Ron Paul: Rivals say he hates Republicans

Ron Paul is now leading in Iowa polls of GOP voters. It’s quite possible – if not likely – that he’ll win the Hawkeye State caucuses on Jan 3. He’s well positioned in New Hampshire, too. Depending on how he does there, Representative Paul could scramble the entire Republican presidential race.

Naturally, in light of Paul’s surge in fortunes, those in the party who disapprove of the Texas libertarian are now moving to attack him.

First up this week was the Weekly Standard, a newsmagazine notable for its (fruitless) efforts to get New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and/or Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin into the GOP race. It ran a piece by journalist James Kirchik about the racist language contained in newsletters issued under Paul’s name in the 1980s and 1990s.

For decades, Mr. Kirchik writes, Paul promoted “hateful and conspiratorial nonsense,” including outlandish tales of racial violence, and hate speech about Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is not a new story – Kirchik and others have written about it in years past. Paul has defended himself by pointing out that he did not write any of this stuff himself and he did not know who the ghost writers producing it were.

Asked about the Kirchik story Tuesday during an appearance on CNN’s “American Morning,” Paul said that it must mean he was doing well, since people are starting to dig up old charges to try to stop him.

“It wasn’t good – but I didn’t write [the stories] and those aren’t my beliefs, so I sleep well,” said Paul.

Then Wednesday the conservative blog RedState posted a piece titled, “Ron Paul Hates Republicans and Everything They Stand For.”

Written by contributing editor Leon Wolf, the piece focuses on Paul’s refusal to endorse GOP presidential candidate John McCain in the 2008 election.

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