“Why the media blackout of Ron Paul?” is the message on a billboard along Interstate 24 eastbound at the exchange with U.S. Highway 27 northbound in downtown Chattanooga.During Republican presidential debates, Ron Paul isn’t placed near the perennial frontrunners or flavors of the week. It’s a symptom of a career-long problem: He doesn’t get much press.
In Chattanooga, a black-and-white, block-lettered billboard hits the issue head on: “Why the media blackout of Ron Paul?”
“How do you explain it?” mused Mike Machaskee, a Hixson resident and Realtor with Keller Williams who donated $500 to the Paul campaign. “Even when he was polling third nationally, he got the least amount of coverage out of anybody.”
But lately, Machaskee, other Chattanoogans and – more importantly for now – Iowa Republican voters are taking Paul very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that few would be surprised if he finished a strong second, or even won, the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses.
“Not only does his message resonate, but so does his integrity,” Machaskee said. “All of us are starving for someone with the integrity to stand up to special interests.”