Ron Paul plans Republican rally of his own

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As Republicans gather to nominate John McCain for president in St. Paul next week, don't expect former rival Ron Paul to cheer him on.

Unlike other former candidates like Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman wasn't given a speaking slot at the convention -- in fact, he says the McCain campaign tried to bar him from the convention floor entirely.

"I didn't expect much and I didn't get much, because they don't want somebody there who will emphasize where they're coming short," he said in an interview.

Instead, Paul plans a rally of his own at a basketball arena across the river in Minneapolis, along with training sessions for his supporters who want to more effectively push the Republican party toward his antiwar, small-government ideals.

"They're lining up for the next fight, and they're going to have better numbers and they're going to know the rules better," he said.

But Paul said he would not endorse anyone seeking to challenge Republican incumbents in Congress.

"It's just not the kind of thing I think I should do," he said. "There's a certain political comfort of just getting along with people."

Paul's opposition to the Iraq war drew sharp rebukes from his fellow Republican presidential candidates at debates in 2007 and earlier this year.

He attracted a passionate, net-savvy following that helped his presidential campaign raise a surprising $35 million, but he did not win any state nominating contests and formally abandoned his campaign in June, months after McCain had locked up the nomination.

Paul has refused to endorse McCain and said he won't vote for the Arizona senator or his Democratic rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, in the November 4 election.

Instead, he's considering third-party candidates, though he said he won't tell his followers who they should vote for.

A former Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1988, Paul offered praise for this year's Libertarian candidate, former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr.

"It's sort of like asking me if there's a better person than myself to deliver the message I tried to deliver, and I say sure, there's probably plenty," he said. "I think he does a good job."

Paul also praised another third-party candidate, Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party.

Paul is not likely to affect the outcome of the election, said Southern Methodist University professor Cal Jillson.