Heh I liked Ron Paul myself and even voted for him in the 2008 and 2012 Primaries.
It is no doubt true that the media and both the Democrat and GOP establishment pretty much smeared him with lies and heavy political machinery. Considerring the disgraceful GOP even refused to let his paltry number of delegates announce their votes, and even reports of his delegates being detained, it is no doubt the GOP, the Democrat Party, and the current American system are crooked.
However, being a long time fan and avid watcher of American Politics I do have to say Ron Paul simply didn't have a chance to win from the get go, political hit-job or no. See you gotta understand, the average American voter is not exactly intelligent. After all the GOP did pick Mitt Romney, the candidate most comparable to Obama by record and rhetoric out of their field to run a campaign against Obama (lol!)
Ron Paul is also not a perfect politician, he was merely one of the better choices that was not chosen (I personally also liked Huntsman, but he dropped out before my state, Ohio, voted in Primaries.) However, by persecuting and smearing him the GOP, media, and American Political system as a whole did expose it's own corruption and failures, so we can learn many lessons from this. Also if there is one lesson to be learned from Ron Paul himself, consider his peaceful and graceful exit from politics. It is important to remember the disgraceful way the Political System treated Ron Paul, BUT it is also important to remember Ron Paul did not condemn America, nor call for revolt, for losing the election, but rather opened the door for Reconciliation.
In the end though politics can only go so far and do so much in this messed up World. So it is important we try to persevere and understand our leaders are not maniacal evil geniuses, nor are they steadfast saints. They are just humans with serious human failings and even circumstances in the outside World make things difficult for even the best of leaders.