I didn't say there aren't any delusional whackjobs running independently, I said that you shouldn't automatically dismiss people running independently as delusional whackjobs (you also shouldn't automatically accept people in the mainstream as non-delusional non-whackjobs).

I was doing neither; i was merely stating that since i started paying attention, every non-DemoGOP presidential candidate has been a delusional whackjob, with the possible exception of Perot, who was just a whackjob.

As for Paul's foibles, the fact that he's anti-abortion, and how he's anti-abortion, speaks volumes to me about his libertarianism. He's also had some fun with earmarks (i'm doing this from memory; i had some links back when he was still in the thick of the race, but i didn't keep them around). And i certainly didn't care for how he brushed away the "thin allegations of racism"; instead of engaging the issue, he just washed his hands, Pilate-style.