Subscribe Feed (RSS)The Real 2008 Political Internet Sensation: Ron Paul
May 11th, 2007 by Joshua Dorkin | Filed under Commentary, Politics.NOTE: Just because I’m writing about Ron Paul does not mean I support his candidacy. I simply thought it was important to analyze his growth through the net. I’m a Democrat, but I leave my political views at home.
I don’t think people truly understand the power of the internet in politics these days. Thanks to social networks, forums, and blogs, everyday people have the opportunity to build up any political candidate. The voice of the common man is now as important as that of the broadcasters, and we’re seeing that especially amongst 1 candidate who would likely have been never-known a mere decade ago: Ron Paul. With little money and a slim chance at getting an ounce of exposure outside of a few minutes on a “debate” on cable news, this candidate has become the talk of the internet.
In the past, people may have been interested in what they had to say, but there wouldn’t have been a medium to hear more about them, from them, and to discuss them on. With modern internet technology, things have changed. After their respective “debates” both of these candidates have seen a huge groundswell of support online and we can measure that fairly easily:
Ron Paul – Republican Candidate
Official Website: http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
Google: 2,050,000 Results
Alexa:
It is hard to miss the bounce, isn’t it!
Notice the rankings yesterday: 21,775 (and climbing) vs. Rudy Giuliani 96,446 (and steady) vs. Hillary Clinton 61,358 (and falling) vs. Barack Obama 15,019 (and falling) vs. Mitt Romney 63,856 (and climbing).
Here is a graph of his website vs. the major competition. Notice the blue line that keeps climbing? That’s Ron Paul.
Technorati: It appears that Ron Paul is the most popular search.
Digg: Stories about Ron Paul are getting thousands of Diggs. One has even broken 6,000 Diggs.
As you can see, this candidate is fast becoming a real internet sensation, not a manufactured one. He generated passion and curiousity and the people took over from there. I don’t really foresee this guy ripping off his supporters by stealing their MySpace support page (really stupid move for Obama)..
Read more about the Ron Paul Effect (ABCNews)
NOTE: Someone apparently added this article to the Ron Paul Wikipedia entry. Very cool!
Glad you’re writing about him too!
I was impressed with his performance in the debate, and the more I read of him the more I respect him. Did you check him out when he was on Bill Maher’s show?
I’m happy that we don’t merely have to take what the mainstream media feeds us.
That is my point. The mainstream media has begun to lose their hold over things. They still do have a major influence, though. Just look at all the hype behind Obama. The media almost single-handedly built him up into this “rock star” because it is good for ratings. They focus soley on 2 candidates per party and ignore the rest.
At least the internet can start to even the playing field.
As for My. Paul, he’s an interesting guy with some unique ideas. It seems like people want something different these days. He is indeed different!
Remember, I am not a supporter of his, but do see that he certainly stands out.
[...] else, but I guess I’ll take what I can get. It seems that someone felt that my post, the Real 2008 Political Internet Sensation: Ron Paul, about how Ron Paul is making strides in the 2008 Presidential Election by grassroots online [...]
One thing you gotta say ’bout Ron, @ least he’s thinking outside the box and is willing to say what neds to be said. All the others in the Republicrat and Demopublican arenas voice Centrist to Socialist and don’t address the root problems – - more BandAids and Governement is their answer.
Take the Pledge
All Presidential Candidates should make pledges like those below. If they
refuse, then you should refuse to vote for them.
1. No More Oil Wars.
2. Work for independence from foreign oil on day one.
3. No more wars for corporate profit.
4. No more secret deals for $4 per gallon gas.
5. No more Chicken Hawks promoting wars of choice when they themselves avoided combat.
6. Make government green–if you can’t make what you have the most control over
green, I don’t care about your plans to make the country green.
7. No more torture.
8. No more lying about torture.
9. No more re-defining torture.
10. No more drunken hunting.
11. No more secret deals with big corporations to divide up the spoils before the war even starts.
The Ron Paul Revolution has begun !!!!
I have never voted Republican before, but I wholeheartedly support Ron Paul. The more I listen to him, the more I learn. He has an enormous amount of common sense, intelligence and wisdom – and he speaks straight; something rare in politics these days. I think people tend to vote by party, but should vote by platform. Don’t let the “label” republican throw you off. This man just believes in the constitution and the freedoms and empowerment it gives to people and the states, and his record shows this.
I am afraid of where America is headed. It’s too heavy with big government and corruption and an agenda for a one-world government controlled by orwellian principles, while the vast majority of americans are asleep — too complacent and misinformed to see what is really going on on the world stage.
I think Paul is the only hope for our country. But he’s right, Americans have to change their attitudes about what government is meant to do. People need to read the constitution and the Bill of Rights and they will understand how wise the forefathers were in designing it the way they did. We need to stop relying on Big Brother to do everything for us, and work more at the community and state level. Have any of you ever noticed that with the errosion of the constitution and the rise of big corporate government, there has simultaneously been an erosion in the family, community and state nucleus? Think about it.
Although I am an American citizen and vote regularly, I am living abroad in a Muslim country. I can tell you the majority of people here do not hate Americans. They hate our government’s intrusion and influences in their way of life. These people are the same was people anywhere – they have the same problems, challenges in life and want the same thing as anyone – a means of living happily with their families. So I believe Ron Paul when he says we need to get out foreign affairs, yet trade and garner friendships with other countries. It is the only way to gain respect in other countries and maintain our principles and integrity as a nation.
I am utterly disgusted, as usual, with the mainstream media’s manipulation of the facts and their unwillingness to air anyone’s views who run counter to their biased agendas. But the internet is powerful, but it can’t reach everyone; not everyone’s into competent. I don’t know how long the major media outlets can continue to ignore Ron Paul’s popularity. It will be interesting to see how things go.
For those of you on the fence or not sure about Ron Paul, please look into what he is saying in more depth and read the constitution in all its magnificence. It was designed by very foreward thinking individuals. It is not just some “quaint document”, as the politicians have been trying to spin it as they erode our individual liberties minute-by-minute. I mean, does one call the writings of aristotle, plato, shakespeare, and many other timeless intellectual works “quaint”? Our constitution is classic and timeless. Read and understand it, because it was designed to keep us free by having less government.
And for the Ron Paul supporters – donate. Whether it is your time and labor, or through money, or just getting the word out. Do as much as you can.
Thank you for this great blog site.
Manon
I just read my posting. Sorry, there are a number of grammar errors (i’m pretty sleepy). I’m sure you get the drift, though.
Yup, Ron Paul is here to stay and he’s gonna stay around!
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The days of constantly digging up creditable conjectures relating to this theme have ended.
I do hope Ron Paul stays!
[...] in one form or another, I would think. Others have written a fair amount about Paul’s surge. Josh Dorkin has an interesting post at timeforblogging with some graphics displaying the groundswell for Paul earlier in the year. Rand [...]
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