Do Ron Paul and Barack Obama draw support from the same kinds of independent voters?  The Blogometer’s  Conn Carroll says maybe, and John Tabin correctly says that they probably don’t.  As a more or less independent voter who has contributed to Ron Paul’s campaign and regularly criticises Obama, I would have thought it would be obvious that this is impossible, but then my preferences are also hardly representative of most “independents.”  Sure, superficially Obama and Paul might seem to offer some similar themes, and both did oppose the Iraq war, but Obama is essentially an interventionist at home and abroad and Paul is diametrically opposed to both.  One invokes JFK, the other invokes Robert Taft.  Obama thinks everything on earth is tied to our national security; Paul thinks that there are very few things overseas that are tied to our national security.  (Incidentally, it never ceases to amaze me how the former view is usually considered sane and sober, while the latter view is deemed irresponsible, when the reverse is true.)  Someone would be drawn to both candidates at the same time probably only if he didn’t follow the candidates’ policy positions very closely.