Ithaca (WETM-TV) - All 4,000 seats were filled at Cornell University’s Lynah Rink Thursday night for the Ron Paul rally.
Students chanted and yelled in support for the Republican presidential candidate.
The Libertarian icon focused on student debt, government, and reducing military force overseas.
"The economic crisis is real, young people know what they're facing, they know that they're in debt, no jobs are coming. You can’t solve the problem of debt, the people of this country are sick and tired of the war. The time is right for us to win this cause,” Paul said.
Paul focused on economic troubles that he says started because the government has too much power.
He says the only way students will get out of debt is for there to be good jobs available when they graduate.
Ron Paul says he is happy with Thursday night's turn-out.
Students say they support Paul for a number of reasons.
"There's a lot of views I agree with that should be implemented,” student Anthony Lago said.
"Today a lot of students would agree with what he says. They would like to make their own decisions, like their own freedom, especially when it comes to monetary policies,” student Husam Eldawi said.
"We must continue and never give up because giving up will not be a good message for America or for our liberty,” Paul said.
Paul is currently lagging in the polls leading up to New York’s primary, which is Tuesday, April 24.
The Libertarian icon says he is optimistic, however.
This is what he had to say when asked if he would support any of the other republican presidential candidates:
"The big problem is, the people who support me are going to want to know how I could support somebody that disagrees with me on just about all issues. I happen to like Governor Romney. We get along really well but he wouldn’t give the same speech I gave tonight,” Paul said.
Paul also discussed the legalization of drugs like marijuana.
Paul says he believes there shouldn't be any federal regulations on them and that if he were president, he would leave that decision up to the states.
