacks.
If we had to correlate every historical figure's faults with all they inspire, you'd surely find guilty parties in your own back yard.
Amazing as people wish a system to change for the better, but they are so endowed to the current status quot that they are willing to protect dictatorship. Ron Paul is the only choice for a stable country to form outside of central banking interests.
I am saddened at the lack of insight I find in these comments. Posters seem to be pretty satisfied with the direction that Romney/Obama are willing to take this country. Personal liberty and government restraint aren't even considered. Perpetual wars and the bankrupting of our nation aren't in question? Thousands attend rallys to hear Dr Paul speak and yet you insist on the irrelevance of Ron Paul and insist that his supporters are somehow delusional! To the posters that I speak of, please, take a moment to educate yourself beyond what the media is spoon feeding you. Take a look at what Ron Paul really stands for instead of taking the media spin at face value. Just the fact that he and his gigantic rallys get no media attention at all should make any thinking man suspect!
I went to the rally and was really inspired. I couldn't believe there was 10,000 people there in the downpour and during a Flyers clinching playoff series game. About half the crowd was under 30 and all types of people were there. Larry L – look at Romney's speeches and your comments fit him better. The reference to overthrowing an empire made a lot of sense. The US today is very similar to the old British empire- troops all over the world to the point of bankrupting each nation (US almost there). Personal liberty also means personal responsibility – including those corporations & banks that in the current environment get way with murder (literally sometimes).
I still can't figure out why some people don't like his policies – End the wars, end the fed, end the government interference in our lives and balance the budget. And I would much give my money to the Salvation Army or other charities help people, then to the government,
I saw Dr. Paul speak last week in Ithaca to a diverse crowd of 4-5,000. He is the only man in politics willing to tell the truth, willing to admit that our current government has lost it's way and is stripping the rights of EVERY American...whether you call yourself democrat, republican, left or right, you are losing more and more civil liberties by the week. Wake up, inform yourself, step away from the mass media for just a moment and you'll see that Dr. Pauls message is the only way to restore our country and save the future of our children. The crowd I witnessed wasn't just white small town, they were a diverse crowd of well informed Americans.