Ron Paul, le candidat d’Internet, — suite trimestrielle

L’argent n’ayant pas d’odeur, il n’a pas non plus une seule appréciation morale négative qui s’attache à lui; il peut être bon à tout, y compris aux choses excellentes et de bonne morale. Cette lapalissade vaut également lorsque l’argent est considéré dans le cadre des fonds collectés pour les candidats aux élections. On parle précisément des présidentielles US, pour lesquelles l’aspect financier a pris une telle importance (voir le cas de Hillary Clinton). On en vient donc à la persistance et au renforcement du phénomène Ron Paul.

Les résultats du candidat à la désignation républicaine, pour le troisième trimestre 2007, sont impressionnants. La presse MSM, qui ne peut plus passer sous silence un tel événement, qui est même excitée par lui, — la sensation n’a pas d’odeur et nourrit un réflexe journalistique connu, — commence à s’habituer au tranquille docteur Ron Paul et lui consacre son attention. Le pestiféré est quand même plus marrant que les robots type Billary ou Giuliani.

Le 3 octobre, ABC.News faisait un rapport sur la situation de Ron Paul.

«“It's pretty exciting!” [Paul] told ABC News.

»Long treated at debates as the cantankerous old uncle you don't want to get started talking about the gold standard, Paul had big news. Announcing a relatively astounding haul — $5.1 million — in the fundraising quarter that ended Sunday, Paul is knocking on the door of the top-tier candidates in the race.

»“It's really fascinating,” Paul said, seeming as surprised with the news as was much of the rest of the political world. “I think the time is right. People are really frustrated — frustrated with both parties, frustrated with the war.”

»Paul's campaign announced Wednesday afternoon that the congressman from Texas had raised more than $5 million — twice as much as he raised in the last quarter. Almost every other candidate hit the traditional third-quarter lull in the summer and raised less money.

(…)

»Paul's supporters are often young and raucous and emanate from college campuses. Their presence on the Internet is undeniable.

»“The organization of the campaign popped up spontaneously on the Internet with these meet-up groups,” Paul told ABC News. “It's natural that they would donate the money. So in many ways, the campaign has found me as much as I have found them. It's not a top-down organization. It's sort of bottom up. All we have done at the campaign is provide the message, and the message turns out to be popular.”

»Paul said the crowds are excited about his “message of limited government and following the Constitution.” He wants to do away with much of the bureaucracy in the federal government. If it is not spelled out in the Constitution, Paul probably does not support it. Take the Department of Education. President Paul would get rid of it. Same with the IRS. In the House, the former obstetrician votes against so many spending and government bills he's called “Dr. No.”

»But attracting the most interest, political observers say, is Paul's long-standing opposition to the war in Iraq.

»“Ron Paul says to a lot of people eager to hear this message, ‘You can be anti-war and be a conservative,’” said columnist and ABC News consultant George Will today. “In fact, he says, ‘If you are a real small government conservative you have to be anti-war.’”

»Asked in August at a Republican debate in Iowa, sponsored by ABC News, to summarize his plan for Iraq, Paul distilled his ideas to three simple words: “Just come home.”»

Dernier point sympathique pour les autres candidats républicains: Ron Paul confirme qu'il est le candidat le plus populaire chez les soldats US, si l’on se réfère à la même indication des dons d’argent. «The study of contributions of $200 and more during the first two quarters shows that Paul has raised three times as much from members of the military as what's been raised by GOP fundraising front-runner Romney, and four times what Giuliani garnered.»

Mis en ligne le 9 octobre 2007 à 07H11