Observations on Ron Paul

So we got a chance to hear Ron Paul speak today, and there were a few things that struck me about him. I'm not sure that I would vote for the guy, but I was impressed by a few things. No matter what you think about his policies, there seem to be a few undeniable elements that set him apart from other candidates.
When he speaks, he does not try and use fancy rhetoric or fireworks or emotional theatrics like most candidates we have seen. He just talks. Today he simply stood in front of the people and told them what he thought. No screaming, no impressive oratory. He just talked. And the crowd loved it, screaming and clapping throughout the speech.
What ifObama threw away all the fancy rhetoric and stunning theatrics? If he just stood there and outlined his plans for change, would he really be capturing many audiences?
Paul's ideas alone -- no matter how crazy you think they are -- are enough to bring crowds to their feet. That was impressive to me.
I also got a very strong sense that with Ron Paul, what you see is what you get. Many of the other major candidates left me questioning their sincerity. Is Mitt Romney really dedicated to the pro-life cause? Is Hillary Clinton really set on bringing the troops home from Iraq? Does Huckabee really plan on cracking down on our immigration problems? But with Ron Paul, I definitely got the sense that he believed in every plan he presented.
The most impressive thing to me about Ron Paul is how far he has gotten. Whether you support him or not, it should be encouraging to everyone that even in today's money-driven world, a relatively insignificant political player like Paul has a chance to be heard. I think much of this can be credited to the rise of the Internet. Hopefully this is a sign that the future will be filled with candidates who the people most support, not the candidates who spend the most money.