Former Republican president candidate Ron Paul appeared on The Colbert Report Thursday to discuss his absence from the Republican National Convention at a time when other unsuccessful candidates -- Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee -- were all making appearances to praise John McCain.

"You say you did not speak at the Republican National Convention because you do not feel welcome there," Stephen Colbert suggested.

"No, I did not. I don't like to be pushy," Paul replied modestly, before flashing a wide grin.

"But just because you weren't welcome, that's no reason not to speak," Colbert objected. "I mean, certainly Bush spoke, and he was not welcome."

"Could you have gotten a slot if you'd played ball with those guys?" Colbert continued.

"Yes," Paul replied

"What would it have meant to you?" Colbert asked. "What would you have to have given up?"

"Everything I believed in," Paul stated.

"So, just like everybody else," Colbert commented, adding, "Listen, you want to play with the big boys, you got to play along."

"I would have had to do this," said Paul, raising his hands as if to kowtow and intoning, "'I accept everything in your platform and I love John McCain.'"

"What's your problem with that?" Colbert asked. "When you're a Republican, those guys are known for their discipline. ... It's a war, sir."

"I didn't feel too badly about it," Paul affirmed. He added conspiratorially, "There's a few members of Congress who say, 'Would you help me out, because I'd like you to support me and send out an email and give me an endorsement.'"