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The Libertarian Party, similar to the Green Party, will be floating candidates in 2008 as well. On Sunday the Libertarian Party chose former Republican Rep. Bob Barr as their standard bearer come November. Barr, as you might remember, left the GOP over concerns of spending and civil liberties.
Report from AOL News:
DENVER (AP) - The Libertarian Party on Sunday picked former Republican Rep. Bob Barr to be its presidential candidate after six rounds of balloting.
Barr beat research scientist Mary Ruwart, who also sought the party’s presidential nomination unsuccessfully in 1983, on the final ballot. The vote was 324-276.
Barr endorsed Wayne Allyn Root, who was eliminated in the fifth round, to be his vice-presidential nominee.
Barr left the GOP in 2006 over what he called bloated spending and civil liberties intrusions by the Bush administration.
The former Georgia congressman said he’s not in the race to be a spoiler.
“I’m a competitor and I’m in this to win. I do not view the role of the Libertarian Party to be a spoiler and I certainly have no intention of being a spoiler,” Barr said.
Barr said he expects the party to be on the ballot in at least 48 states and perhaps all 50 if the party can qualify in West Virginia and Oklahoma. Barr said he also expects to be invited to the national political debates by qualifying with poll support of 15 percent or more of registered voters.
Normally I wouldn’t put much stock in third-parties as having an impact but in 2008, the circumstances may be wrought with opportunities for third-parties to shine. Given the conservative distrust of McCain, I’m betting some may find comfort in Bob Barr as an anti-McCain vote.
On the other side you have Ralph Nader running for the Greens. He’s sure to take some votes away from Obama in some numbers if liberals see Nader as more experienced.
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Rep. Barr?
The man who championed The War on Drugs, suppported DOMA, approved the Patriot Act and the Iraq war? The man who wanted to outlaw Wicca? This is the Libertarian candidate? Come on!
Sure he has the economic side down. If I’m not mistaken he’s a proponent of the Fair Tax Act. But the guy is also socially conservative almost to a fault.
Wayne Allyn Root is at least a real Libertarian, even if he does remind me of Christian Bale from American Psycho.
No hope for this party, but Barr is a far more reliable conservative than McCain so I could see this possibly hurting him.
Any chance of getting the Libertarian Debate from Saturday night? I caught the first 30 minutes or so but would like to see the rest if anyone knows where to find it.
Ok, I read his statements on the issues http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/
and I find it too vague to be taken seriously, at this point at least.
Nate, i do not believe Ralph Nader took away votes from Democrats last time (although this was the hype). When you looked at the numbers and the exit polls, there were people from both conservative and liberal wings coming out to vote for Nader, and many said they would not have come out at all if hadn’t run.
If anyone gets a chance, I recommend viewing “An Unreasonable Man.” A slightly biased, but very informative account of Nader’s role in politics for the last forty years.
Michael, I think you’re right on the 2004 election. Democrats were rather ticked at him for the effect they thought he had on the 2000 election. If I remember correctly, a big effort was made by Democrats to convince voters NOT to vote Nader because it would be a vote for Bush. Then the DNC sued him many times to try and keep him off the ballot, which seemed a bit undemocratic to me.
I’m thinking a conservative third-party could have a greater effect in 2008.
Chuck Baldwin’s candidacy just launched!