Ron Paul Salutes Veterans, Says He Plans to Bring the Troops Home
EmailRon Paul told a room full of veterans Wednesday night that he plans to drastically cut overseas spending.
“It would mean that we would bring the troops home,” Paul slowly said, smiling as he touted the economic benefit during a salute to veterans rally in Des Moines, Iowa.
Earlier in the day, Paul again questioned why the United States needed to maintain a military presence in Australia, Germany, Japan and South Korea — even as the death of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il raised concerns about the region’s stability.
“How long do we have to stay in Korea?” he asked at a campaign event at the Iowa Speedway in Newton. “We were there since I was in high school.”
Paul’s non-interventionist view for America is sure to incite even more criticism from his GOP rivals, who have been hammering the Texas congressman for his view that Iran should be able to develop a nuclear program for peaceful purposes.
Romney became the latest in line Wednesday to take a swipe at the Texas congressman, a day after Gingrich unabashedly said that he would not vote for Paul if he were to win the GOP nomination.
Romney indirectly blasted comments made by Paul earlier this month that cautioned against “jumping the gun” on Iran.
“At the same time, the greatest threat Israel faces and, frankly, the greatest threat that the world faces is a nuclear Iran,” the former Massachusetts governor said during a meet-and-greet at a coffee shop in Muscatine, Iowa. “We have differing views on this. Some of the people — actually one of the people running for president — thinks it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don’t.”
Michele Bachmann, who is hanging at the bottom of the polls, said Paul would be a “dangerous president” and he would “wait until one our cities is wiped off the map” before confronting Iran.
Michele Bachmann was dealt a surprise blow Wednesday night when her state co-chair State Sen. Kent Sorensen announced he would support Paul, changing allegiances just six days before the first in the nation Iowa Caucuses. Sorensen said he switched candidates because Paul was “the most conservative of this group.”
“It’s difficult — but it’s the right thing to do,” Sorensen told the crowd Wednesday night.
Paul also received a surprise in the form of protestors, who briefly interrupted the start of his speech.
“Freedom of speech, ain’t it wonderful,” Paul yelled over a roaring crowd whose applause drowned out the voices of the protestors.
Paul returned to the campaign trail on Wednesday with some more good polling news.
Twenty-two percent of likely Iowa GOP voters in a new CNN/Time/ORC International Poll picked Ron Paul as the candidate of choice – placing him just behind Mitt Romney at 25 percent.
Recognizing his front-runner status this morning in Newton, Iowa, Paul looked out at all the reporters and television cameras and remarked on his rising popularity in the state.
“There does look like there are more cameras than there used to be,” said Paul adding “For many years, the crowds were very small.”
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Why on earth did CNN only poll Republicans for their poll with independents and Democrats able to change party right at the caucus itself?
Posted by: RK | December 29, 2011, 2:51 am 2:51 am
CNN’s folly to only poll long-time Republicans. The Independent and ex-Democrat factor could be a deciding one, not only for this nomination, but for the presidential election in November.
The GOP would be fools for not seeing this.
Posted by: Richard Wellington | December 29, 2011, 3:12 am 3:12 am
@RK: Because the GOP in Iowa are going to steal the Caucus from Paul using vote fraud. If CNN had polled everyone able to participate in the Caucus, it would have shown Paul has a MUCH likelier chance of winning it, and therefore it would be more difficult to explain after the GOP commits vote fraud and he somehow loses.
Posted by: John | December 29, 2011, 3:15 am 3:15 am
As of Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 3:07am the US National Debt is at $15,164,696,203,342. Total US Debt is at $56,420,833,629,027. And the numbers keep going up. Please Google US Debt Clock and watch your tax dollars wasting away. Meanwhile, legislators are busy trying to figure out how pay for that nice little Payroll Tax Cut. Oh, and Obama is soon going to ask for another $1.2 Trillion debt limit increase. Our nations security is threatened more by out of control spending. But by all means, please vote for the status quo candidate. So sick of hearing how Paul is a nut just for telling the American public the truth – we are broke!
Posted by: ThePongster | December 29, 2011, 3:18 am 3:18 am
December 27, 2011; From the Public Policy Polling
Paul maintains his lead
The last week and a half has brought little change in the standings for the Iowa Republican caucus: Ron Paul continues to lead Mitt Romney by a modest margin, 24-20. Newt Gingrich is in 3rd at 13% followed by Michele Bachmann at 11%, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum at 10%, Jon Huntsman at 4%, and Buddy Roemer at 2%.
Didn’t hear to much about that poll anywhere…
Posted by: ThePongster | December 29, 2011, 3:21 am 3:21 am
Im def voting for Ron Paul…..The Veterans Support Ron Paul
and the veterans know a whole lot more than Noot or Mittens….
They need to take a backseat…. Ron Paul is winning and is in the lead…. and should get such respect
Posted by: Tina Jamieson | December 29, 2011, 3:23 am 3:23 am
Ron Paul and All of America will give you a yearlong parade!
Posted by: TMforRP | December 29, 2011, 4:16 am 4:16 am
I just watched the video, and he said “freedom of speech isn’t it wonderful!!!” Then began to prescribe to them what the diagnosis for their symptoms was. Manny on the occupy wall street movement complain about the same things as do most Americans, but their solutions are a mixed bag. Some of them admitted tgat they even agree with Ron Paul.
Posted by: Bwright | December 29, 2011, 4:27 am 4:27 am
I despise the mainstream media particulary ABC….I have posted numerous comments supporting Ron Paul and repeatedly they are not posted. I guarantee if I posted supportive comments for those idiots that are controlled by the bankers and military industrial complex, ABC would post them. Is anyone else experiencing the same problem??
Posted by: WAKEUP | December 29, 2011, 7:17 am 7:17 am
Michelle Bachmann is “hanging at the bottom of the polls.”
Aw come on, somebody have a heart and cut her down already. It’s bad form no matter your religion to leave her hanging past sunset. And the buzzards will peck her eyes out. Not something you want kids to see.
Let’s see, Korea. Samsung. Hyundai. LG. Hankook. All Korean companies get a subsidized national security ride in their home country, that security subsidized by us, so they can better sell us televisions, cars, phones, washing machines, and tires.
Even animation work for The Simpsons was contracted out to Korea.
And too bad the Israelis are so helpless and defenseless on their own in that part of the world — as Romney and Bachmann would have you believe.
Yeah King Georgina Bachmann. Those Founding Fathers whose foreign policy Paul espouses were very “dangerous.”
As others point out, polls don’t measure crossover democrats. The question for Romney is how many of those projected percent actually show up. The question for Paul is how many beyond those projected percent come out.
Posted by: dom youngross | December 29, 2011, 8:48 am 8:48 am
I love how CNN’s poll is broken down in to 4 categories, Men , Women, White, and Non-White. Like someone in a meeting actually said, “you know, i think Non-white is less racist than Minority.” For a channel that tries to be anti-racist, thats like the single most racist thing to do, just clump everyone whose not with together. It’s like their own poll indicates they predominantly poll only whites.
Posted by: Real Racism | December 29, 2011, 9:26 am 9:26 am
CNN is a Fraud. When they edit “News” to fit their agenda, they lose any little credibility they had.
Of course Dr Paul salutes the people in the military, he actually served, unlike the Chicken Hawks running and looking for a new fight! A fight they, themselves will have nothing to do with, other than starting it!
Posted by: Mike Parent | December 29, 2011, 9:53 am 9:53 am
Jason Volack, thank you for not arbitrarily trashing Ron Paul in this article. You get some respect back from me. Keep up the objective journaism please.
Posted by: Vickey | December 29, 2011, 10:03 am 10:03 am
Interest is $3.6B each day on the US national debt and we have to borrow an additional 40 cents of every dollar. Bringing home the troops (and closing/selling foreign bases) will save big bucks. Seems only Paul is pushing this.
Posted by: deanbob | December 29, 2011, 11:38 am 11:38 am
Could ABC’s constant multiple daily attacks on Paul prove more decisively that this is one of the media outlets being used by the owners of this big business conglomerate owned press? Come on! What we have is a choice for war or not for war. I choose peace. I choose to not want the war with Iran that every other candidate desires so desperately. I choose realistic spending. I choose to stop the crime and violence caused by the war on drugs. I choose to stop subsidizing the economies of nations as rich or richer than we are. Korea, Japan, Germany and Australia can certainly pay for their own protection. Only Paul will do this. It was Paul that predicted every economic problem we’ve had and Paul that opened our eyes to the destructive force the Fed has become. I choose honesty and a sane foreign policy – not constant and continuous warfare. I choose the candidate that threatens the status quo that is supported by every other candidate, the status quo that is creating only the poor and super rich. I choose Dr. Ron Paul, “the most honest man in Washington” (by McCain).
Posted by: mginva | December 30, 2011, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm