Ron Paul rouses conservatives with talk about raw milk, hemp and gold

The libertarian-leaning Republican presidential candidate delivered zingers directed at the Federal Reserve and U.S. foreign policy. But some of his biggest applause lines during a speech at the Republican Leadership Conference were more esoteric issues.

"I think we ought to vote for the right to drink raw milk!" he exclaimed in a riff against government regulation and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Paul called for the legalization of hemp for use in clothing and manufacturing and took a "no new regulations" pledge.

Many of the Texas congressman's remarks focused on boilerplate issues, but he also voiced criticism of the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, criticizing President Obama for not seeking approval for the military action in Libya.