Rep. Ron Paul To Terry Moran On Whether He Sees Himself As President: ‘Not Really’

VIDEO

by Frances Martel | 7:25 pm, January 3rd, 2012

» 27 comments

Ask any supporter of Rep. Ron Paul– and even some of the Republicans competing for the presidential nomination against him– and they will tell you that the Congressman is nothing if not sincere. So perhaps it isn’t much of a shock that, when asked whether he sees himself in the Oval Office when he goes to sleep at night, he answered that, honestly, “not really,” and that he sometimes jokes that, more than an aspiration, “it’s a risk that I take.”

On Nightline, Terry Moran gave on final pre-Iowa dispatch discussing everything from the surge in support for Rick Santorum– who said he felt good about the campaign “for the last couple of weeks” to Paul’s support. Moran notes that he felt like “the oldest person there” when going to a Rep. Paul rally, and asked the Congressman whether he had an explanation for why his voter base was significantly younger than the other candidates’. “Freedom is a very young idea,” he told Moran, adding that he hadn’t quite “figured it out yet,” but believed “young people are more open to consistency and principle.”

Moran then asked him how he assessed his chances– or, rather, whether, “when you lay your head on the pillow at night, do you see yourself in the Oval Office?” “Not really,” responded the candidate, “but I think it’s a possibility. Sometimes I kid about it and say, ‘that’s sometimes the risk I take.’”

Moran declared this “an amazing admission” for a presidential candidate, which, yes, Rep. Paul’s reluctance is something strange when he, as a candidate, cannot ask for the same from his supporters. But the question was phrased in a way that made it a bit of a catch-22: if Rep. Paul said “yes, I see myself as President every night before I lose consciousness,” he could risk coming off as ambitious or arrogant or slightly otherwise Newt Gingrich-y, so he may have been taking the safe route by not admitting to dreaming about ruling the free world every night.

The Nightline segment via ABC News below:

2012 elections, ABC News, Iowa, Republicans, Ron Paul, Terry Moran

http://profiles.google.com/vindex60 John Vindex

The more someone wants to be president the less I trust him/her.
Anonymous

lmao…… and they wanna give this guy the nuclear codes.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WH3ZLMM7CUKUHUIMK4TKXW6SQE John

It’s not his obsession. That’s why it’s refreshing.
Anonymous

You DO realize that Paul is only running for the conversation; not enforce policy.

It’s these “tells” that speak volumes
Anonymous

it’s not his obsession to be a leader?
Anonymous

he may actually win …
Anonymous

since mitt screwed the pooch by lying about his pac..newt is going to eat mitt’s lunch..
that leaves santorum or paul for the #1…
if palin comes out for ron paul..
game over~
and this is the plan anyway..
get rid of 2012 and put palin or christy up for 2016…

but we have a really big surprise for 2016…after we take 2012
hehehe
Anonymous

What is it with you “liberal” drones and your programed urge to be ruled by an all powerful leader? You do know the President is nothing more than chief representative of the American people, right? In case you don’t understand, and you don’t, it means that the people of America are the leaders.The POTUS is nothing more than a servant.
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Not really the best thing to say when running for President!!
Anonymous

Wasn’t Bush “The Decider?”
Anonymous

Nope. He was just another big government “progressive” who thought he was.
Don’t blame me for the last 100 years of “progressive” indoctrination that made the American people think we have a top down government rather than the bottom up one we’re suppose to have. That would be the left’s fault.
Anonymous

So Bush was a leftie . . . and I guess Teddy, Ike, and Reagan were too.
Anonymous

Yes. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Dem or Repub. If you grow the power and influence of government, than you are a “progressive”.
And Teddy Roosevelt ran on the Progressive ticket for president. He was actually considered the leader of the progressive movement at the time.
Anonymous

So Reagan = Progressive = Liberal, correct?
Anonymous

uniquenewyork

You need to remember that there is nothing progressive about “progressives” nor is there anything liberal about “liberals”.
They are authoritarians.
Reagen started the drug war, effectively growing the power of government exponentially which than lead to the incarceration of thousands of Americans.
Teddy killed thousands of Americans and Panamanians to build the Panama Canal. He could of waited for scientists to find the cure for yellow fever first but you know how “progressives” are when it comes to collective will over the individual. Who care about a few thousand workers? Not Teddy Roosevelt that’s who.
Anonymous

Try as I might, I can’t help but like this cranky old Muppet.
Hout Bosques

That’s not what he saying at all. He’s saying he IS running for the presidency, but he’s got no self-image of being president.

There’s a lot of bad things one can say about almost anyone in politics, and Uncle Ron is no exception – but he’s no egomaniac, and that’s one of the differences between him & every single other person in the GOP Game Show.
Hout Bosques

Ah – no. The winner wins because he wins STATES of delegates. There’s a big magilla being bandied about by some useful idiots, Steve Forbes for example, about how the GOP has made some big dramatic plunge into proportional representation this cycle, but it’s almost entirely an illusion. SOME of the early states have the possibility, but each of those is losing delegates for going early. The big prizes are – as always with the GOP – the winner take all prizes down the line.

Here’s the thing: people keep saying Mittens – hell MITTENS HIMSELF keeps saying this could be over very early. Bull. Shit. Perry’s got tens of millions, Paul has a level of support in every state (and NEVER gave up in 2008), and Gingrich is now getting money, and he in particular can look forward to Georgia, which he’ll take easily, SC, which he SHOULD take, & Florida, which is critical for him. But after Bachmann, Huntsman and Santorum are gone, even when Gingrich gives it up – I’m not saying he will, but he’s erratic, so – there will be Perry and there will be Paul, right to the bitter end.

Why? Because there’s a big sentiment in the GOP that just will. not. support. Mittens.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rusty-Boersma/1516044826 Rusty Boersma

Glad he won’t be disappointed then, when doesn’t even get nominated. I’ll be happy as hell that that lunatic will never, ever be president. It makes me sleep better at night.
Anonymous

Did Ron Paul Just Win Iowa?
http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/did-ron-paul-just-win-iowa/289986
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rusty-Boersma/1516044826 Rusty Boersma

LMAO! Wow! Looks like coherent thought is illusive to you as well! Typical Paulbot. Conspiracies everywhere. Is your tinfoil hat on correctly? Wait? What’s that? Black ops choppers? Quick, get in your bunker! LOL!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Rusty-Boersma/1516044826 Rusty Boersma

No we don’t.
Anonymous

Wiser words on politics have not been spoken, at least on this site.
Anonymous

What’s so conspiracy theorist about calling an elected representative whose duty is to serve and protect the people “a public servant”?
Anonymous

What are you talking about? What conspiracies?

Did Reagan not start the “War On Drugs” which cost billions of tax payer money since it’s inception? Is there not thousands of people in jail for minor drug charges like possession of weed for example?

Wasn’t Teddy Roosevelt known for being stubborn? And wasn’t it his stubbornness that forced him to complete the Panama Canal on time despite the high casualty rate of workers who suffered from Yellow Fever?

Do you think it’s OK for the government to put you in jail for 15 years because you where caught with a bag of weed?
Do you think it’s OK for the government to put you to work in an environment where you run a high risk of dying from disease?

Why do you “liberals” know so little about history? Oh.. that’s right… you went to public school. Never mind.
Juan Viche

Many people who watch this video change their vote
http://tekgnosis.typepad.com/tekgnosis/2012/01/ron-paul-many-people-who-watch-this-whole-video-change-their-vote.html
Anonymous

Ike was not a progressive.