The fact that a bunch of really offensive racist and homophobic statements have been published under Ron Paul’s name is not new. Paul has claimed repeatedly that he was unaware of them, did not write them, and doesn’t agree with them.
But today, some former associates of Ron Paul are claiming he signed off on the statements.
Now, I never believed for a second that Paul was unaware of this stuff. At the very least, the idea that no one, over the course of a decade, went to him and said “Hey Ron, have you read this?” is just not credible. He knew about them, he had to. And if he didn’t, it would show him to be a very poor manager.
So, I think Paul knew. This leads in one of two directions. Either he agrees with the statements and thus thought publishing them was just fine, or he does not agree with them. If he does not agree with them (and I don’t think he does), then why did he publish them? The only reasons I can think of are “to sell newsletters”, as the article above suggests, or “to win votes”.
I’m not saying Ron Paul is a racist. I don’t think he is, and I don’t think this whole thing shows he is, as some claim.
I simply think that Paul is… just a politician.
He wrote (or signed off on) what he thought would get him money and votes. That’s politics. But it sheds some light on the image Paul has managed to make for himself, as somehow above politics as usual, as someone who wont say or do anything to get elected.
520 Chestnut 
Leave a Reply