Politics: Mr. Second Place

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com.
Politics Mr. Second Place Why Ron Paul has other Republicans running scared in Nevada. By David Weigel Posted Thursday, Oct 20, 2011, at 02:01 AM ET LAS VEGAS—The room seats 315 people, and Ron Paul's speech is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. The room is full at 12:20. There are middle-aged people with Ron Paul gear—vintage 2008 stuff, homemade designs with Paul wearing a surgical mask—and students from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. They keep themselves amused. "Socialism sucks!" yells one kid wearing a knit cap. "Ron Paul 2012!" yells another student. "Rand Paul 2016!" yells an older man cradling a tot. The show starts on time. Paul's wife Carol, a petite woman with big blonde hair, walks to a reserved seat and gets immediate cheers of recognition. Peter Tariche, a serious-looking computer programmer who directs Youth for Ron Paul in the Western states, rises for the introduction. "Only one man has defended liberty and the Constitution," says Tariche. "History will look back kindly on him, for our generation has the power, the will, and the courage to restore a free society. We, the youth of this campaign, will fuel this movement. We will fix the problems that now face this generation." That's Paul's cue. He strides onto the stage and begins with this: "A lot has happened the last couple of years." Thus begins a 35-minute lecture about Austrian economics, Keynesian economics, Randolph Bourne (who coined the idea that "war is the health of the state"), the origins of the housing crisis, and the road to serfdom. He talks up his new ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Does the Death of Qaddafi Vindicate Obama's Foreign Policy? NPR Freelancer Fired for Serving as Occupy Wall Street Spokeswoman Saletan: Does Perry Really Believe Christians Should Vote Only for Christian Candidates?	Advertisement
Manage your newsletters subscription: Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Advertising Information
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to slatenewsletter@nl.slate.com. Copyright 2011 The Slate Group | Privacy Policy The Slate Group | c/o E-mail Customer Care | 1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 410 | Washington, D.C. 20036