What's behind Ron Paul's huge '08 fundraising haul

Suddenly, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has become a money-making machine. As of 11:44 Wednesday morning, the libertarian-leaning, "get out of Iraq now" congressman from Texas had pulled in $7,556,621.90 in the quarter beginning Oct. 1. His website, RonPaul2008.com, posts minute-to-minute updates in big, hard-to-miss numbers.

Mr. Paul's goal is to raise $12 million this quarter. But his supporters have already made their point: They fervently believe in the man, and have figured out a way to get the mainstream media to pay attention to him. On Monday, an independent effort by Paul backers raised a stunning $4.2 million for his campaign, nearly all of it online. At the rate Paul is going, he will have a fourth-quarter funding total that rivals or even surpasses the top-tier GOP candidates.

The third quarter provided a hint of things to come: He raised $5.3 million.

Linda Feldmann

The candidates "all have visible flaws, from the perspective of the Republican base, and Ron Paul is at least forceful," says Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. "He has an ideology that is consistent and that he is personally committed to."

There you go. That about says it all. Any questions?