A 2008 Interactive Timeline - Gameplay Thread

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Ron Paul travels to Iowa and speaks at a GOP-hosted dinner.

"...So the Constitution is not a document that can be trampled on at the will of the administration. We have seen this administration freely ignore the fourth amendment with the enactment of the Patriot Act, let alone the unconstitutionality of our presence in the Middle East. We need a President who abides by the Constitution. When the President swears to uphold the Constitution and preserve and protect the Constitution, that is what we must expect from that President.

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Ron Paul appears on Fox News Sunday.

Chris Wallace: Doctor Paul, there is a lot of speculation that you are considering running for President...is this true?
Ron Paul: Anything is possible. I'll most certainly have a decision to be announced within a few days, maybe a couple of weeks.
Chris Wallace: Let's say you do run for President, what kind of competition do you expect?
Ron Paul: Well, I know President Bush, Duncan Hunter and Donald Trump are running, so the field appears to be taking shape.
Chris Wallace: Do you think you could win, sir?
Ron Paul: Well sure, why couldn't I?
Chris Wallace: If you did win the nomination, who are some people that you would considering choosing as your Vice President?
Ron Paul: Well, in a broad overview, I have a close friendship with Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, so I'd consider a bi-partisan ticket. As for Republicans, George Pataki, the Former Governor of New York and Jim Gibbons, the Governor of Nevada are names that jump out at me.

[Lambsbread]

Ron Paul announces his candidacy for President of the United States of America.

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Ron Paul makes a speech in Iowa.

"President Bush has recently made statements that have been labeled as 'attacks' against me. Are his comments justified? Absolutely not. His administration has led the assault on the Constitution. Trampling the fourth amendment and frankly the first amendment, violating the eighth amendment by allowing the death penalty to be used on a daily basis, not to mention the Iraq War which was not legal. I don't think it's time for more trampling of the Constitution. I think it's time for a President who will stand up for the Constitution and protect it. If you want that type of President, I'm your man."

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Ron Paul appears on MSNBC's Morning Joe

Joe Scarborough: Congressman Paul, how do you respond to President Bush's response to your statements challenging some of his legislation?

Ron Paul: Well, I know he defended the Patriot Act as a "reasonable invasion of privacy" which frankly to me sounds a little redundant. There is either full invasion or no invasion in my mind. He also claimed that the war on terror was reasonable, which it is not. The war was unconstitutional, that's plain and simple. I proposed legislation to declare war on Iraq, but nobody wanted to hear it. He also defended the death penalty but not in detail. He also said we need a leader who will fight for freedom and tyranny around the globe, seeming to claim that I will not. I'm preparing for a bitter campaign against President Bush and I won't back down.

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Goldwater Endorses Paul

Barry Goldwater Jr, the son of Barry Goldwater, one of the pillars of the Libertarian movement, has endorsed Ron Paul for President at a rally in Iowa.



In other news, Dr. Paul is expected to land in New Hampshire tomorrow to began campaigning in the early primary state of New Hampshire.

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Ron Paul arrives in New Hampshire

My friends, it is time for a change. I voted against the resolution to amend the constitution and allow for Presidents to seek a third term. The Constitution is fine the way it is, it is not necessary to change it. I think we need a President who is ready to lead, who is ready to fight for every citizen, not just corporations or special interest groups. I'm going to fight for the little guy, the family on main street struggling to make their payments each month on their house or car. I'm ready to lead for them, not for some fat cat. Thank you!

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Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson speaks in Iowa:

"My friends, I'm excited to make the announcement that I will be endorsing Ron Paul for President! Dr. Paul and I are seen as trailblazers for the modern libertarian movement and I ask all of you to ask yourselves this question: Do you really want the same President again? Isn't it time to make a change? President Bush is acting like the kid in elementary school who hogged the kickball all to himself and wouldn't give anyone else a chance to play! *laughter* But seriously, Ron Paul is the right man for the job. I respect him and I know all of you do too. RON PAUL '08! -smiles-"

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Ron Paul makes a speech in New Hampshire.

"Friends, I'd hate to sound like a broken record but frankly, it's time for a change. You know just as well as I do that you don't want a three term President. Who knows, by the time 2016 comes, we could amend the Constitution to allow Presidents to run as much as they want. We have to stop amending the Constitution. The document was written almost three hundred years ago, we have to go by what our founders wrote and what the other 17 amendments say as they were ratified. There is a strong difference between passing legislation and amending the Constitution. Whereas the latter creates so much more complication in the system, we could just pass legislation. If you want a President that will only run for two terms as was previously written in the Constitution, I'm your man. God bless you all!

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In response to Keith Olbermann's comments:

I do support term limits, Mr. Olbermann did everything BUT ask me if I supported such a thing. Secondly, he made a comment claiming that I believe there are only 17 amendments to the Constitution, if Mr. Olbermann hasn't realized that after the bill of rights, there WERE 17 amendments to the Constitution, totaling 27. I know how many amendments there are in the Constitution, I was referring to the 17 ratified by Congress AFTER the Bill of Rights. Mr. Olbermann is blindly attacking me without asking me the context of my statements and frankly, I take offense to that. Now, I'd love to appear on Mr. Olbermann's show and explain my positions and I'd be happy to answer any questions that he may have.

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Dr. Paul appears on Cavuto

Cavuto: Dr. Paul, I know you responded to Keith Olbermann's harsh comments, but I'd like to ask you, will you be joining Governor Sanford in his boycott of MSNBC?

Paul: Oh, no. I thank the Governor for his gracious defense of me, it really is an honorable quality of his but I will not be boycotting MSNBC. I've offered to be on Mr. Olbermann's show, but I have yet to hear back from them.

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Ron Paul appears on Rachel Maddow's show.

Maddow: So, would you say your little fiasco with Keith Olbermann is over yet?
Paul: Well, he hasn't apologized so obviously he's gonna stick by those comments. No, I don't think there was ever a feud, he misunderstood my statement, it happens. I'd prefer to just move on.
Maddow: Alright, so a recent article in the Baltimore Sun proposed that in a situation that you are elected president that you'd have our budget balanced with a surplus by late 2011, is this realistic?
Paul: Anything's realistic, I think with the right people in Congress and with bi-partisanship, we could do anything.
Maddow: How do you respond to pundits claiming that President Bush has done so poor a job as President that the country cannot trust another Republican?
Paul: I think the country can absolutely trust another Republican, it just has to be the right Republican. I think I or Governor Sanford would make great candidates because we both have libertarian aspects to us and I know that appeals to Independent voters.
Maddow: Let's say you just won the GOP Nomination and you had to pick your Vice Presidential nominee right now, who would it be?
Paul: I've been asked this question a lot. I think right now, I would probably consider Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to be on that list.

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Ron Paul makes a speech in Concord, NH

"We did great in a recent polling but there's still ground to make up! Let's go out there and show them that liberty is too popular to be defeated! God Bless you all!"

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Ron Paul arrives in South Carolina...

"I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Trump is dropping out of the race, but this just makes for an even better competition. I'd like to congratulate Governor Sanford on the endorsement and I look forward to running this race til it's over. God bless."

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Ron Paul makes a speech in Lake Jackson, Texas

"Friends, it is time for me to realize that I have such a miniscule shot at the winning the Republican Party's nomination, so I will be dropping out of the race and endorsing South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford."