Bradley Manning Supporter Ron Paul Takes Second in New Hampshire Republican Primary
Paul, a prominent supporter of accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning, claimed second place in tha New Hampshire Republican primary contest.
Paul, who has called Bradley Manning a “true patriot” and a “hero” also is in second place in the delegate count for the Republican nod.
During a speech at a campaign rally last year, Paul said that he supported for immunity for whistle-blowers:
“What about giving immunity to the whistleblowers? They’re the ones who need immunity. We have a few brave souls, especially in the foreign policy area; it came up in Vietnam, it’s come up more recently: Wikileaks. Technically yes, they’re breaking a rule, but what is the government doing? They’re breaking the law!”
Political observers note the contrast between the major Republican candidate who supports PFC Manning and a Democratic administration that has subjected him to abuse and now threatens him with the death penalty.
“There is a wide base of support for Bradley Manning across the political spectrum - not only from progressives, but also many libertarians and conservatives,” said Kevin Zeese, a legal adviser to the Bradley Manning Support Network.
“Ron Paul’s support for Bradley Manning is indicative of the fact that the true dividing line in American politics today is no longer between Republicans and Democrats. The real division is between a corrupt political establishment and those who seek a democracy that respects the rights and aspirations of the American people. Americans of all stripes are standing up for Bradley Manning because they know that the dangerous precedent set by these extreme abuses of his civil liberties threatens all of us.”
According to chat logs that have been attributed to PFC Manning, the accused whistle-blower himself identifies as a libertarian, and several close friends have privately told representatives of the Bradley Manning Support Network that they consider PFC Manning to be a libertarian.
