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Subscribe to RSSMANCHESTER, NH -- Ron Paul briefly traded the campaign trail for a bike trail on a beautiful sunny Friday here in Granite State. The congressman from Texas, who recently celebrated his 76th birthday, took reporters on a 6-mile bike ride through the woods and claimed his health is just fine.
Before shoving off with a couple of print reporters in tow, Paul tooled around on his bike and confidently chatted about his campaign prospects in New Hampshire.
"I have no reason to think the momentum won't continue, because each time I come up here, you know, we get new people, new support," he said behind dark sunglasses. "We always plan to have a little gathering have 50 people together. Sometimes we get hundreds of people together. So it is very reassuring."
Paul is not worried about Sarah Palin perhaps throwing her hat into the ring for 2012 either.
"The more the merrier," he said. "They don't take votes from me. But they divide up all the establishment vote, so I think it's always helpful for people to come into the race."
With that, Paul pedaled into the forest.
An hour later, he emerged from the woods with a wide smile, saying he didn't even break a sweat.
Cruising to a stop, the congressman revealed his resting heart rate is between 58 and 62 beats per minute. His daily exercise routine, if schedules permit, he begins his days with an early morning walk (3 to 4 miles) and caps it off with a 10- to 15-mile bike ride.
"You burn a lot more calories faster in the humidity," he said, referring to his usual routine in Houston.
Wondering about his blood pressure? "120 over 70 or 65 I think," he said.
When asked if his White House bid is analogous to his physical fitness, Paul replied: "Good shape, ready and raring to go!"
Paul will return to New Hampshire in a couple of weeks. Tonight, he will head home to Texas. Then goes to South Carolina for Jim DeMint's forum before traveling to the NBC-Politico debate next week.
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Ron Paul said he'd like to return to the 1900's on federal disaster relief.
In Galveston in 1900 more than 6,000 people died and the burning of the dead went on for months. Little was given to the people by way of help except whisky to dull their agony and suffering.
Does he or Cantor have any moral faculty or conscience? Is it now officially an indulgent weakness to care for others after natural disasters in the US?
Or is it that the concept of neighborliness is being undermined by the right wing? If we do not help each other out and every State goes its own way, we may one day be at great odds with each other over resources like water. Dominion, divide and rule is in the Big Money Chaos/Disaster plan for us on many levels.
Ron Paul said we need to stop spending money on these stupid wars and to stop sending our defense overseas, so when disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes do hit us, we will have troops and equipment to defend us and for recovery. Did you not read about Vermont being without their National Guard helicopters because they are in Iraq? That certainly would not happen under a Paul presidency. He will bring the troops and our defense home, where they belong.
Ron Paul is for people helping each other in time of disasters. The problem is that FEMA has a record of not allowing such assistance to occur, like during Katrina. The whole big government philosophy is not about neighbor helping neighbor. Big government is about you doing your thing, and if your neighbor is in trouble, the government will take care of it, which rarely is the case. You want to help the poor guy on the street by giving him work, but you cannot because government says you cannot pay him the price you'd like to at first, considering his low skills and low experience. This person does not have a chance under the big government system. You all want to throw people with bad addictions in prisons. You big government people are quite the angels, aren't you? You think you can prevent natural disasters even? This is why Ron Paul is against big government. It is inhumane and extremely inefficient. Yet you want to blame some 1900 hurricane on Ron Paul. That is absurd.
Clif25 -- government is of the people and for the people. You want someone to work for you for pennies because that person has low skills and experience and you think you are helping him -- but maybe you are exploiting him, taking advantage of his situation for your personal gain. Maybe FEMA steps in and prevents unscrupulous contractors from taking people's federal dollars without really helping them. Rep. Paul is consistent in his views, but that doesn't mean that his views are appropriate to a nation our size.
we've come a long ways since 1900 architecturally. Those same rules do not apply today.
Backhouse: You have a pretty messed up definition of the word "neighborliness". I was not aware that 'neighborliness' was stealing from some to give to others. I thought it was simply being kind to your neighbors and helping them when in need VOLUNTARILY...
Paul is not against helping these people, he just prefers that it is done at a state level, or even better on an individual level. The higher up the chain you get the more inefficient and worse the help becomes. FEMA has one of the worst track records and should never be defended by any sane individual. I also advise reading Davy Crockets congressional speach from the 1840's titled "Not yours to give", might enlighten you.
Me-4020135,
It is the MeMeMeMe view of the world that is the problem.
Wow, Me, the 1840's. This is 2011 and what worked in the 1840's is not going to work today. The tea party is always talking about taking our country back, but to the 1840's give me a break.
I find it amazing that the magical route to the land of smaller government is by more tax cuts to the rich. All those Wall street guys who broke our economy and then got huge bonuses, well how dare we want to raise their taxes. Or the hedge fund manager driving up the cost of gasoline and makes money off every one of us, surely we can't ask that person to pay more taxes.
Rich first, country last the new republican motto.
Yah and GE makes record profits and pays no taxes while moving the X-Ray business division to China.
Anyone who really thinks the rich will get taxes need to get their head out of their arse. The real rich pay no taxes and are getting the welfare hoards to kill the middleclass.
I see that you keep yourself informed by reading misleading blog headlines. Good job!!
Isn't he awesome! The hero of America.
Ron Paul 2012!!!!! There is no other.
Pure propaganda Backhouse; don't even try to understand it.
First Read...
Covering Ron Paul on a bike trail in New Hampshire.
lol
Now that's what I call comprehensive reporting...
I wonder if that trail is one that got federal funds.
the doctor tales damn good care of himself
"takes"
For Liberty!
Why is the articles about another candidate will produce 17 pages of Ron Paul supporters desperately trying to change the subject to that candidate, and the articles about Ron Paul produce mostly crickets chirping?
Mike,
From what I've read about the Galveston disaster of 1900. the flooding caused by the storm was the reason so many died. The architecture had much less to do with it. It wasn't an earthquake but a hurricane.
You can't get a mortgage without insurance. Private insurance in disaster prone areas are very expensive. FEMA comes along and offers cheap insurance through their National Flood Insurance program. This program is cheap because it's backed by the American Taxpayer, but guess what? That means the taxpayers are on the hook when the house floods.
FEMA encourages people to rebuild homes and businesses in places where they never should have been built in the first place. If not for FEMA, these folks would be dissuaded to build in risky places because of the high cost of insurance. By doing this, FEMA is making these disasters worse.
I ride them trails, wish I would have been riding them yesterday. Ron Paul is a true Statesman, I had been a registered Democrat all my live although I've never voted straight ticket. I changed my registration to be able to support Ron Paul. I am tired of voting the lesser of two evils.
By the way, the trails here in Manchester fared the hurricane just fine. Actually the media show had it all hyped up for ratings. The lights flickered twice and had a few twigs and small branches fall outta the trees. I do understand that some parts of Manchester was out of power for a little bit, I was shocked to hear the hype about street lights being out and National Guard being called up for traffic? hype! hype! hype! I suppose for ratings, and to justify the hype. A few police officers I'm sure would have sufficed. In the meantime the people in Vermont was not even warned about flooding. My heart and prayers goes out to them.
I lived in Oklahoma a few years back thru the ice storms that had our power out for 2 weeks, Had my mother and daughter at a shelter, lost alot and still made it to work most of the days. Fema was to help us, it never happened. The shelter was at our church, and it was the community that pulled together during the hard times. Cots and generators from the National Guard. All the expense we was out for our loss and recovery was on me. Thanks for the empty promises FEMA, (not!)
All the other candidates play lip service over the platform and ideas that Ron Paul has lived and not let the ridicule sway his commitment and integrity. I think this is the once in a lifetime opportunity for us to get it right this time.
Fixin some typos, excuse any I missed this time :)
I ride them trails, wish I would have been riding them yesterday. Ron Paul is a true Statesman, I had been a registered Democrat all my life although, I've never voted straight ticket. I changed my registration to be able to support Ron Paul. I am tired of voting the lesser of two evils.
By the way, the trails here in Manchester fared the hurricane just fine. Actually the media show had it all hyped up for ratings. The lights flickered twice and had a few twigs and small branches fall outta the trees. I do understand that some parts of Manchester was out of power for a little bit, I was shocked to hear the hype about street lights being out and National Guard being called up for traffic? hype! hype! hype! I suppose for ratings, and to justify the hype. A few police officers I'm sure would have sufficed. In the meantime the people in Vermont was not even warned about flooding. My heart and prayers goes out to them.
I lived in Oklahoma a few years back thru the ice storms that had our power out for 2 weeks. I took my mother and daughter to a shelter. We lost alot. I still made it to work most of the days. Fema was to help us, it never happened. The shelter was at our church, and it was the community that pulled together during the hard times. Cots and generators from the National Guard. All the expense we was out for our loss and recovery was on me. Thanks for the empty promises FEMA.
All the other candidates play lip service over the platform and ideas that Ron Paul has lived and not let the ridicule sway his commitment and integrity. I think this is the once in a lifetime opportunity for us to get it right this time.
Hit it right on the money Sheryl