Ron Paul Won't Endorse Romney

Before Ron Paul rides into the sunset, he has to get in a few more barbs at the Republican Party, a free-spirit to the last:

CBS News: Paul Can't Speak, Therefore, No Endorsement

In an interview with the (NY) Times, Paul said that he was offered an opportunity to speak at the convention this week on two conditions: that he let the Romney campaign vet his speech, and that he give Romney his full support. He declined the offer.

"It wouldn't be my speech," Paul said. "That would undo everything I've done in the last 30 years. I don't fully endorse him for president."

Today Paul's supporters had a big rally for him today without any mention of Mitt Romney.

Via Politico

While top GOP officials cancelled the first day of events in Tampa because of Tropical Storm Isaac, Paul supporters were undaunted, gathering in droves to hear the Texas lawmaker, his son — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul — and prominent Paul activists from the caucus states where Paul did best.

. . . Paul started his speech with a joke about being invited at the last minute to speak at the Republican National Convention on Monday night — which was canceled because of the weather. But Paul is well aware that he was denied a speaking slot during prime-time, though he son had been slotted for Monday night but has been moved to Wednesday.

Paul doesn’t control the five state delegations he needs to be formally nominated at the convention. After months of détente, . . . he was obviously peeved about an unexpected push by the Romney campaign during the Republican National Convention rules committee meeting Friday to bind delegates to whichever candidates win a state in 2016.

“They’ve learned how to bend rules, break rules, and now they want to rewrite the rules,” Paul said. “They’ve overstepped the bounds.”