2008 Woodie Awards
The persistent politician
Kevin Robillard
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
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As Paul walked up to the podium, he waved his arms for quiet. Silence filled the room. He began his speech and mentioned the suspension of his presidential campaign.
One voice could be heard above his speech and the crowd: "Write-in!"
While Paul's supporters may not be large in number, they definitely never give up.
Paul, a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, endorsed five Maryland congressional candidates in the Comcast Center's Pavilion Gym last night to a crowd of about 250. While Paul's views may place him outside the mainstream of his party (withdrawal from Iraq) and of American politics (abolishing the Federal Reserve, withdrawing troops from Germany, Korea, and Japan), his followers are exceptionally devoted.
No presidential campaign except perhaps Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) made as much use of the Internet as Paul's did. There, his supporters organized meetings, planned events, and shared information and enthusiasm.
Junior business major Alan VanToai sent Facebook invitations to dozens of people for Paul's speech on the campus last night.
"I wouldn't do that for anybody else but Ron," he said before Paul's speech. "I'm super anxious."
Mike Davis, a member of Maryland Students for Liberty who introduced Paul, said in a speech he used to not care about politics.
"That all changed when I head Ron Paul speak last year at the first Republican debate and he said things that actually made sense," he said.
Anthony Salvato, a sophomore computer engineering major, had a similar experience after seeing videos of Paul's speeches online.
"I thought to myself, 'Wow, this guy makes sense,'" he said while in the VIP room before the event, which he paid $150 to enter for the chance to meet Paul.
Maryland Students for Liberty President (no relation to Mike) Brian Davis expressed the one core belief that unifies Paul's supporters: "They don't need people in Washington to tell them what to do."
Paul's main purpose was to lend support to Republican congressional candidates, such as Richard Matthews, a 28-year-old running for congress in the state's 2nd Congressional District. Matthews started out as a Ron Paul meetup organizer last year.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 26
ALEX SMYTHE
posted 10/10/08 @ 7:56 AM EST
Interesting.....I attended this event and made a point of trying to count the amount of people who were there I lost count at 487 and would estimate that the crowd was between 500 and 700. (Continued…)
Scott G
posted 10/10/08 @ 9:01 AM EST
"We concluded that with him working against our party, we couldn't support him, nor would we want to."
This is why McCain is going to lose in a landslide this November. (Continued…)
Harold Owen
posted 10/10/08 @ 9:57 AM EST
Thank you for covering this event and for the story.
Parke
posted 10/10/08 @ 10:07 AM EST
Damn right we dont give up. Do some research and find out that he has predicted this current mess we are in for some years now. He tells the truth and uses common sense to create solutions. (Continued…)
Eric Ketchum
posted 10/10/08 @ 10:11 AM EST
It's not that Ron Paul is working against John McCain, it's that McCain is a pro-war, pro-inflation, Anti-Constitution republican, and these values are not in line with true republican routes. (Continued…)
Bridget Panzer
posted 10/10/08 @ 10:23 AM EST
Ron Paul endorsed chuck Baldwin for president and that is who I am voting for.
David K
posted 10/10/08 @ 10:24 AM EST
Great article
Ron Paul is a true lover of the constitution and has been for his entire adult life.
He served in the military a long time something John McCain never acknowledges because it undermines his poster boy record. (Continued…)
blakmira
posted 10/10/08 @ 10:56 AM EST
As the first politician I've ever heard in my lifetime daring to speak the truth and going against the status quo, Ron Paul is a rarity and truly one in a million; the one exception to the rule that all government politicians are corrupt, egocentric, power-hungry sociopaths from an elitist sect that will say and do anything to get elected. (Continued…)
immigrant
posted 10/10/08 @ 12:39 PM EST
Ron Paul IS one of the only mainstream types left in the Republican party. People like Amnesty Mccain and Il Duce Giuliani are outside the mainstream. (Continued…)
Alan VanToai
posted 10/10/08 @ 12:49 PM EST
That's me making the ugly ass face in the picture ;) My quote didn't do the situation justice - anxious was an understatement - I was giddy like a 10 year old girl at a Spice Girls concert. (Continued…)
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