(Ron) Paul: Not ready to endorse McCain, likes Obama's foreign policy

[sabra]

Source: CNN

(CNN) — Even though Rep. Ron Paul has never officially ended his long shot presidential bid, he’s ready to weigh in on the three remaining major candidates for the White House.

In an interview on The Situation Room, Paul told Wolf Blitzer that endorsing Sen. John McCain, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, “would really confuse” his supporters “because they know we have a precise program and we have to defend that program.”

Having a Republican win the upcoming presidential election is “secondary” for Paul who is more interested in defending the Constitution, having the country go in what he considers the right direction, having a sound currency, and achieving balanced budgets. Paul parts ways with McCain over McCain’s support for the Iraq war, his approach to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and his willingness to spend federal dollars to support military operations in Iraq.

Instead, Paul favors Sen. Barack Obama because of positions on foreign policy. “But that’s doesn’t mean that’s an endorsement,” Paul quickly added.



Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/02/paul-not-ready-to-endorse-mccain-likes-obamas-foreign-policy/

[TwilightGardener]

1. Ron Paul, Chuck Hagel and Colin Powell will all eventually support Obama, I predict.

[mopinko]

5. i agree

lots of "youngsters" around here. i told them i understood the appeal of a guy who just wanted to blow it all up. if he endorses barack, he is gonna unleash a real force.

[Yael]

6. The only force he is going to unleach is the NeoNazis into suicide pacts

[jasmine621]

16. Hagel is going to be McCain's VP, then what are you going to do?

Hagel may end up actually being the nominee once the GOP realizes that Obama will be Dem choice.

[TwilightGardener]

17. No way would he be McCain's VP, unless I totally misjudged him--or McCain.

Or the Republican party.

[kristopher]

27. Hagel refused to endorse McCain. nt

[Inuca]

36. There was only 1%

chance of that happening earlier. Now, after McCain's refusal to endorse the Webb/Hagel GI bill and sabotaging it with his own watered down and meaningless version, I think the chance of that happening has dropped to zero.

As to Hagel as nominee, I have no idea what you are talking about.

[Wabbajack_]

33. Zero chance Paul will endorse Obama

he's far right on fiscal issues.

[hokies4ever]

38. I am an Obama supporter

who likes Ron Paul as my 2nd favorite candidate. The reason is that both of them represent the same type of politics. They might differ on specific issues, but Ron Paul is closer to Barack Obama than he is to John McCain, and here is why:

1. Foreign policy. Ron Paul has already gone on record saying he likes Obama's foreign policy. Foreign policy is my #1 issue this fall, so I wasn't the least bit surprised. Ron Paul is against dumb wars, hates the Iraq War, but voted for the Afghanistan war. Very similar foreign policies.

2. Budget deficit. Ron Paul is closest to Obama. Obama repeatedly has talked about 'pay as you go' in his stump speeches. Ron Paul's economic policy is based on the same philosophy. One might think that McCain's disdain of earmarks will make him attractive to Ron Paul and his supporters, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Ron Paul has said that cutting earmarks doesn't solve the problem, because it doesn't decrease spending. It just transfers spending from the legislative branch to the executive branch, and Ron Paul correctly points out that the Constitution gives the legislative branch the power to appropriate the money, not the executive branch.

[Wabbajack_]

39. I don't agree with you

Paul wants to eliminate most spending and ban abortion.

I can't imagine a right-winger like him backing Obama. Some of his supporters will though sure, but not him. he'll probably endorse Barr or more likely sit on his hands.

[KamaAina]

2. Will wonders never cease

the man whose "Ron Paul Political Report" contained such gems as "order was only restored in L.A. (after the '92 rioting -Ed.) when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks." and "The criminals who terrorize our cities -- in riots and on every non-riot day -- are not exclusively young black males, but they largely are. As children, they are trained to hate whites, to believe that white oppression is responsible for all black ills, to 'fight the power,' to steal and loot as much money from the white enemy as possible."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/10/paul.newsletters/index.html

has stopped just short of endorsing an African American for President.

[Yael]

4. The enemy of my enemy is my friend

From the broken clock being right twice a day file -- Paul is to the left of Kucinich about the war.

[Blue_Tires]

24. i think he's dangling a quasi- almost endorsement

as a sort of extortion with the GOP, i.e., "Play nice with me, or i'll swing my base over to Obama or the libertarians...We will see what hand the GOP plays when the conventions come...

not sure how much good it will do, because it the internets are any indication, the average Paul follower wouldn't vote Dem with a gun to their heads...And what DID happen to all that cash Paul allegedly raised? this has been one of the weirder presidential campaigns i've ever seen run...

[Cosmocat]

29. Best case scenario ...

is if he goes back and actually makes an independent run ...

agree, while it might have SOME influence if he gives Obama some love, as you noted, his supporters have a disdain for Ds that rises above whatever dissatisfaction they have with the republicans ...

[lojasmo]

31. Most of the Paul supporters I know are leaning Obama anyway. EOM

[KnaveRupe]

35. Paul ran quite a few radio ads in PA.

His numerous supporters here have those huge 4x8' monstrosity signs and banners up...

I was shocked that he's still spending so much money on a campaign that's pointless and has no chance of succeeding, but then again, look at Hillary.

[Ian David]

32. Now, to be fair, Ron Paul himself never actually wrote those words.

He just allowed someone else to write those words-- and similar words-- for ten years, while never bothering to disavow them.

So, really, Ron Paul may not be a racist.

He may just take a laisez faire approach to what things are said in his name.

If so, he won't mind if I quote him thusly:

"I, Ron Paul, enjoy catching wild squirrels and having sex with them. Sex with wild squirrels has been a tradition in The Paul Family for generations. After we in The Paul Family have sex with the squirrels, it is traditional to eat them raw, while they are still filled with our fresh Paul-seed. That's good eatin. Oh, and we in The Paul Family, especially myself, Ron Paul, hate the Coloreds. They want to steal our squirrels. Squirrel-stealing Negros make it harder to keep-up with The Huckabees to beat their fuck-and-eat squirrel-hunting record each year.'"-- Ron Paul, The Paul Political Report.



Ron Paul- champion squirrel-fucker

[Yael]

3. Thanks! Will head over to Stormfront now to watch the self immolation

[mopinko]

7. you know what?

what would barack do? i have had to deal with some enemies around here, and we have to learn how. i know what you mean. but i suspect that barack will accept the eventual endorsement with class. so should we.

[Yael]

8. Um, ok

How about, "I applaud his stance on the war, but he is even loonier than Jeremiah Wright"?

He needs this baggage as much (if not less than) HRC chewing on his ankle in the VP running mate spot.

[beg1958]

9. "I applaud his stance on the war, but he is even loonier than Jeremiah Wright"

is the only time I have LOL today :) Thanks

[Yael]

11. You poor dear!!

For you:

[mopinko]

10. i am just tired of ankle chewing.

whatever you may think of the man, he has supporters. i understand how they feel. something has to give.

[Yael]

12. Yeah, I understand how his supporters feel too.

Unfortunately, I am half-Jewish, dual-citizen and simply don't give a flying fuck about his base.

:hi:

[Turner Ashby]

15. Since we don't need a three front war,

It's great if Ron Paul endorses Obama at all. The "lunatic" fringe of the Ron Paul supporter has been much exaggerated. It is like saying everyone who supports Hillary looks like Rosie O'Donnell.

[The Doctor.]

26. His base may well listen to him and support Obama. Is that a problem?

[Mojorabbit]

13. I know a lot of good people

who supported Ron Paul mostly on his stance on the patriot act and the war. Every little bit helps and if his followers can help put a Dem in the white house, I am all for it.

[Number23]

22. Very true

I know a lot of good people who supported Ron Paul mostly on his stance on the patriot act and the war.

Absolutely right. And the Republicans who hate Ron Paul for not supporting the war and trying to defend the ideals of small government will never vote Democratic anyway. So in light of this, I don't think Ron Paul saying Obama has some good foreign policy ideas is such a bad thing.

[slipslidingaway]

20. Agree and the only two candidates who voted against the IWR,

against the funding and also want to cut back on military spending are marginalized by the media and members of their own party.

:shrug:

Until we bring defense spending under control domestic programs will continue to suffer, first find the money and then we can argue about which programs to fund.

:eyes:

[The Doctor.]

25. There are a shitload of Libertarians and some confused folks who will go with a Paul endorsement.

And very few who will reject Obama merely because Ron Paul endorsed him... especially given the specific reasons.

[Kali]

14. Wow.

Lots of the wingers in my area are for Mr. Paul - him endorsing Obama would be very interesting.

[slipslidingaway]

18. Just watched the video and Ron Paul does NOT say that he likes

Obama's foreign policy and even points to Obama's record of voting to continue funding the wars.

When pressed by Wolf Blitzer to pick one of the three right now he said that he sees Obama as the least likely to expand the war and therefore he might be slightly better on foreign policy.


Ron Paul on CNN "The Situation Room" W/ Wolf Blitzer 5/2/08

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rBnkIBEukNo


sabra ---- I know it is the CNN title for the article, they can surely twist words.

:)

[mcollier]

19. Yeah that was an endorsement....

Thanks Ron... Join the movement... Your almost there...

[slipslidingaway]

21. I disagree, unless you forgot the sarcasm tag :) n/t

[losthills]

23. Ron Paul: Big fukkin whoop...

[sellitman]

28. Having. Racist Anti Semite endorse you isn't a plus in my book.

Paul is clearly nuts. His stance on the war is not enough for me to want his endorsement if I am Obama.

[Ian David]

30. I really wonder if Obama actually needs the Paultard vote.

I certainly don't want the Paultards coming here mucking about on DU, let alone in the Obama campaign.

And it's not like they have any money left to donate, after spending it all on spraypaint and home made highway signs.

[susankh4]

34. If Ron Paul endorses Obama...

that will be all the RW needs to prove Obama has gone off the deep end.

Maybe they should try an Obama/Paul ticket? That would be the only thing worse for Obama.

[roseBudd]

37. Ron Paul suuporters are a natural fit for Obama GOTV outreach

They are young, committed and enthusiastic