Yo Herman, is that seat taken?

For months, the media virtually ignored Ron Paul. While I don't particularly like him, I do not think that he should be ignored. I firmly believe that the truth is the greatest weapon the public can have, and that the media should help to shed light on that truth. The sad fact is that the mainstream media is more interested in promoting a specific narrative than in doing what they, as "journalists," are tasked to do.

In recent weeks, to go along with a slight surge in the polls, Ron Paul has seen a surge in media coverage. Unfortunately for him, it was coverage that brought to light some very unflattering comments made in his newsletter years ago. Ron Paul brushed off the allegations, saying that the newsletters were written by other people and that he was not aware of their content until 2008 when the media used them to try to bury his campaign efforts. His supporters are saying that this new surge in negative media attention is a conspiracy to bring down his campaign with false allegations and rumors just as was recently done to front-runner Herman Cain.

But now, an actual letter signed by Ron Paul himself, used to advertise the newsletter in question, has surfaced that begs the question of how much of the content he was actually familiar with. The letter makes reference to the powerful "Israeli lobby," the "federal-homosexual cover-up on AIDS," and tracking devices planted in the new hundred-dollar-bills.

The conclusions to be drawn here do little but raise more questions. Either Ron Paul wrote this himself, or he hired racists and extremists to do it in his name (either on purpose or by accident). If the former, then how likely is it really that his views have changed? And if his views have changed, why not say so? Why not say "I was younger then, and some of the things I believed were wrong"? If the latter, why did he not watch what was being written in his name and fire the people who were running the publication off the rails? If he, as the figurehead of his own publication, failed miserably at keeping a few writers in line, what can we expect from him as President? Congress and the Judiciary are likely to have stronger wills, more backing, and less fear than a few scribblers-for-hire.