Posted: October 12, 2007 3:26 PM
Paul Gives Constitution First Billing in NewsHour Interview
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Rep. Ron Paul sat down with the NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff Thursday for an in-depth interview to be aired Friday about the Texas congressman’s popularity with young people, his libertarian ideas and his plan for America. 
Paul repeatedly linked his position that U.S. soldiers should immediately come home from Iraq to his view that the size of the federal government should be reduced dramatically.
Under a Paul administration, the United States would remove its forces from around the country and use the military only to defend U.S. borders. This would include effectively eliminating the Central Intelligence Agency, which Paul blamed for installing dictators and starting America’s problems in the Middle East.
The self-declared Republican constitutionalist criticized the United States for supporting a “puppet government” in Saudi Arabia and helping to incite radical Muslims against America. Paul compared American interventionist foreign policy and fiscal policy to the doomed Soviet Union, arguing that an overextended nation, or empire, will crumble violently. By following the Constitution, Paul said, the United States can save itself from financial ruin.
“Empires end badly because they are too expensive,” he said.
As President, Paul said he would strictly adhere to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which reserves to Congress the right to declare war.
“I don’t accept the notion that we can police the world,” he told Woodruff.
In a recent NBC Republican debate in Michigan, Paul sparred with front runner former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani on the issue, challenging the notion that the U.S. can attack nations in response to the “19 thugs” who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Paul also spoke about domestic issues, laying out a vision of America where the most contentious issues would be hashed out by local governments, not the federal government.
For example, the federal government should have no role in regulating abortion or school prayer Paul said, arguing that local communities should be able to decide those difficult issues on their own.
Furthermore, Paul said that schools, airplanes and chemical plants should provide for their own private security instead of relying on the government for those services.
On the campaign trail, Paul remains a paradox. USA Today reports that while Paul has never polled above 4 percent in a national poll, he raised five times the campaign donations as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who placed second in the Iowa straw poll.
Paul’s $5.1 million in Internet-fueled cash put his campaign bank account ahead of Arizona Sen. John McCain.
Paul explained his popularity with young people and his ability to raise impressive campaign funds as a response to a failed government. His message of freedom, Paul told Woodruff, is very popular with young people who are disillusioned with the federal government.
As the Republican primary inches closer, it looks like Paul will either have to pull off a mythical comeback or sit out the race. Paul communications director Jesse Benton confirmed that if Paul is not the Republican candidate in early 2008, he will not run as a third party candidate. Benton said that the cost of competing as a third party candidate will be too great for Paul to pull off.
In the NBC debate, Paul also said that he would not endorse any other Republican candidate for president who did not support a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
“No, I’m not going to support them if they continue down the path that has taken our party down the tubes,” Paul said of his fellow Republicans during the debate. “I mean, we’ve lost credibility because of all our spending, because we have violated the civil liberties of all the American people, and we have adopted the Democrats’ foreign policy.”
-- By , NewsHour with Jim Lehrer | Comments | Link
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"On the campaign trail, Paul remains a paradox..." Ron Paul is a paradox to the MSM only because MSM is too busy chasing Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, OJ Simpson, Hillary Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, et al., of the same ilk, because they are celebrities. Celebs sell, because they are famously inconsequential, perverted, notorious, inconsistent to a fault, or such an outrageous demagogue. MSM gets eyeballs, ears and no brains to tune in to their broadcasts, which they call news. 20 some odd minutes of bent-ertaining stories, aka whatUseeISwhatUshouldBELIEVE. When news depts and their editors became a factor of Nielson ratings and shares and overnights, they lost their privilege to be believed. It was only a matter of time before an alternative would replace them. It has and they are in denial or in a panic. Ron Paul has 7.7 MILLION pages on Google for Ron Paul. That's eyballs, ears and something in between. And when Madison Avenue figures this out, a 15 second spot on nightly news will sound like a cup with a few coins in it. News Hour - any numbers on how many more tuned in than normal to watch a RP interview that had a 24 hour advance notice on the web? Have you checked how many hits this post has had or how many blogs are linking this post to share? BTW, thank you very much for doing the Ron Paul interview. Great stuff.
Ron Paul will not need any "mythical comeback." Las Vegas odds already have him significantly ahead of John McCain. The reason his poll numbers are low is due to poor name recognition and the fact that most voters aren't paying attention to the election yet. Look for significant poll movement in both Iowa and New Hampshire starting after Thanksgiving. I remember John Edwards was polling at 2% nationally in November 2003, and ended up with 32% in Iowa! With the amount of grassroots support that Ron Paul has, expect him to finish in at least 2nd place in Iowa, and to win the New Hampshire primary.
All I know is that when I see Ron Paul supporters, they include young and old, black and white and people from all walks of life talking about their candidate and spending their own time and money getting their message out there. I think the polls are underestimating him.
I was impressed by balanced interview conducted the reporter. The Real ronpaul was exposed ! thank you PBS.
Eisenhower once said: "We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom."
Can anyone in the GOP besides Ron Paul truly uphold this motto ? I think not, and that is a shame brought on by our current "military-industrial-political complex". Eisenhower was the one who originally coined that warning too. If one digs deep, they will find that the best man or woman for President is Ron Paul. Besides protecting America's freedoms, he'll also be best at protecting our neighbor's freedom (and lives) too. I had a chance to meet Ron Paul, and hearing this honest and intelligent man has motivated me to do what I can for his campaign.
Tony Rajoppe, San Diego
What a great interview tonight!!! Ron Paul has to be our next President for he alone provides the vision and the change of course that America needs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG2PUZoukfA
The above is a link to the top ranked video on youtube today.
Thanks for allowing Congressman Paul sufficient time to articulate ideas that are difficult to condense into sound bites. This depth is reason I watch the NewsHour.
just clicked Ron Paul's name twice. Saw Hillary twice. Wonder how that stacks up in your polls?
That was the most professional interview I've seen so far. Thank you, Judy Woodruff...Excellent job! Dr. Paul was absolutely awesome, as always.
Ron Paul 2008!!!
I am a relatively poor man living in Columbia SC. White, semi-educated, working for less then $40000 per year. For the first time ever I have participated in this campaign (although I quietly supported Gore vs. Bush, and even Kerry vs. Bush) - I have donated to Ron Paul - $45.00, and I have purchased signs for my yard and stickers and magnets for my cars. Like the Romans, like the British, we will collapse into "second-rate" status on the global stage, if we do not CONSOLIDATE for EFFICIENCY. Moving money from excessive foreign presence and placing it into healthcare during a transition that will lead to cities and states taking care of themselves with limited and regulated help from the feds. A lighter more efficient government can RESPOND FASTER to national security threats. We have too many scary acronyms (NSA, DOHS, CIA), we need to reduce and consolidate, this is the original Republican way, and it is also the way we need a this time to prevent a depression like never before seen - US Bankruptcy. Totally possible. Thank you for providing a forum to express my views PBS!!
Judy Woodruff reported in an unbaised manner and produced real questions that got real answers. Thanks
Ron Paul for US for President
He is the most AMERICAN politician I have come to see in a long time. More power to him, and I am hoping that he'll get as much air time (especially on fox news) as other candidates.
Thank you Judy! The one time I can remember ever being disappointed by anything on the NewsHour was a 1996 interview by Judy with the then-candidate of the Libertarian Party and I complained here that she had been gratuitously argumentative. This time, her interview allowed Ron Paul's delightful personality and refreshing world view to shine through. He's the only Republican who makes any sense any more.
rl summers wrote:
Can anyone in the GOP besides Ron Paul truly uphold this motto?
This is a point I made to my wife was we watched the interview. No one is saying what Ron Paul is saying, and making sense. But he's only communicating what his principles have always been. This is no calculated message to win an election. It's time for America to catch up with Ron Paul...back to the future. Tell all your friends and family.
Thank you NewsHour for interviewing Ron Paul.
THANK YOU immensely, Judy Woodruff and PBS for airing the great interview with Dr. Ron Paul! To my thinking, he expresses more COMMON SENSE than all the other candidates put together! Common sense and true integrity are rare in DC these days, where Congress primarily does whatever is necessary to get themselves re-elected, not what is right, and good for the country. (wasting $billions in the process)
Ron Paul is refreshing, very American, and thinks like the founders of this great nation must have thought, and the way true Americans in heart still think.
Bush policies are rapidly bankrupting this nation, and electing anyone besides Ron Paul will mean more of the same, and worse.
Ron Paul is the only Revolutionary running, and that's what it will take to spare this great nation from imminent destruction and financial ruin.
THANKS AGAIN, PBS!!!
A breath of fresh air.
Truly the first time I have ever heard anyone say anything that made common sense to date.
Thank you "RON PAUL"
And Thank you Judy Woodruff for letting everyone hear and see Ron Paul. " WONDERFULL"
Judy did a fantastic job with the interview. Ron Paul was himself and proved to many what his supporters already knew a true statesman with integrity and sound solutions to our headed for failure policies. He is so empowering with such a compassionate delivery, a man worthy of everyones support. A man that god would be proud of.
Support and donate we need to show the elite what we want.
Very good interview with Congressman Ron Paul. Judy Woodruff and PBS have done an excellent job with an extremely fair and balanced interview. Ooops, wrong network. ;-)
Some fought themselves, some fought each other, but most just followed one another, lost and aimless like their brothers.
For their hearts were so unclear, and the truth could not appear, their spirits were divided into hollow hemispheres.... Republicans vs Democrats
We went to Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction, but instead, became them.
Thank You PBS, what a fantastic moment in human history.
Ron Paul 2008