The College Fix

News coverage of major (major!) Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has always been curiously absent. But after this weekend, I’m more than a little concerned that the man is a figment of the collective imaginations of libertarians everywhere. How else do you explain the complete lack of media attention toward Paul’s huge win in the Ames Straw Poll on Saturday?

Michele Bachmann was all over TV in the wake of her Ames win. Sadly, nobody wanted Paul. Despite placing second in the straw poll (less than 1% behind Bachmann), no one would have him. NBC’s “Today” show even canceled his scheduled appearance.

Among the more cringe-inducing things being said (or not said) about Ron Paul, here is The Wall Street Journal:

“Mrs. Bachmann is a canny politician. At the same time, winning a straw poll of activists is a long way from persuading voters she has the experience and judgment to sit in the Oval Office. (Libertarian Ron Paul, who has no chance to win the nomination, finished a close second.)”

That’s right, “no chance.” Nada. None whatsoever. Just forget it, folks!

Two Politico articles managed to acknowledge the Paul neglect; read them here and here. But don’t get too excited–check out this story about what the Ames Straw Poll might mean for next year’s Iowa primary. (Hint: a certain incredibly popular, well-funded, organized, principled strict-Constitutionalist libertarian isn’t even worth a courtesy mention):

The road to the Iowa caucuses narrowed abruptly Sunday with the two key candidates, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Gov. Rick Perry, converging on this eastern Iowa town to introduce — and reintroduce— themselves to voters, and to one another. …

Perry’s impending arrival forces a decision on Romney, who has kept one foot in and one foot out of the caucus process.

Aren’t we forgetting someone? Someone who essentially tied Bachmann in a survey of conservative Iowan voters? Someone who received more cheers during last week’s Fox News debate than the rest of the Republican pack put together? But wait. The article continues. Surely now it is Ron’s turn:

Another candidate with a following in Iowa, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, has carved out some political space by leading with those social issues.

Wrong. The only political space Santorum has carved out is the giant gap between his 9% of the vote on Saturday and Paul’s 27%. How could any political reporter conclude that the Iowa primary was going to be a contest between Bachmann, Perry, Romney, and Paul Santorum?

And so, I come to the only possible conclusion: Ron Paul does not exist. There is no grandfatherly Magneto-lookalike leading a mass movement of young conservatives and libertarians united under the banner of free markets, liberty, and peace. All evidence to the contrary is part of an ongoing hallucination that only afflicts libertarians. Blame the advocacy for heroin legalization, if you must.

Let me repeat the sad truth: Ron Paul is not a real person.

Check out Jon Stewart taking the media to task for its lack of Paul coverage here.

Like The College Fix on Facebook.