Ron Paul takes the lead in Iowa.

[HalfLotus]

Where do you get the idea that his anti-war policies get only a "fair amount" of support? You realize the last two presidents were elected on peace/non-intervention platforms? (Granted, Shrub Jr.'s first term was pre-9/11)

A majority of Americans want the wars over and the troops home asap.

[Elok]

A fair amount, a large amount, it doesn't bloody matter if Ron looks bonkers.

[Imran Siddiqui]

?

Every time I've seen him talk, he started to answer the question asked but quickly digressed to a discussion of the gold standard and how the Fed is screwing over America's economy and so on, becoming visibly worked up the more he talked. By the end of any given answer he's so riled he's stammering and dropping clauses. While his anti-war policies get a fair amount of support, when he talks he comes across as Batty Grandpa.

Andrew Sullivan (who is very sympathetic to Paul) has made this point as well. Paul starts to really get on a good role and all of a sudden its back to the gold standard and the Fed and that ruins whatever Paul was trying to get at.

This is likely why he hadn't won any office above Congressman. He tried for US Senator in 1984, but couldn't get out of the primary.

[Felch]

He's a godawful public speaker, but that's no reason for the correspondent not to mention him.

[HalfLotus]

It's extremely rare for Paul to bring up the gold standard in interviews or debates. I can't remember him doing it even once this election cycle.

Auditing the Fed and exposing their many trillions in loans to foreign banks are populist proposals. Trying to paint them as kooky is foolish.

[molly bloom]

The incident I referred to, and that Molly saw fit to excise from the quotation....

Just playing my allotted role in the global conspiracy.

[OzzyKP]

It's extremely rare for Paul to bring up the gold standard in interviews or debates. I can't remember him doing it even once this election cycle.

Auditing the Fed and exposing their many trillions in loans to foreign banks are populist proposals. Trying to paint them as kooky is foolish.

I've seen him do it on multiple occasions. Imran is right. Even myself, as someone who intends to vote for Paul, find myself rolling my eyes half the time I hear him speak because he keeps going back to things like the gold standard and the fed.

His surge is genuinely inspiring though. If a nutty old man from Texas can do so darn well with a libertarian message, imagine what someone halfway polished could do?

[HalfLotus]

I would challenge you to find even one occasion. It is almost always the interviewers who bring it up, right after they insist that he wants to legalize heroine and have a tea party with Ahmadinejad.

Anyway, if it's still considered "nutty" for an honest man to run on peace, balanced budgets, and a modicum of transparency from our central bank, then we're in deep ****.

[giblets]

It looks like it's all over for Romney. According to Gingrich, Romney speaks French.

[Uncle Sparky]

Colbert Nation will Rise!

[Elok]

While I approve of Colbert running, I do feel bad for Huntsman, who's going to lose votes from the stunt. It's a shame that the least crazy Republican is going to be hurt the most by this.

[DaShi]

Good one, Elok.

[Elok]

I know, he had no chance of winning anyway, and Colbert was already ahead of him in SC without even trying. But seriously, most of the people who'd vote for Colbert for a laugh are the kind of people who might otherwise go for Huntsman. If they'd vote GOP at all, that is.

[DaShi]

It's a real pity. Four years ago, he'd be the experienced candidate that the republicans claimed they wanted. Somehow I don't think experience is going to be their theme in the next election.

[Sava]

I'd vote for Ron Paul over Obama.

Even though he's a wingnut, he won't have enough congressional support to turn back the clock to the 1800's. At the very least, he could make it easier to buy weed or grow it without fear of guys with guns knocking down your door.

A Paul administration would mostly just be legislative gridlock. I'm sure there will be a few genocides in some backwater areas. He wouldn't let the govt do anything for the economy... so everyone else will be operating with a plan but us. Because plans are dumb. Who ever had success with anything when they planned something?

And then he'll get booted out in 2016. By then, enough people will have smoked enough weed where it will be difficult to re-introduce prohibition.