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The consequences of being frank: Ron Paul confronted with his racist past January 5, 2012

There was an era just before the rise of the internet when right-wing political figures would publish their own newsletters filled with fringe rhetoric. Ron Paul engaged in this practice long before he ran for the presidency, and published titles like Ron Paul’s Freedom Report, Ron Paul Political Report, The Ron Paul Survival Report, and The Ron Paul Investment Letter. Such letters have come back to haunt Paul. Comments made in the letters especially about African Americans have triggered accusations that Paul is a racist, or at least held racist beliefs not so long ago. Paul has claimed that he didn’t write the letters himself and rarely even read them. However, the scandal exhibits a larger problem for Paul: his frankness over the years means he may never be the national candidate he wishes he could be. In addition to his comments about race, Paul has bashed Ronald Reagan, called Medicare and Medicaid unconstitutional, and blamed the United States for 9/11.

To see how Ron Paul has responded to the newsletter scandal, watch the following video:

Discussion Questions:

1.  What describes Ron Paul’s appeal?

2.  Will Paul’s previous comments about race hurt his reputation with centrist Americans?

3,  Was Paul’s response to the scandal effective in repairing his reputation? Why, or why not?