Blahs, Blehs, and Ron Paul
Tuesday night felt good. No disappointing surprises by the name of Santorum and no media engineered surge to usher in another episode of the “Anti Romney Show” starring Jon Huntsman, just a strong second place showing for Ron Paul and, in the good Dr’s words, “a victory for the cause of liberty!” More delightful than any of the numbers flashing across the screen was his almost childlike excitement evident throughout his moving speech. “He (Romney) certainly had a clear cut victory, but we’re nibbling at his heals!!!” exclaimed Paul with that tone of exuberance he just can’t help but display on exciting occasions. Something about Ron’s oratory on the soap box these days sounds as revolutionary as his message. This speech was fiery, its reception explosive. Paul summed up his lifelong motivations and presidential goals in a passionate and concise talk that gave even me, a daily consumer of Paul’s rhetoric, chills.
What about this night, this speech, this second place finish made for such a magical night for us long term Paul supporters? For me, and many others from reading the usual Paul forums, the New Hampshire results were a victory of perception. As much as I’d like to think that, like me and my sort, most Americans view their news with a skeptical eye, there are constant reminders that this isn’t so. I am amazed at how some of the most cynical people I know will gobble up the MSM manufactured news as gospel. This is particularly true for the older generation. As skeptical as the boomers may be in all other aspects of life, they sure have a lot of faith in their news sources. My dad taught me through example that almost everything I see on TV is “bullsheeet.” It is one of the greatest lessons he could have passed down and has served a very useful purpose in life. This rule like most, however, had a caveat. In his mind there was an oasis of truth in the desert of lies-the news.
This sentiment is not unique to my father. His entire generation seems to take the media at its word without much scrutiny lending it very powerful tool of influence. Media persuasion is by no means restricted to baby boomers and up. A majority of both active and apathetic voters of all ages get the bulk of their information via mainstream media outlets and up to this point those outlets have basically shunned Ron Paul from their propagandist programming or spun his platform into the ramblings of an insane cult leader. In most cases, there are 2 sides to a story. Maybe the New York Times says “blah” and the Washington Post says “bleh.” In such cases at least each the “blahs” and “blehs” get their due in the narrative, despite how biased each may be. The Ron Paul story has quite a different dynamic. The Blah’s and Bleh’s team up leaving their all trusting consumers with a consensus; Ron Paul is at best insignificant and at worst dangerous.
Tuesday night in New Hampshire changed that. Paul’s impressive 2nd place win in the contest was another loud statement that couldn’t be ignored or marginalized by the usual blahs and blehs of the mind controlling media. The significance of Paul’s campaign has been extending well beyond its favorable chatter among alternative media outlets and is knocking down the establishment door. The results in New Hampshire may have cracked open that door and if you’ve ever met a Paul supporter you know it’s a hard one to shut. The perception is changing even amongst the staunch opposition from the mainstream media. Watching the CNN coverage of the primary was downright entertaining. The panel of “experts” looked like they were tripping over their own feet when discussing Ron Paul’s position. They desperately tried to hold the establishment line in explaining away his ever expanding support with the usual, “protest candidate”, “ideological campaign” jibberish, but something was different.
For one, it started to look foolish. One of their talking heads (who they seem to only let out of his cage around election time) started with the “protest candidate” dismissal of Paul’s run while exit poll results flashed across the bottom of the screen showing his impressive lead in a variety of categories (independents, 18-29, male voters, by ideology, etc). The ironic juxtaposition of the talking heads saying “unelectable” amongst the backdrop of contradictory poll results was not the only sign of the changing tide. Some of the discussion around the table was actually about Ron Paul as a serious candidate. I don’t mean to put words into anyone’s mouth, but I am pretty sure even Piers Morgan, who relieved a cranky Wolf Blitzer during the coverage, has been captivated by the revolution. In his first 10 minutes of taking over for Wolf he managed to sneak Ron Paul into the conversation quite a few times despite meeting palpable reluctance. By no means is the media giving Paul his fair due but the force that is his campaign can no longer be smeared or averted without journalistic integrity being seriously questioned, even by the media’s obedient faithful. Ron Paul’s intellectual revolution is rapidly creeping into mainstream discourse and threatening the cushy system that politicians enjoy. With the mainstream catching up to Ron Paul’s principles and the American people’s enthusiasm for them, it will be forced to give us a fair conversation on his candidacy. Can you imagine the surge in support once the media tells its followers it’s ok to vote for him?
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