He say it’s “risky.” You bet. Organizing and building a major march takes months. His success up until now has been net-driven, inspired by geeks who know how to build buzz in cyberspace and has raised a startling $25 million. But that’s not at all the same skill set needed to organize a real world protest. And I say that as someone who has helped organize a multitude of protests, some of which drew hundreds of thousands.
If Ron Paul supporters do a march on DC and get a piddly turnout, that will be the end of Ron Paul as a force in the election. Paul wants to make a statement with the march and to use it as a way to rally supporters for the long term, since they’re getting demoralized. This smacks as being a desperation move for a crumbling campaign.
For any kind of effect, they’ll need at least 100,000 people. Anything less will be ignored or mocked, and seen as just another hoo-hum demo in a city where protests happen constantly. To make a real impact, they will need 500,000 and that’s not going to happen. Especially since it takes a minimum four months to build a major national demo, assuming the organizers are seasoned and skilled, something Paul’s supporters probably are not.
You Tube video by Ron Paul about the march. Here’s another tip, put the major point first and not after twelve minutes of meandering. Some of his supporters get the Net, but he sure doesn’t.
He gets the internet…when the audience is captive as his is, he can always leave the best for last because they take the time to listen to him and are not roused by 30 second sound bites like most American voters are.