Ron Paul Moneybombs Give Way to Fire Sale
EmailABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf reports: If there was one overriding principle of the presidential campaign of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, it might be this: markets work.
But if you are going to trust the government, healthcare, and everything else to markets — do the same principles of supply and demand apply to presidential campaigns?
What then to make of the first email by Ron Paul’s campaign to supporters in a month — not announcing a rally of seeking campaign fundraising, but advertising a fire sale of "Ron Paul ’08" merchandise.
For a mere $25, Ron Paulians can order a grab bag of magnets, buttons, stickers, mouse pads, key chains, hats, wrist bands "and more!." The package will also include a single t-shirt. And if that’s not enough to sway you, the $25 includes shipping.
Paul’s spokesman, Jesse Benton, said not to infer anything from the sale.
"We’re just trying to clear some stuff out because we’re getting a little low on storage space," Benton said, pointing out there is less need for yard signs that say Ron Paul Iowa now that the Iowa primary is over.
Benton said the Paul campaign still gets anywhere from 20 to 50 orders per day for t-shirts and other items in the Ron Paul online store, although he admits there were "many times that" number of orders earlier in the campaign.
While Paul is trying to get rid of merchandise, other campaigns that may or may not be on their last legs are trying to jazz up their base with t-shirt contests.
To be fair, the market is also giving Paul mixed messages. He may have a glut of mouse pads and magnets, but the book he released last month, "The Revolution: A Manifesto," is still in the top 20 as far as sales on Amazon.com, the best selling book by a presidential candidate at the moment.
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is next, at just outside the top 50, with "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream."
Paul made a career in the House of opposing the more paternalist nature of Washington and he made a splash early on in the Republican presidential campaign when his small-government, market-based, anti-interventionist, laissez-faire principles led to millions raised in an Internet groundswell.
Read more about that HERE and HERE.
But now that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, is the presumptive Republican nominee, it is a fine line that Paul is walking. He says he is winding down his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination (in large part because he is mathematically unable to win it).
He does not want to follow many of his most ardent supporters to the Libertarian party. He ran for President as a Libertarian once before, in 1988, and now says the American political system is too weighted against third parties. Former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia won the Libertarian nomination this week.
But while he realizes he can’t win, Paul is still encouraging people to vote for him. His plan is to take delegates to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis in September and demonstrate that the libertarian wing of the Republican party is not going away.
Benton said Paul is holding out hope for an invitation from the national party to speak in Minneapolis, but "we aren’t holding our breath."
If snubbed, Paul’s supporters and however many delegates he has amassed by then (the current ABC News scorecard gives Paul 14 delegates to McCain’s 1267), Benton said, will make themselves seen in Minneapolis and Paul will speak at his own shadow events there in Minneapolis.
And moving on, Paul still plans to turn his vocal support into a permanent campaign to reclaim the Republican party for his small government ethos. And as Republicans find themselves with less power in Washington, DC, you can admittedly see the rank and file of the party start to adopt some of those very ideals as they oppose spending bills proposed by the Democrats who have run Congress since 2006.
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
What is Ron Paul going to do there? Book a table for his 14 delegates at the Minneapolis Olive garden or something?
Posted by: geevill | May 29, 2008, 11:28 am 11:28 am
Ron Paul just finished winning 24% of Republican votes in the Idaho Primary – several times as many votes as Hillary or O’Bama got. So the best is yet to come with Ron Paul!
Posted by: Marilyn | May 29, 2008, 11:29 am 11:29 am
The only fire sale will be from the current morally bankrupt neo-con Republican party stronghold as it gives way to the constitutionaly based Ron Paul Republican party. They, like you ABC, have marginalized Dr. Paul every chance they get but you can’t marginalize the message or the constitution. Outstanding piece of fluff reporting. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: fiatmoney | May 29, 2008, 11:36 am 11:36 am
I really like Ron Paul. Too bad he didn’t get fair coverage, and to think Bill thinks Hillary was treated the worst. Ya right. I will vote Paul in New Mexico on June 3rd. Each vote that Paul gets is a wakeup call to the republican establishment.
Posted by: Ben Straub | May 29, 2008, 11:51 am 11:51 am
Jack – You are correct. Obama will win in a landslide. I pray he does a good job. I still wish Paul could have had a chance. I like Paul’s ideas and integrity.
Posted by: Huh | May 29, 2008, 11:53 am 11:53 am
Hillary will not take the nomination and therefore will not win in the general.
If Obama really wants to rattle the cages, he might consider asking Mister Paul to serve as Veep.
Ever see a cat let loose among the pigeons?
Posted by: AHJ | May 29, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
I love how Dr. Paul’s book has been on the establishment’s own ultimate measure of popularity, The New York Times bestseller list, for weeks, including a vaunted #1 spot for nonfiction the week of May 18 — yet this dismissive “news” stories instead mention only the book’s Amazon sales rank, presumably because that measure is less prestigious/impressive.
Hey Old Media, don’t you know your game is up and we’re on to you? You just look pathetic and embarrassing.
Posted by: Dave | May 29, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
Pelosi hear us roar: Stop muscling democracy!
Posted by: S. Johnsen | May 29, 2008, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Thats a little wrong as far as the delegate count – Ron Paul has around 46 Delgates with the ones he picked up in Idaho, but those are committed delegates – its estimated that Ron Paul will bring about 600 delegates to the convention, that have won delegate positions from the caucus process – these delegates will not vote for McCain and instead will just cast an “abstain” vote – this will cause there to be a brokered convention, but Ron Paul still won’t have enough to win the convention. It shall be interesting
Posted by: Joe Lawson | May 29, 2008, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
RON PAUL WILL CARRY WASHINGTON STATE!!!
We Washingtonians are sick and tired of what we are getting, a vote for principle is never a wasted vote.
Posted by: whale,oil,beef,hooked | May 29, 2008, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
Dr. Paul is still getting my vote no matter what. It’s too bad the majority are a bunch of robots that don’t have a clue.
Posted by: Truth | May 29, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
It’s exciting to see all the enthusiasm and passion that McCain is inspiring not only with his party but with Americans everywhere.
He is the perfect leader for these troubled times, and a beacon of hope for America.
(Actually I just wanted to see what that would look like typed- I’ve never seen anything like this written anywhere.)
Go Ron Paul! Save the Constitution!
Posted by: Idaho | May 29, 2008, 5:25 pm 5:25 pm
If news organizations had given him this much coverage when it mattered, he might not have to put his campaign merchandise on sale.
75% of Americans believe the country is going in the wrong direction, but when they had a chance to do something about it they caved in for more of the same, no matter who wins.
Posted by: JW | May 29, 2008, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
92% of the voting population supported Ron Paul but didn’t vote for him because they thought he didn’t have a chance.
Posted by: Phil | May 29, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
As a Ron Paul supporter, I will probably end up voting for Bob Barr on the Libertarian ticket in November. McCain would be absolutely the worst choice for America. He is an international adventurist that lives in the Teddy Roosevelt world view of attack first, talk never. America is on the verge of economic and credibility collapse. McCain get’s us there on a speeding bullet. Obama will be constrained by the economic mess that he inherits from Mr. Bush and Cheney and then again by his ability to see the consequences of unbalanced budgets and military hegemony.
America is in a constitutional death spiral brought on by the neo-con fear machine and a spineless congress and an utter lack of awareness by the American people of their responsibility and power to exert control over a two party system that gives us a choice between Hillary “Annihilate Iran” Clinton and John “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Iran” McCain.
If the GOP will not accept Ron Paul, the heir of Goldwater, Taft & to a lesser extent Reagen. Then, Obama is the clear choice for those who wish to slow the Empire in order to save our Republic. Obama will win by a landslide because 1 million+ Republicans will not vote for a neo-con like McCain.
Posted by: Jake in Salt Lake | May 29, 2008, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
Ron Paul = truth
Posted by: Trudy | May 29, 2008, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
I am voting for the person that I think is best for this country, regardless of the current polls. We, Americans have a responsibility to take the time, investigate and chose a Presidential candidate that we think is best for our country. This is extremely urgent and important and is detrimental to the future of our country. We have to investigate the people ourselves and not rely on the media. I am choosing Ron Paul.I am a business owner in California and I could not run my company like our country is being run. I would be below bankrupt. Investigate all of the candidates and choose wisely. May God Bless all that read this!
Posted by: Janis Davis | May 29, 2008, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
I could care less who wins, Republocrat or Democon, there all CFR slime that got put there by the CFR. What should be important to everyone is whoever gets picked should fulfill their job according the country’s rule book, the Constitution. When you are watching professional sports everyone expects the judges to not take sides or have their own agenda. They are expected to make sure that both sides stick to the rules. I don’t see why a President or any other person “SWORN” to uphold and defend it should have a “platform” The platform has been laid out since 1776 and if the rules are to change, there are appropriate ways to do it and that doesn’t meant voting for the next Dictator because you like the platform of that Dictator. For those of you that think America is a Democracy or that the Federal Reserve is Federal, please do your country and the rest of us a favor by staying home on election day. You are far too ignorant to be choosing our next leader. The only exception to this is if you were to go and write in Ron Paul’s name.
Posted by: Jack D. | May 29, 2008, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm
“by then (the current ABC News scorecard gives Paul 14 delegates to McCain’s 1267), Benton said, ”
I am speechless again by MSM. Ron Paul has been listed with 14 delegates by most of the MSM for 3 months now. Just Tuesday Ron Paul picked up five additional national delegates from Idaho. Really, Ron Paul has about 650 national delegate’s most chosen through caucus state primaries. Your lack of ability to even add is astounding. Never mind and unrealistic reporting of journalistic integrity
Posted by: tim, minnesota | May 29, 2008, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
McCain ain’t called the ‘presumptive’ nominee for nothing….it will become interesting come the national convention. Nevadians, make sure your voices are heard!
Posted by: Aaron | May 29, 2008, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
I personally have boycotted ABC. I don’t care if you all do the same or not, but it is just sickening to know the truth behind our mainstream media and their policies. We’ve been blind all along.
Posted by: Truthseeker | May 29, 2008, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm
Byron, thanks for the heads up on the
sale. I plan on stocking up so I can be paulpimpt for the the R3volution March
July 12, Washington DC. Be there or be
square!
Posted by: DDT | May 29, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Yeah its funny that Obamas Book gets a link to amazon and Pauls book doesn’t . This article is such a transperant hit on paul.
ABC news is not bringing the people the real news they bring the people the news they want us to swallow. by manipulating stories and headlines. Shame on you ABC.
I’m Boycotting.
Posted by: Josh | May 29, 2008, 7:30 pm 7:30 pm
Don’t be so hard on yourself and others, Truthseeker — our “blindness” is understandable, though. We live in an American Idol, Post-Jerry Springer, and Fascist Corporate Era. Not to mention the gradual seperation of US Citizens and the Nanny Government from apathy, lazyness, and ignorance. It also doesn’t help that the slowly monopolizing mass media is reading from Rupert Mordoch’s “viewers are morons and trailer park trash” playbook.
Personally, these are all distractions from our main purpose. That is to take back our government! And take it back we will, cause the wine press of tyranny is now reaching a critical mass. Become a delegate, become a member of your local government, become a congressman, become a senator, become involved!
There is a Republican vaccum that is growing as people leave the Party for its hypocrisy — small government, fiscal responsibility, non-interventionist, pro-constitution, and pro-liberty are true Republican values. Now is the time to fill that void with people with principle, integrity, and who will uphold their oath to the Constitution of the United States of America.
The British eventually restrained King George III from having unbridled power. Why should Americans let King George W. Bush have more powers then the British King ever had? Don’t believe me? Google: Bush Claims More Powers Than King George III… this is an obscenity. It is time to have our grievances redressed as is written in our constitution.
Posted by: DJ | May 29, 2008, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
I’ll never call Obama “Mr President”. NEVER. Hey Obamabots, F*CK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: EatShIt | May 29, 2008, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm
Wake up folks, a vote for ANY one of Clinton, Obama or McCain is a vote for the same corporate control we have today. Can’t you see????
Ron Paul is the ONLY hope for change. A change back to the America that the forefathers envisioned. A constitutional Republic.
Any vote NOT for Ron Paul is in my opinion tantamount to treason!
Posted by: FlyontheWall | May 29, 2008, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm
If you have a brain and are a reasonable person, vote for Ron Paul.
He is truely our only hope.
Posted by: Mike | May 29, 2008, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
Dude you can use that stuff for when he runs again next year
Posted by: joker4usa | May 29, 2008, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
McCain will not win. But even if he did, it would be awful. Pre-emptive war for 100 years, except we go bankrupt long before then.
Ron Paul has fresh ideas. He bridges pro-life and pro-choice Americans in a way unseen since Roe v. Wade. How? He brings us back to our roots.
What are these roots? The notion that our Creator made us with INALIENABLE rights: to life, to liberty, to the pursuit of happiness. We necessarily cede a small portion of our autonomy to “the state” for certain critical functions, but we retain our freedom minus that small part. We are FREE people.
By the way, I got that formulation from a little-known document called the United States Constitution.
The state is intended to play a very small part in our lives. It is not intended to place cameras at every street corner to record our every move, invade countries without a declaration of war and require our newly graduated sons and daughters to support those adventures with their young lives, take 50% of our income to fund its politically-motivated largesse, and utterly fail at its attempts to regulate the free market.
I want something different! How about you? Ron Paul gives me some small hope. I’m supporting him, against all odds. I have a grandchild to think about, after all!
Posted by: ellen | May 29, 2008, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
I have learned something. We sure need some reporters in this country. The media we have sucks.
Posted by: Flo | May 29, 2008, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm
Some very quality comments by Paul supporters. It will soon fill up with Obama and McCain “kooks” making fun of us.
I am one of the many veterans who donated and voted for Dr. Paul in the primary.
Posted by: TJ | May 29, 2008, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
“By the way, I got that formulation from a little-known document called the United States Constitution.”
Whoa Dude I think I’ve heard of that, its covered in gold and has peanut butter in the middle right.
Can we Own Slaves and stuff ?
like an extra 3/5 ths Vote right
Hey is he going to visit the RON PAUL subdivision that is going to be built in his honor like a seperatist compound?
Personaly I think working with rules that respect other people and working with othe people is lame thats why I like RON PAUL only the strong survive. RON PAUL
Posted by: joker4usa | May 29, 2008, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
why don’t you do a story on how the Gouliani campaign is in debt an owes a few million? Keep it coming ABC, you just make us more determined.
Posted by: CD | May 29, 2008, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
Ron Paul republican for life
Posted by: jon | May 29, 2008, 11:16 pm 11:16 pm
ESAD ABC
Posted by: Paul Lucero | May 29, 2008, 11:42 pm 11:42 pm
ABC, your network and your webpage is TRASH. Ron Paul has gathered at least 3 times as many delegates as you claim and your lack of accurate reporting is SHAMEFULL!!! I am so tired of having garbage shoved down the throats of my dear fellow Americans. I personally realized long ago that all mainstream media is propoganda, just as Scott McClellan has revealed. Its a good thing for a mind control center like ABC that there are still millions in the darkness. I pray for them, but there will be no saving the perpetrators of this type of junk that is being peddled to the masses. You will burn in HELL!
God bless America and Ron Paul
Posted by: ryanj | May 30, 2008, 12:00 am 12:00 am
Thanks ABC!
Every time you post an article (that allows comments) about Ron Paul, I get to learn new stuff that I didn’t know before you posted the article.
PLEASE always allow commenting on your articles. I always just scroll down to the comments section to start learning.
I’m always disappointed when you don’t allow commenting because you’re “journalists” aren’t posting knowledge and truth, so I don’t get to learn anything without the comments section.
Thanks again.
Posted by: Scott | May 30, 2008, 12:01 am 12:01 am
How about reporting on Ron Paul’s recent 24% finish in the Idaho primary? Or other recent totals of 16% in Pennsylvania, 15% in Oregon, and 13% in Nebraska? It seems that freedom is still popular, even if the media never figured that out.
Ron Paul has reached double digits in 14 states now — who predicted that? He also has a book that hit number one on the New York Times best seller list, and is still in the top ten.
Posted by: Craig | May 30, 2008, 12:02 am 12:02 am
Proud to have voted for him in Washington state. He’s the only republican I would vote for.
Hey! RNC! How you liking your McCain candidate? He workin out for you? Haha. Have fun in November…morons.
Posted by: Jason | May 30, 2008, 12:45 am 12:45 am
14 delegates hahahaha, McCain is going to have a tough time during the nationals. The Neo-Con agenda has been exposed. Ron Paul Will WIN WASHINGTON STATE, keep an eye out for it, you will not hear about it in the media. Conservative ideas will not DIE!!!! Let freedom ring vote RON PAUL 2008!!!!!!
Posted by: Justin | May 30, 2008, 1:05 am 1:05 am
if Ron Paul is irrelevant why does the MSM continue it’s barrage of bs hit pieces?
Posted by: Liberty or Death | May 30, 2008, 1:07 am 1:07 am
Correction: The Democrats have NOT controlled Congress since 2006. They won a majority in the ’06 elections but the 110th Congress did not convene until January of 2007 – last year.
Posted by: Wes | May 30, 2008, 1:37 am 1:37 am
When the new CEO at Ford took over he said “Let’s get to the bottom as fast as possibe because the ride up is much better.” Since we can’t have Ron Paul, vote for Obama so we can bottom out ASAP.
Posted by: Mithra Green | May 30, 2008, 5:30 am 5:30 am
McCain is not eligible according to the constitution. The media cartel (the real McCain Isman issue)and the military industrial complex won’t let any of Paul’s small government out without the same smears as Perot. They painted him as a right wing John Birtcher not an intelligent Austrian economic intellectual. The Neo-con’s and Likud parties no mater how sincere are getting caught using their propaganda machine. Paul like Perot has been pushed on the fringe. Thank goodness for the web and the freedom of expression their. We need Paul to expose the Carbon Tax statist. Not using coal (the US is the Saudi Ariaba ofcoal)is criminal. Scientist and engineers are a large percentage of Paul supporters.. The big government is very strong and 48% of the voters don’t like any of the candidates. All Obama needs to do is pick Sam Nunn and the big broke government stays in power in a landslide. Any of the three candidates is an economic disaster. Paul is a movement of intelligence like Goldwater. The mess in the money system will force his ideas through the move away from the dollar.
Posted by: John | May 30, 2008, 7:13 am 7:13 am
Ron Paul’s supporters believe the Constitution is the rule book for the federal gov’t to follow. One day his detractors will be slapped in the face with the messages Dr. Paul has placed before them over the years. I pray it won’t be too late to save this republic from the globalists who now run things!
Posted by: Bill | May 30, 2008, 7:13 am 7:13 am
“Ron Paul wants to do away with Social Security” Not true.. He sees the unfunded entitlements for what they are. As a 53 year old I don not expect to see one dime from SS.. What the FED did in bailing out there investment and bankers is push inflation to the point that it cost SS recipients in 10% of there income. Food and gas inflation cost $1200 dollars out of $12,000 Social Security income. Now the Big Brother wants to tax 10% more in a carbon tax. The sheep won’t wake up until the mint jelly is on the lamb chop..The most difficult part of being a Ron Paul supporter is voting someone in government that wants limited government.
Posted by: john | May 30, 2008, 8:56 am 8:56 am
Perhaps you missed the old memo for the Old Media…you’re supposed to refer to Ron Paul as “insurgent candidate Ron Paul”.
Or the latest memo, they’ve just dropped the facade and they’re saying “terrorist candidate Ron Paul”.
Check the Old Media memo stack.
Posted by: Bill Moore | May 30, 2008, 11:49 am 11:49 am
14 delegates? stop trying to marginalize him. why is it that when obama or hillary win a primary the delgate count gets immediately updateded. but when paul gets delegates nobody takes the time to add them to the total?
Posted by: Troy | May 30, 2008, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
The National RNC Convention is in St. Paul not Minneapolis.
Posted by: Chris | May 30, 2008, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
mathematically impossible? I went to that link … there wasn’t an explanation of the process nor mention if it had ever happened before that a presumptive nominee didn’t get the nomination. I guess folks in the news biz just don’t know much about the process or history.
Posted by: logicompassion | May 30, 2008, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
from today’s Seattle PI:
“Paul, a libertarian who favors immediate withdrawal from Iraq, had a strong showing in Washington during the GOP primary, and about 40 percent of the 1,100 state convention delegates are believed to be his supporters.
The convention will select 40 delegates to the Republican national convention in September.”
SURE. 14 Delegates. RIIGHT.
I’m heading to the BBC website. At least I’ll get an honest delegate count there!
Posted by: Melissa in WA | May 30, 2008, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
In my opinion, Ron Paul was the best suited to represent change in Washington. It’s horrible how the media would push him to the side or portray him as a lunatic when in reality the man was making the most sense.
Posted by: Al | May 30, 2008, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
Ron Paul only has 14 delegates per CNN?
Still?
Odd. Thegreenpapers.com has him at 42.
Is CNN less than competent?
Posted by: spinnikerca | May 30, 2008, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm
Fellow Ron Paulians, I believe we all need to take a second look at the story. In particular, the last paragraph. I hope all of you realize, if we continue with our enthusiasm for limited government, personal and economic freedom, then we will win the Republican party. The fire of a peaceful revolution has begun. It will not die out soon. Just think, two more years of the same government nonsense. This country will be begging for real change. After two more years of planning, organizing and teaching we could elect a revolutionary congress. Keep the faith, Go Ron Paul!
Posted by: bill froggatt | May 30, 2008, 9:55 pm 9:55 pm
Ron Paul and Hillary Clinton should
run as a ticket on Fantasy Island!
That’s the only place either of these
two wackos will ever be President!
Posted by: reaganfan | May 31, 2008, 11:36 am 11:36 am
byron wolf again. what a messed up spin doctor.
it’s revolution and these MSM guys are still so cocky…
Posted by: rhys | May 31, 2008, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
whilst i understand hoe ron paul supporters of which im one wont vote for mccain,they DEFINITELY should not vote for a big governemnt,tax and spend liberal(socialist) like obama or clinton.
if you’re not going to vote mccain,at least vote for barr or the constitutional party candidate or something.
say what you will about mccain,but at least he makes some noises about reducing the size of governemnt and cutting taxes.obama and clinton openly say that they will repeal tax cuts and increase the size of governemnt and increase regulation.
their views on free trade alone should scare the life out of any self respecting liberal economist like ron paul!
Posted by: irishny | May 31, 2008, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
I’m for Ron Paul. Everybody keeps saying how they’re gonna vote for Ron Paul. But how are we supposed to vote for him if he’s not on the ballot and write in votes don’t count? I’m pretty sure there are rules in each state about write in votes?????
Posted by: LeslieG | May 31, 2008, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
Ron Paul is our only hope. I have recently started getting involved over here in NJ. And its staggering how ignorant everyone is on the facts. I’m 28 and recently felt the awakening of it all. It is unreal what we have let our country become.
Wake up media your tricks ar not working. You make it that much easier to see the truth. You’ll see just how many patriots there are in DC 7-12-08. Perhaps you’ll just not cover the march? Hey if its not on TV its not happening right?
Posted by: Erikc1369 | June 1, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm