Gayle Falkenthal
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SAN DIEGO, December 6, 2012 — Admirers and political supporters of former Presidential candidate and soon to be retired Texas Congressman Ron Paul have spent weeks speculating what the future might hold for their political hero.
Wonder no more. Dr. Paul plans to celebrate capitalism by collecting some healthy checks on the speaking circuit. Bully for him and I hope he rakes it in.
The Greater Talent Network, one of the leading celebrity speakers bureaus and talent agencies in the U.S., announced via its website and email to its clients that it had become the “exclusive representative” for the “Congressman and Advocate for Liberty.”
Dr. Paul is celebrating capitalism in the best possible way, by monetizing what he was willing to give away for free night after night on the campaign trail and in dozens of Presidential debates. As an unabashed supporter of the free market, he can’t be accused by anyone of being a hypocrite by cashing in on his popularity.
“Congressman Ron Paul of Texas enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today,” read the announcement from GTN. “Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives: Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the “one exception to the Gang of 535” on Capitol Hill.
The Greater Talent Network promises that at the podium Dr. Paul will deliver “a candid look at the dysfunctional American political system. Using anecdotes from his 23 years in Congress, he highlights the need for a limited government and more personal liberties.
“Dr. Paul captures audiences’ attention by relating the occurrence of current national issues such as debt, privacy and freedom to the government’s neglect to follow the constitution. Despite the less than ideal condition of the country, Dr. Paul is an optimist. His unwavering passion leaves audiences motivated to speak out, wake up and let politicians know what they want.”
Dr. Paul joins an impressive roster of pundits, celebrities, authors, athletes and other notables represented by the Greater Talent Network. Among the speakers Dr. Paul joins in the “Political and National Perspective” group are President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State George Schultz, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, Judge Andrew Napolitano, outed CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, former New York Governor George Pataki, former U.S. Attorney Generals Janet Reno and Alberto Gonzales, filmmaker Michael Moore, and nearly all the correspondents for the CBS News program “60 Minutes.” Yep, a fairly eclectic bunch and something to charm or offend every possible audience.
So starting January 7, 2013, you too can have Dr. Paul as the keynote speaker at your event. What will it cost you? The fees haven’t been disclosed, but I’ve worked with Greater Talent Network to price and secure speakers. It costs $10,000 plus travel expenses for a leading cable news network talking head; it costs $50,000 plus those same expenses for a well-known best-selling author; the top names are minimum six figures. Not bad for a night’s work and a little travel time.
It’s a rich prospect indeed to imagine Dr. Paul at the podium giving people in his audiences hell for supporting the ill-considered, freedom crushing, nanny state, interventionist, tax and spend policies he’s spent a career in politics fighting, and getting paid for it.
It’s unknown whether Dr. Paul plans to charge for all his speaking engagements. Two weeks ago, the 77-year-old told The Hill he planned to keep visiting college campuses for speaking engagements, where he was wildly popular and well received during the 2012 presidential campaign.
Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR, is President/Owner of the Falcon Valley Group in San Diego, California. Read more Media Migraine in the Communities at The Washington Times. Follow Gayle on Facebook and on Twitter @PRProSanDiego.
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Copyright © 2012 by Falcon Valley Group
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