Study: Over 20 debates, Paul attacked Romney’s rivals 39 times — but never once attacked Romney

Caveat: The study comes from Think Progress. But in case you’re inclined to doubt it because of its provenance, note that The Corner’s Patrick Brennan also reviewed transcripts from the last seven debates dating back to January 7 and found just one instance of Paul criticizing Romney — and that criticism was brief and mild.

Out: Conspiracy theories advanced by Ron Paul. In: Conspiracy theories involving Ron Paul.

While Paul has freely attacked Romney’s top rivals, he has never once attacked Romney…

Paul has gone beyond merely refraining from attacks. He has actively defended Romney on some of his biggest vulnerabilities…

Paul has also run advertisements attacking Romney’s key rivals at critical times. He ran hundreds of thousands of dollars in brutally negative ads attacking Gingrich in Iowa. Paul now is using his scarce funds on a television ad attacking Rick Santorum in Michigan, a key state where Paul is a non-factor.

NOTE I’m not endorsing or supporting anyone here all of the GOP candidates are less than stellar – but I’ll vote for one over the asshat in office now in a skinny minute… so I have had a theory for a while now about this and I’m not the only one… first, Ron Paul is just a little too nutty to attract the majority of the voter and even IF he was only on the ticket as VP and IF  Romney was the one to get the nod – many would not come out to vote for this ticket.

Now Ron Paul’s son Kentucky Senator Rand Paul who wiped the floor with an establishment GOP candidate Tray Grayson who was supported by the NRC and Mitch McConnell is a more mainstream, less fringe, less crazy version of Ron Paul… Rand who was supported and endorsed by Sarah Palin, the Tea Party and several of  conservative groups is unlike his father in many ways even though the left desperately tries to label him as such – which is easy to debunk by pointing out Ronald Reagan and his libtard son Ron Reagan… that’s a case closed – so if Ron Paul is not attacking Romney in the debates and vice versa from what I read as I admit I haven’t watched a single debate… then I think he is setting up Rand Paul to be picked as VP because if Rand Paul got the pick then those people against Ron Paul would be more likely to vote for the more even keeled Rand and it would draw in all of the rabid Paulies to Romney’s side.

UPDATE: Post Michigan primary Ron Paul released a recycled mild attack ad on Ronmey but the same ad hit the other candidates harder. 

I know I have a lot of friends and readers that just love Ron Paul and I catch hell from them for not supporting him and saying he is a little nutty at times and it is all because of his foreign policies that suck! SUCK OUT LOUD! Ron is great on the economy but you can’t ignore the wolf outside the door which Ron Paul does all the time. Now understand I like Ron Paul as a person I’ve met him and talked to him when his son was just a lowly candidate for Senate and I’ve met and talked to Rand Paul several times and Rand is a real down to earth person not pretentious in the least, has a great family and has a understanding of foreign policy and energy independence.

See Ronmey is really, really weak – dangerously weak with the Tea Party, Conservative, Evangelicals, Libertarians, gun owners and various other groups that generally like Rand Paul and his Libertarian views of small government, low taxation, Constitutional adherence, and personal freedom and responsibility.

So I think Ron Paul is setting up Rand Paul for a VP pick because he would pull in the southern vote, the Tea Party vote,  the Libertarians vote, the Constitutional vote and the all important Texas vote… all of the votes that Ronmey would have great difficulty securing or bringing out on his own.

Additionally Rand Paul would pull in those that don’t like Romney because of his height and perfect hair… securing the short, bad hair vote – but to be honest I think Rand Paul is better off in the Senate than in a do nothing job of VP.

Last thought – I also know a lot of people think Marco Rubio is going to be the pick… frankly I don’t think Rubio would bring enough cojones to the table nor draw in the Hispanic vote the way some think – remember Rubio turned his back on the Tea Party by refusing to join the caucus and while the Tea Party isn’t as vocal as it has been it is still out there in very large numbers.

In the end I think Romney will get the nod, not real thrilled with another establishment picked non-conservative like McCain or Dole being pushed on us – but as I said in the beginning I’ll vote for a sock puppet before I’ll vote for a socialist, Marxist egomaniac.