May 12, 2008 10:20 AM
Bob Barr enters presidential race as Libertarian
Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr is running for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination which will be determined at the party's national convention over the Memorial Day weekend at the Sheraton Denver Hotel.
His candidacy would be a wild card in the White House race and many believe it would hurt Republican Sen. John McCain.Barr made the announcement Monday at a news conference. He first must win the Libertarian nomination at the party's national convention that begins May 22. Party officials consider him a front-runner thanks to the national profile he developed as a Georgia congressman from 1995 to 2003.
Barr, 59, helped lead Bill Clinton's impeachment. He quit the Republican Party two years ago, saying he had grown disillusioned with its failure to shrink government and its willingness to scale back civil liberties in fighting terrorism.
George Will has this assessment of Barr's likely impact on the general election campaign:
Come November, Barr conceivably could be to John McCain what Ralph Nader was to Al Gore in 2000--ruinous. Nader was a weak third-party candidate but was the most consequential in American history. He won only 2,882,955 popular votes nationwide (2.7 percent), but 97,488 of them were in Florida, where, because of Nader, George W. Bush won by 537 votes.The son of a soldier, Barr graduated from high school in Tehran. In 1994, he was elected to Congress as the Republicans, led by another pugnacious Georgian, Newt Gingrich, ended 40 years of Democratic control of the House. Four years later, Barr, a former prosecutor inflamed by charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, was central to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Since losing his seat in 2002, he has been active in the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, an unusual tandem.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reports former Libertarian standard-bearer candidate Rep. Ron Paul's supporters are waging a below-the-radar campaign to stage an embarrassing public revolt against McCain at the Republican National Convention.
In the last three months, Paul's forces, who donated $34.5 million to his White House effort and upward of a million total votes, have, as The Ticket has noted, been fighting a series of guerrilla battles with party establishment officials at county and state conventions from Washington and Missouri to Maine and Mississippi. Their goal: to take control of local committees, boost their delegate totals and influence platform debates.Paul, for instance, favors a drastically reduced federal government, abolishing the Federal Reserve, ending the Iraq war immediately and withdrawing U.S. troops from abroad.
They hope to demonstrate their disagreements with McCain vocally at the convention through platform fights and an attempt to get Paul a prominent speaking slot. Paul, who's running unopposed in his home Texas district for an 11th House term, still has some $5 million in war funds and has instructed his followers that their struggle is not about a single election, but a long-term revolution for control of the Republican Party.
Will Barr have an impact on the race? Will he take votes from McCain? Will you vote for Barr?
May 12, 2008
12:15 PM
JMH writes:
Even Bob Barr knows the GOP has become nothing more than a Christo-Facist party that works only for the rich and powerful in this country. You go Bob!
Barr will probably siphon off votes from McCain in bunches (especailly if he gets Ron Paul to run with him). The religious wing of the GOP hates McCain and the "libertarians" in the GOP have either left the party by now (like I did in 2000) or they will vote for Barr. McCain will only have the "Wall Street" wing in his corner... you know, the rich and powerful who want more tax cuts for themselves at the expense of the rest of us and of course the "Military Industrial Complex", that really do want to stay in Iraq for 100 years!
Run, Bob, run!!!
May 12, 2008
12:17 PM
JMH writes:
Even Bob Barr knows the GOP has become nothing more than a Christo-Facist party that works only for the rich and powerful in this country. You go Bob!
Barr will probably siphon off votes from McCain in bunches (especailly if he gets Ron Paul to run with him). The religious wing of the GOP hates McCain and the "libertarians" in the GOP have either left the party by now (like I did in 2000) or they will vote for Barr. McCain will only have the "Wall Street" wing in his corner... you know, the rich and powerful who want more tax cuts for themselves at the expense of the rest of us and of course the "Military Industrial Complex", that really do want to stay in Iraq for 100 years!
Run, Bob, run!!!
May 12, 2008
12:29 PM
Anonymous writes:
JMH, wow you are quite the hater.
May 12, 2008
12:44 PM
JMH writes:
Damn right... I hate anyone that wants to violate my civil liberties like the GOP has the last few years. I hate anyone that thinks their religion is the only one and then hide behind it to justify their attacks on gays, brown people and just about anyone who isn't a "conservative" sheep. I also hate "chickenhawks" that want to send the poor people's children into battle so they can rape another counties natural resources, while they send their own kids to Ivy league schools... etc, etc...
Sorry you are too blind to see what is going on.
May 12, 2008
1:29 PM
Anonymous writes:
JMH. looks like you are the blind one.
May 12, 2008
2:35 PM
jay writes:
Well good for Bob. Is this their national candidate?
May 12, 2008
3:11 PM
Kevin Jones writes:
I think McCain is much more despised among the GOP base for his open borders policy. Curious for a libertarian, Barr is pretty hawkish on border security.
He also has non-kooky positions on the drug war, and seems to recognize that true liberty does not include offing the unwanted unborn.
Have I found my crackpot third party for this election?
May 12, 2008
3:26 PM
just sayin' writes:
So he isn't Pro-choice? I wonder if the Libertarians want him in their party?
May 12, 2008
6:36 PM
Vflogger writes:
Once a fascist, always a fascist. We can't believe anyone in the LP would seriously consider this candidate! Please, please, please LP! We were gonna vote LP this year but CANNOT VOTE FOR BOB BARR!!! Please don't take away our only chance to vote for SOMEBODY!!! The LP was our last hope!!!
May 12, 2008
8:37 PM
jay writes:
i'm with you. i can't believe the libertarians are running this clown. he was on of the most conservative members of congress before losing after the LIBERTARIANS ran ads in his district attacking his policies.
talk about a flip flop.
just doesn't pass the smell test.
May 13, 2008
7:34 AM
Paul writes:
I still like Ron Paul running as an independent
fiscal conservative, antiwar smaller government and protector of constitutional freedoms.
Not sure if he can accomplish abolishing Fed. Irs.
Not sure if this is even a good idea at this point.
May 13, 2008
8:10 AM
Tbone writes:
Barr/Paul '08!!!!
Unity Ticket dream team!!!
I've donated already!
May 13, 2008
8:44 AM
Anonymous writes:
Bob Barr is a retard. Nobody will vote for him.
May 13, 2008
10:09 AM
KING writes:
RMN has it wrong,
Barr is a front runner because of his history in the congress, but he is far from a front runner amongst delegates (i should know, I am one of them).
Anyway, as a Libertarian, Barr is a moderate choice; for me, his support on the war on drugs is enough for me to rethink how "Libertarian" he really is. However, as the party really needs a "point man" many do see Barr as that person.
We shall see what happens when the National Convention takes place at the end of May right here in Denver. Come on down and watch...it just might be your first experience watching a real convention rather than the bland coronation ceremonies that the other parties put on.
May 13, 2008
10:11 AM
outrider writes:
Bob Barr follows the money.
Bob Barr is also an ACLU cronie.
May 13, 2008
2:00 PM
AuroraGuy writes:
Vflogger - don't worry, he is not very likely to get the LP nomination. Unlike the other parties, the LP nomination is decided at the convention. Congressman Barr is 1 of 16 people who are seeking that nomination. Many of the others are actual Libertarians, not publicity-seeking has-beens.
I, along with many other Libertarians, are not about to forgive Congressman Barr for voting for the "Patriot" Act.
I actually spoke with Congressman Barr at an LP function just over a year ago when he was "testing the waters." He's no Libertarian, and the Libertarians know it. He wants to reduce the size of government, but he wants to make sure we keep the portions that oppress what he wants oppressed.
Also - Ron Paul won't be on the LP ticket either, as he's running as an R for his Congressional seat. He still thinks the Republican Party is salvageable.
And last - "just sayin'" - the Libertarian Party has constituencies on both sides of the abortion issue. The LP platform is neutral on the issue. Check it out:
http://www.lp.org/issues/platform_all.shtml#reprodright
May 13, 2008
2:03 PM
AuroraGuy writes:
Vflogger - don't worry, he is not very likely to get the LP nomination. Unlike the other parties, the LP nomination is decided at the convention. Congressman Barr is 1 of 16 people who are seeking that nomination. Many of the others are actual Libertarians, not publicity-seeking has-beens.
I, along with many other Libertarians, are not about to forgive Congressman Barr for voting for the "Patriot" Act.
I actually spoke with Congressman Barr at an LP function just over a year ago when he was "testing the waters." He's no Libertarian, and the Libertarians know it. He wants to reduce the size of government, but he wants to make sure we keep the portions that oppress what he wants oppressed.
Also - Ron Paul won't be on the LP ticket either, as he's running as an R for his Congressional seat. He still thinks the Republican Party is salvageable.
And last - "just sayin'" - the Libertarian Party has constituencies on both sides of the abortion issue. The LP platform is neutral on the issue. Check it out:
http://www.lp.org/issues/platform_all.shtml#reprodright
May 13, 2008
2:07 PM
AuroraGuy writes:
Vflogger - don't worry, he is not very likely to get the LP nomination. Unlike the other parties, the LP nomination is decided at the convention. Congressman Barr is 1 of 16 people who are seeking that nomination. Many of the others are actual Libertarians, not publicity-seeking has-beens.
I, along with many other Libertarians, are not about to forgive Congressman Barr for voting for the "Patriot" Act.
I actually spoke with Congressman Barr at an LP function just over a year ago when he was "testing the waters." He's no Libertarian, and the Libertarians know it. He wants to reduce the size of government, but he wants to make sure we keep the portions that oppress what he wants oppressed.
Also - Ron Paul won't be on the LP ticket either, as he's running as an R for his Congressional seat. He still thinks the Republican Party is salvageable.
And last - "just sayin'" - the Libertarian Party has constituencies on both sides of the abortion issue. The LP platform is neutral on the issue. Check it out:
http://www.lp.org/issues/platform_all.shtml#reprodright
May 13, 2008
2:10 PM
just sayin writes:
thanks for the info Aurora. I knew one Libertarian and she was Pro-Choice. Kind of surprises me that people are on both sides. I am intrigued by Libertarians but I always thought they were very much for individual rights and common sense. (birth control and education stopping unwanted pregnancies etc.) It is a very sensitive issue so maybe they just don't want to alienate any people on one side or the other of that issue.
May 13, 2008
2:10 PM
Joe writes:
As a delegate to the National Libertarian Convention, I am amazed that Bob Barr is making a bid for the LP Presidential candidacy. This is absolutely laughable! Since Barr switched to the Libertarian Party, he has not proven himself to be a libertarian. On the contrary, he has supported Republican candidates running in races against Libertarians !!! EVERY Libertarian delegate that I know gives Bob Barr about as much hope of winning the LP nomination as the proverbial snowball in hell.
May 13, 2008
4:46 PM
Captain America writes:
Barr will definitely siphon votes from McCain, no doubt--especially if he teams up with Ron Paul. That's actually a pretty powerful third-party ticket, with some good groundswell support.
I won't vote for them in any case, but I at least have respect for Ron Paul. It's the same respect I used to have for John McCain before I stopped believing that he believed in what he was saying.
May 13, 2008
4:57 PM
JMH writes:
We agree once again Captain... I too am in Ron Paul's corner and ONCE liked McCain, before he got in line with the Bush Crime Family!
May 14, 2008
7:39 AM
Anonymous writes:
jesus JMH, about the time I start thinking you're an intelligent person, you post crap like your 12:15pm rant yesterday .... so tell me, what tax bracket are YOU in that reducing the tax burden on the rich from 43% or so, to 38% takes something away from you???? .... and claiming they want to stay in Iraq for 100 years is utter bullshit ... most of the wealthy have their money far from Haliburton, etc ... and instead of bitching about it, why don't you make a tad yourself? yeah ... whining and crying and making dumb comments is easier .... try and stick to the high road, with intelligent, well thought out commentary, would ya? there's enough crap on these blogs already...
May 14, 2008
10:07 AM
P_Denver writes:
Barr, no. Ron Paul, maybe. Depending on how dumb the other candidates behave in the national election.
Obama, if he can convince me he's rational.
McCain, unenthusiastically. If necessary.
Not much of a choice this time around, is there?
May 14, 2008
10:08 AM
P_Denver writes:
Barr, no. Ron Paul, maybe. Depending on how dumb the other candidates behave in the national election.
Obama, if he can convince me he's rational.
McCain, unenthusiastically. If necessary.
Not much of a choice this time around, is there?