Ron Paul Revolution in Seattle

Seattle, WA -

Ron Paul, the Texas congressman and Republican Presidential candidate, came to Seattle today to address local business leaders on economic issues, preside over the opening of a new campaign office, and meet and greet students at the University of Washington.

About seventy-five Paul supporters stood on the sidewalk outside of the office at 4341 ½ University Way N.E while the congressman addressed supporters inside, waving at cars and handing out cards to passers-by on this sunny, cold Thursday afternoon. Many of the University District supporters were young, but as with most Paul events, a diversity of age and style dominated the scene.

Signs waved declaring “I (heart) Ron Paul,” official campaign hooded sweatshirts dotted the crowd, and one supporter even had the hipster fashion sense to wear a “Ron Paul Revolution” trucker hat. This all in addition to graying beards, pierced faces and well-kept business suits. Freedom, ladies, and gentlemen, has no dress code.

Many of the supporters on the sidewalk were relatively new to the campaign, and still in the heart-pounding early stages of candidate love.

“I didn’t find out about him until I watched him on you tube in December,” remarked 20 year-old Anthony C, who logs on to the video sharing site ten to fifteen times per week.

But now that he knows about Paul, Anthony has decided to become a precinct captain, and has actively campaigned since the start of the year.

Another supporter, Greg Albert, has also decided to put his time toward helping Paul upon discovering him in early debates.

“I have mostly been writing articles about him in places like American Chronicle” says the 30 year old UW law student, “because Paul best understands the principles of law.”

After what he described as unfair media treatment of Paul in the early parts of the primary, Albert considered switching allegiance to another Republican for relevance’s sake, yet none could win him over. If not for Ron Paul, Albert would quipped that he would cast a write-in vote for “the ghost of Ronald Reagan.”

“What I want to see in the White House,” offered Albert, “is how well they think outside the box, how impervious they are to groupthink.”

Holding up the most colorful homemade sign of the group was Christy Nieto, a 33 year old landscape designer from Seattle. The key issues that brought her into the Ron Paul camp are his opposition to the Iraq War and the Federal Reserve bank. She heard about Paul last summer from her boyfriend, who told her about a Republican from Texas that was saying the best things he had heard from any of the candidates.

Nieto was incredulous at first, having Texas roots herself, and having always “hated Republicans”. But the more she read, and the more you tube videos she watched about Paul the more she liked.

So much so, in fact, that Nieto is taking January and February off from her job as a landscape designer to campaign full time for Dr. Paul. She will be caucusing and voting in the Primary, with hopes to become a delegate to the national convention.

“I was pretty apathetic before this summer, but as they say, Ron Paul cured my apathy.”

Inside, supporters and volunteers ate donuts, made canvassing calls, posed for pictures, sought autographs and basked in the celebrity of the 72-year old former OB/GYN. A group of four pride-filled young men, all clad with tattoos and backward, white Mariner’s hats had their picture taken with Paul, and instantly melted like high schoolers at a Hannah Montana concert.

They turned to look at the digital viewfinder once Paul moved on to the next crowd. “I’m so happy!” the shortest one squeaked as he caught his image next to the candidate.

With that, Ron Paul left the building, on to another campaign stop at the UW HUB. But, as is always the case with politics, there was work to be done. No sooner than the candidate left, his staffers were cheerily barking out orders to make calls and sign up for canvassing trips so they could win the state. Celebrity and organization is what makes the primary go ’round. Welcome to the big show, Seattle.