Bob Barr for President?
By: Lowell
Published On: 4/7/2008 1:21:42 PM
From today's Hotline, this could be a nightmare for John McCain:
Ex-Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) has "launched a presidential exploratory" cmte, the "first step in a possible" WH run as a Libertarian. Barr "made his announcement" while giving a keynote address in MO. Barr, in prepared remarks: "America today faces a grave moral and leadership crisis, and those of us who care about our country's future can no longer sit on the sidelines and remain neutral." Barr said Libertarians must give Americans a "real choice" in this election (Alarkon, The Hill, 4/5).
Barr said in an interview his candidacy "would be an extension" of Ron Paul's campaign. Barr, writing on Antiwar.com: "Ron Paul tapped into a great deal of that dissatisfaction and that awareness. Unfortunately, working through the Republican party structure, it became impossible for him to really move forward with his movement. But we have to have ... a rallying point out there to harness that energy, that freedom, in this election cycle" (Cook, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/4).
For more on Bob Barr, see here. The key line: "Barr was one of the most conservative members of the House" (although he "displayed a slight libertarian streak, and was considered one of the strongest supporters of civil liberties among House Republicans"). Interesting for a "Libertarian," Barr "was a strong supporter of the War on Drugs and adamantly opposed the legalization of medical marijuana." Barr also "authored and sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act." This should be fascinating to watch.
Comments
Barr is no Ron Paul and is too late to the game (Alter of Freedom - 4/7/2008 1:38:31 PM)
Paul could make a legitimate run that potentially could eat into those that may determine McCain as the option but not Barr. I doubt Barr would or could pull independents either. I doubt that Barr would have the same impact as say Nader has in the process in the past. Very little time to get real name recognition now and besides we all know but very few will admit its about "branding" now in these campaigns that are run more like little corporations that no one wants to fess up to. I love it when these campaigns bash corporate America and yet set the infrastructure up and run internally just like those corporations that say that are so evil. So Barr has littel time to "brand" himself, "real-conservative" has not work as well as planned and "Real Change", "Ready on Day One" and "American War Hero" style branding from the marketing pros of the campaigns are already in full force.
I don't see Barr has having an impact at all (Va Blogger2 - 4/7/2008 2:01:15 PM)
Barr simply won't get the same support Ron Paul received. As a result, the media will cover Barr even less than they covered Paul.
Brr a libertariun? (pvogel - 4/7/2008 2:04:40 PM)
Thats like saying I am a hard line conservative because I dont like the massive deficits Bush et al have been running
Well... (KCinDC - 4/7/2008 8:45:55 PM)
Barr did join the ACLU a while back. And he was supposed to introduce Al Gore's speech at Constitution Hall early last year about Bush's violations of the Constitution, but they had technical problems with the video feed.
Fascinating... (Bwana - 4/7/2008 6:24:32 PM)
...but short lived. If anyone was to run as a libertarian, it is/was Ron Paul.
Don't write off Barr so quick (humanfont - 4/7/2008 9:45:48 PM)
He is well connected in conservative circles and taps into the major areas of disatisfaction with McCain, religion, taxes, immigration, and the power of the state. He could really get going as Iraq starts its inevitable backslide this fall.
Anyone But McCain! (Kevin Riley O'Keeffe - 4/8/2008 10:06:20 AM)
2008 is likely to be yet another very close election. If Bob Barr can get even 1% of the vote, there is a very real possibility* that Barr could swing the election away from McCain, and into the Democratic column. Speaking as a conservative Republican (one who voted for Ron Paul), I very much hope this happens, and will definitely be voting for Bob Barr, if he appears on the ballot. If he does not, I will be voting for Anyone But McCain.
Make no mistake, the nomination of this ignorant, senile, hot-headed, buffoonish war mongerer is not acceptable, and I would rather suffer the indignity of Hillarious Rotten Klinton herself in the White House, rather than be an accomplice to the electoral victory of John McInsane.
I sincerely pray the Republican Party loses as many Presidential elections as it takes (hopefully just this one, but the next five in a row, if need be), in order to learn the lesson that it just can't win with awful candidates like McCain.
*In 2000, Patrick J. Buchanan received just 450,000 votes (0.4% of the total) running as the Reform Party nominee, yet his vote totals in Wisconsin, Iowa, New Mexico, and Oregon were ALL greater than Al Gore's margin of victory over Bush in those four states. I voted for Buchanan that year myself, and for Ralph Nader in 2004. Bush/Cheney is arguably the worst Presidential administration in history, due to its neo-"conservatism," but if you think Bush was awful, McCain will be substantially worse!
History's glass is always clearer it seems twenty years out (Alter of Freedom - 4/8/2008 5:57:17 PM)
While I understand the current views and opposition with regard to the BUsh/Cheney terms but take some time a read some old newspapers on the net about people like FDR, Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt at the time of office and it will amaze you just how many folks felt the same about them. I think history has its own way of making these judgements.