Taking Shots

The following is the latest YouTube release of Ron Paul's highlights at the last Republican debate on May 3:


He takes on challenges from the debate moderators, Rudy Giuliani and Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes.

In my opinion, Ron Paul distanced himself further from the mainstream of the Republican party. On the other hand he may draw more people who weren't Republicans or Republicans, who've felt alienated from the Party's power base to his side. Will it be enough to win Ron Paul the Party's nomination? I certainly hope so, but we won't know until the primaries next year.

In the exchange with Giuliani, the former NY mayor suggeted that Paul's explanation for the causes of 9/11 attacks were absurd. Giuliani assumes that as a 'survivor of 9/11', he is more of an expert than Ron Paul in understanding the causes for 9/11. This is fallacious at best, since Ron Paul had been serving in Congress before, during and after the 9/11 attacks. Paul had access to CIA reports, served on the House International Relations committee and voted on international policy legislation. Rudy Giuliani was no more than mayor of New York City. Who would be in a better position to understand U.S. foreign policy and the causes for an attack on American soil?

Giuliani's rebuke of Paul drew ovations from the live audience. Then he asked Ron Paul to withdraw his remarks. Paul refused and reiterated his understanding of the causes for the attack! The live audience response may have favored Giuliani, but that says nothing about the national TV audience or the Internet viewers. Different pundits and bloggers are claiming victory for Giuliani, but I don't think so. Like the National ID issue in the first debate, Paul schooled Giuliani again, but I don't think Giuliani gets it.

Paul got taken to task over abortion and the Iraq war by Hannity and Colmes in a post-debate interview, which turned into a Crossfire-style argument where no one was swayed from their position.

Whether you believe he's winning or losing these debate points and challenges, Ron Paul is further defining himself as his own person. That registers in my mind as a win. The other candidates are striving virulently to prove who is the best Republican. Paul is showing he is the best man for the Presidency.