ALFRED — The crowd outside Alfred Town Hall was as large, if not larger, than the crowd inside ”“ made up of those who had arrived early enough to grab a chair and wait to hear the from a Texas congressman who talks of liberty, freedom, following the Constitution and abolishing the Federal Reserve.
Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul bounded up the narrow outside fire escape steps to the second floor of the 1862 town hall at just about 5 p.m. Saturday, where the capacity crowd of 154 folks eager to see and hear him had been waiting.
The audience roared their pleasure as Paul, clad casually in blue jeans and a blue shirt, appeared in the doorway and then nimbly stepped up to the tiny stage.
Speaking without the aid of notes, Paul had given similar speeches twice before on Saturday, first to overflow crowds at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham and then at an outside event in Freeport after stops on Bangor, Waterville and Lewiston on Friday.
For many of his supporters, his actual appearance in Maine was the icing on the Ron Paul cake. Attendees in Alfred and in Gorham, for the most part, knew his politics and his platform and they liked what they heard.
He touched on monetary policy, nation-building, the Patriot Act and the war on drugs. He talked about the Constitution and liberty ”“ and his remarks struck a chord with the crowds.
“Freedom is the road to prosperity,” he said. “When you depend on government, everyone falls through the cracks.”
In Gorham, he told a crowd of 350 inside Hastings Formal Lounge and 250 or more in overflow rooms that the Constitution “gives us no authority to be involved in nation-building” and that the U.S. should “mind its own business and take care of problems here at home,” and not play policeman to the world.
Under a strict interpretation of the Constitution, he said, “we shouldn’t even have a Federal Reserve.”
He said he opposes the way the country is fighting the war on drugs and would rather see those addicted to legal and illegal drugs be treated like patients.
If he were elected president, Paul said he’d cut $1 trillion in his first year ”“ one half of that overseas.
Ron Morrell was at the Alfred Town Hall to hear Paul, as chairman of the York County Republican Committee, but he said he’s also a supporter ”“ a reversal from the last time around, when he supported Mitt Romney.
“He understands the principles of liberty and has stood true to them his entire career,” said Morrell.
Joe Ureneck drove 90 miles ”“ from Boston, Mass. to Alfred, to see Paul.
“I supported him in the last election,” said Ureneck.
Bill Gombar, vice chairman of the county GOP committee, said he admires Paul, but stopped short of saying he supports the Texas congressman. Instead, Gombar said he’ll work hard for whichever candidate is chosen by the party to run against President Barack Obama.
“If Ron Paul wins, more power to him. If Romney wins, more power to him,” said Gombar, adding he likes Paul’s domestic policy but has concerns about his foreign policy.
Paul arrived in Maine Friday in advance of most of the state’s Republican caucuses that begin Feb. 4 and wind down Feb. 11, though a few communities held caucuses Saturday. The winner of Maine’s GOP presidential preference caucuses will be announced Feb. 11.
Paul stopped to seek Maine’s 24 delegates rather than campaign in Florida, where he was polling fourth in a four-person race for the Republican nod, set for Tuesday.
State Rep. Aaron Libby, R-Waterboro, who helped arrange the visit, said he appreciates Paul’s consistency on issues during the past 30 years and his stance on following the Constitution and gave him a rousing endorsement.
In Gorham Saturday morning, Angelo Giraulo of Biddeford said he’s an ardent Ron Paul supporter.
“I like his message on freedom and liberty,” said Giraulo, from a seat close to the podium. “I pretty much agree with everything he says, and he’s not a flip-flopper.”
While those in Gorham had the opportunity to have a photo taken with Paul if they chose ”“ and hundreds did ”“ in Alfred, that didn’t happen. Paul was scheduled to fly out of Maine later in the evening, but organizers didn’t want to disappoint the crowds waiting outside ”“ and there had been no ability for the speech he gave inside the building to be heard by those in the parking lot. So once he’d finished talking, Paul made his way to the first floor and shook hands with everyone who had been in the room.
Then he went outside to address the crowd. Folks, including one or two dressed in revolutionary-era costumes, had been listening to tunes and chatting while they waited, hoping for a glimpse.
He stood on the doorstep.
“Thank you Paul, thank you Paul, President Paul, President Paul,” they chanted.
And he began to speak.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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