A Stitch in Haste

As compelled as I am to stand athwart the Ron Paul juggernaut* shouting "Theocrat!", I also feel compelled to point out how utterly unfair and despicable this was:

Six GOP presidential candidates are taking their turns addressing the Americans for Prosperity "Defending the American Dream Summit" here in Washington, today. They are targeting government spending and taxation.
...
After Giuliani spoke for nearly 25 minutes, Ron Paul, who may have earned his time to speak with this quarter's fund raising, took the stage. Speaking for just over 10 minutes, Paul was then cut off by the stage music[.]

The sad part is that, as interchangeable as Giuliani and Paul are qua moral defectives, surely the membership of Americans for Prosperity would have been more amenable to Paul's message than Giuliani's. Paul was, arguably, the only candidate with standing to appear at such an event. (Did I mention that this summit was about "targeting government spending and taxation"?)

Assuming, of course, that "the message is the message" (as opposed to the photo op or the fundraising implications for AFP). Yes, I know: big assumption.

Paul does not deserve the praise he gets. But he deserved better than this, especially from people like this.

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*To the extent, of course, that 2-4% support of one dysfunctional party constitutes a "juggernaut."

(Via Guided by Noises by way of Daily Dish.)