Paul Likes Obama Better than McCain

I missed this the other day because it got bumped off the page by CNN’s up-to-the-minute coverage of the all-important Guam primary.

Apparently, Ron Paul, who is technically still running for president and hasn’t endorsed John McCain, actually likes Obama more than McCain.

Having a Republican win the upcoming presidential election is “secondary” for Paul who is more interested in defending the Constitution, having the country go in what he considers the right direction, having a sound currency, and achieving balanced budgets. Paul parts ways with McCain over McCain’s support for the Iraq war, his approach to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and his willingness to spend federal dollars to support military operations in Iraq.

Instead, Paul favors Sen. Barack Obama because of positions on foreign policy. “But that’s doesn’t mean that’s an endorsement,” Paul quickly added.

This could get really interesting if it turns into an endorsement. Obviously, Paul is in a very, very distant second place in the Republican nomination race, but he still has a lot of committed voters who hang on his every word and, like Paul himself, aren’t terribly satisfied by McSame. And, all things considered, Paul didn’t do too terribly earlier this year. He placed second in Nevada, beating everyone but Mitt Romney, and more people caucused for him in Maine than Huckabee, Thompson, Giuliani, and Hunter combined. I mean, 128,000 Pennsylvanians turned out to vote for him (and, more importantly, against McCain) after McCain had already clinched the nomination.

If Obama is the nominee–okay, let’s get real, he is the nominee–an endorsement from Rep. Paul could swing a few ex-Republicans over to check the (D) box.

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