Topic: Ron Paul
Ron Paul out-draws McCain in Arizona? Lots of variables in play so take from it what you want, but it appears Rep. Ron Paul drew a bigger crowd in Arizona than Arizona Senator John McCain and President Bush.by A.J. Antimony
(libertarian)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul was in Phoenix last week for a freedom rally.
The campaign estimated about 700 people attended. Others guess as high as 800.
Presumptive Republican nominee and Arizona Senator John McCain also held a recent gathering in Phoenix. Sen. McCain was hosting a fund raiser which had to be moved from a public location to a private one since too few tickets were being sold.
The media estimates about 500 people showed up to his event.
Assuming these numbers are fairly accurate, then it appears that that crazy ass libertarian was able to draw more people to his rally then McCain was able to draw to his.
To be fair to Mr. McCain, his event charged people to attend. Something in the affordable $1000 range. Paul's event was free. However, Dr. Paul is not the presumptive Republican nominee and did not invite the President of the United States to town to help with his rally.
Ron Paul? Bigger crowd? In ARIZONA? Libertariowned!
The media however is estimating that the McCain gathering had slightly more enthusiastic supporters... NOT!
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article are those of A.J. Antimony only and do not represent
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I don't think I'm the only one who will never forget the time that, during one of the interminable T.V. debates, the camera lingered lovingly over McCain's hyena grin as Paul tried to interject some reason into the squabble. McCain trying a cheap cut-up to please the partisan crowd. A hero? My ass. Up to then I was willing to be persuaded that McCain (and his giggling friend, Lieberman) might be decent people. I am a registered Republican and I will never vote for McCain. Paul is the man.
The numbers of enthusiastic, warm bodies at conventions and rallies for Ron Paul speak for themselves. However, more and more of Ron Paul's supporters are finding it increasingly odd how contradictory these numbers are to the reported primary results from voters.
Just who are these people that are reportedly voting for McCain over Ron Paul, when McCain seems to have such lackadaisical support? And do they even exist?
I say they are a product of the voting machines. Let's examine some of the recent results:
Ron Paul received one of his highest percentages of 24% in the Idaho primary. Not coincidentally, 1/3 of the 44 counties in Idaho do not use electronic voting machines. That is to say, 15 counties use paper ballots, while the remaining counties use either punch cards or DRE opti-scans.
In Indiana, where it was reported that Ron Paul received a piddling 8% of the votes, it wasn't surprising, then, to discover that 100% of that state uses Diebold and DRE opti-scan machines (Direct-Recording Electronic, as in no paper trail).
In a "progressive" state like Pennsylvania, it was reported that Ron Paul received a surprisingly low 16% of the vote. Not surprising, then, that Pennsylvania voters only have access to 100% Diebold, ES&S and other touch-screen DRE machines. Same thing in California, where it was reported that Ron Paul only received 4% of the votes -- 100% Diebold DRE machines were used.
And if many of you wonder how McCain got even that many votes in Idaho, I'm willing to bet that a large percentage of those were reported in the counties that did not use paper ballots.
The bottom line? Paper ballots translate to higher percentage of votes for Ron Paul.
Freedom is popular. Ron Paul is popular. But only if paper ballots are used, will our votes and numbers be truly counted.
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