Ron Paul's campaign went online with a microsite yesterday and raised more than four million dollars in just one day. It's a pretty incredible feat, but Paul's coalition has several big problems that it won't be able to overcome by the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primaries.
Paul's biggest problem? His "supporters" aren't really Ron Paul supporters per se, they are a rag-tag bunch of lost children who refuse to stand in line. Paul is benefitting from the fact that the republican field is a bunch of warmongering losers, but his supporters are all "third party types" which is as effective as herding cats when it comes to getting things done. Mark my words, he will not get the numbers he needs to caucus. He'll lose big time in Iowa and then be a footnote in the history books.
Another Paul problem is that his rhetoric is not enough to make things happen in congress. Paul is not be able to build a coalition, he's just a gong, banging away in the corner. He's already in congress, if he can't make it work there, what makes him think he will be able to lead from the bully pulpit? I have serious doubts.
Back to his supporters for my third point: They break all the rules and it rubs people the wrong way. Here in Des Moines, his supporters stick Paul bumper stickers on light poles and stop signs (illegal). They make gigantic yard signs and place them too close to the street (illegal). They get on people's blogs and You Tube pages and post inappropriate comments. Bloggers hate that! It will never fly and it make me NOT want to even listen to Paul is saying.
Paul's one-day total is impressive to be sure, but it's not Paul they're rallying around. It's all about the anger and hatred of what we've got now.
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