Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Romney is the GOP Front-Runner; Ron Paul is Irrelevant

    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    COMMENTARY | Mitt Romney won the Nevada caucus -- no great surprise there. Ron Paul placed third -- no great surprise there either. Basically, the whole lead-up to the first state in the West to vote was a nonevent.

    Associated Press reported Paul's performance "may be bordering on irrelevancy," especially after the glowing expectations he painted for everyone after his Florida shellacking. In all probability, the "may be" can removed there: Ron Paul's campaign is irrelevant in the Republican Party.

    But, he isn't alone.

    Rick Santorum has not placed well since his win in Iowa, and even that was razor-thin. It certainly didn't help his campaign in New Hampshire since the victory was not even announced until days before the South Carolina primary. Tough luck for sure, but that happens in politics sometimes.

    That leaves only former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to challenge the clear GOP front-runner. Gingrich pledged to stay in the race all the way until the Tampa, Fla., convention, assuming his supporters ante up some more money because the Gingrich campaign is broke. Perseverance like that really doesn't help the party and, I just have to believe at some point Gingrich will recognize that.

    Gingrich also reminded supporters Saturday night that Ronald Reagan lost five primaries in a row before he started to win in 1976. Not the best example there; Reagan didn't win the GOP nomination in 1976.

    There is no doubt Romney is the undisputed GOP front-runner. He carried every demographic group in Nevada, albeit a low turnout for even Nevada standards. ABC News reported exit polls said 57 percent of Nevada Republicans have decided who they will vote for in November, and the same percentage of those polled voted for Romney on Saturday. Republicans are beginning to coalesce behind him, and that will translate into more money, more supporters and a continued chain of primary and caucus wins.

    Romney certainly isn't the most conservative of Republican candidates, but it looks like he is going to be the nominee. After three decades of allowing the religious right to drive the party to the extremes, maybe it's time for a little moderation.

     
    • Seth  •  Fort Scott, Kansas  •  3 mths ago
      Irrelevant? I don't think. When I write in Paul's name in November and split the vote, you will see just how relevant he is.
      • DRAGONRACER 3 mths ago
        why not vote for him in the primary??
      • Seth 3 mths ago
        I will. I am going to the caucus as will do everything possible to become a delegate.
      • David 3 mths ago
        Kudos - we will vote for Paul no matter what the GOP lies about!
    • PhilB  •  3 mths ago
      Ron was only 2% behind Gingrich in Nevada, has the second most delegates, and unlike Gingrich is actually on the ballot in all of the primaries. I've lost count of how many hit pieces full of lies against Ron Paul that Mr. McGinnis has gotten published here, but it's in the double digits. Shut up and grow up, troll.
    • --559Zionn  •  3 mths ago
      The only thing irrelevant is your article. 45 more states to go, the people will not be brain washed by your propping of candidates.
    • robert  •  Green Bay, Wisconsin  •  3 mths ago
      The media picked Romney and the media ignores Ron Paul because He doesnt fit their agenda!! Wake up sheep!
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Boston, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      Attention GOP: Nominate Ron Paul or DON'T COUNT ON OUR VOTES.
      • Alex 3 mths ago
        LOL. Uh oh!
      • David 3 mths ago
        They aren't counting our votes already - Election Fraud is alive and will in FREE America
    • 1984  •  3 mths ago
      You're so wrong, Dan. If Ron Paul does not get the nomination, he WILL determine the next president. He will be a powerful force as an independent and could win the presidency, or send his support to another candidate. Contrary to the zionist #$%$ media, he has a great deal of political power among the people.
    • Menace  •  3 mths ago
      Ron Paul has always been "irrelevant" to the media, because the MSM is scared to death of him. He is far from being irrelevant to intelligent voters who dont believe the MSM brainwashing hype and are sick and tired of partisan politics.
    • Mike J  •  Holt, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      I am really saddened that Yahoo would take this article and provide it so much credibility and value as to provide a direct link to it. Let's look at the facts:
      1. Ron Paul came in 3rd, closely behind Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney
      2. Ron Paul came in 2nd in New Hampshire
      3. Ron Paul's poll numbers did not plummet--they have been steady, and in fact, slightly rising ever since he announced his candidacy for President. This cannot be said for most of the other candidates... including Donald Trump.
      4. Not even 10% of the delegates have been counted; the media loves to give Florida so much value. Interesting thing though is that EVERY President who has won republican nomination since 1980 has won South Carolina. Guess who won South Carolina? NOT MITT
      5. Ron Paul has been courageous and right... at least on our militarism and imperial wars. The debt is staggering because we have bases all over the world.

      This article is irrelevant people. This writer takes his talking points from the Associated Press. The scariest thing though about this article is that it proclaims a candidate for President to be "Irrelevant"!! People... this is a democracy, no candidate should be irrelevant. Let him make his case, there are still 46 states left and I am sure they all want to know more about each candidate.
    • saturn1  •  3 mths ago
      Less than 10% of Republican registered voters showed up to vote in the Nevada caucus.
    • Darrin  •  3 mths ago
      Ron Paul-the peoples candidate!
    • Todd J  •  3 mths ago
      Must be nice to be an independent writer for Yahoo. How bout a piece on voter/election fraud in all of the states so far? Maybe Dan, you could try and do a critical piece on Romney? There is plenty of info on that, same with Gingrich. You seem to prefer to do the journalistic version of "talk smack", but many people see right through your lies. Just sayin....
    • ReneM  •  3 mths ago
      The message of LIBERTY is never irrelevant!
      Ron Paul has raised over $30 million dollars and has a base of supporters who know there is NO DIFFERENCE between Romney and Obama (both are backed by Goldman Sachs)
    • Dino Duet  •  3 mths ago
      Romney is the Media Front-Runner and he has been nothing more than that since the beginning. Why aren't you talking about the fact that Ron Paul is AHEAD of Santorum? If anyone is irrelevant in this race it is Santorum. It's obvious you are just paid to promote Romney and hate on Ron Paul, we are not fooled.
    • Jay B  •  3 mths ago
      At 19 years old, Mitt Romney demonstrated in support of the Vietnam War draft. He picketed against an anti-Vietnam war sit-in at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, in 1966. There are a few photos that were published in newspapers at the time to verify this. Between his academic deferments and his status as a Mormon missionary, Romney likely realized that he was never personally in danger of being drafted.
      On the other hand, Ron Paul was drafted and served.
    • kr  •  3 mths ago
      When Romney loses to Obama because Ron Paul supporters write him in or stay home, you will understand his relevance.
      • Doomguard 3 mths ago
        If Romney were to lose, it would have more to do with him being a less electable candidate than Paul for the independent and democrat voters
    • levim  •  St Albans, West Virginia  •  3 mths ago
      Ron Paul is relevant, it is yahoo writing that is irrelevant. Get a clue.
    • John  •  Spotswood, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      Isn't it amazing that billionaires can buy a nomination in the Republican Party.
      • Chris 3 mths ago
        No. They've (or the equivalent of their era) been doing it since Lincoln was elected. He was all about "internal improvements" and Whiggism (as in piggism) and who better to provide these than the Republican elite (not that a progressive Democrat elite after the Progressive Era is any better). Our liberty is virtual, our elections are a fixed fraud, our capitalism is really mercantilism and our money is buttwipe. We haven't had anything resembling laissez faire since before the War of Northern Aggression. Party insiders, nat org people, the MSM and monied traitorous elites are choosing the Republican nominee for us cuz we're incapable of choosing the right nominee, much less making it stick.
    • Smashing  •  Laplace, Louisiana  •  3 mths ago
      No one is behind Rmoney except BANKS and GLOBALISTS

      WE KNOW WE ARE BEING CONNED AND SCAMMED
      BELIEVE ME.... WE KNOW THIS IS FRAUD
    • DanielR  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  3 mths ago
      I'm not trying to WIN and get elected. I'm trying to change the course of history.
      Ron Paul
      You have Dr. Paul. You HAVE!!!!!!!
      • IMR 3 mths ago
        One of the standard political loser statements. Basically saying "I am not going to win but at least I got my message out" but people won't remember the message.
      • DanielR 3 mths ago
        Wait what are we talking about? lol. NO YOU won't remember the message! I will my friend. I will never be the same because of it, nor will millions around the world like me. You should avoid water with fluoride in it. Maybe too late for you though.

        That statement is far from standard. Name ONE politician you've ever heard say it?......*crickets*
    • Fred Newtz  •  Houston, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      Moderation? So starting WWIII with Iran and by default China and Russia is moderate? More bank bailouts to the thugs who caused the current financial crisis is moderation? What about all of the families in the US who are losing their homes? Where is their bailout? Why not give people a tax credit for the equity loss in their homes they were pushed into by unscrupulous lenders?

      The AP is nothing but a mouth piece for the UN and the globalist agenda. I can understand the need for countries to work closely together, I can see where a currency that is available to make trading easier on everyone could be beneficial. But I CANNOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES see losing our CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. If there is to be one world government, currency et al. Then it will be with a set of constitutional protections like we have here in the United States. Compromise can be reached, but solutions like Agenda 21 that remove a persons right to own property, and forcing environmental restrictions down our throats will not be acceptable.
    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
    Loading...
    • The SpaceX Falcon 9 test rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral

      CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station opened the hatch and floated inside a Space Exploration Technologies' Dragon capsule on Saturday, the first privately owned spaceship to reach the orbital outpost, NASA said. Running ahead of schedule, station commander Oleg Kononenko …

    • Santa Fe, New Mexico (Reuters) - A blaze raged unchecked for a fourth day in the steep mountains of southwestern New Mexico on Saturday, one of several wildfires that have consumed more than 200 square miles of rugged land in a half-dozen U.S. states. Efforts to contain the blazes spreading in sparsely populated areas of …

    • U.S. Vice President Joe Biden hands a diploma to a cadet at West Point during the graduation ceremony for the class of 2012 in New York

      WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most of the cadets who graduated on Saturday from West Point were in elementary school when hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and enrolled in the U.S. military academy with wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan. Vice President Joe Biden lauded the brave choices …

    • NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Many folks may fret themselves into a frenzy over the November U.S. elections and whether the world will come to an end on December 21, but for about 1,500 people gathered in New Orleans for the United Astrologers Conference, all will be revealed this week. "Some of the world's top astrologers are …

    • Hurricane Bud appoaches landfall in Mexico

      MANZANILLO, Mexico (Reuters) - The remnants of the first hurricane of the 2012 season, Bud, dumped heavy rain along Mexico's coast early on Saturday but caused little damage before it turned back into the Pacific. The storm, which on Friday had threatened to hit land with hurricane-force winds, lost strength as it neared …

     
    Add your ideas and help make it happen. Join the conversation.
    Should Bill and Donna take on more risk to boost their business?
    How Josh's comment on a Remake America video laid the groundwork for something bigger.