Ron Paul Excites Followers At His Own Convention

A cnn.com video shows Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul making opening remarks at his Rally for the Republic last night in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Another part of the video shows him speaking with a CNN reporter about Obama and McCain. Although doing it in a laughing, jovial manner, Paul tells the viewing and listening audience how the McCain campaign has really treated him and his supporters. He received a two-minute standing ovation before an enthusiastic crowd of 11,320 people prior to making his opening remarks. This quote from CNN.com epitomizes the crux of Dr. Paul's campaign: ''I did not want to run people's lives. I did not want to run the economy and I did not want to run the world. I didn't have the authority to do it, and I didn't have the Constitution behind me to do it.'' Paul proudly proclaimed that not a single taxpayer's cent was spent at the rally. Tickets to the rally cost $17.76. 10,320 tickets were sold by the campaign and another 1,000 at the door. Paul's highest vote getting showings were at the Nevada and Montana Republican caucuses where he placed second. He had a huge grassroots following on the internet. His campaign conducted internet fundraising drives. Ron Paul is a strict constitutionalist who believes in limited government, civil liberties, lower taxes and cutting wasteful government spending. He was the only Republican presidential candidate who opposed our involvement in the Iraq war. Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura spoke at the rally as well. He criticized both Democrats and Republicans as part of the problem not the solution. CNN.com reports on what Ventura said to the enthusiastic crowd: ''I am not a Democrat, and I am not a Republican, and I say that very proudly today, because I think these two parties are destroying our country.'' Other speakers included NBC's Tucker Carlson, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist. Getting rid of the Federal Reserve and returning to a sound monetary policy was a major theme of Paul's campaign. He and his followers will continue this theme and educate Americans with his Campaign for Liberty PAC. Many Paul supporters (in the hundreds) who weren't able to attend the rally in person commented online in a ''Take Over the Net Tuesday.'' Ron Paul even had his own version of Woodstock where other supporters camped out at a dairy farm in Goodhue, Minnesota called ''Ronstock08.'' Paul was told by the Republican National Committee on Tuesday that he would have to pick up his pass at the gate if he wished to attend. He was also told not to bring any guests.