Ron Paul: No Mittenz For Me

The Article: Ron Paul Speaks: ‘No’ on Romney by Todd Richeson in Ankeny.

The Text: Ron Paul Republicans in Iowa are not the only people leery of Mitt Romney. Ron Paul is, too.

The Texas Republican congressman has pointedly refused to endorse his party’s presidential contender. Speaking on CNBC, Paul argued that neither he nor President Barack Obama would make necessary cuts to public spending that would avert a fiscal catastrophe.

“No,” the iconoclastic Libertarian bluntly told CNBC’s “Futures Now,” when asked about whether he was prepared to endorse Romney. He said the former Massachusetts governor and the president are both captives of similar interests.

“Both within the establishment where they need the Federal Reserve as lender of last resort to make sure that you take all the risk in the world,” Paul said. He linked the Fed — his favorite foil — and the Washington political establishment together as part of a “one party system” that refuses to make necessary but difficult choices to cut spending.

In August, a Red Iowa survey showed Republicans in the state cautious about Mitt Romney’s chances of defeating President Obama in next month’s general election. A big part of the reason may be the former Massachusetts governor’s failure to win over Ron Paul supporters, who constitute a significant portion of delegates headed to the Tampa convention.

Paul finished a strong third in the Iowa caucuses behind former Sen. Rick Santorum and Romney.