2012-01-09

Ron Paul to stay in GOP and force a platform fight?

Pat Buchanan looks at the GOP infighting this election seasion in: GOP BAD BLOOD
Five weeks ago, Newt looked like the GOP nominee. Now, his political career seems about over. Hence the desire for revenge. And with his friend Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson dumping $5 million into a super-PAC for Newt, his allies have the resources to exact retribution on Mitt for what Mitt’s friends did to Newt.
Nor is this the only bad blood.
In Iowa, Ron Paul’s ads charged Newt with “serial hypocrisy” for claiming to be a conservative but leaving Congress to make millions working the system. In New Hampshire, Paul escalated, calling Newt a “chicken hawk” who clamors for war on Iran but ducked service when he could have gone and fought during Vietnam.
Newt has said that, should Paul become the nominee, he, Newt, could neither endorse nor vote for him. Paul’s supporters would reciprocate, were Newt to become the nominee.
Paul’s ads also charge Rick Santorum with being a “corrupt” politician who exploited his 12 years of Senate service to make millions on K Street.
Santorum’s reply: “Ron Paul is disgusting.”
The Republican candidates have gone beyond challenging each other’s records and positions to impugning their character.
And will this play out in the end? Buchanan sees a battle royale at the convention:
Then there are the policy divides. Paul may well run second to Romney in delegates and demand that his ideas – shutting U.S. military bases overseas, downsizing the American empire, getting a declaration of war from Congress before any attack on Iran – be written into the platform.
How will a hawkish Republican majority finesse that one?
To bring this crowd together at Tampa, the GOP nominee may need the diplomatic skills of a Talleyrand or Metternich.

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