Bob Barr Announces Bid For Libertarian Nomination

WASHINGTON — Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr launched a Libertarian Party presidential bid Monday, saying voters are hungry for an alternative to the status quo who would dramatically cut the federal government.

His candidacy throws a wild card into the White House race that many believe could peel away votes from Republican Sen. John McCain given the candidates' similar positions on fiscal policy.

Barr, who has hired Ross Perot's former campaign manager, acknowledged that some Republicans have tried to discourage him from running. But he said he's getting in the race to win, not to play spoiler or to make a point.

"I've heard from Americans from all walks of life ... they want a choice," he said at a news conference in Washington. "They believe that America has more and better to offer than what the current political situation is serving up to us."

Barr first must win the Libertarian nomination at the party's national convention that begins May 22. Party officials consider him a front-runner thanks to the national profile he developed as a Georgia congressman from 1995 to 2003.

If he wins the White House, he said he would immediately freeze discretionary spending in Washington. He also would begin withdrawing troops from Iraq and consider slashing spending at federal agencies such as the departments of education and commerce _ as well as at overseas military bases.

The former U.S. attorney also said he would strictly enforce immigration laws.

"This notion that government owes something to people just because they're here does not resonate with me," he said. "This is not a charity."

Barr, 59, quit the Republican Party two years ago, saying he had grown disillusioned with its failure to shrink government and its willingness to scale back civil liberties in fighting terrorism. He has been particularly critical of President Bush over the war in Iraq and says the administration is ignoring constitutional protections on due process and privacy.

While in Congress, he was a persistent critic of President Clinton and was among the first to press for impeaching the former president. He helped manage House Republicans' impeachment case before the Senate.

He lost his seat to fellow Republican Rep. John Linder in 2002 after a redistricting. He then opened a lobbying and public affairs firm with offices in Atlanta and outside Washington.

The 2004 Libertarian presidential candidate, Michael Badnarik, took less than 1 percent of the vote, placing fourth behind President Bush, Democrat John Kerry and Independent Ralph Nader.

Comments

[noneIn2008]

Amazing how few commenter's know anything about the Libertarian Party. Just do a little goggle and read their web site, then comment. More concerning is the willingness to comment in complete ignorance, no wonder we are faced with the 3 stooges from the big 2. Hillarry, McCurrly, and Mobama. No need to research, just play back the party talking points.

[jeffp26]

God bless you Bob. Finally we have an answer to what Nader did to us in 2000. Gave us a moron for president, who got reelected on pure bs and the stupidity of the average voter, who wants to be patriotic and believe what he hears.

What a sad state for a great democracy.

[TheInsomniac]

I am very Libertarian in my views. With that said, these guys (Ron Paul included) are a bunch of corporate suck up anarchists. They don't really care about protecting peoples' rights anymore than the GOP does. Let's hope the only party still representing the people manages to come out on top this time around.

[elcojonu]

GO BOB GO.
This is going to be a lot of fun, Barr will do a number on Mc Bush in the South, the Repug stronghold, exactly where we need it.
BOB BARR ROCKS !


VIVA BARACK

[RRonin]

Where is Vicki Isenman?

[zizyphus]

Sources say she is hiding out with Osama bin Laden.

[newshawk14]

I've always felt that Bob Barr was a mean spirited SOB. Why doesn't he back Ron Paul, who was
the only republican that I had some respect for? I can agree with Libertarians for their respect for
the Constitution, something that was sadly missing from the dubya administration, but not their
ideas on how to run government.

[dooleynoted]

Nationally his entry might not mean a whole lot but in Georgia it could be crucial. A study that did not include Barr on the ballot showed that with just a 20 to 30 percent increase in black voting numbers this year Georgia would be in play . If Barr takes even 5 percent away from McCain, then Obama has a real shot to take it - and maybe other states that are close if Barr could take 1 to 2 percent, in places like Virginia or North Carolina. Always looking at popular opinion polls regarding the national vote is meaningless. It is the electoral college that counts and Barr's entry could play a key role there.

[True]

I know this dude is probably shady in some ways, but i still have to respect a conservative who is actually a conservative. Good luck to him...

[LonesomeThunderbolt]

Contrary to popular myth, Ross Perot did not cause George Bush Sr. to lose in 1992. Exit polling published by the NYT showed Perot voters were equally divided (38% to 38%) between supporting Bush or Bill Clinton if Perot had not been on the ballot. Bob Barr seems likely to draw more Republicans away from McCain this year. But if Clinton were to somehow get the nomination, many Democrat leaners, myself included, might find Barr an acceptable alternative to voice our opposition to the Iraq war.

[Doppler]

Correct! This article has a VERY misleading lede.

Perot did NOT cost either Republican the White House. All post-election analysis showed that Clinton would have won regardless. To say otherwise is to perpetuate a self-serving and groundless Republican fairy tale.

Barr would be more like McCain's Nader... although at this point it looks like McCain will lose badly enough he won't need help from Barr. Gore lost for a number of reasons, but it was indeed close enough that if he had gotten even a few HUNDRED of Nader's FL votes, he would have become President. Or some in NH.

[LonesomeThunderbolt]

We agree there was no "Perot" effect, but I'd also question whether Nader caused Gore to lose in 2000. There were numerous factors, including six or seven other presidential candidates on the ballot in Florida who all received more than the 537 disputed votes. The problem was fundamentally voting equipment failure and voter confusion that cost Gore votes that should have been his. Exit pollng correctly showed that most Florda voters "intended" to vote for Gore. And post-election analysis confirmed that if all votes had been cast and counted for the candidate the voter intended, Gore would have carried Florida by 22,000 votes.

[nathananderson]

How much of a following does this guy have? Will he really be McCain's Ross Perot?

[conservativeoriginalist]

Bush's loss in 1992 was caused by his almost instant back pedaling of his "no new taxes" pledge as well as the recession that started right after the Persian Gulf "War" (I'll explain why war is in quotes if requested).

If all of Perot's votes went to Bush in 1992, he would have BARELY matched Clinton's popular vote tally, and as most have mentioned already, there was a somewhat balanced representation of registered Republicans and Democrats who voted for Perot, ie Perot's support wasn't from pissed off Republicans only.

As far as McCain goes, he's going to get his ass handed to him by Obama. A large portion of McCain's support comes from "moderates", which in general elections tend to vote Democrat 2:1 over Republican. Just going up against any Democrat has already hindered McCain's potential.

My projection, assuming Obama doesn't have a Dean or Dukakis moment, is Obama will win 3:2 in November. Conservatives can't stomach McCain and will either vote 3rd party or not vote at all, and as I explained previously, a large portion of his "moderate" base will more than likely vote for Obama if history is indicative of anything. And if we want to pile on to the idea of an imminent McCain loss, the economy is going to shit, and in the past century there hasn't been a party that has kept the WH during an economic downturn.

[rmikelyons]

It's not really that Bob Barr has a following, but rather Ron Paul getting libertarians from the three main parties (LP, GOP, and Dem) to form a coalition. Provided Ron Paul does not win the Republican nomination, the RP Revolution may decide to go full force for Bob Barr. With the inclusion of Libertarians who did not leave the party for Paul, that would amount to several million popular votes, possible Bob Barr votes from Georgia's electors, and that would have a huge impact on both Barack Obama and John McCain (moreso for McCain).

[Irons]

Bob Barr has every right to screw the Republican Party in 2008. McCain better take him as VP.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

I'm donating.

[RomeyDA]

Great News
All Obama support start giving to Barr $$
AFTER Hillary drop we start operation Russ ie RUSH Obama to the White house
Now MSM and the talking head will be spinning because Barr is a REAL CONVERSATIVE
OBAMA FIRST 100' day fix the leave every child behind act!!1
All this is Hillarious

[noneIn2008]

The big two have abandoned the middle in American. They serve lobbyist and special interests, but not the people. It is long past time to break up the big two. As people look objectively at the Republicans or Democrats, what is there to support? They have forced us into a contrived game of supporting candidate D because candidate R is so bad. We pick the least worst of two poor choices. 2008 should be the year of 3rd party votes as people express there contempt for the big 2.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Wow. Two black men running for POTUS. I am happy with progress this country has made.

[candyc]

Bob Barr is black? LOL...I think NOT

[pilgrim7]

LOL. You just had to go there!

There are so many rumors floating around about Bob Barr's mixed racial ancestry that despite his establishing himself as a card-carrying white racist, it's quite possible that there is some truth to the rumors given his distinctive African features. The saying is true. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it must be....? Of course, if he were to become president, the last laugh would be on the racists who elected him. Just like Strom Thurman.

Interestingly, it is also rumored and highly likely that J. Edgar Hoover, the notorious racist director of the FBI, was supposedly black himself: http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2000/ews_hoover_2730.html

According to the following link, neither Obama nor Barr could claim being America's first black president:
http://www.diversityinc.com/public/3085.cfm

Many Americans, like Carol Channing and supposedly the late Dinah Shore, passed for white:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_20_102/ai_93974696

Passing for white:
http://www.racematters.org/passingforwhite.htm

[fourex]

Republican Barr, "also would begin withdrawing troops from Iraq"

This would put him to the far left of Hillary and the DLC.