OR GOP: Part of a national effort
T.A. Barnhart
Last night, Rachel Maddow covered the story of how Ron Paul supporters in Massachusetts won election as delegates to the Republican National Convention -- and then were told that unless they signed an affadavit swearing to support Mitt Romney "under pain of perjury", they would be replaced as delegates. Which is exactly what happened. This action, of course, was in contravention of the MASS GOP's rules for delegate selection. But they will have a slate of delegates who will support Romney.
Sound familiar?
Rachel didn't cover Oregon's mess, but her story did explain why OR GOP Chair Allen Alley and his compatriots decided to throw out their own rules and simply appoint delegates to the RNC: Ron Paul needs but one more state to have his name put forward as a GOP nominee for President. If that happens, Paul would get 15 minutes to speak before the first round of votes -- on national tv -- and Mitten's coronation threatens to become a nasty slug fest. Nebraska is in the limelight for the coming weekend; now that Massachusetts and Oregon have thrown out their rules to load the deck for Romney, we'll be watching to see if Nebraska plays honest or also chucks the rules for Mittens.
While the Oregon debacle slipped below the national radar -- well done, Chair Alley! -- Massachusetts resident Maddow did not miss what happened in her home state. The events in Massachusetts also had better video, particularly of an 18-year-old who beat the 2010 GOP nominee for Governor for an alternate delegate slot. The young man was denied that seat by the MASS GOP's shenanigans, so, last night, had him on her show to talk about this kerfuffle.
Hopefully her show will take note of what happened in Oregon and give that a mention, too, because it's all part of a desperate attempt by the Romney campaign to block Ron Paul from appearing at the convention. I'm no fan of Paul, a charlatan who would do incredible harm to the nation and our democracy; but if this embarrasses Mittens and the GOP, and if it helps voters see the kind of people they'd be supporting by voting Republican, then laissez les bon temps rouler.
After the jump, both videos from the July 9 Maddow show.
(Maddow, of course, is not the only media source to miss the Oregon story. The Oregonian makes no mention of it, at least none that I can find. Anyone care to bet they don't endorse Rmoney?)
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connect with blueoregon
11:09 a.m.
Jul 10, '12
Libertarian Ron Paul supporters do have a place to go. Gary Johnson, former gov. of New Mexico and candidate for the Libertarian Party in 2012. They should be on the ballot here in Oregon and most states.
12:22 p.m.
Jul 10, '12
TA - Jeff Mapes linked the Blue Oregon column I wrote about the ORP shenanigans in his political column published in the Oregonian.
I watched Maddow's show and thought to myself the establishment Republicans in Republican state parties are pulling out all the stops to keep Ron Paul supporters out of the Republican National convention in Tampa.Like you, I'll be watching other states.
12:42 p.m.
Jul 10, '12
yes, Paulie, and that's the extent of it, i guess. i searched like hell for anything from the O. had to manually go thru Mapes' archive to find this:
OREGON REPUBLICANS: Ron Paul supporters are complaining that Oregon Republican Party officials are acting unfairly to keep backers of the Texas congressman from being elected to the state's delegation to the national GOP convention, according to blog posts from Blue Oregon and Oregon Catalyst.
thanks, Big O, for keeping on top of stories that matter.
10:02 p.m.
Jul 10, '12
All of this exclusion and dissing stuff seems like a recipe for rebellion and withdrawal from support of the GOP and their miserable candidate. Meanwhile third party candidate Virgil Goode is polling 9% in VA and guarantees Romney a thorough and well deserved drubbing.
11:32 p.m.
Jul 10, '12
OoooH, THANKS for theVirgil news, Bill. That does my heart Goode!
After I saw Maddow last night, I did send off an email to the show and connect the widely circulated email from the disaffected Oregon GOPer. I bet a few more folks did the exact same thing...
12:10 p.m.
Jul 11, '12
"I'm no fan of Paul, a charlatan who would do incredible harm to the nation and our democracy"
The scariest part of this quote is that you really believe we are a democracy, and it would seem that we are, in fact, going that route faster and faster. This country was established, (We the People), as a constitutional Republic where 50% plus one could not usurp the rights of any minority, down to and including you as an individual. Your "democracy" demands that your inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness be forfeited to that 50% plus one. The fact that big government erodes that is a given and some of us still remember just what Liberty means, even if you don’t. “My country right or wrong” is propaganda of the worst sort and that is just what you espouse.
12:22 p.m.
Jul 12, '12
Well, no, we're going the way of a corporate oligarchy.
12:24 p.m.
Jul 12, '12
Further on comment below: An oligarchy in which phony libertarians use rhetoric of "liberty" to promote corporate power that opposes real liberty as well as equality, seeking only its own its own wealth and power.
1:17 p.m.
Jul 14, '12
well thanks for knowing me & my thoughts better than i do. please continue to be a superior human being for us all.
12:00 p.m.
Jul 12, '12
At least in the Nader Days we let it ride...
12:19 p.m.
Jul 12, '12
Not so much, there was the DP packing of the Nader convention to keep him off the ballot.
3:06 p.m.
Jul 12, '12
If you are talking about the Oregon Nader Convention, there were indeed some Dems who advocated attending the Nader Convention as you describe. However, this was not a Party effort either via county or state Party.
5:27 p.m.
Aug 1, '12
KC's right.