Ex-Rep. Bob Barr to seek Libertarian nod, may get Ron Paul O.K.

Just when you thought we might be whittling down the number of presidential candidates, there's a new one about to jump in.

According to a political website, Fitsnews.com, former Republican Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia is about to announce his candidacy with the Libertarian Party.

The same site predicts tonight that GOP Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who has refused to endorse the presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain and continues his own vain campaign, will endorse Barr's bid.

That would indeed make for an unusual sight, an active candidate in one party endorsing a new one in another party.

Paul actually ran as the Libertarian Party's candidate for president in 1988, but has consistently rejected a third-party bid throughout this campaign.

The 72-year-old Paul's campaign -- he's the only survivor beyond McCain of 11 Republicans from last year -- surprised many political observers with its financial potency. Some 800,000 eager and energetic voters, many of them new to politics, have given him in excess of $32 million in the last year, nearly $20 million of it in the last quarter of 2007, to make him the largest GOP fundraiser then. They developed a whole range of creative ideas to arouse political support, including a pinup calendar of nearly naked Hotties4Ron Paul.

Barr, who represented Georgia's 7th District for eight years until 2003, like Paul has made no secret of his dissatisfaction with current Republican Party leadership. He's praised Paul for....

tapping into that same dissatisfaction with his strict constitutionalist approach and desire to drastically reduce the size of the federal government. You may also remember Barr as the activist House floor manager during the impeachment proceedings against former President Bill Clinton.

Paul has said he will continue to slog on as long as his supporters support him with their energy and donations. He reported about $5 million cash in hand at the end of February and zero campaign debt.

As an ardent opponent of the Iraq war, Paul has declined to endorse McCain and don't expect him to change his mind. In a recent interview with Newsweek, he said his supporters would like to work within the GOP but often find themselves unwelcome. He was asked if he would urge them to vote for Republican McCain come November.

"I'm not going to tell them what to do," Paul replied. "But I honestly can't imagine any of them supporting him. That would be a tough sale. The odds of him all of a sudden coming to one of our rallies and being cheered on are not very high."

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Sally Falk]

I am an advocate of positive political campaigning. Check out this great website with free stuff. http://www.lookforthegood.org

[John Smith]

Barr hints at it on Antiwar Radio.

[TJ]

I am waiting to see if Jesse Ventura gets in the race.
If not I will vote and donate to Barr.

[Linda]

To the above comment quote: "Ron is a shame on all Texans. This liberal is really a Democrat in drag. "

I have to ask the person who wrote that comment...Do you know what a liberal is? Do you know what a conservative is? Mr. McCain, although calling himself Republican, can hardly be called conservative.

There was a time when Republicans were conservative. They believed in non-interventionism, low taxes, controlled spending, small government, free markets, individual freedom, and the Constitution. Today’s Republican Party via John McCain is nothing more than a public relations firm set up to hide that Republicans rarely vote in line with conservative principles anymore. Ron Paul and his supporters just want to restore truth to the rhetoric.

[Brad Forschner]

I agree with you George, Bob Barr will make a good LP candidate/Spokesman! And I bet RP will endorse him.

[Steve LaBianca]

Barr seems to be moving in the libertarian direction, though he still has some distance to go. I would ask that he wait until he is ready to defend the great majority of libertarian positions before he runs for president as a Libertarian. I am supporting Dr. Mary Ruwart for the LP presidential nomination . . . she is and has been dead-on with the libertarian positions for years, and is a formidable candidate. In contrast, Barr, would need to educate himself more to properly represent a principled, libertarian approach to solving America's problem of way, way too much government. I am confident he will, but he isn't there. Maybe in 2012.

[Steve LaBianca]

Barr seems to be moving in the libertarian direction, though he still has some distance to go. I would ask that he wait until he is ready to defend the great majority of libertarian positions before he runs for president as a Libertarian. I am supporting Dr. Mary Ruwart for the LP presidential nomination . . . she is and has been dead-on with the libertarian positions for years, and is a formidable candidate. In contrast, Barr, would need to educate himself more to properly represent a principled, libertarian approach to solving America's problem of way, way too much government. I am confident he will, but he isn't there. Maybe in 2012.

[Toby]

What about Ron Paul as a running mate? AND native Texans should be proud of Ron Paul's stance after all Texas was founded as a republic.

[Alice]

Ron Paul has as many delegates in South Dakota as Mccain. Alaska has a clear majority of delegates for Ron Paul !! This is happening all over the country !! Unplug that TV because its not reality. This revolution is just getting started and it wont be televised !!
Ron Paul for America and the world !!!

[frank meyers]

choices and options what america wants and needs. I hope that Barr and Gravel will look at the candidates running for the LP Nonimation like kubby jingozian or phillies for a running mate and have a ticket the LP members can really support. www.resetamerica.com

[Haigh]

"Posted by: mikey | March 31, 2008 at 11:46 PM

Ron is a shame on all Texans. This liberal is really a Democrat in drag. Shame on him."

Hey Mikey, Can you name one liberal or one democrat who wants to abolish the IRS and the Department of Education?
I want to get on their bandwagon.
Get a clue, he's not your Momma's liberal.

[George Bush]

Ron Paul is not a shame on Texans... have you forgotten our current great president? Or maybe you're on the 30% of his approval rating.

[jimmie]

This is pure genius !

I am sure some of you will realize what is happening
here.

The ART of WAR.

rEVOLution......................Keep goin'

[Shane Savoie]

Bob Barr would make a great third party candidate, but I worry about being able to enlist a good chunk of RP's supporters. You know, the ones that insist they'll write him in before they vote for anyone on the ballot. Without out Dr. Paul's endorsement, we can be sure the truly Paultarded will still be waving his signs on an overpass near you until well into 2010. I spoke with a lady in our Meetup group this a.m. and she still believes we'll win the GOP nomination...

[Real Libertarian]

The LP already has plenty of candidate, many of whom are, well, libertarians. I'm disappointed that Ron Paul would see fit to endorse a Republican for the nomination rather than Dr. Mary Ruwart. He previously supported Dr. Ruwart when she was considered for FDA Commissioner. This would be a shame for the LP, to nominate a leader in the war on drugs.

[Amber]

"Ron is a shame on all Texans. This liberal is really a Democrat in drag. Shame on him."

No, that's Rudy Giuliani - you must be confused. He's out of the race now, and he's from New York. Ron Paul's the one that wants to keep you free to continue expressing your ignorance...

[Brad S.]

Ha-HAAA!
This is pure GENIUS!!!
Think about it...it's the perfect 'one-two punch' for the Ron Paul Movement and the Revolution...pure GENIUS! Right now, we are getting as many delegates as we can for Ron Paul, so that we can make as big of an impact on countering sanctioned neocon candidate John McCain at the RNC in St. Paul this Sept. Since McCain has suppostedly gained a 'virtual majority' of delegates (1191 is the magic number), even Dr. Paul has stated that he's unlikely to be able to muster enough delegates to overcome McCain's lead. BUT...Dr. Paul will most likely have accrued a significant number of total delegates to give McCain and the party elite a real headache at the RNC, while at the same time affecting real change in the existing neocon biased Republican platform by getting more 'traditionally conservative' resolutions adopted that are closely aligned to Constitutional law.

Ok, so there's that...now onto the second part of the 'one-two punch'! So now Mr. Bob Barr (another freedom loving Constitutionalist like Dr. Paul) enters the presidential race as a third party/Libertarian candidate (which is what alot of people in the Ron Paul movement have been wishing Dr. Paul would do, but isn't likely to happen). Bob Barr running as a third party/Libertarian candidate is a PERFECT BACKUP for the continuation of the Ron Paul Revolution! The Ron Paul delegates at the RNC in St. Paul will do their damndest to get Dr. Paul elected (a real long-shot), and will be even more effective at making significant inroads in changing the party's currently corrupt platform. AND...if Dr. Paul doesn't win the RNC nomination to run in the General Election, then the movement has a choice come November. They can either do a "write-in" vote for Dr. Paul as their presidential preference (which will not likely garner as many Independent/digruntled Democrat/Third party votes as an official, popular third party/Libertarian candidate like Bob Barr would), and who...if elected...would most likely choose Dr. Paul for his vice-presidential running mate! If you really stop and think about it, this will provide the Maximum opportunity for us to get a person in the White House that is dedicated to putting the Constitution back on center stage again in establishing the boundaries federal government must operate under, and for providing the opportunity for this Revolution to be taken to the next level. That level being and inside track into cleaning out the old 'neocon guard', and replacing them with Freedom Loving Constitutionalist again, the way our Founding Fathers meant it to be! I don't look at this a being a bad thing...I see it as being a very VERY smart move by Dr. Paul and Mr. Bob Barr!

[ricknhouston]

Ron is a shame on all Texans. This liberal is really a Democrat in drag. Shame on him.

Posted by: Ron Paul | March 31, 2008 at 11:54 PM

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Dude ... you need to step away from your crack pipe for a bit.... your way tooooooooo stoned!

[Teflon Ron]

Paulista to the core!
Revolution goes on, long live the Constitution and Freedom!

[RustyJohn]

Don't know if I trust Barr, but I will likely write Paul in in November- despite the zero press that he is getting he continues to pick up delegates in the caucus states- seems McCain's octogenarian supporters aren't showing up for county and state conventions or turning in early for Matlock leaving the young Paul supporters to elect their delegates to the state/national conventions.

[Ron H.]

Why does McCain get a "pass" on ripping off the American Public $30 Billion Dollars as a member of the KEATING 5 in the Savings & Loan Scandal? "It was a long time ago" most people say, so he gets a pass...and even gets endorsed by the press, after NUMEROUS hearings in front of the Senate Ethics Committee, for questionable tactics. He was corrupt then, but he's fine now, is that it? I guess O.J. gets a pass since that was a long time ago too. Bob Barr gets my republican vote if Dr. Paul endorses him.

[Tominellay]

Andrew, you'll be as notorious a reporter as T.J. Simers one day...Dr. Paul is your grocery bagger; he's not going away...

(We'll be here if he doesn't.)

[DX10]

He**, I have been asking the Paul campaign to give us some direction for voting in the general so long that I finally pissed Lew Rockwell off. Then he pissed me off in return. If it is going to be Barr, then fine. Just do SOMETHING for Pete's sake! With a little leadership we can make a statement if nothing else.

[Sally Falk]

I am an advocate of positive political campaigning. Check out this great website with free stuff: http://www.lookforthegood.org

[John]

Ron Paul and Bob Barr in 2008! That's the ticket!