I'm voting for Ron Paul even if I have to write him in.

Anyone who's on the fence about Ron Paul needs to go to whyronpaul.com and ronpaulmyths.com

I'd like you to remember Michael, your father endorsed Dr. Ron Paul as Dr. Ron Paul was one of only 4 congressman to endorse your father...

And to be quite honest... your father, I'm sure, would not be very proud if a Newt Gingrich was what the GOP has become out of the tailwinds of his legacy.

Time to cut the crap and remember the TRUE greatness that was your father... a STATESMAN for all to respect... such as the good Dr. Paul.

Right now, according to a recent poll from NBC/Marist (google it), Dr. Paul is the ONLY candidate that has a chance to beat President Obama......everyone else loses.

The man is consistent, stands by his views, explains his policies in depth (unlike the others) and doesn't think the American people can't handle the truth. Americans are ready to take the hit and start a real recovery, rather than die a slow and painful death with any other candidate.

We are not afraid.

Discover Dr. Paul for yourself, look at his CSPAN videos, read his policy directions, and decide for yourself what you think about him.

BTW to answer the question "Sure, in the past he's (Gingrich) done a lot of stupid things, But just who hasn't?" see the above :)

I agree with you completely Mike. Newt was not my choice early on, but has certainly won my respect recently. He definitely has the most backbone of all Tue candidates up there.

You mean "The Established Republican Elitists" are starting to become 'right'?

AMEN, Michael.

Everyone who is not a socialist or further left should stand together against Obummer.

We will never recover should that traitor be re-elected. His true agenda has never been spelled out because very few would vote for him then.

How do you spell McCain, "Gingrich" Am I the only one that wants to puke when someone calls Gingrich a Conservative?

Gingrich is only slightly more conservative than Obama. He is a Progressive, meaning one who believes Government is the answer. He violated the 11th commandment himself when he went after Ryans budget plan. He may be leading now, but it will be a long primary, and he may shoot himself in the foot. The primary will work itself out, and anyone would be better than Chairman Obamao, Gingritch is probably the worst of the lot, much better choices out there.

I'd hold my nose and vote for Newt if it came down to it, because as much as I might disagree with some of his positions, I have a hard time believing anyone could be worse for the Oval Office than Obama. Should Newt, progressive as he is, win the nomination (and ultimately the election), hopefully, by the simple virtue of not being Obama, his presidency would stem the influx of socialism long enough for genuine conservatives to get elected in future cycles. I'd rather take baby steps back toward republicanism (little "r") than continue this mad, head-first dive into socialism.

Good post, Mike.

Newt might be a bit to much to the left of many of us, but his style is what we need. Nobody should be so stupid as to believe that he will do a dis-service to the party, especially with Republican majorities in the House and Senate. He will have plenty of help defining what should be done in this country.

Not to mention that he is too smart to try to go too far on his own. I believe, by reading other reports, that Newt has changed in many ways. Our country needs a leader, something we haven't had in a long time, and he will lead.

Would I like to have a genuine dyed-in-the-wool, one hundred percent conservative as a candidate? You bet! But we don't have one, and I am not so sure that one could be elected right now with all the crazy knuckleheaded people around that aren't responsible enough to vote responsibly.

To me, Newt is a compromise, but a good compromise, something Romney is not.

The Republican establshment doesn't fear Gingrich, who is part of them - they fear candidates such as Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain, both of whom they have succeeded in derailing. When are the voters going to stop being so stupid, playing into the hands of the Democrats and mainstream Republicans?

You wrote:

If Republicans turn their guns on Newt instead of on Obama, Obama will be our president for another four years.

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If either is elected, we may soon not have any guns to turn on anyone. Gingrich is more of a gun grabber than Obama. But we will have amnesty for illegal aliens.

Ragweed - "Newt might be a bit to much to the left of many of us, but his style is what we need. Nobody should be so stupid as to believe that he will do a dis-service to the party, especially with Republican majorities in the House and Senate."

Remember the last time we had a RINO President and Republican majorities? We got No Child Left Behind, ban on incandescent light bulbs, the first bailout, push for amnesty for illegal aliens (oops undocumented workers), the unPatriot Act, the TSA, etc. Bush said jump and McConnell and company said how high.

Ron Paul is a Republican.

Nice attack there on a fellow Republican all while decrying the attacking of fellow Republicans!

Great column Michael. However, it seems that most Republicans can't get it through their heads that a winning team doesn't blow the game by fighting in the huddle. And I wish these armchair quarterbacks would quit paying lip-service to the Gipper while doing the opposite of his advice. In this case, always fighting over the ball without regard to the end result. The lowest form of animal life is the hypocrite ... and the lowest form of hypocrite is the RINO.

I have a question for those who support Ron Paul. I have noticed that practically 100% of the time you all are the first responders on these blogs. So the question is: Are you being paid to monitor these blogs and tout Ron Paul before anyone else can get in? I hate to burst your rose-colored bubble, but Ron Paul is not the man that you think he is. He may be a registered Republican but his views are anathema to the rest of us and most Americans. He will not be the nominee. You will see the true measure of his leanings when he declares as a third party candidate, loses, and costs us the future of our country by assuring obama's re-election.

Gingrich is playing it right, by staying to the pro-freedom side of Romney, who use to be the top candidate. Plus, he's taken the fight to the Demo-cult Mini-true media.

Romney, played to the beltway Demo-cult laity, of beltway Republicans, that are ok with forced association, like Obama-care/Romney-care, Fed or State, both are the same in striping freedom. Also Romney is in direct support of the progressive global warming hoax for more central government control. The beltway Demo-laity are up with the whole hoax-for-change on global warming.

Ron Paul's attempt to trash and restart a new tax system has little chance, like Cain's 9-9-9. A tax overhaul is not possible with the Mini-true demo-bards in the media scaring half the voters. He'll be closer on the whole isolationist thing if there is 4 more years of BHO and Demo-cult followers, keeping the decline going, they will be removing the USA's power and global influence.

It appears that we will not be able to select a true Conservative candidate for President - the left media has again culled the herd and picked our candidate for us.

I am now convinced that we must focus on the House and Senate races and make damn sure we get another Tea Party Freshman class like 2010. Once we get a Republican Congress ( this time with true conservative Republicans that we select in the primaries ), then the momentum for change will require that President Newt/Mitt sign-off on the dismantling of the Federal Beast.

There is too much "Personality" involved in the Prsediential race. The Nation will be saved by conservative Americans putting Conservatives in both Houses and making the president do what the American people demand.

I personally like a tough vetting process (something we never had with Obama). My choice was Herman Cain and if he rejoined I would support him again. Your father is far more popular today than he was as President. He was attacked daily by both parties while he was President. I could easily support Bachman, Paul, or Santorum. I will vote for the eventual party nominee; fortunately in NC, we have computerized voting. This means that I can hold my nose while voting for Romney, Newt or Perry. I wonder if I will live long enough to get to vote for a candidate that is more than the better of two evils. I would like to vote for a Washington, Jefferson or a Reagan. Just once I want to vote for someone that I believe in, someone that I think will actually do some good not just less bad.

I have a question for those who support Ron Paul. I have noticed that practically 100% of the time you all are the first responders on these blogs. So the question is: Are you being paid to monitor these blogs and tout Ron Paul before anyone else can get in? I hate to burst your rose-colored bubble, but Ron Paul is not the man that you think he is. He may be a registered Republican but his views are anathema to the rest of us and most Americans. He will not be the nominee. You will see the true measure of his leanings when he declares as a third party candidate, loses, and costs us the future of our country by assuring obama's re-election.

Mike Crognale wrote

"I have a question for those who support Ron Paul. I have noticed that practically 100% of the time you all are the first responders on these blogs. So the question is: Are you being paid to monitor these blogs...?"

If you think that then you need to loosen the chin-strap on your tin-foil hat. (And I'm not even a Republican.)

Howard Last - You are correct, and do I wish I had that vote back!!! But you didn't read all my post.

And to you and Dr. Timms - You are correct, and that is exactly what I was talking about. With conservative, not Republican, majorities in both houses, We conservatives will hold the reins on any president that even thinks about being a RINO. A President may be able to make policy, but the House holds the purse strings on funding any policy that doesn't smell right.

I forgot.....Mike Crognale - I have noticed the same thing and it makes one wonder.

To you ardent Paul supporters. Your candidate has some good ideas. But he has a shadowy past and many skeletons hanging halfway out of the closet. He has had a pass from the media, and you can bet that the minute he starts to gain his campaign will be over.

Not to mention that his nutcake ideas on foreign policy are as looney as a goose, and that he comes across as a whiner. In fact, a goose's ideas would be a credit to his. He has to be naive to believe that an isolationist foreign policy would be beneficial to this country.

Politics is a blood sport. Newt can take care of himself. The 11th commandment is a good idea, but we are mere sinners. Support the Republican nominee.

ron paul is the only logical choice for president. I will also write him in if he is not the chosen one. time to clean up america,stop the so called drug war which is in violation of the bill of rights. and get our budget back to normal. also stop meddling in world affairs and more worthless wars

I will vote for the GOP nominee. I don't need to know that I did "the right thing" when we have six ultra-left SC Justices scrapping the Constitution, and I am waiting in line to see a bureaucrat about getting an appendectomy for my grandchild.

jack l eich - if Paul loses the nomination and you write him in, you may as well vote for Obummer.

When I was a kid in South Texas, we used to say, Load your pistol, take careful aim, and then shoot yourself in the foot.

That seems to be the Republicans' plan.