Millions of supporters are scooting closer to the edges of their seats thanks to a comment made by Congressman Ron Paul during an interview Tuesday with Alex Jones (pictured, left). When asked by Jones if he will seek the White House in 2012, the Texas representative said he will likely make the final decision within a month.
Regarding the process he is following in making his decision, Paul said, “We’re getting awfully close and there are just a few other things I have to iron out personally to make my final decision.”
The physician-turned-politician said whether or not he ultimately decides to enter the race has nothing to do with whether he will participate in the presidential debate that will be held in May in South Carolina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5lDIaBuQFY
Given Representative Paul’s libertarian leanings, it isn’t surprising that Jones would enquire as to Paul’s determination to continue flying the Republican colors.
“Right now I am still a Republican Congressman,” Paul told Jones, “and we did it last time as a Republican.” Paul was the Libertarian Party standard bearer in the 1988 presidential election, but ran as a Republican in the 2008 presidential primaries.
The congressman elaborated on his notion of the party system, saying he “believes political parties are irrelevant and the establishment-dominated Republican Party now serves as a vehicle for delivering his Libertarian message.” In the interview, Paul did say that he has not entirely ruled out a departure from the GOP.
In an article published by Politico, Congressman Paul’s son, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) admitted that signs are pointing to his dad’s eventual candidacy.
"I get every indication from looking at his schedule and hearing what he’s doing that I think he probably will," Senator Paul told Politico. "But that’s his decision to make."
Senator Paul might be facing a similar decision himself. Reports indicate that there is a substantial bloc of voters who are encouraging Senator Paul to seek the White House of his own accord.
Then there are others among the constitutionalist and Tea Party movements that would love to have their cake and eat it too by getting the chance to pull the lever for the dream ticket of Paul/Paul in 2012.
As for that possibility, the younger Paul’s only comment was that:
I think the tea party needs to have a seat at the table. I think that people who came from the tea party movement need to influence who the next nominee will be. Whether that will mean I will be an active participant or just someone trying to shape the process, I think time will tell.
While questions remain as to his electoral future, there is no question about Ron Paul’s overwhelming current popularity. As chronicled in The New American, in February, Ron Paul won the CPAC presidential straw poll for a second year.
It’s not just straw, but dough that reveals the strength of Paul’s popularity. Paul’s faithful supporters unhesitatingly put their money where their mouth is and they have vaulted him in the early fundraising lead ahead of fellow GOP presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
That healthy bottom line was fattened on February 21, 2011, when a grassroots-initiated effort was organized online with the goal of convincing the Congressman to run for President in 2012. An astonishing $700,000 was raised in just 24 hours.
The secret to his widespread following is likely the unfortunate uniqueness among his colleagues of his truly constitutional political philosophy, a philosophy summarized by Paul in the Alex Jones interview: "My most important goal is to promote individual freedom by reducing the size and scope of government and its intrusion into the lives of citizens.”
