There are a lot of ways to honor the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. Ron Paul’s supporters turned MLK day into a fund-raising opportunity. With majestic and swelling music on a You Tube clip, supporers of Ron Paul kicked off the “Free at Last 2008″ Web site and his supporters responded by donating $1.85 million on the King anniversary — an amount that more cash-strapped candidates would envy.



This is the third holiday that Mr. Paul supporters have turned into a one-day “money bomb,” as they have dubbed these efforts. Mr. Paul’s supporters used Nov. 5 – Guy Fawkes Day in England – to raised more than $4.2 million in a single day. Another “money bomb” on December 18th, the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party netted $6 million for Mr. Paul.

In a YouTube video, Mr. Paul likens himself to Mr. King. It features video of Mr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech and then shows Mr. Paul repeating some of the same phrases in campaign events.

“Rosa Parks was one of my heros,” said Mr. Paul, who is later seen ringing a bell and raising his hands “Evita” style at the top of a staircase. “Martin Luther King is a hero. They practiced the Libertarian principle of civil disobedience and nonviolence.”

The video then has Mr. Paul exclaiming that his next big fund-raising day would be the King birthday, followed words that say: “Two Great Men . . .Once Great Message.” While the music builds to an ear-blasting crescendo, the video nears its end with the slogan: “Remember Martin Luther King. Donate to Ron Paul. Let Freedom Ring.”

Quietly, the voice of Reverand King comes on saying “Free at Last” as the video fades to black.