Are you ready for President Bob Barr?
posted at 4:17 pm on April 3, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Known to most of us as one of the quarterbacks of the Clinton impeachment, he’s since evolved into the poor man’s Ron Paul and, of late, a third-party presidential candidate. The Washington Times is worried although I’m not sure why:
“Barr obviously is dangerous. At least he negates any possible Nader benefit,” said David Norcross, a New Jersey member of the Republican National Committee and its Rules Committee chairman, arguing Mr. Barr would hurt Republicans at least as much as Ralph Nader, who has announced his own independent presidential bid, would hurt Democrats.
Republican campaign pros said a Barr bid could range from causing them some damage all the way to being the equivalent of Ross Perot’s 1992 presidential bid, which many Republicans think split their party’s voters, unseating then-President Bush and electing Democrat Bill Clinton…
Mr. Barr said he could appeal particularly to voters in libertarian-minded places such as Vermont, New Hampshire and the Rocky Mountain states, and said he would have a broader appeal than Mr. Nader’s candidacy — partly because the Libertarian Party is already qualified for the ballot in 48 states, and partly because of the principles he would espouse.
This site claimed on Monday that Paul would endorse Barr but Paul’s spokesman tells the Times it ain’t so — yet — since he’s busy for the moment trying to get Republicans to pay attention to his supporters. How exactly does a Barr run hurt McCain, though? Barr’s key issues are Iraq, torture, and gun rights; Maverick agrees with him on the latter two (the Supreme Court’s decision this summer will “clarify” any ambiguities in his Second Amendment stance, I assure you), and as to the first, no one who’s so anti-war that it might swing their vote was planning to vote for McCain anyway. Which is a long way of saying, how is the 3 percent rEVOLution going to deliver Perot-esque margins for him? The only potential trouble spot is Georgia, where Barr is from and where Obama did surprisingly well among young white voters. He could factor into a close race there and knock a lean-McCain state into toss-up, but Georgia’s got a Republican governor and two Republican senators available to campaign if things get hairy. Where exactly is the threat here?
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Allow me to make one thing very clear. This is a ‘hedge’ candidacy. Pay it no mind.
ilitigant on April 3, 2008 at 4:18 PM
what the eff?
Drunk Report on April 3, 2008 at 4:21 PM
I think if this rev.Wright-gate would have surfaced earlier, Obama would not have done as well in Georgia among “young white voters”.
El Guapo on April 3, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Has Barr spent too much time at the bar, I thought he was barred from anything important..is he still admitted to the bar this Barr or was he dis-barred?
right2bright on April 3, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Will somebody explain to me why a Bob Barr, or anybody like him, ever runs for President? Ross Perot and George Wallace were the only 3rd party candidates in my lifetime that had even a tiny prayer of being elected President. Barr has no chance of achieving anything beyond 10%, and truly anything beyond about 4% requires flights of fancy. Why is he running?
I’m serious.
philwynk on April 3, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Barr is a bit less inspiring than Paul. Which is saying something.
Vizzini on April 3, 2008 at 4:24 PM
that says alot about character. even though he is smarter than Clinton to think of that, it reflects bad on his character nonetheless. no one wants another drama queen in the Office.
El Guapo on April 3, 2008 at 4:25 PM
doesn’t he repeat the Lefts lies about Iraq/Saddam?
I did hear on local radio here in NC(Conservative station) the host ranting and raving about republicans then mentioned he recently interviewed Barr who he called a “real libertaiarn conservative” running for president.
jp on April 3, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Another fence sitter or middle of the roader…. get out of my life, Barr!
MNDavenotPC on April 3, 2008 at 4:31 PM
He has NO chance of getting more than 2%, period.
Vizzini on April 3, 2008 at 4:31 PM
I don’t think Paul can run 3rd party because of the newsletters, unless he wants to hang himself. So I think rumors of him endorsing Barr are well founded. What paul will do for him or another 3rd party crank, is send out emails to his supporters asking them to support him and give some reasons why.
I’ve seen one of these such emails he did for Walter Jones who is having a rough primary fight, the email claimed Jones was a “great defender of the Constitution” and out front over the “North American Union”…blah, blah.
jp on April 3, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Didn’t Barr eat the whipped cream off of some woman’s breasts on video at a Georgia political event a few years ago? That’ll go over well with the women voters on Fox.
jim m on April 3, 2008 at 4:33 PM
interestingly his lifetime ACU rating is 98, but his career ended in 2002 of course. I think he’s drifted leftward since then.
jp on April 3, 2008 at 4:33 PM
I hate to say it but Barr would be far better than either of the democratic candidates and maybe slightly better than McCain. To bad he wouldn’t have a chance. When the choices are down to the three we have almost anybody looks good.
duff65 on April 3, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Maybe he hates McCain as much as the rest of us constitutionalists. Many won’t vote for McInsane under any circumstances, but at least this gives us a reason to go to the polls.
Valiant on April 3, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Like we need anything else to help usher in the era of socialists. Beat it, Barr. We don’t want what yer sellin’.
NTWR on April 3, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Bob Barr is a circus freak.
revolution on April 3, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Vote for Barr = Vote for Obama/Socialism period.
its’ basic math and reality. and with the Senate Seats the Dems are poised to pickup its insane not to support McCain so he can veto much of what they’ll do.
jp on April 3, 2008 at 4:38 PM
He’s rockin’ a Thomas Dewey ’stache! What could possibly go wrong?
Lee on April 3, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Why does someone like Bob Barr run for President? Why else would anyone right now be discussing him. It’s a cheap way to get his ego ya-ya’s. I doubt a guy like this would hurt McCain much at all, and not because McCain has many similar views. Simply, most nutballs that would vote for Barr in this election would have probably stayed home otherwise. Look, no sane person that is worried about stopping a disaster-in-waiting like Obama will suddenly say, “Hey! Bob Barr! Now that’s a guy I can feel good voting for!”
Sugar Land on April 3, 2008 at 4:45 PM
AP, Barr would throw Georgia to Obama’s side IMO. Not only is Barr from GA, but GA has a large and rapidly growing libertarian population. He is still seen as kind of a nut by most people in GA, though, but a few % is enough to throw it to Obama. Boortz would shill endlessly for Barr, and I could see him getting 6-7% in GA. Obama is going to do surprisingly well throughout the South, too; watch as the black churches and community leaders generate record turnout among black voters.
RW Wacko on April 3, 2008 at 4:48 PM
The threat is that we’ll be subjected to a Barrevolution. After the tedious spam from the last one, I don’t know if I’m up for the “Google Bob Barr” bumper stickers.
NeoconNews.com on April 3, 2008 at 4:49 PM
A snowball in Hell on an extremely hot day has a better chance than he does.
He hates McCain’s liberal stances so much that he’s going to help hand the election to the (literally) most liberal U.S. Senator?
amerpundit on April 3, 2008 at 4:49 PM
I hope we get to see the guy in the Yosemite Sam costume harass Barr again. That was big news down here in Georgia.
http://www.gwinnettcitizen.com/0802/barrangry.html
Brat on April 3, 2008 at 4:50 PM
If Barr runs, I will vote for him, because I’m not voting for McCain.
paul006 on April 3, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Anyone here remember what talk radio host “The Kimmer” in Atlanta would say everytime someone mentioned Barr?
Brat on April 3, 2008 at 4:54 PM
I will vote for Barr. You will vote for amnesty and like it.
LevStrauss on April 3, 2008 at 4:55 PM
So getting Obama as a result is somehow better? Obama who wants to cut military spending, retreat in Iraq, have tea with dictators, implement socialized health care, etc. is a better choice than McCain because Mac has a different position on immigration?
amerpundit on April 3, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Even if Barr gets 6% in Goergia, McCain will still carry the state, maybe 50-44-6 instead of 54-46. And a good chunk of his votes will come from the left – anti war and social libertarian types.
A state would have to be very close and have lots of libertarians for this numbnuts to make a difference. Maybe New Hampshire?
BuzzCrutcher on April 3, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Making you a…BARRbarian?
tree hugging sister on April 3, 2008 at 5:00 PM
amerpundit on April 3, 2008 at 4:57 PM
No I will vote for Barr. You will vote for amnesty and like it. It seems like you are the one that is giving up. If people like you put as much effort into getting people to support conservatives instead of shilling for RINOs we might not be in this predicament. Please tell me again which one of us is voting for amnesty.
LevStrauss on April 3, 2008 at 5:01 PM
I think Barr’s true ambition is to become a Fox News Contributor and become relevant again.
Watch, just watch, as this plays out and he looses, and the suits at Fox and other networks want to find ways to keep the race interesting and possibly gum up the works for the Republicans.
Could Barr be Operation Chaos Libertad??!?!?!
Seven Percent Solution on April 3, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Both. A vote for Barr gives Obama, an avid amnesty supporter, an edge. My voting for McCain is also supporting someone who has favored amnesty. Directly or indirectly, we’re both giving amnesty supporters an edge.
And Barr isn’t exactly perfect on immigration/jobs either. He voted against a measure barring companies from firing Americans in favor of temporary workers, he’s voted against worker protections, supported the Pombo Amendment which allowed agri-businesses to import 250,000+ temps per year, etc.
I guess we just have different priorities, that’s all. You’ll vote against McCain because of immigration. I’ll vote for McCain because he won’t surrender in Iraq, won’t cut military spending, won’t implement massive socialized health care, etc.. Fair enough.
amerpundit on April 3, 2008 at 5:07 PM
I just heard him on Hannity’s show … Oh oh, the third Democrat in the race just got a huge problem.
If Barr pulls off 3-5% of the popular vote, it’s curtains for the third Democrat.
I have come to the realization that the average voter is not very smart, first hand knowledge here. Most think Democrat Jimmy Carter was a great guy and a good President. They love Canadian health care, even though most haven’t a clue what it is. Sometimes you have to take the pain to get any gain.
Anybody seen a Republican leader lately? Anybody talk about AMerican values, liberty, freedom lately? The Republicans aren’t even on the field. Go Obama, he will wreck the place in record time, breaking Carter’s record. Then they will know.
Tree of liberty, blood, resfresh, and all that — And that’s the way it is …
tarpon on April 3, 2008 at 5:08 PM
I want a Cynthia Mckinney, Ralph Nadar, and Bob Barr debate.
THE CHOSEN ONE on April 3, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Getting Obama isn’t better, but, speaking for myself, I won’t vote for McCain because I don’t believe in rewarding troublemaking a**holes with a promotion. During any number of McCain’s backstabs (gang of 14, immigration, ect) I would have cheerfully bid him goodbye had he gone through with switching parties. Now for everything he put the party and the base through, especially the dead of night, special interest group dirty deal Shamnesty he spearheaded, rather than being ostracized and ignored, he’s being celebrated and given a promotion. No f***ing way. I told the GOP during the last fundraising letter I opened, that I would not be contributing any more money while John McCain and Lindsey ‘Buttboy’ Graham held office. Never would I have dreamed that McCain would be our nominee. Well, no money, also means no vote. Two things I do not reward: betrayal and incompetence. So, if the GOP wants to take the ‘McCain method’ (ie, extend middle finger) of dealing with those in the base that don’t agree that a disloyal irritant should be the nominee, then they will face the ballot box with a few less voters.
Now, I don’t know why you McCain guys keep hectoring the holdouts. McCain is pandering to the liberals like crazy so you won’t miss our votes. So, go enjoy your victory. Find a conservative, and tell a bigot to shut up. I don’t care. Just please stop acting like McCain is some bloody hero of the party…if I was Linc Chaffee I would be p**sed. He screwed his party for years too, and all he got was booted out of office. Pity. Maybe you can run him when McCain retires.
austinnelly on April 3, 2008 at 5:15 PM
I think Borat’s Wife’s cheese gave Barr brain damage….
JC in CA on April 3, 2008 at 5:19 PM
2 possibilities:
He hates McCain with a burning, seething passion and therefore thinks the GOP and nation deserve an Obama presidency
He is insane
funky chicken on April 3, 2008 at 5:25 PM
If they’re going to get on the ballot, they need to get cracking. It’s not a simple, quick or cheap process.
They’ll need to collect what, 150,000 signatures?
Someone comes around with a clipboard asking me to put this idiot on the ballot and he’ll be digesting it later that night.
NoDonkey on April 3, 2008 at 5:35 PM
I was passing this off as a bad joke until I read this.
Bring on the kook debate!!
You made my day Chosen…
Thanks
BobH on April 3, 2008 at 5:39 PM
“Will somebody explain to me why a Bob Barr, or anybody like him, ever runs for President?”
He probably looked on the 2008 ballot and realized no conservatives were running.
LevStrauss on April 3, 2008 at 5:44 PM
How about Roseanne Barr?
SouthernGent on April 3, 2008 at 6:09 PM
I say add Alan Keyes to the Kook Debate!
Viscount_Bolingbroke on April 3, 2008 at 6:10 PM
The election the Libertarian Party did best in was 1980, and they got 1.1% of the popular vote. That was also the election they spent the most money on (David Koch was vice president and pledged millions). The people Ron Paul tapped made up… 4% of republicans? Some of them will either not vote, suck it up and vote for McCain, or go Libertarian.
Bob Barr is lucky if he gets 2% of the popular vote. The best hope he has is that Ron Paul takes his mail list he got from the election and puts it to use in Bob Barr’s favor. Then maybe Barr would get the millions of fundraising dollars, which would help.
But I don’t think Bob Barr expects to win. Ron Paul surely didn’t. It’s a matter of trying to get the message of austrian economics, libertarianism, and non-interventionism out there. While Ron Paul never got a substantial number of people to back him, he did show that there was a small radical group of people willing to spend a lot of money and time to shove that message down people’s throats.
Keljeck on April 3, 2008 at 6:16 PM
McCain neither needs or wants conservative voters.
With all the Democrat, moderate and illegal alien voters McCain is certain to get, why would you care about these few conservatives and their only “requires flights of fancy” lousy 4% for Bob Barr?
RJL on April 3, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Georgia has been a reliable GOP state for some time.
But Bill Clinton carried it in 1992.
One issue that could be a threat is illegal immigration and amnesty.
If Bob Barr makes it a big deal, then that could spell trouble for McCain.
ColtsFan on April 3, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Bob Barr, a nice guy and all, is delusional. Get a grip, Bob. You have a snowball’s chance in Hell of becoming POTUS…
eanax on April 3, 2008 at 8:35 PM
Bob Barr?
I don’t know a thing about him, so that puts him above the gruesome threesome.
Keep hope alive!
MB4 on April 3, 2008 at 9:00 PM
I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Wouldn’t take a very large percentage to swing things.
MB4 on April 3, 2008 at 9:05 PM
That should pretty well get him at least 10% of the male vote right there!
MB4 on April 3, 2008 at 9:10 PM
There you go again.
MB4 on April 3, 2008 at 9:19 PM
There are a lot of Pro-Defense minded libertarians who did not support Ron Paul due to his “Blame America First” attitudes, that would be attracted to the more Centrist on foreign policy Bob Barr.
Bet we won’t catch Barr making statements like Ron Paul did, basically blaming America for the attacks of 9/11 in that Fox debate.
I’ve listened to Barr’s interviews in the last few days, on mostly obscure libertarian radio shows. He’s been very measured on foreign policy, careful not to anger Pro-Defensers.
Barr could thus put together a substantially larger coalition than Ron Paul ever dreamed of.
ericdondero on April 3, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Some people, especially politicians, overestimate their significance.
Entelechy on April 3, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Damnit Dondero! Don’t curse it on us. Every guy you support either fails miserably or sinks like a stone. But this time I agree with you on your point so it may not be that bad.
LevStrauss on April 3, 2008 at 11:00 PM
I don’t care if the Libertarian Party nominates Barr’s dog for president, I’ll still vote for Fido over McCain or the two dishonest, conniving socialists. The Republican Party no longer stands for anything, much less liberty.
NNtrancer on April 3, 2008 at 11:28 PM
I’ll vote for Bob Barr over any of the three liberals currently in the running.
I steadfastly refuse to reward the Republican Party for 20 years of bad behavior.
Screw them.
Dave R. on April 3, 2008 at 11:55 PM
He actually looks like a guy that his neighbors would say; He mostly kept to himself”.
Claypigeon on April 4, 2008 at 12:18 AM
paul006,
McCain will be very good on to critcal issues:
1. Cut spending
2. Strong on defense (Kill jihadis, stand down China and Russia, etc.)
It is utter stupidity to not vote for him and get a thug regime of the Clintons or a latte socialist regime of Obamessiah. The Harlot of Babylon and Black Gumbi are two peas in a declining America pod.
Wake up and lose the pettiness.
revolution on April 4, 2008 at 12:26 AM
If I read another comment from you jackass “I won’t vote for McCain cuthz he not Wepubwican enuff” woosies I’m going to scream!!!!
Get your mouth off mommy’s breast and shut the hell up! We cannot afford a four to eight year run of military and economy wrecking Marxists filling our courts with black robed politburo dictators, cutting our survalence of terrorists, and leaving a Jimmy Carter garbage dump in the path. This goes for fat a** Rush and airhead Laura Joan of Arc Ingraham also.
Shut the hell up!!!
revolution on April 4, 2008 at 12:33 AM
Bob Barr is a retarded freak. He is a babling misfit who comes on stage after the one-eyed dancing midget at the freak carnival. What the hell are you hobgoblins talking about. You make the Perot voters look smart.
Bill and Hill Clinton would both be in a maximum security prison in Arkansas if it was not for genius voters like the Perot/Bob Barr crowd.
revolution on April 4, 2008 at 12:38 AM
You rant and rave better than even Jeremiah Wright.
Congradulations.
MB4 on April 4, 2008 at 2:39 AM
Anybody but Juan McInsane or the Demowackos.
fossten on April 4, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Ever hear of the First Amendment?
You, Sir Compromiser, are what’s wrong with the Republican Party. You are blind to the dangers we face as a nation. You are shortsighted in believing that a political party will save or preserve this country.
fossten on April 4, 2008 at 9:12 AM
First time I ever saw what this guy looks like. He looks like one of those actors that used to play the parts of SS officers in the movies. LOL
jeanie on April 4, 2008 at 9:36 AM
The value of candidates such as Barr or Nader is in listening to what they have to say. A serious candidate would listen carefully and see how they can capitalize on the ideas that these (behind the scenes) leaders espouse, because what they actually are saying is what the citizens want.
MSGTAS on April 4, 2008 at 10:44 AM
I wish we could say that about a President, because they keep sticking their nose in our private and financial business through snooping, regulations, and taxes.
LevStrauss on April 4, 2008 at 11:26 AM
fossten,
Yes I’ve heard of it, now shut the hell up.
revolution on April 4, 2008 at 2:16 PM
fossten,
If a political party and thus political policies which effect every facet of our daily lives is not going to maintain this country’s greatness, then what the hell his?
Let me guess, “Jebus ib goin pu sabe me.”
Get a life.
revolution on April 4, 2008 at 2:20 PM
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