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Marilyn Newton / AP Photo
Presidential hopeful Ron Paul talks to delegates of the Nevada state GOP convention at John Ascauaga’s Nugget on Saturday May 5, 2012.
Sunday, May 6, 2012 | 10:22 a.m.
SPARKS — How fitting that at a place called the Nugget, supporters of the man who loves the gold standard made their voices heard as the state Republican Party put on a show that was entertaining, empty and ephemeral.
If the Ron Paul delegates were panning for credibility, they had a jackpot’s worth this weekend, imposing their will on the election of two seats on the national committee and on the delegation entrusted with wearing funny hats and waving colorful signs in Tampa, Fla. By erasing the two Establishment members of the Romney National Committee and having the discipline and numbers to get 22 of 25 eligible national delegates, the Paul forces showed they knew how to exploit the rules and subvert Romney’s overwhelming win at the February caucuses.
Even if they are destined to strike political pyrite in August, the Paul folks exposed here what is happening everywhere within the GOP — a RNC trying desperately to excite a base for an unexciting presumptive nominee while not alienating the hordes of Paulites who want ... something.
The RNC, represented at the Nugget and watching the Paul folks dominate similar conventions across the country, would prefer an uneventful (read: choreographed) national convention where Paul delegates don’t boo Mitt Romney as he accepts the nomination or start a resolution revolution from the floor. Similarly, they were hoping for a relatively sedate Nevada Republican Party event this weekend, with the Paul folks leaving happy and the Romney contingent fairly represented on the national delegate slate (3 of 25!).
Instead what transpired Saturday was a microcosm of the war for the soul of the Republican Party, with orange-capped Romney captains patrolling the convention floor, motivated by a desire to keep the sheep in line, while more colorfully dressed Paul delegates destabilized the convention, animated by either a love of liberty or a love of black helicopters (hard to tell percentages.).
There is a certain sameness to all of these political conventions, Republican or Democratic: Inane floor fights over minutiae, impassioned delegates who arise and act as if they are the Robert in the Rules of Order, goofy resolutions to do something to someone.
But the depth of the division between the Romney and Paul camps was revealed shortly after newly elected Chairman Michael McDonald bellowed at the assemblage for a few minutes with a unity message, only to have and the convention immediately dissolved into acrimony over who was a delegate and who wasn’t. It was midafternoon before they could even agree on the convention rules — should we vote by voice or with one or two hands? — and by then it seemed clear that the Paul folks, while not overwhelming the proceedings, had enough delegates to do what they wanted.
When The Man (who hates The Man) himself arrived to speak to the delegates, it only inspired the Paul delegates to a greater frenzy and soon thereafter, Republican National Committeeman Bob List and Committeewoman Heidi Smith were ousted in landslides to James Smack and Diana Orrick, respectively, both backed by the Texas congressman’s contingent. (Smith didn’t help her case when she patronized the Paul folks and then obliquely said Romany was the only one who could beat the “damn socialist in the White House.”)
Memories of four years ago came flooding back when the Establishment — i.e. Chairwoman Sue Lowden and convention Chair Bob Beers shut down the proceedings and ballots were “lost” when it appeared clear the Paul folks would populate the national convention delegation. But as the Paul campaign across the country employs similar guerilla tactics — it just occurred in Maine on Saturday — the Romney National Committee is trying to quell an uprising that may be no more than meddlesome — Romney is going to get the nomination — but could expose divisions within the party that could affect the outcome in November.
Team Romney wants to swat away the Paul revolution, But in so doing, the presumptive nominee doesn’t want the Texas congressman’s dedicated followers to sit on their hands or even work against the GOP nominee in the fall (where’s Gary Johnson?).
All of this notwithstanding, there are false conclusions that can be drawn from the events of this weekend — most importantly that the party’s central committee is reflective of the real world. These are the hardcore partisans, some of them zealots, who love the Sturm und Drang but sometimes care less about electing candidates than having their voices heard (often by themselves).
Considering how close the election is foretold to be here and in the country, though, what the Paul folks do come November is critical to Romney’s fortunes. And that is the delicate waltz the Romney National Committee is confronted with, one that it executed with two left feet with two letters threatening not to seat the entire Nevada delegation if the Paul folks didn’t play ball. (Net impact: Zero.)
The Paul folks want to “change the party from within,” as I heard so many of them say – while Team Romney and its RNC allies want to do what Al Davis always urged: Just win, baby.
It is the bloodless mind of the GOP vs. the passionate heart that wants to beat loudly in Tampa. And over at Obama for America, they are smiling that despite the economy and the president’s numbers, knowing that at this rate, the Republicans might just beat themselves.
•••
If anything significant happens later today, I will post to my blog, or follow me on Twitter (@RalstonFlash).
The Obama camp is smiling: that's funny. I'm sure you're correct. For the Left, quiescence and conformity equal votes. Every #Julia is a a happy Democrat. On the Right, we like our dissent. And we manage to express ourselves without trashing parks, trespassing or destroying others' property. An engaged Paul voter is an asset to our party.
Comment removed by moderator. Same (or similar) comment posted on multiple stories.
Glad i m not in the Nevada state GOP anymore..
:-)
I don't know how you can possibly say that "Romney is going to get the nomination" when you don't really know the true delegate count yet. You need to be asking youself, just who is really winning all those delegates. So, far Ron Paul is winning most, if not ALL, of the delegates in places like Alaska, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Nevada and more. If Ron Paul has won all of those delegates, then where did they come from? They didn't just come out of thin air.
Then I would ask what's happening to the GOP party? It seems to me that the Ron Paul campaign is taking over the State GOP infrastructure and removing the old establishment Status Quo. This has huge ramifications both for now and the future direction of the Republican party.
Ron Paul is a lot closer to winning the nomination in Tampa than you realise, or wish to admit to your readers. I repeat, if Ron Paul is winning all the delegates, who is it that isn't getting them?
There's a lot of time between now and August 31, and Ron Paul still has a LOT of delegates to pick up. You may well find that Ron Paul actually has more delegates than Romney come convention time. The pundits have been wrong so far, and reporters like yourself will still be pretending that Ron Paul is out of the race right up until Tampa. How are you going to explain ,when Ron Paul becomes the nominee, that you didn't see this coming?
Yes very clever Paul delegation, you have subverted the will of the voters - but so far it just looks like another color of jack boot.
It's been so much fun watching these amatuers finally learn how rigged the system is, and has been, for so long - especially inside the Republican Party!
But, you have to hand it to the many Ron Paul Revolutionary types that have stuck it out this long - against all odds - and over 4 years have learned how to work within the system to take back power at the County Partisan level, and not give up! Now,if they realize that being an active citizen takes about 3 to 4 political cycles, over 6 to 8 years, if not a full decade, to affect change - then, they'll be getting somewhere - eventually - LOL!
Too bad the radical right Libertarians couldn't make peace with their left-wing pot-head fans to increase their numbers - and come up with a much better candidate that can't even win a state-wide race?
Well, I'll close with this one important question:
Popcorn or NUTS anyone?
The GOP convention was some of the best comedy/reality of the year!
It's good to see the NV GOP tell Mitt Romney he stinks, & we don't want you as the nominee.
I think there is a definite enthusiasm gap in the republican party!
If Ron Paul is not chosen as VP, then Ron Paul supporters should vote for Obama to send a message to the RNC to never ever discount Ron Paul ever again. If the RNC thinks the voters of RON PAUL don't really matter then we are more then happy to choose Obama, I mean after all, we never mattered to begin with, with the deliberate lack of coverage on all networks.
@ jwlasvegas: If you don't pick me I'm going to play with the other team! This is how you choose who you want in office? Grow up!
The whole thing could go uncut straight to SNL if they can schedule 15 hours of comedy. It couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.
Ron Paul brings common sense, passion and REAL CHANGE to Washington. He'll beat Obama. Romney will only put up token competition, but then again, he's Obama lite, so what's the diff?
Dr. Ron Paul is firmly against the USA's Endless Wars of Empire. This is completely unacceptable to the True-Powers-That-Be that operate our UniParty System. He doesn't have a chance.
The Pauloonies support their guy now but if the impossible happened and their guy was elected they would then hate him because he represented the government and Pauloonies automatically hate the government.
The easiest way to quiet a Pauloonie is to ask them what the Runny one stands for and from their responses it must be either duh but but huh huh or crickets chirping!
Ron Paul is like the GOPs crazy uncle who came for a short visit then decided to stay a lot longer. Meanwhile, the GOP establishment Etch a Sketch candidate is going about his business of pretending to be The Man, which he is, except he isn't.
Romney is the nominee that nobody likes. He's the default candidate who outlasted and outspent a cast of characters that uttered memorable lines like, "Oops," "Uzbekibekibekistan," and "By the end of my second term I will build a base on the moon."
GOP primary voters had to choose the least stupid of eight idiots and Paul missed the cut. But the old man is just to ornery or senile to accept it and go home. All in all, about as hilarious as it gets.
I hope Ron Paul runs a 3rd party ticket.
Jon, it must be nice to be so all-knowing that you can pronounce the efforts of many people over many years to support Ron Paul, culminating in the election of delegates in Nevada (as well as other states) to be "empty and ephemeral."
I wonder what it will take for the media to recognize that something significant is happening. Or do you get "direction" from your bosses to ignore/mock the Ron Paul campaign?
Will Ron Paul win the nomination in 2012? Probably not.
But obviously there are a lot of Americans who support his positions of limited government and abiding by the Constitution, who appreciate Dr. Paul's remaining true to his principles, and who do not blindly follow the Republican establishment and the wishes of the large donors.
The fact that you and the rest of the main stream media choose to minimize this does not make it empty or ephemeral. There are real people who care about the country's future out there putting effort into doing what they think is right.
I realize that it's much easier for you to sit on the sidelines and criticize, but at least give people who are making an effort credit for fighting for what they believe.
Jon, I've never commented online before, but as a geologist, I had to send my appreciation for "political pyrite"!!