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Fox News went into full spin mode after it was announced that Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) had won the CPAC presidential straw poll with 31% of the vote. Paul beat FNC favorite Mitt Romney, and the network’s newest on air talent Sarah Palin. Fox News not only didn’t identify Paul as a Republican, but pointed out that poll was unscientific and, “bragging rights.”

Here is the video courtesy of Media Matters:

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After announcing the results the network cautioned, “It is way early. It is unscientific. Perhaps it offers nothing more than bragging rights through the course of this year.” Fox News should not be surprised at the results. It isn’t much of a shock that the attendees of something called the Conservative Political Action conference would support the only true conservative on their ballot.

It was very subtle, but notice in the video how Paul was described, not as a Republican, but as a Libertarian. It is almost as if Fox News does not want people thinking that supporting Ron Paul is a viable for Republicans. The meaning which should be taken from the CPAC poll is that conservatives are still looking for a truly conservative candidate. Mitt Romney is pretender, and Sarah Palin is an even bigger fraud.

Ron Paul speaks the language of true conservative values. He is not so much a Republican as he is a conservative. (These two terms are not synonyms, as they haven’t been for a long time). I am a liberal, but I respect Ron Paul because he is genuine. I may disagree with him, but he is the last of a dying breed. He is an intelligent conservative who encourages those around him to think.

The message of this straw poll is clear. Instead of being, “back,” the Republican Party is still lackluster and fragmented. The Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin types are not going to inspire and motivate conservatives. So while Fox News continues to dismiss Ron Paul, keep in mind that the GOP looks to be no better off than when it nominated John McCain, and conservatives responded with a collective yawn in 2008.