The digital barometer is part of GQ's ongoing coverage of the 2012 Presidential race, called "Death Race 2012." The Crazy-o-Meter analyzes some of Paul's most polarizing quotes and assigns it somewhere on the barometer.
At first blush, "How Crazy is Ron Paul Right Now" doesn't sound especially flattering toward Paul, an often controversial Republican (and libertarian) candidate seeking the GOP presidential nomination. GQ, however, shows some begrudging respect even when Paul's at his craziest:
Ron Paul's our favorite non-conformist nutball, even when he gets carried away and starts to non-conform against his own agenda. Sometimes he seems like the only guy in the Republican primary not trying to win Sarah Palin's endorsement; other times it's like he's been up for six days straight, surfing the fringiest corners of the Internet and collecting paranoias. Here, in a recurring feature on Death Race, we parse the Paulisms so you don't have to.
The first volume of the Crazy-o-Meter is taken from the Jan. 16 Republican debate, where Paul argued for a "Golden Rule" in foreign policy: "We endlessly bomb [other] countries and then we wonder why they get upset with us?" Paul said.
The blog is run by a coalition of GQ writers, with Paul's barometer just another step in their mildly mocking coverage of the 2012 election while the race is just heating up.
"Even though it feels as though the primary season is winding down, we don't think Ron Paul's going anywhere, so expect lots more to come," says Devin Gordon, GQ's Senior Editor.
At very least, "How Crazy is Ron Paul Right Now" is giving the oft-overlooked candidate some media attention. Let's just hope he stays far away from GQ's "Yeah, that's nuts" rating.
