Paul's Movement is Romney's Headache

By Major Garrett

January 11, 2012 | 12:03 AM

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Ron Paul said Tuesday he was "nibbling" at Mitt Romney's heels.

Soon, Romney may be eating out of Paul's hand.

That's an over-statement to be sure - but it's becoming increasingly clear to those in the Romney camp that something must be done and done soon to build bridges to Paul.

The reason is clear: Romney and his top advisers anticipate a close general election if, as appears likely, he emerges as the GOP nominee. A close general election puts a premium on enthusiasm/turnout and party unity.

Paul will be a significant part of that equation. It's important to Romney that he discourage Paul from running as a third party candidate. If he does that, it's important Romney then persuade Paul to become at least a semi-enthusiastic proponent of his campaign.

In New Hampshire, voters aged 18 to 29 made up 12 percent of electorate.

Paul won 47 percent to Romney's 25 percent. Young voters equal enthusiasm. They don't decide elections, but with Iowa turnout above the 2008 levels but 20,000 below projections from GOP Gov. Terry Branstad and turnout in New Hampshire also about 2,000 votes below projections, an GOP enthusiasm problem appears to be developing. Paul isn't the only remedy. But he's undoubtedly part of it.

How to harness it? There are no easy answers for Romney.

Paul still talks about the unnamed "they" doubting or trying to stop his campaign.

"I think the intellectual revolution that's going on now to restore liberty in this country is well on its way," Paul said Tuesday night. "There's no way they're going to stop the momentum we have started."

Paul doesn't blame Romney for doubting or obstructing his campaign. But if Romney becomes the nominee, he will definitely look like an establishment figure and could be part of Paul's unnamed "they."

That is unless Romney helps Paul get his way. Or at least some of his way.

"I sort of have to chuckle when they describe you and me as being 'dangerous,'" Paul said. "That's one thing they are telling the truth on because we are dangerous to the status quo of this country."

Paul this year has doubled his vote totals and percentages in Iowa and New Hampshire. That's real change. Paul is the only candidate besides Romney to do as well or better in Iowa and New Hampshire than he did in 2008 and do well in both states this cycle.

Paul wants his ideas and his impassioned followers to be recognized in the party's platform and at the party convention.

"This is the first presidential campaign that the subject (monetary policy) ever came up since the Federal Reserve was started," Paul said Tuesday. "So we are now, because of what's happening. It will remain a dominant issue. There's no way they're going to put it to bed."

Paul's achievements in Iowa and New Hampshire give him clout to make demands....demands that don't have to be met entirely but can by no means be ignored.

Romney is trying to move his rhetoric in Paul's direction. On Tuesday he vowed to "cut, cap and balance" the federal budget. That's not the same as Paul's call for a $1 trillion cut in federal spending in his first year in office, but it's an endorsement of the most aggressive spending cut package going on Capitol Hill.

When Paul talks about liberty, Romney talks about opportunity. Not the same thing, but a place from which Romney advisers believe bridges can be built. "(Obama) wants to turn America into a European-style entitlement society," Romney said. "We want to ensure that we remain a free and prosperous land of opportunity."

The only bridges possible here - if ever they are built between Romney and Paul - are on economic issues, the deficit, debt and monetary policy. Romney and Paul will remain permanently divided on national security.

Paul again on Tuesday called on an end to what he calls U.S. "police the world" adventurism.

"This liberty movement...is saying to the country and to the world we've had enough of sending our kids and our money around the world to be the policeman of the world," Paul said. "It's time to bring them home."

The audience roared four times in reply "Bring them home."

Romney will have none of this. While he calls for procurement reform in weapons systems, he wants to increase the uniformed ranks by 100,00 and build a bigger Navy and a modernized Air Force.

"I will insist on a military so powerful no one would think of challenging it," Romney said.

It is by no means clear Romney and Paul could ever share an economic agenda. On national security it appears impossible.

But it's clear Paul's movement - one fifth of the vote in Iowa and nearly a quarter in New Hampshire - cannot be ignored. Paul's flirtation with a third party run is but one dimension of this budding drama. If Paul doesn't run as an independent, you can bet he will seek specific policies in the 2012 platform and a prominent role at the convention. Can you say prime time speech?

Then Romney and Paul might be together nibbling on Obama's heels.

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