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No, there is public spat between Ron Paul and Sarah Palin like with the former Alaska Governor and California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger...at least none that we are aware of. Instead both Palin and Paul have been doing something few of their fellow Republican colleagues appear capable of. More air time equals more respect and that's exactly what Palin and Paul have been getting of late.
Palin is still the folly of late night television. But make no mistake about it, she's developing a huge and loyal base three years before the next Presidential election. People may laugh at Palin but where are those other so-called "candidates for the GOP", Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, et al?
Likewise, Ron Paul has been making plenty of headlines of late with his legislation that would audit the Fed.
And like Sarah Palin, Ron Paul has been ridiculed at times, more so because he is considered an ideologue from the party's libertarian fringe, according to Meredith Simons of the Houston Chronicle. But while some media outlets blatantly tried to shut him out during the US Presidential race (many accused Fox News of doing just that), the Congressman from just outside the Houston area (representing Galveston) was seen on two cable news programs in one day - the two that matter: CNN and - drum roll please - Fox News.
Palin was a favorite of the Gambling911.com news site no so much for her stance on legalizing Internet gambling (we have no idea what her stance is on this matter) but rather because oddsmakers were offering so many unique Palin prop bets.
Ron Paul is a different story. He is beloved among those in the online gambling and poker realm for his co-sponsorship of legislation with Democrat Barney Frank to legalize the activity.
Paul is not necessarily going to run out and start betting on the Absolute Poker website. His focus is on civil liberties.
"I'm a fan of allowing people to enjoy themselves and I enjoy myself when I know people can make their own choices with what they want to do with their life and money," Congressman Paul told our own Jenny Woo a few months back.
Simons writes of Paul: "Paul has refused to go out to the political pasture to live in comfortable irrelevance. As odd as it may seem, he has become one of the most influential Republicans in a capital city dominated by liberal Democrats."
"On economic matters, he was seen as a way outside the mainstream," University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray said. "His views were somewhat 19th century in the view of a lot of economists."
Paul's measure to audit the Federal Reserve suddenly has quite a bit of support (well over 300 members of Congress in fact) and managed to sail through the House Financial Services Committee. Barney Frank, who chairs the committee, voted against the measure but was also blamed by some for letting the bill come to committee.
"I'm very proud to have been involved in bringing his amendment to a vote," Frank said.
And as for all the media attention, Paul told the Chronicle: "I never had so many calls as I had last week."
Fed Chair Ben Bernanke is the bad guy in many people's eyes these days. He's seen as the person who got the US into the current financial mess even if he has thus far managed to curtail disaster. Being named Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" seems to be fueling further anger.
Simons writes: "In the House, Paul was ignored by Democrats and marginalized by Republicans. He was punished for the very views that earn him so much adulation today."
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
