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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Ron Paul exceeds Q2 numbers

Posted: Monday, October 01, 2007 6:37 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Carrie Dann
Dark-horse Republican candidate Ron Paul will report third quarter fundraising totals that exceed his $2.4 million take in Q2. According to communications director Jesse Benton, Paul raised $1.2 million alone in the last week during a down-to-the-wire online fundraising drive. The announcement comes after last week's New Hampshire trip for Rep. Paul, which included a rally attended by about 800 people and a major canvassing drive in the Granite State. The Ron Paul campaign expects to report its final third-quarter numbers later this week.

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Looks like those spammers are at it again! This time with Federal Reserve Notes.  Watch out!!
The amount of money Ron Paul's campaign raises, compared to the other candidates, is not as much of an issue.  With a towering internet presence, astonishing grassroots support, and thousands of YouTube videos, his supporters are providing - free - what the other candidates must pay for. Paul's campaign is saving huge amounts of cash.
I've never donated to a campaign, but sometime in the next few months, Ron Paul's will be my first.  He is the only conservative candidate, and he is the only top ten candidate besides Kucinich who will stop our failed nation building adventure in Iraq.  Can a candidate who appeals to both conservatives and liberals bring them together?
My God! $2.4M!  Despite nationally polling in single digits behind a guy who hasn't even committed to the race (Gingrich) and collecting 5% of the money given to all the top tier candidates, this outpouring of support is surely a sign that his candidacy is the 2nd coming of one of our nation's founders, and not some sort of 21st century internet phenomenon.
I donated to Ron Paul - the first time I have ever donated money to a candidate. I will donate again. If nothing else the Ron Paul campaign is showing the effectiveness of using the internet to organize supporters. I trust that my money will be used wisely. The same logic applies to Ron Paul as President.
The media's label "dark horse" is actually an improvement from "longshot," and I think it's a conscious upgrade on their part.  Dark horses have won in the past, and a candidate with 6-to-1 odds can't really be called a longshot.
Glad to have contributed to his campaign! I'm tired of watching media and pundits marginalize Dr. Paul with every chance they can take. What also bothers me is the lack of respect he received during one of the debates when one or more of the other candidates was openly laughing out loud at his response- as if it is ridiculous to speak the truth in these uncertain times! I love you as a candidate Ron Paul, and you deserve respect for your honesty and courage (among countless other positive traits). The American public is being not only taken advantage of, but lied to on a consistent and ever-increasing basis. It is positively reassuring to see that greed and deception has not corrupted all hope for a better future, and a stronger America. Good luck:)
Ron who?
MSNBC - Please tell me how limited government, voting against the Iraq war resolution, against the original Patriot Act, against the 2003 Medicare prescription-drug bill and following the US Constitution are CONS!?

There might be cons by these are not them.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12304248/
Wouldn't it be nice to have a grassroots candidate who supports the Constitution and the American people win?  I am so tired of candidates from both parties who are so beholden to Corporate America and Big Business that they will do anything to stay in their good graces.  Whatever legislation the big moneyed entities want, they get.  The politicians rely on the support of Big Business to help them continue to get elected over and over again, in most cases.  Ron Paul is cut from a different cloth.  He doesn't care if the big Defense Contractors don't hand him money because he is against the War That Should Have Never Been. He has my vote.  Our country needs him now.  I am really afraid for our country and what it is becoming with the people who have been running it.  I just hope the media will quit acting like they are the ones who will nominate a candidate.  And I hope we will elect Ron Paul president.
I am a liberal Democrat and I love Ron Paul. Finally, a candidate that understands the importance of protecting our Constitution from Bush and spineless Democrats. I really wish a candidate like Ron Paul who says it like it is stood a chance at winning. It's amazing how people write him off because as some "loonie" because he says stuff that we all know to be true.
I wish very much that it was a fair system and that things like raising money, making cogent arguments, winning straw polls, having a great congressional record, etc., mattered. Unfortunately, absolutely none of it does, and few of the Ron Paul supporters realize this. They are all operating under the naive assumption that the electoral system is open, free, and fair. However, anyone who has been involved with third-party campaigns, including Paul himself, knows that the system is rigged. What Paul may not yet be acknowledging is that even within the two major parties the system is rigged. Only those anointed with approval by the existing balance of power structure will ever be allowed to secure the nomination of their party, whether it be for the GOP or the Democrats. And the fact that GOP has been taken over an unholy coalition of Dominion theocrats and corporate statists doesn't help the matter. The greatest likely benefit to come from the Ron Paul campaign will be that it will throw this cold wet reality into the face of a few more million Americans. After Paul's supports see clearly that the system is rigged, they will hopefully soon also abandon the political process like half of Americans already have. Playing in a rigged gamed is a waste of time, and some might even say a moral crime; it is fair better to withdraw support, the more and sooner the better, so that the entire system collapse due to a lack of efficacy before it accumulates more power or does more damages. Corrupt cultures cannot be reformed, only abandoned to rot. New cultures arise from the fertile soil of that detritus.

Ron Paul has unprecedented and growing support, when compared to his low name-recognition. In other words, when people get a chance to hear his message, they not only support him, but become energized, enthusiastic supporters.

The "front-runners" (according to old-media) have huge name recognition, but have to PAY their "volunteers", unlike Paul, who has 50,000 REAL volunteers just through Meetup.com. That's why McCain's campaign, for example, is nearly broke, in spite of his universal name recognition and somewhat larger fund raising totals.

Paul's message of Freedom, protected by the Rule-of-Law, is compelling. People are finally waking up to the fact that Republican and Democrat Big Government has been buying their votes with benefits paid-for with money stolen from their wallets and their children's futures.

Dr. Paul is offering to buy our votes by giving us Freedom, which doesn't cost the government a penny, and will save us trillions of dollars while making the entire world (especially America) a safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous place.
The Corporate 'U.S.' TV 'News' Media obviously cannot be counted on anymore to tell it like it is.  The obvious attempts by the Corporate Media to obfuscate Ron Paul and his Constitutional Message of Freedom in his Presidential Campaign is in fact a clear sign of the peril in which We The People find ourselves in.  Our political freedom is under attack by entities who believe they are the 'Gate Keepers' of the U.S. Presidency.  Spread the Word far and wide to all Americans you know and even to those you don't know about what is afoot in the Corporate 'U.S.' TV 'News' Media.  Help spread the word about who Ron Paul is, and help to open the eyes of We The People.
I worked for his presidential campaign and believed in his message in 1988 and I do so today. It's gratifying to see that the voice in the wilderness is finally being heard. The dogged determination of the mainstream press and politicos to ignore the man is telling and speaks volumes about who really thinks they're in charge around here. Perhaps at long last the people are about to show them otherwise. Run Ron Run!
The "dark horse" candidate? NBC is making themselves look really bad by feeding everyone this garbage. It is quite apparent to even the most dimwitted that Ron Paul is the most popular of Republican candidates. Everywhere I go I see his signs posted up all over the place. He tops every poll (at least the ones that actually give you the choice to vote for him) He is the only Republican who is against the war in Iraq, which 70% of Americans want to pull out of. The media is digging themselves into a hole by cencoring Ron Paul. It has become too obvious.
Ron Paul, last hope if we want to stay America.
I support him and will continue to support him. He is truly THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. This time we need to fight for America just like our founding fathers did. I cannot believe the mess we are in. Turn back, America now!
go to www.RonPaul2008.com and give SOMETHING...even $10 helps!

Dr. Ron Paul, What a breath of fresh air. I smell more freedom for the people of the U.S.A.
Don't tread on us.
Go Ron,
I am a democrat,I have never voted for a republican for office of president of the U.S.A, but if RON PAUL can deliver as he says,And i think he can.I will be his man,and vote for him PERIOD..Lets revive our constitution to its former glorie before its to late,even if it takes a revolution to accomplish this.


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