Althouse: "The Romney-Paul alliance is more than a curious connection."

February 1, 2012

"The Romney-Paul alliance is more than a curious connection."

"It is a strategic partnership: for Paul, an opportunity to gain a seat at the table if his long-shot bid for the presidency fails; for Romney, a chance to gain support from one of the most vibrant subgroups within the Republican Party."

25 comments:

Revenant said...: Both men seem like decent folk, especially for politicians. Possibly because they both enjoyed success in non-political careers.

It would be nice to see Paul given a role in a Romney administration. It would certainly go a long way towards assuaging Tea Partier doubts.; 2/1/12, 8:34 PM
shiloh said...: Quid pro quo lol as Paul's voters are quite independent, especially re: moderates.

Independent as in any 3rd party independent, but as always, keep hope alive!

hmm, would Paul sell-out to mittens?; 2/1/12, 8:41 PM
Joanna said...: Ron Paul 2012 -- for Secy of the Treasury; 2/1/12, 8:46 PM
Tim said...: I think Ron Paul's positions on too many issues nutty.

But after reading this, I have respect for his engagement in the process. For all the caterwauling about "the Establishment" and Romney, Paul as recognized the only way to influence the game is to be in the game.

There's a lesson there.

Sitting it out because the Republicans didn't nominate your "better" candidate (funny, since a majority of fellow Republicans thought someone else better) is just petulant childishness.

Figures Gingrich would be that crowd's candidate, doesn't it?

Grow up, people.; 2/1/12, 8:55 PM
edutcher said...: This is the WaPo saying this so a grain of salt is in order.

How much has Captain Tin Foil said against Newt or Santorum?

Or Herman or Mrs Bachmann, for that matter?

He had a few things to say about Perry, IIRC (not a lot of love there, it would seem), but most of his stuff is just his opinion.; 2/1/12, 8:58 PM
Writ Small said...: With libertarian Revenant defending Romney, Althouse blog imitates life.; 2/1/12, 9:10 PM
Sprezzatura said...: These piece reads like it was pushed by the Romney folks.

I skimmed, but it looked like there was only one Paul person who contributed. They said that obviously Paul wants to be at the convention. Which is...obvious. It is so obvious that it would be true regardless of the nominee. It beats the Rally for the Republic.

BTW, Paul has had ads attacking Romney.; 2/1/12, 9:21 PM
Chip S. said...: Wheels within wheels.; 2/1/12, 9:23 PM
gadfly said...: Well, I am not buying the WaPo spin for a minute. The Palinistas, even now, outnumber the Paulites - but there was no Mitt friendship afloat with the Palins (even though Sarah could teach him how to hunt varmits).

Crazy Ron is not a one-percenter, so he will need an income after politics -- and I am sure that he can no longer make a living delivering babies. In the meantime, he syphons off a few conservative votes from Newt's constituency.; 2/1/12, 9:32 PM
Wince said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/1/12, 9:46 PM
Andy said...: Both men seem like decent folk

Ron Paul is a racist.; 2/1/12, 11:11 PM
Wince said...: It's also a way to cut Gingrich off at the pass.

Paul's monetary philosophy is akin to that of Perry and his supply-side supporters like Steve Forbes.

Gingrich wants that wing of the party to coalesce around him, not Romney.

Romney, obviously, wants to deny Newt that opening.

Prediction: watch Romney's tax plan 2.0, which he said he'd release shortly, embrace a lot of the Perry-Forbes supply-side tax principles as well.; 2/1/12, 11:27 PM
Revenant said...: With libertarian Revenant defending Romney, Althouse blog imitates life.

What was I defending him against? All I said was he seems like a decent person.; 2/1/12, 11:28 PM
Anonymous said...: Ron Paul is a racist.

And yet it's liberals who claim that blacks just can't compete with whites and Asians, so must be given preferences over them, in schools, at jobs, getting mortgages, etc.

Paul doesn't want any racial preferences. I guess in the mixed up liberal mind thinking that blacks can achieve the same as whites and Asians without government help is racist.; 2/1/12, 11:30 PM
Revenant said...: Ron Paul is a racist

Even if that was true, why would I care? I'm just a "typical white person".; 2/1/12, 11:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Andy is an anti-Christian bigot -- as bad as or worse than any racist or anti-Semite.

Anti-Christian bigot Andy.; 2/2/12, 2:28 AM
Steve Koch said...: The three people most capable of starting a 3rd party candidacy from the right are Paul, Trump, and Palin. It looks like Romney is keeping his potential competitors (Trump and Paul) close to prevent a 3rd party run (sorry Carol Herman, your guy Obama is going to have to work for it, no 3rd party candidate this election). Very smart moves by Romney.

Palin is the wild card. My impression is that she likes politics but does not like to actually govern. Running as a 3rd party candidate would be fun for her and she would not have to worry about winning. It would also give her the chance to mold the Tea Party into an actual political party. OTOH, she would have burnt her GOP bridges which might or might not be an issue for her.

The obvious solution for Mitt is to build some bridges with the Tea Party to prevent Palin from running as a Tea Party candidate and because it is the right thing to do.; 2/2/12, 3:41 AM
james conrad said...: Paul has decided to build his movement inside the party, smart! It just makes sense to work with the likely nominee and, the fact that they get along on a personal level doesnt hurt.; 2/2/12, 5:35 AM
MDIJim said...: One of the disappointments of old age is the discovery that there is absolutely nothing new in politics. This smacks of "be clean for Gene" media hype from 1968. Still, I dream.

Perhaps the Paul delegates and "infiltrators" will persuade the Tea Partiers that economic liberty and civil liberty are two sides of the same coin. Can't have one without the other.

Remember, the people who are fomenting class warfare are the very same people who kept Guantanamo open, renewed the Patriot Act, lament that free Americans are not draftees whom they can boss around, assert the right to murder American citizens abroad solely on the basis of what they say, have doubled the no fly list, and have deported way more immigrants than W ever thought of.

This "alliance", if it is not a figment of the WaPo's imagination will be very good for all of us.; 2/2/12, 5:50 AM
Tarkwell Robotico said...: Romney + Paul makes a much bigger coalition than Newt + Palin

This will be transformative in that the Republican argument can focus on a winning message: kill the federal deficit.

If Sarah Palin wants to rail on her facebook page about it, then there'll be more citizens of Wasilla than Palinistas come voting day.; 2/2/12, 6:40 AM
Phil 314 said...: They won't like this over at Reason.; 2/2/12, 7:26 AM
John henry said...: I could live with Romney as prez if Paul was VP.

We tend to forget that the VP is also president of the Senate and, as such, has a considerable number of small powers. VP Paul could not initiate legislation in the Senate but he sure could live up to his "Dr No" nickname and put the kibosh on a lot of stuff.

If Romney is the candidate with a traditional style Repo VP, I don't see that it makes any difference if he beats Obama or not.

Both men will be Prez in the same way with the same policies.

The main difference is that Romney is more competent and thus more likely to get stuff enacted.

John Henry; 2/2/12, 9:00 AM
John henry said...: Got some evidence for that remark that Paul is a racist, Andy?

He has been re-elected by huge margins time and time again in a district that is 25-30% minority.

The newsletters? Have you actually seen what the so-called "racist" articles say?

Pretty tame stuff and, for the most part, factually true. Even the opinions are factually supported.

John Henry; 2/2/12, 9:04 AM
Thorley Winston said...: Ron Paul is a racist

More so than Obama?; 2/2/12, 10:19 AM
Revenant said...: They won't like this over at Reason

They don't appear particularly bothered by it. Why would they be?; 2/2/12, 1:46 PM