It's Bob Barr

by Jonathan Singer, Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:37:54 PM EST

At this hour, former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia has become the Libertarian Party's Presidential nominee. While I certainly won't be voting for or supporting Barr's efforts this year, it's quite possible that Barr could have a real effect upon this general election, particularly in his home state of Georgia, but also in Western states like Alaska, Montana and Nevada, potentially putting in play states that otherwise might not be in play or making already competitive states more competitive.




Tags: Libertarian Party, 2008, Bob Barr (all tags)

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I'm donating (2.00 / 1)

to his campaign.

He can do more damage in some parts Barack couldn't touch.


Yawn.
by spacemanspiff on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:40:14 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

This should get interesting.


by RussTC3 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:41:43 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

This is good news, not quite on the Perot level, but promising nonetheless.


"I'm all for the delegate battle, and now that Obama's campaign is too, I'm all giddy. It's going to be the supers as kingmaker." J.Armstrong 01/19/08
by obscurant on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:41:46 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Perot had nothing to do with Clinton's victory.  Please look at the research on this.


I voted for Hillary!
by deepee on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:35:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

You speak with the voice of authority, and yet, I don't believe you...odd.  Maybe you should repeat it again, this time change the words around or something.


"I'm all for the delegate battle, and now that Obama's campaign is too, I'm all giddy. It's going to be the supers as kingmaker." J.Armstrong 01/19/08
by obscurant on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:49:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh062905.shtm l

Interesting stuff!  I also was under the impression that Perot hurt Bush more than Clinton.


John McCain is surprisingly bad for this country
by minnesotaryan on Sun May 25, 2008 at 11:28:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Thanks for the link.


"I'm all for the delegate battle, and now that Obama's campaign is too, I'm all giddy. It's going to be the supers as kingmaker." J.Armstrong 01/19/08
by obscurant on Mon May 26, 2008 at 12:53:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Wohooo!!!!!


by sweet potato pie on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:42:58 PM EST

Yes. Finally Barr does some good. (none / 0)

The looney right loves Barr. This is so good!


Your old role is rapidly aging. Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand, for the times they are a changing.
by Travis Stark on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:45:41 PM EST

Re: Yes. Finally Barr does some good. (2.00 / 1)

It is not just the loony right.  In fact, the real loony right is the right that is still sticking with Bush.  Barr is going to hurt McCain on the Libertarian right.   These are the people who are pissed about the war and about the loss of liberties under the patriot act.  

But, he is also going to hurt Obama as I think he could still some voters who don't like McCain, but would never vote for Clinton.  I think he will definitely have an impact in places like Nevada, Alaska, Montana and possibly here in Georgia.


by monkeyga on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:47:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Could it be? (none / 0)

Could the stars FINALLY align for the Dems this year?

Bob Barr, if he gets the nod from the Ron Paul-ites (I have zero idea if that's a shot), could do major damage to McCain out west.   We're already poised to take Colorado thanks to Obama, this gets us a shot at Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota to boot.

Go Barr Go!


John McCain wants to stay in Iraq.
by ihaveseenenough on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:45:52 PM EST

Paul for Obama? (none / 0)

I think that Paul would endorse Obama before either Barr or McCain considering his views on Iraq and foreign policy.  Barr is also a big time supporter of the War on Drugs and voted for the Patriot Act.  Not things Paulites would support.


John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for a century.
by jkfp2004 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 07:20:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paul for Obama? (none / 0)

Ah.  Well hey.

What's Paul's thinking?  He seems like the kind to make a 5th-party run.  I don't see him supporting anyone.


John McCain wants to stay in Iraq.
by ihaveseenenough on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:10:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Patriot act (none / 0)

And Barr thinks that the act has gone too far and he wants to roll it back.  He is very unhappy with how Bush has prosecuted the war on terror.

He is going to pick up a lot of the disaffected Paul supporters.


by monkeyga on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:48:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paul for Obama? (none / 0)

But Barr has long opposed the Iraq War, no? That should be a major drawing card for Ron Paul's supporters.


by JD Lasica on Sun May 25, 2008 at 11:53:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You forgot Idaho (2.00 / 1)

This could be a real game-changer in the Gem State this fall - again, maybe not enough for the presidential EVs, but maybe enough to draw votes away from the GOP line downticket. It would be so nice to see the last of Bill Sali. This is one way it might happen.


Ceci n'est pas une <<snark>>
by ipsos on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:57:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You forgot Idaho (none / 0)

Absolutely true!

I fear that downticket it doesn't help as much as it does in the title fight, but hey, I hope so...


John McCain wants to stay in Iraq.
by ihaveseenenough on Mon May 26, 2008 at 12:59:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

Barr win = democrat win.

Yes.


by Democrat in Chicago on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:46:12 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Get this man in the debates.


by sweet potato pie on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:46:44 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

yes - at least ONE of the debates needs to be 5 or 6-way:

McCain(GOP)
Obama(DEM)
Barr(LP)
Nader(IND)
McKinney(GP)
Baldwin(CP)

two on McCain's right, two on Obama's left.

Now there's a debate I'd pay to see.


Vote for a true progressive in November: Cynthia McKinney (GRN) for President!
by brooklyngreenie on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:52:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Great news for Obama!


by gcensr on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:46:57 PM EST

My dad cheered when he heard. (none / 0)

This is excellent news for Democrats. :^)


should we go outside? / should we break some bread? / are you'nterested?
by Firewall on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:48:05 PM EST

I stopped talking to mine about politics (none / 0)

but I have a good idea where his vote is going now :)
great news indeed!
by amsterdem on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:06:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Can some Dems stop whining about Nader now? (none / 0)

Barr will surely take more votes from Bush/McCain than Nader will from Obama.


Anybody's vote is worth having. But not everybody's vote is worth campaigning for.
by Freespeechzone on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:53:03 PM EST

Re: Can some Dems stop whining about Nader now? (2.00 / 1)

Nader is a joke.  If he gets more than 1,000 votes anywhere, I'll be shocked.  Barr could get substantial numbers in certain states.


I was with Obama from the start.
by SpanishFly on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:02:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can some Dems stop whining about Nader now? (2.00 / 1)

Think Georgia. He is from Georgia and OBama has been polling about 10 points behind McCain in Georgia. If Barr gets 10-15% of the vote in Georgia, McCain is screwed. Yipeeeee.


by sweet potato pie on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:04:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

McKinney is also from GA (none / 0)

   and if the Greens are on the GA ballot she might pull some votes to Obama's left, especially from her old district. She probably wouldn't get as many votes as Barr, though


by Zack from the SFV on Mon May 26, 2008 at 12:51:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Can some Dems stop whining about Nader now? (none / 0)

Agreed, Nader's best performance was 1.5% in NY and AK in 2004, hardly close states.  The only one he came at all close to impacting the outcome was NH, where he got .66% and the margin was about .4-.5% for Kerry.


by skywaker9 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:02:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Nader is a joke. (2.00 / 1)

Not if Democrats keep taking his votes seriously.

But I will continue to take his message seriously because the Democratic Party is still rife with corporate corruption too (DLC). When it's gone, so will Nader be.


Anybody's vote is worth having. But not everybody's vote is worth campaigning for.
by Freespeechzone on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:08:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Heck... (2.00 / 1)

The general election may end up:

1. Obama

  1. Barr
  2. McCain

OK, I'm just kidding.  But this is good news.


I was with Obama from the start.
by SpanishFly on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:57:16 PM EST

Great news. (2.00 / 1)

Never thought I'd say this, but thank you, Bob Barr!


Wouldn't it be nice if there were no rhetorical questions?
by Elsinora on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:59:19 PM EST

Re: Great news. (none / 0)

Sorry I can't thank a man who went bat crazy over Impeaching a President for political reasons. Then again may this is BB's way of repentance!


by eddieb on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:09:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Marriage amendment (2.00 / 1)

Bob Barr did sponsor DOMA, but then again the Clintons supported it too in 1996.    Bob Barr has come out strongly against the Federal Marriage amendment.  He thinks that every state has the right to make their own decision.    He even repeated that the day after the California decision.  Heck, his support of the decision was stronger than most Democrats.

If you have paid any attention to him over the last 5 years, he has become a very sensible, pragmatic libertarian.  He writes columns for the AJC which attack both the GOP and the Dems.

Don't get too giddy over this decision.  While I do think he will hurt the GOP more, he is still a knife that can cut both ways.  


by monkeyga on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:53:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Marriage amendment (none / 0)

You can also bet Bob Bar will do a lot of Obama/Clinton bashing too. He will be targeting those "coveted" independants for sure. So as you say his knife will cut both ways.


by eddieb on Mon May 26, 2008 at 02:57:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Great news. (none / 0)

Wow, $18 and 9 hours!  You go Elsinore!


Capitalization is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack off a horse..." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse..."
by igottheblues on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:40:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Let's all send $5 (2.00 / 1)

he will keep the heat on McPain.


by parahammer on Sun May 25, 2008 at 05:59:24 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Is it realistically possible for Barr to surpass even 5%?


by Bobby Obama on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:05:29 PM EST

Even 5% could make (2.00 / 2)

a difference in some states.

Maybe Ron Paul will endorse Bob Barr.


by puma on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:07:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Good question - I guess we'll have to wait and see.  I think he'll cipher enough votes away from McCain in states like Georgia, Virginia, and Missouri and throw those states Obama's way.  


by Steve24 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:10:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Is it possible for Barr to surpass 5%? (2.00 / 1)

If he does I think the Libertines will be eligible for federal funding in the 2012 election.


Anybody's vote is worth having. But not everybody's vote is worth campaigning for.
by Freespeechzone on Sun May 25, 2008 at 08:13:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Just announced: Georgia is in play!! nt (none / 0)


by amsterdem on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:07:45 PM EST

Bob Barr gets the anti McSame vote! (none / 0)

This is the one time on this site hearing "Every vote counts" is music to my ears!


by eddieb on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:13:44 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Libertarianism is actually even stronger in the mountain west; a credible candidate could pull 5 percent there, for sure

And that looks helpful to Barack Obama as well


by fightbull on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:15:02 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Whooo hoo!!!


But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
by thezzyzx on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:18:48 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

Donate to Bob Barr!! Get the dollars out.


Obama/Warner 2008
by MissVA on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:28:21 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

Bob Barr is doing more to help the Democratic Party and Barack Obama than Joe Lieberman.  It makes me sick seeing Loserman with McCain every time I turn on the TV.  


by Steve24 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:29:28 PM EST

Will Ron Paul back him? (2.00 / 1)

If Ron Paul sends his faithful to support Bob Barr then this could make a real dent in the election. To be fair, some of Barr's support would come from Obama supporters; there are a lot of people in this country attracted to Obama precisely because he does not have the classic notion of experience. But I suspect he pulls more from the right than the left. He may even get many Christian conservatives who revere him for the Clinton impeachment.


by elrod on Sun May 25, 2008 at 06:53:41 PM EST

No Christians (none / 0)

He will not get the Christian vote.   He is strongly against the Federal Marriage amendment and supported the California decision on same-sex marriage as an example of states rights.

This alone will keep the Christian right from supporting him.  


by monkeyga on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:56:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

I did not watch the entire or even most of the libertarian convention, but during the time I did watch McCain was the only other candidate discussed - and not in a good way.  A gentleman got up on a chair and announced that under no circumstances should anyone vote for McCain.

Speaking of, on tonight's news they were talking about McCain's brokeback bar-b-que and showed him walking down some stairs wearing a lime green sweatshirt.  He looked quite feeble and I saw a hand holding him up or helping him down the stairs.  I think that video would worry a lot of voters.


by PabloZed on Sun May 25, 2008 at 07:02:10 PM EST

Fantastic! I think he could do some real damage (none / 0)

to McCain. It would be great if he could be part of the debates. Everyone who can afford it should donate to his campaign. I know some of the RedState jackasses donate to Nader every four years, so we might as well return the favor.


I'm only here to look for engels. Screw the rest of this big blue craphole.
by sricki on Sun May 25, 2008 at 07:10:22 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Would it actually benefit us to donate to the libertarian campaign?  I feel like even though they appeal to a niche of voters we ourselves are unlikely to influence, dollar for dollar our contributions would be better put in the DNC, DSCC, DCCC or the GE funds.  Am I wrong?


by goodleh on Sun May 25, 2008 at 07:21:47 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

He should draw a fair number of votes in OR and WA.  A good amount of the state parties in both places has a libertarian bent (Paul finished a close 3rd in the WA Caucuses and got 16% in the OR Primary).  In fact, if you want top know why the OR R's are declining, embracing a social conservative message has absolutely killed them in Portland and Eugene.


by skywaker9 on Sun May 25, 2008 at 07:59:35 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Good it will give the Republican knuckleheads something to complain about in 2008 as Democrats did with Nader in 2000. You know all those Jewish voters for Buchanan in Florida stole the election right?

Meanwhile in the Obama White House...


by southerndemnut on Sun May 25, 2008 at 10:41:47 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

$50 for Bob Barr.  Expensive primary season for me :(


John McCain is surprisingly bad for this country
by minnesotaryan on Sun May 25, 2008 at 11:38:17 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Thank you for your generous donation of $50.00!
Contribution received!

Thank you very much for your donation to the Barr 2008 Presidential Exploratory Committee.

Your donation will allow us to expand and grow our campaign.

You will receive an email shortly with a confirmation number.


John McCain is surprisingly bad for this country
by minnesotaryan on Sun May 25, 2008 at 11:38:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

And aside from the fact that this undoubtedly helps Obama, I agree with Barr a lot more than McCain, so yippee!


John McCain is surprisingly bad for this country
by minnesotaryan on Sun May 25, 2008 at 11:39:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Bob Barr (2.00 / 1)

Maybe Bob Barr will offsets the losses we're sure to experience because of the Clintons' destructive tactics.  We can only hope.


by Democrat in Chicago on Mon May 26, 2008 at 12:52:32 AM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

A third party candidate can qualify for an appearance at the GE debates if one of three situations occur.

1) He or she is financially viable (that's what got Perot in in '92)

2) He or she leads in any one state according to a reputable poll

3) He or she is at 15% nationwide in a reputable poll

It seems to me that if we want Barr in the debate with Obama and McBush, we should get the message out to Democrats in a small blue state, like RI, and tell them to say to pollsters they're voting for Barr.  Then, we let Barr do all the damage he possibly can to the Rethug candidate on a national stage.

Save the money for OUR candidates, and don't put any critical states in percieved or actual play.


The bad news is that my Representative and two Senators are in the minority. The good news is that my Representative and two Senators are in the minority.
by CLLGADEM on Mon May 26, 2008 at 05:20:14 PM EST

Re: It's Bob Barr (none / 0)

Had a dozen of the Democrats in the US Senate plus Susan Collins,Olympia Snowe,Arlen Specter,Jim Jeffords,and Lincoln Chaffee's father listened to Bob Barr and Ken Starr, Al Gore would have been President. He would have pardoned Bill Clinton from any federal persecutions. He would have selected Hillary Clinton as his Vice President.
An Al Gore-Hillary Clinton ticket in 2000 would have defeated Bush-Cheney. Al Gore would have had the incumbency advantage. and
by nkpolitics on Mon May 26, 2008 at 11:00:55 PM EST


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