Bob Barr Enters the Race

Townhall.com ^ | May 15, 2008 | William Rusher

[libstripper]

Former Republican congressman Robert Barr of Georgia recently announced he is running for president as a Libertarian. This is a formidable development, and it's by no means out of the question that Barr could attract enough otherwise conservative voters to defeat John McCain and put Barack Obama in the White House.

Of course, Obama has his own problems with possible rivals on the left side of the political spectrum. That hardy perennial Ralph Nader has already made it clear that he intends to run, and while he may be old news, even a poor showing by Nader on Election Day might be enough to tip the scales to McCain in a close-fought election. But Barr is much the fresher face, and it is only prudent to assume that he would attract more votes than Nader.

[libstripper]

Barr is a spoiler would could easily take enough votes from McPain to give the election to Obama. McPain and the RNC better look out for things like their colossal stupidity on AGW if they don't want Barr to steal their lunch, just the way Nader stole Gore's in 2000.

[Sybeck1]

I can’t vote McCain, maybe Barr....

[2banana]

This is a formidable development, and it's by no means out of the question that Barr could attract enough otherwise conservative voters to defeat John McCain and put Barack Obama in the White House.

Hey McCain - we have a choice now. And I am leaving the plantation...

[Drango]

This is just Operation Chaos in reverse. We giggle when Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich peel off votes from the left flank of the Democrats. We encourage Cindy Sheehan to bedevil the flank of Nancy Pelosi.

Now Barr, who I respect, will suck votes from McCain who I could care less about. Still there is no way McCain can win if his right flank deflects. So a POX on Barr and his grandstanding.

[Disturbin]

Ah, Ralph Nader — the man who brought us trans fats and spoiled elections.

[workerbee]

McCain has no right flank.

[JimRed]

McPain and the RNC better look out for things like their colossal stupidity on AGW if they don't want Barr to steal their lunch, just the way Nader stole Gore's in 2000.

Not to mention H. Ross Perot...

H. Ross Perot???

HEY, I TOLD YOU NOT TO MENTION H. ROSS PEROT!!!

[WackySam]

At least we now have a true conservative to vote for.

[KC_Conspirator]

Bob Barr is not going to get any votes. I guess the over/under for him might be Buchanan’s numbers in 2000, and I pick the under.

[freedomfiter2]

Now Barr, who I respect, will suck votes from McCain who I could care less about. Still there is no way McCain can win if his right flank deflects. So a POX on Barr and his grandstanding.

It’s not Barr’s fault that the GOP nominee can’t win the support of conservatives. You can’t blame conservatives for voting for the candidate of their choice. If conservatives fall in line behind McCain, we’ll become to the GOP what blacks are to the Democrats.

[ravingnutter]

You might want to read this:

Bob Barr: He's In It to Lose It (LP hopeful plans to lose War on Terror, wreck Homeland Security)

Also, he is on the ACLU payroll, which should give you pause.

[84rules]

I watched Barr on Glenn Beck last night. He isn't the squeaky pure Conservative that everyone seems to think he his. He stated flatly and unambiguously that he would not build the border fence and that he would pull out of Iraq and engage Iran "diplomatically."

Conservatives say they can only vote for McCain if they compromise certain principles. Well, they will have to compromise a different set of principles to vote for Barr.

Barr's candidacy is a great strategy for ensuring that the liberal Dems control both the Executive and Legislative branches for the next four years.

[sticker]

I am sure howard dean and the rest of the left will send you and the others like you a nice thank you card

[normy]

The silver lining could be this could force McCain to pick a guy like Haley Barbour as his VP or some other Conservative who resides outside of Washington.

[cbkaty]

McBarr is a sucker-punch that will insure an Obama victory and McBarr knows it.

4 years of Obama pain is the theory....if one accepts the proposition that Americans are intelligent...in 4 years Obama will flood tsunami the U.S. with more illegals than the imagination can comprehend.

With the power of a democrat congress.....at that point there will be no return to reason.....emotion will rule as it does in all 3rd world countries.

History dictates that the time is right for the spark that begins a communist revolution....

Don't allow it to happen....then again...it has happened throughout the world and throughout history....yet Americans believe we are immune.

[alloysteel]

John McCain COULD surrender his prospective nomination to the next-highest contender still standing, Ron Paul, and this would diffuse the impact of Bob Barr on the Republican vote.

HAH! Like THAT would ever happen. So what we have left is a potential desertion of the Republican party in numbers paralleling that of Ross Perot taking votes from George H.W. Bush in 1992, thereby awarding the Presidency by default to what turned out to be a totally incompetent time-server, who never rose to the demands of the job.

Now we have another incompetent seeking the job, not fitted in any way to be an executive or to exercise reasoned judgment in day-to-day decisions. Not that John McCain is much better, but McCain fails in one striking fashion - he is just not nearly as charming or articulate, especially about saying nothing while exuding that charm.

Worse, we stand to have a parliament of fools to supposedly meet and determine the course of the nation’s future.

Or lack of it.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Barr's candidacy is a great strategy for ensuring that the liberal Dems control both the Executive and Legislative branches for the next four years.

Well, in that case he's just insurance, since McCain and his band of mavericks seem to be doing a bangup job making it happen all on their own.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

How is Ron Paul any better than McCain?

[Oldexpat]

A vote for Barr is a vote for Osbama and Third World STATUS.

[diverteach]

1)Outside of Georgia I suspect very few people know who Bob Barr is.

2)Libertarian is still a third party and viewed upon that way from most voters as a vote thrown away.

3)Ralph Nader, having run for President forever, has the name recognition and will likely draw more votes away from the RATS then Barr will from the Repubs. Whether Hitlary or Hussien gets the nomination, the others supporters will fall in mass into the Nader trap or just not vote at all.

4)My money is on what the GOP’s money is on, that being conservatives will turnout to vote FOR McLame to ensure the RATS don’t win.