No Rons Allowed

According to Jennifer Meyer of the Muscatine Journal, Ron Paul has been asked not to show up at an candidate forum in Iowa next week.

[Paul Campaign chairman Kent] Snyder said Paul’s campaign manager Lew Moore contacted Iowans for Tax Relief’s executive vice president, Ed Failor Jr. of Muscatine, on Tuesday to see whether the campaign had misplaced or overlooked an invitation.

“To our shock, Mr. Failor told us Dr. Paul was not invited; he was not going to be invited; and he would not be allowed to participate. And when asked why, Mr. Failor refused to explain. The call ended,” Snyder wrote in a post on Paul’s campaign Web site.

Snyder and Failor appeared on Jan Mickelson's WHO News Radio 1040 show to hash out the issue: Failor claims that Paul didn't meet the group's standards for inclusion ("a line based on credibility"), then, explaining how Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter did, lashes out at "the behavior of people with fringe-type behavior" who want Paul in the debate. Failor claims he's being harassed at home: "Go look at Congressman Paul's website where they encourage the behavior!" [mp3 link]

I called Failor and haven't heard back yet, but the tape from Mickelson's show doesn't leave much mystery as to his views: He compares Paul to fringe candidates John Cox and Mark Klein, neither of whom has ever been elected to anything.

Comments

Taktix® | June 21, 2007, 2:45pm | #

Ron, if you are willing to stand outside this forum in protest, I will burn my savings and vacation days, fly to Iowa from Florida, and stand with you.

Who's coming with me?!?

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 2:47pm | #

You've got to admit it's a little irresponsible for the Paul campaign to include this guy's home phone number in their mass e-mails. No, they didn't explicitly say "call this guy up in the middle of the night and yell at his wife" but they should have expected as much after laying into him for "discluding" Ron Paul from this forum.

miche | June 21, 2007, 2:47pm | #

Failor is a senior advisor on the McCain campaingn.

http://vote-ron-paul-2008.blogspot.com/2007/06/truth-why-ron-paul-is-excluded-from.html

miche | June 21, 2007, 2:48pm | #

campaign

sage | June 21, 2007, 2:52pm | #

Well, I sent ITR an email. I'm contributing what I can, for now.

iowan | June 21, 2007, 2:52pm | #

I first became involved with Iowans for Tax Relief in 1990 when then wanted to get a state constitutional convention to revamp the Iowa tax code. They didn't get the convention, but there were legislative successes.

I dropped out shortly after that, but I still get correspondence from them 17 years later.

This should be one of the groups that fully understands and supports RP's goals and objectives. It is disappointing beyond description that they would exclude Ron.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 2:52pm | #

miche,

That's funny; McCain's not going to the forum either (though he was apparently invited).

If this guy were trying to help McCain, I would think he'd want to keep Rudy and Romney out rather than Ron Paul.

joe | June 21, 2007, 2:52pm | #

The Republican Party - the organization itself, not people who vote Republican - signed onto the Iraq War as their party's defining cause almost five years ago.

They cannot accept that you can be a Republican and oppose the war.

JasonC | June 21, 2007, 2:53pm | #

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in a confederacy against him."

Pendulum | June 21, 2007, 2:53pm | #

Crymethink,

Do you have grounds to believe they included his home phone number?

More likely some resourceful supporter sought it out in public directories of information. And while it's not politic to call his house, his decision is outrageous.

joe | June 21, 2007, 2:54pm | #

iowan,

Do you remember a few years ago, when Focus on the Family made the Bush tax cut plan the central focus of their lobbying and PR efforts?

Same thing - everybody's got to be on board with the whole program.

I blame Grover Norquist.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 2:56pm | #

joe,

They don't think you can be a Democrat and oppose the war, either, since Gravel also was not invited.

Fluffy | June 21, 2007, 2:56pm | #

Yes, I thought that it was the ronpaulforums.com that posted the guy's home number, not ronpaul2008.com.

Maybe Failure doesn't know how to tell an official campaign site from a groupie site?

Fluffy | June 21, 2007, 2:57pm | #

I can't listen to the mp3 - can someone explain to me how he justified Hunter and Tancredo as credible candidates?

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:02pm | #

Here's an excerpt from the email I received:

Why are the Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance excluding the one Republican candidate who scored at the top of every online poll taken after the MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN debates? Why are they denying Iowans the opportunity to hear from the Republican presidential candidate whose popularity is growing by the day? We couldn’t get answers to these questions from Messrs. Failor and Sheffler. Maybe you’ll have better luck. Their contact information is below.

So, they definitely were encouraging people to call these guys. I don't know for sure that the number listed is his home phone, so Pendulum's scenario might be correct. Still, it's a bit tacky to tell thousands of people to call a guy when it's obvious he doesn't want to talk to you.

They have the right to do this, but I don't think it's good strategy. There's no way they're suddenly going to invite Paul to the forum because of telephone harrassment, and no point in pissing people off for no reason.

Fluffy | June 21, 2007, 3:05pm | #

I disagree, crimethink.

I think it's salutary to the campaign to administer some correction here, even if it doesn't result in Paul suddenly being invited.

It rallies the troops, it allows people to bond with the campaign by taking a minor action on its behalf, it roils up the blogosphere and the message boards, it continues to play the "the party's true outsider" card...there are nothing but positives here. Failor helped the Paul campaign more by excluding and maligning him than he could ever have helped it with a friendly invite to the forum.

Reinmoose | June 21, 2007, 3:07pm | #

and no point in pissing people off for no reason.

Oh, but there is...

Brian24 | June 21, 2007, 3:08pm | #

On the other hand, being forcibly excluded from forums like this might be the best thing that could happen to Paul. He can play up the "candidate that tax-and-spend republicans don't want you to hear" angle.

Taktix® | June 21, 2007, 3:09pm | #

tax-and-spend republicans

Ohh, that gives me goosebumps...

joe | June 21, 2007, 3:09pm | #

crimethink,

Where did you get an invitation list?

Was Obama on it?

Andrew | June 21, 2007, 3:10pm | #

crimethink --

A quick reverse phone lookup shows that the number from the e-mail is the business phone at ITR. Not his home number.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:13pm | #

Fluffy,

Well, I disagree with you. So I take it you won't mind if I send your phone number to a few hundred people I know and have them call you in the middle of the night.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:15pm | #

joe,

I didn't see an invitation list, but in the MP3 above, the guy from ITR mentions that they also have a Democratic candidate forum, and Gravel wasn't invited. I can't remember if he explicitly said that Obama was invited, but I'd be surprised if he wasn't.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:16pm | #

being forcibly excluded from forums like this might be the best thing that could happen to Paul.

So if you don't invite me to your next party, that means you're forcibly excluding me?

Jack Jackson 3rd | June 21, 2007, 3:16pm | #

The reason would have more "credibility" if 5 out 6 candidates appearing didn't have similar or less support than Paul.

Yeah, and Tom Tancredo isn't "fringe".....

Reinmoose | June 21, 2007, 3:20pm | #

crimethink -
seriously man, take your meds already

iowan | June 21, 2007, 3:22pm | #

iowan,

Do you remember a few years ago, when Focus on the Family made the Bush tax cut plan the central focus of their lobbying and PR efforts?

From most of the literature that ITR has sent me, they have been fairly consistent at working on tax law and mostly at the state level.

It is weird for them to get involved in a presidential debate to start with, and a complete reversal of their history to eliminate a candidate that is so heavily focussed on issues they have worked on in the past.

Failor's involvement with McCain would appear to have corrupted ITR's priorities.

Brian24 | June 21, 2007, 3:22pm | #

crimethink,

No, but if I call to ask you why I didn't get an invite, and you respond that I have no credibility as a friend, and you then appear in front of a group of my friends to give further details on all the reasons why I have no credibility, I think I'd say you were forcibly excluding me.

Pendulum | June 21, 2007, 3:23pm | #

Crimethink,

If I bill something as a GOP debate, and then systematically exclude candidates I disagree with, then, yes, I'm "forcibly excluding" candidates.

I also liked how you accused the commenter of supporting phonebombing Mr. Failor's house, even though he clearly did no such thing. That was funny.

joe | June 21, 2007, 3:27pm | #

crimethink,

Ah, I can't stream on this 'puter.

Anyway, if Obama was invited, there goes your theory.

ed | June 21, 2007, 3:28pm | #

people with fringe-type behavior

Are you talking to me?
Are you talking...to me?!

Russ 2000 | June 21, 2007, 3:36pm | #

The actual name of the organization is:

Iowans for Tax Relief but Still In Favor Of Massive Agricultural Subsidies Especially Ethanol.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:39pm | #

Pendulum,

I posted the part of the email that asked people to call the ITR guy, and said it was a bad idea.

Fluffy said it was a good idea.

So, it seems that Fluffy doesn't have a problem with doing what the email asked for.

iowan | June 21, 2007, 3:40pm | #

Russ 2000, do you live in Iowa?

Because I don't recall ITR being involved in agriculture subsidies.

Pro Libertate | June 21, 2007, 3:40pm | #

Whatever you do, don't mention the war.

Reinmoose | June 21, 2007, 3:41pm | #

Iowans for Tax Relief but Still In Favor Of Massive Agricultural Subsidies Especially Ethanol

well observed.

Is anyone actually shocked that an organization that's supposed to be some sort of check on the political system is actually a slave/tool of that same political system?

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:45pm | #

I don't think phonebombing his office is a good idea either. Plus, he did kind of have a point in saying that he didn't give a shit what people from out of state wanted him to do, since his group is a locally oriented one.

Fluffy | June 21, 2007, 3:47pm | #

Crimethink, maybe you missed my post and Andrew's post where it's pointed out that the campaign encouraged people to call ITR's business listing, and it was a forum site unaffiliated with the campaign that posted the guy's home number.

I absolutely support freeping ITR's phone listing. I don't support calling Failor's home phone.

And when I said, "I disagree, Crimethink," I was answering the part of your post where you said, "They have the right to do this, but I don't think it's good strategy. There's no way they're suddenly going to invite Paul to the forum because of telephone harrassment, and no point in pissing people off for no reason." Any reasonable reading of my post would reveal that to you, since I'm clearly listing benefits to the campaign other than Paul getting a sudden invite. If there are benefits to the campaign other than Paul getting a sudden invite, it's appropriate to disagree with you when you assert that since the phone campaign won't get Paul an invite, it's being done for no reason.

Fluffy | June 21, 2007, 3:48pm | #

"I don't think phonebombing his office is a good idea either."

Too bad. Don't do it, then.

Russ 2000 | June 21, 2007, 3:53pm | #

I don't think phonebombing his office is a good idea either.

Get caller ID.

Rattlesnake Jake | June 21, 2007, 3:54pm | #

"So, it seems that Fluffy doesn't have a problem with doing what the email asked for."

The email didn't call for harassing, only to demand to know why Paul wasn't included.

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 3:57pm | #

Fluffy, I'm skeptical to say the least about the benefits of targeting this guy either at his home or his office. There's plenty of material to rile up us Ron Paul supporters without poisoning the well as we've done here.

What I'm worried about is that the very favorable (and nearly meaningless) results of Internet and TXT polls are giving the Paul campaign a big head. When you're hovering around 2% in the more scientific polls, you can't expect to be invited to every single candidate forum out there.

Russ 2000 | June 21, 2007, 4:05pm | #

When you're hovering around 2% in the more scientific polls, you can't expect to be invited to every single candidate forum out there.

That's an excellent point!

Too bad Failor didn't come close to making that one. So Failor's getting exactly what he gave.

Taktix® | June 21, 2007, 4:07pm | #

Is anyone actually shocked that an organization that's supposed to be some sort of check on the political system is actually a slave/tool of that same political system?

You're not exercising your doublethink properly...

ITR is simultaneously a check and a slave/tool. Duh.

Shane | June 21, 2007, 4:07pm | #

Here's a thought rather than stand outside and protest, get a seat inside, and don't applaud for anyone, especially if Ron Paul is excluded. You can get free tickets at
http://www.taxrelief.org/presidential_forum.htm
If you do go, I would suggest not wearing Ron Paul shirts, and maybe putting buttons on after you sit down. You could also have material to hand out.
See a positive thing.
Also when they have the straw poll at the end, won't it be hard to explain how the candidate that they excluded did so well, and maybe even won?

Russ 2000 | June 21, 2007, 4:09pm | #

You can get free tickets

Ron Paul should get one!

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 4:10pm | #

No Rons Allowed

If we're to be true to the Simpsons reference, since there's no other Ron in the candidate list, wouldn't that allow Dr Paul in?

Seer | June 21, 2007, 4:10pm | #

You can if people like Tommy "Turkeyneck" Thompson are getting invited. Failor named two other peoeple that didn't get invited besides Paul.

Klein
Cox
Paul

Which of those men above have held elected office multiple times and which have been included in all the nationally televised debates? Now, I honestly don't care that Ron wasn't going, but their idea that Tancredo or T. Thompson are more credible is absurd. Look at polls, look at money look at anything and he does as well, if not better than they do.

Reinmoose | June 21, 2007, 4:13pm | #

*thinks of Tommy Thompson*
*barfs*

Pig Mannix | June 21, 2007, 4:13pm | #

You've got to admit it's a little irresponsible for the Paul campaign to include this guy's home phone number in their mass e-mails. No, they didn't explicitly say "call this guy up in the middle of the night and yell at his wife" but they should have expected as much after laying into him for "discluding" Ron Paul from this forum.

Ok, so it was irresponsible.

But damn! It sure is funny!

horsewithnonick | June 21, 2007, 4:15pm | #

On the other hand, being forcibly excluded from forums like this might be the best thing that could happen to Paul. He can play up the "candidate that tax-and-spend republicans don't want you to hear" angle.

Along these lines, I notice that the Des Moines Register story has surfaced on Politico.com and Yahoo News...

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 4:16pm | #

Seer,

He also mentioned Gravel, who has been in the televised debates, yet wasn't invited to this thing. And you might want to direct some of your ire at Ron Paul not being considered a "credible" candidate at this very site, whose staff have openly stated that Dr Paul has virtually no shot at getting the nomination.

Hands With A Hammer | June 21, 2007, 4:19pm | #

What's passing as the Republican faithful these days has gotta be alarmed. Right now, if you polled people who call themselves Republicans, and asked them for a thumbs up/thumbs down opinion on emperor Bush, over 70% of Republicans give him the thumbs up. Compare that to the rest of the world, and it's fairly evident that the GOP has lost their way.

The party's current honchos think that they own that party outright. But what if primary season starts and the party is inundated with first timers brought out because of Dr Paul's candidacy? The unwashed masses could hijack the Republican party. The fearsome and fearful flakes that make up the Bush worshiping wing of the GOP would have to pull a Scoop Jackson type play and switch over to the DFL in order to get a shot at the war piggy policies that they lust after.

I'd trade my left foot for Ron Paul's winning the Republican nomination. If that were to happen, the Democrats will probably decide to impeach Bush for lying us into a war of aggression... just to earn some street cred with the retooled electorate.

Seer | June 21, 2007, 4:20pm | #

For the record, I think Gravel should also have been invited. In fact, if he really wants to save face he'd invite Klein, Cox, Gravel and Paul.

Hands With A Hammer | June 21, 2007, 4:45pm | #

wait!

I mean my right foot, not my left foot.
The left one's not available.
That's my good foot.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Gene Berkman | June 21, 2007, 5:12pm | #

I am not sure if harassing people to include Paul in the debates is a good idea. But if we don't contact them - politely I hope - and urge them to include Paul, then they will just say "nobody complained" about not including a particular candidate.

There is an online petition directed at ITR and ICA urging them to invite Ron Paul http://www.petitiononline.com/rp063007/petition.html

What could be more polite than signing a petition.

jf | June 21, 2007, 5:16pm | #

No offense, but has anything at petitiononline.com ever accomplished anything?

And I'm in mourning due to the death of Ohio's own Bob Evans. What a great man, and what great restaurants.

biologist | June 21, 2007, 5:34pm | #

You've got to admit it's a little irresponsible for the Paul campaign to include this guy's home phone number in their mass e-mails. No, they didn't explicitly say "call this guy up in the middle of the night and yell at his wife" but they should have expected as much after laying into him for "discluding" [sic] Ron Paul from this forum.

ahhh, schadenfreude

J sub D | June 21, 2007, 6:47pm | #

And I'm in mourning due to the death of Ohio's own Bob Evans. What a great man, and what great restaurants.

jf - My sypathies. I wouldn't go so far as say "great restaurants", but the best chain breakfast Ive ever had. And that includes Waffle House.

I didn't know he was from Ohio. You see that, all you whiners out there? If Bob Evans could overcome that what right do you have to complain?

Jack Jackson 3rd | June 21, 2007, 6:56pm | #

If they excluded every candidate with 2% or less in the "scientific" polls, that would leave the debate with

ONE candidate, right? Am I missing someone?

crimethink | June 21, 2007, 8:28pm | #

Mr Jackson, most polls I've seen have Fred, Rudy, John, and Mitt all in the double digits on the Repub side.

Seer | June 21, 2007, 8:38pm | #

But Fred's not a candidate yet, and Rudy and McCain are both skipping Iowa. That leaves just Romney.

Pregnant Lesbian Sex | June 22, 2007, 4:35am | #

New NPR radio interview with Paul.

Really good interview from WBUR, an NPR station in Boston. Some 'tough' questions from Democratic callers on issues like abortion. He talks about possible Iran attack. Interesting feedback from callers. They're spamming the airwaves now!

Pregnant Lesbian Sex | June 22, 2007, 4:39am | #

Blargh. I jacked up the link. Here it is:

http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2007/06/20070621_a_main.asp

Or click here.

Pussycat Doll | June 22, 2007, 8:40am | #

I read that as 'Mescaline Journal.' Too bad! Now that would be an interesting read.

Chris | June 22, 2007, 10:03am | #

"But you let Homer Glumplet in."

"It says 'no HomerS'. We're allowed to have one."