Ron Paul Reinforces his Stance on the Economics of War and Peace [VIDEO]

As Ron Paul circulated around the Courtyard Marriott dining room, Robert Carley of Derian, Conn., was his shadow.

"Congressman Paul," he said more than once, as he moved several steps behind the GOP candidate. He was carrying with him a framed caricature that he'd penned himself, titled "The Wit and Widsom of Ron Paul," featuring a good likeness of the wiry Texas lawmaker.

"I've been waiting years and years to meet him," said Carley. "When he was campaigning in 2008 I was working full-time, so I wasn't able to get out to meet him. Now, I'm laid off. I traveled more than three hours to be here today."

That was the good news/bad news situation for Carley who, like many Americans, is all fired up about Election 2012, not only because he's settled on a candidate, but because he has so much at stake.

"He's been prophetic about the economy, and I just admire the guy for his strong moral positions on the issues," Carley said.

He got to introduce himself and hand over his handiwork personally to Paul, who seemed genuinely pleased with the token of Carley's admiration.

Paul spent about 90 minutes in total at the Backstage Pass Breakfast event, organized by the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, speaking for the first 15 minutes before fielding questions. 

The crowd was an interesting balance of business leaders, local politicians and working-class folks, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Ovide Lamontagne, State Sen. Andy Sanborn, and Nashua Alderman Barbara Pressley.

There were even some who admitted to be former liberal Democrats.

"Ron Paul is the only candidate of the Republicans who really cares about conservative monetary values, and looking at the federal reserve system, anyone who looked at it would be appalled by what they saw and wouldn't want this thing to exist," said Dan MacElreany, a carpenter from Temple. "This has been the creature, if you will, that has perpetuated these foreign wars, these police states, and has taken the value out of our currency."

Among those who came to the event already firmly behind Paul for President was Irene Mason of Milford, who identified herself as a military reservist who drove more than five hours from New York to hear the candidate speak.

She stood and asked Paul how he would end the war, to which Paul replied, "I'd bring them home as soon as physically possible," before elaborating on why his stance to step away from foreign conflicts is often regarded as unpatriotic.

Mason said Paul's answer was exactly what she wanted to hear.

"He's exactly right. It's time to end this war," she said. [For more on Mason's question, Paul's answer and her reaction to his answer, view the video embedded with this story package.]