For months he’s been tinkering with the idea, and now he may be ready to take the plunge. Bob Barr, a former Congressman from Georgia, could end up as this year’s Libertarian presidential candidate. Wouldn’t it be interesting if he brought back the 1988 Libertarian presidential nominee – Ron Paul, of course – as his running mate?
Barr has been a curious enough figure in politics over the years – beyond his cameo role in Borat. He led the charge in the impeachment of Bill Clinton. For years he was an ultra-conservative. More recently he has become more clearly libertarian, going so far as to join both the Libertarian Party and the ACLU. He has been particularly exercised about the extension of government power through the Patriot Act.
Obviously, Barr isn’t going to win anything. What makes Barr’s candidacy interesting is the possibility that, if McCain will tacks too far to the center, some conservatives might abandon the Republicans. It won’t necessarily take a lot of votes to make a difference.
My view of the 2008 race is that one simply cannot reach conclusions about anything this early in the game. But from the point of view of Democrats, a Barr candidacy only seems destined to help.
Don't be so certain. There are a lot of Libertarians who hold their noses and vote Democrat these days.
I'm a Libertarian who votes Democrat (usually) because the Democrats are (ever so slightly) more respectful of civil liberties (lately). I'm a member of both the NRA and the ACLU. Frankly, I can't see how you can be intellectually honest and only join one, and not the other. I'm not alone… especially not in places like Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, and other swing states.
If Ron Paul runs as a Libertarian or an Independent, he *might* wrest my vote away from Obama — and I live in Florida. Probably not as a Barr V.P. though. Barr would certainly tear my vote away from Clinton.