Do you know what Presidential campaigns realy do? They show us which of the candidiates has what it takes to lead the nation forcefully. There is a lot involved in this ability. The candidate must be able to persuade the American people that his direction is the only way to go. And he must do it in a way that makes clear sense to those he is leading (us).
Doing that requires a certain clarity of thought and focus, because it is not enough to express those thoughts, they must be so deeply held that they force the holder to grapple with his words and find a way to be eloquent. Look at how we have come to despise George Bush for his inability to come across as forceful and invested in the policies of his Presidency, just for the words he regularly jumbles. If you want to be President, you just have to do better than that.
And that is why I say that after the Republican debate Tuesday night, Ron Paul is finished. Let’s face it, Guiliani didn’t just shoot the man’s argument out of the sky, he verbally pistol-whipped Ron Paul. All because Ron Paul may believe what he said about 911, but it’s not a driving force in his psyche. Or, he is beyond the ability to speak the way he needed to.
I do not altogether disagree with his assessment, and I am currently writing a book about it. But let me say for the record, you will not catch me stumbling around for words when it comes to why. I know what I believe clearly enough to lay it out for you all the way back to Clinton, and place the blame squarely at the feet of liberalism.
That’s what we’re really looking for; what we need in a president right now is the ability to get us to understand the bigger story unfoding around us. And if you can’t do that, you can’t be President. Ever. And while Ron Paul was an enticing glimmer of hope in the field, it is gone now. He has proven beyond a doubt he is no Ronald Reagan, or even Newt Gingrich. Unfortunately for Ron Paul, that is exactly what we need.