Bob Barr explains why he declined to attend Ron Paul’s press conference
At 10 am today, Wednesday, September 10, former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Joining him behind the dais were Cynthia McKinney, presidential candidate of the Green Party, Chuck Baldwin, presidential candidate of the Constitution Party, and Ralph Nader, Independent candidate for president.
One expected face was missing: Ron Barr, the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate.
Clearly he was expected. His own presidential campaign website listed the event on his schedule. The moderator said the press conference would have to begin, but Rep. Barr would be arriving shortly. “Washington traffic,” I assumed, as did probably most of the people in the crowd of several hundred.
But Barr didn’t show up.
In the question-and-answer session at the end, someone in the audience asked whether perhaps Barr did not attend because he didn’t agree with the group’s “We Agree” statement.
Ralph Nader jumped to the microphone and assured everyone, “I talked just 40 minutes ago to Russ Verney [Ron Paul’s campaign manager], and he assured me that Bob Barr absolutely supports the statement.”
Then, when we filed out of the Ron Paul press conference, the press table had a stack of media announcements from the Bob Barr campaign. He was holding a press conference in another room of the National Press Club at noon.
You didn’t have to be Inspector Hercule Poirot to sense that something obviously was afoot.
Bob Barr at his own podium,
at his own press conference
The phrase “focused, bold leadership” was heard as many times at Barr’s press conference as McCain’s torture story was told at the Republican convention. It immediately became obvious that Barr was determined not to be seen as part of any group of possible good alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans. He was to be the only acceptable alternative.
“We were invited to that news conference,” he admitted, adding: “We declined to attend. That’s no reflection on Rep. Paul’s leadership of the liberty movement. ‘Any of the above’ or “none of the above’ is not leadership. Leadership is not putting before the American people a wish-list of issues or candidates. That leadership is what I offer” (emphasis on the “I”).
Barr explained to the journalists that “what influences policy is the number of votes you get in the general election. The vote percentage you get translates into what you get in policy results later. Primaries don’t count. It’s the general election that counts.”
His campaign manager Russ Verney by his side, Barr reminded us that Verney had been Ross Perot’s campaign manager in 1992. It was because of Ross Perot’s strong vote that November (almost 20 million votes, 18.8% of the total), Barr said, that the Republicans in Congress picked up his reform issues and rode them to victory in the 1990s.
His goal, therefore, is to get as big a vote in November as possible, and then seek to translate that vote into influence on policy after the election. And the only way to get that maximum possible vote is—you got it—”focused, bold leadership,” which doesn’t come by being part of a group with an “amorphous agenda.” “We feel it is important not to dilute our message.”
The press always acts like a bunch of sharks when it smells (or is it tastes?) blood in the water. Sensing a big rift in the third-party or right-of-the-GOP movement, they moved in for the kill. Barr countered that thrust by saying he thinks so much of Ron Paul that he’s asked him to be his vice presidential candidate (see the two postings immediately below).
“We have extended to him by written letter to join me on the ticket. My colleague Wayne Allyn Root has graciously acceded. We don’t expect him to accept.”
He was asked: “Are you disavowing the statement of principles adopted by the Ron Paul group?” To which he replied: “That statement of principles I agree with. I have no problem with that. I endorse them. The Libertarian Party goes far beyond that, but I endorse their statement.”
Reporters still wanted to know why the group obviously expected him to join them this morning. “Our staff had been in discussion with Rep. Paul’s staff as late as yesterday. At no time did we say we would be there, only that we would consider it.”
And he added:
“Agreeing with principles is one thing. Being part of a group who agree on four things and saying any of these candidates are okay is not offering bold leadership.”
“I’m not interested in third parties getting the most votes. I’m interested in Bob Barr as the candidate of the Libertarian Party getting the most votes so he can influence policy after the election.”
And in response to another question:
“No, I would not extend the vice presidential invitation to anyone but Ron Paul.”
Wayne Allyn Root can breathe a sign of relief, since nobody expects Paul to accept.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
BobBarr08 equals
Bull Shit
Bull Shit
Bull Shit
September 10th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
What can I add to eloquence such as that by DonaldRLake?
September 10th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
What a zero! There is just no other way to put it. Barr wants no part of an anti-system front? He likes the system? He was certainly part of it, maybe he still is judging from these comments. Fine. Then those folks that followed Paul should make absolutely clear that none of their votes will go to support Bob Barr. The Libertarian Party made an enormous mistake in choosing Barr, that becomes clearer and clearer by the hour. This statement has to be about the most insulting, egotistical remark I’ve heard in a very long time. Well, what can you expect of a man that holds himself out as “pro-life” yet will not deny that he wrote a check paying for an abortion his former wife said she had some ago. And, no, Stefan, I don’t want to hear any rationaizing or temporizing. The guy is a zero.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Thank you sir for your excellent reporting. I see the LP has their own statement as well on this subject:
http://www.lp.org/blogs/andrew-davis/to-our-supporters-and-volunteers
September 10th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
He just lost my vote. Even though the Doctor recommends against it I am going to write him in. I won’t Vote for any of the other people on my ballot.
Today spelled the end for any chance of Barr even getting anywhere close to even 5% in November. What an idiot.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Thank you sir for your excellent reporting. I see the LP has their own statement as well on this subject:
http://www.lp.org/blogs/andrew-davis/to-our-supporters-and-volunteers
Whoops, someone used facts.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Today spelled the end for any chance of Barr even getting anywhere close to even 5% in November. What an idiot.
Because he disagreed with Paul? I love how people put the man on a podium like he is infallible. Paul sheep are worse than Obama sheeple.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Bob Barr just lost any hope of my support! Maybe Lou Dobbs will still vote for him but this ex CIA man is still part of the system as he displayed today with his move at the national press conference. Then to ask Ron Paul to be his running mate. I’ll move my vote elsewhere. maybe O’Bama was talking about Barr. What flavor lipstick do you like.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Looks like Barr has a mind of his own and doesn’t need to kiss ass for votes like Baldwin, Nader and McKinney are doing. Good for Barr – he has a point, he is a candidate, and this is a race and why should he pretend to agree to something like a generic vote when he does believe in it. While I voted for Dr. Paul and campaigned for him, I think he should put his money where his mouth is and run for VP and get out of that NeoCon Republican Party.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Former United Stated Senator from Alaska:
Maurice Robert “Mike” Gravel
Got history cred?
September 10th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
The Paul sheeple are out in full force today.
Paul is a faux supporter of Liberty. If he actually wanted to make a change he would be running for the Presidency instead of still being a member of the Republicratic Party. Instead he is going around with two socialists kissing his ass instead of trying to make a change on his own ticket.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
From what I can see, Bob Barr asked Ron Paul the day before the News Conference to join the ticket, not afterwards.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Bob Barr may not be as “pure” as Dr. Paul, but this is a brilliantly shrewd and calculated move on his part. Let’s hope it pans out!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Bob Barr is showing real leadership! While leadership in government is fairly arrogant, we need a candidate that doesn’t follow the crowd. A candidate willing to put his neck on the block for the sake of true principles, and that’s what Barr just did. Ron Paul gave in to the anyone but McCain/Obama attitude without leading a directive assault on the two-party system. Barr has now shown that he is a real candidate determined to win this election and make real changes and push the Libertarian aganda forward. Kudos to Barr for not falling. Go BARR, Go BARR, BARR ALL THE WAY
!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Face it, Bob Barr is simply milking you clowns for a paycheck…
September 10th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Say NO to McBama!
Say NO to Republicrats!
Say NO to Establishment media outlets!
Say NO to bipartisan trashing of the Constitution!
Cast a protest vote for a 3rd party presidential candidate of your choice.
Tell everyone why you will vote against the lesser of two evils.
Tell everyone who you will vote for.
Tell everyone what you think.
Be heard: http://SayNO2008.com
“The strongest message can be sent by rejecting the two party system… This can be accomplished by voting for one of the non-establishment, principled candidates.” – Ron Paul
September 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
SayNo2008,
The strongest rejection of the establishment could have been made by Paul by leaving the two parties and running on his own. He clearly didn’t feel the cause was important enough to do so.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
On the off-chance that Ron Paul were to actually accept and be Bob Barr’s VP, would that screw anything up for the Libertarian Party in terms of ballot access, since Root’s been the officially nominated VP all this time?
September 10th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Libertarians must unite.
The way I see it anybody but Obama/McCain ticket
September 10th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
The Barr haters which dwell in this web site love to jump on a conspiracy theory. When it turned out Barr actually offered Dr. Paul the VP and it comes out once again that Barr had asked Dr. Paul to run for President before he was the nominee should have made all you asssholes feel so stupid who berated Barr for “dissing” Ron Paul. I’m just glad most of you can’t vote. I hope they never lower the age for voting as you people are proof you need to mature
September 10th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
oh and I see Lowell is still talking about a check no one gives a shit about, too funny. Dude you need help.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Barr sounded kind of snooty to me. Paul was just trying to introduce third parties to the American public and sending a message that unites all the third parties.
Barr missed his chance to be seen on CNN with Ron Paul, to confirm standings that C4L hold as core. I don’t think flaking out on Paul was very smart.
Sorry Bob but you tried to make a joke out of what Dr. Paul was doing that is a big fail in my book. I will probably still vote for Bob Barr but I now feel very conflicted in being an avid supporter especially in front of my C4L friends.
Libertarians need to jump on board C4L is going to be big for third parties.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I agree with my Catholic non-socialist comrade John Lowell. Barr was disgraceful today.
To those who say that Ron Paul is kissing socialists, that’s wrong. Nader and McKinney are not really socialists because they disrespect the true son of socialism, the uniter of religion and secularism, Barack H. Obama. Ron Paul tried to inaugurate the fringe alliance strategy, but Barr stopped him. Too bad.
Through him, in him, with him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours now and forever Lord. Amen.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Diamond Dave,
Cross your legs, your breath smells.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
How can Paul support Nader and McKinney?!
When did they become Ron Paul libertarians?
Barr is the only real libertarian in this race.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
shawn,
I don’t believe Barr was making a joke of it at all. He was making a point. This campaign stuff is all good, but when you continue to be a member of the Republicratic Party you are a hypocrite.
If Paul really cared about Liberty he would be running right now. He clearly feels keeping power as a Republicrat is more important than spreading the message of Liberty.
And this is the least he could do after donors pumped millions into his book and campaign.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Bob Barr rejects the association of third parties united in fundamental principles, but he states that he agrees with the principles. Does that smell kind of fishy? Instead of opposing the corrupt duopoly directly, he wants to influence it, and he can only do that with a significant number of votes, like Ross Perot. He could do better if Ron Paul would be his vice president, in which case he would gladly discard the will of the Libertarian Party delegates in their vice presidential choice. Does that smell like stinky fish?
CNN and the AP are printing today that third party candidates are united in their desire to, of all things, and among others, “investigate the FED.” Boy, if that’s not a direct strike at the heart of the beast.. He brought together Nader, McKinney, Barr (sort of, but just enough apparently) and Baldwin under the banner of Liberty. Liberty brings people together… (wow, that’s a great line, eh?)
Today, the Libertarian Party posts a complex and disseminating explanation of Barr’s snub(?) on their website, together with this gem: “Scattering support for the liberty agenda to the four winds as Dr. Paul is proposing will not serve liberty.” Since when is Liberty an agenda? Liberty is my %#$@! God given right. Uniting diverse people in the name of Liberty—-that’s scattering support?
Does anybody else smell that stinking, rotting fish?
September 10th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
That was a total jerk move on Barr’s part. Very tacky of him to attempt to eclipse Paul’s conference, and to fuck it up in the process. Way to endear yourself to Paul’s supporters.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Mo-Reese,
Barr supporters will never vote for Nader and vice-versa. This is not uniting anything.
This is a cop-out by Paul to act like he is doing something to change the systme when he is helping maintain it.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Cattrot,
Welcome back, cattrot!
Barr is a shmendrik. To his way of thinking, he’s above all of this silliness. His is a “serious” candidacy, the others are patzers as far as he and Verney are concerned. I think I counted five or six lost votes for him on this blog today owing to this arrogance. Lets hope it continues.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Dr. Gonzo, what about Nader supporters who would never vote for Bob Barr? Should they vote for Obama? Or strike a vote for Liberty by voting third party? What if the Greens, Constitution and LP together got the majority of the vote? Wouldn’t that be a bigger statement than the LP growing to 4%? The philosophy of Liberty is divided. The “liberals” support freedom of speech and privacy, etc… “conservatives” support economic freedom and private property etc… The Libertarians apparently think they own the “agenda”. Dr. Paul is healing the philosophical perversion that Liberty is divided up into segments. He’s brought together the strength of the disparate pieces potentially under one banner. Ya’ll have your heads in the sand. Don’t miss it! It’s your moment!
September 10th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Mo-Reese,
The differences between Nader and Barr supporters are so big that neither supporters of either candidate would vote for the other.
Socialism is the furthest thing from Liberty and Nader and McKinney are just trying to win votes by sucking up to Paul. Nothing more really.
Dr. Paul has collected millions from his supporters while giving nothing back. Let me give you a few facts about Paul:
1) Sold his followers a book
2) Had people travel to (or donate to) a march on Washington D.C. that ultimately proved to be too small to even get noticed, much less have any sort of impact
3) Launched the “Campaign for Liberty” and hit up his followers, again, for donations to this organization that has made no noticeable effort to support liberty-minded candidates
4) Sold thousands of tickets to the “Rally for the Republic” in Minnesota, where he then sold t-shirts, more books, vendor booth space, advertising in the programs and a host of other things.
It seems Paul is in the business for Paul. Not Liberty.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I’m sorry, Dr. Gonzo, your comment is rubbish. Dr. Paul is offering a way out of lesser-of-two-evils voting. He’s snubbed his own party to get all third parties a seat at the table, and you say he’s trying to maintain the system? Rubbish. Admit that your comment is rubbish!
September 10th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
e’s snubbed his own party to get all third parties a seat at the table, and you say he’s trying to maintain the system?
I also find it hard to admit as I believed in Paul at one point.
He snubbed his own party, but is he still a member? Could he have made a huge difference in this election by running on a 3rd ticket? It seems he is trying to maintain rather than demolish the establishmetn.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I think Barr missed the larger objective here – to wake up the people and their media (and influence all parties) to meteoric problems we are not addressing . There are so many Americans who might have been awakened by the big news of a principled united front. We all know these people among our friends. People who would have read and agreed with the “we agree” points and decided to vote for a third alternative. Barr should have seized on this initiative and helped persuade Nader etc to draft Paul into a united third party election effort. What earth shaking news and a real wake up for the disaffected. I think Barr’s strategy, especially now that he’s alienated the Paul following, of bringing even 1% of vote behind him will fail.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
You’re not getting it Gonzo. Of course they won’t vote for each other Dr. Paul has offered a way to combine their opposing votes together AGAINST the Republican/Democrat monopoly.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Mo-reese,
It is you who does not seem to get it. You can’t say abolish the establishment but remain a part of it. That makes no sense.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
So you’re condemning him because he thinks he can have more influence working within the system? That’s pretty shabby on your part, and not very fair. He’s also known as the greatest sitting champion of your cause in the House. You think he’s been ineffective? He is the single most effective figure for Liberty going. And he heart of the matter, Austrian economics. Governments can’t run wild when money is real, because then they have to ask for it of the people. Dr Paul has crowds cheering for Austrian economics, and chanting “End the Fed!” You had it right when you were a supporter!
September 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
No, no, no. The thing is, the dream of Liberty is, today, unlike in the past, in America, THE LAW OF THE LAND. It’s just that the politicians are not being held to the law. Dr. Paul is very right to fight within the system. We still have a system of law that is absolutely defensible. The Constitution is absolutely defensible. You’ve got a funny notion that establishment=bad. Kind of like, don’t trust anyone over 30. I’m happy to see cops, personally, when someone is trying to rob me.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
So why do you support Barr in his attempt to influence the system, if system=bad. Shouldn’t Barr support bombing Washington, by your way of thinking, rather than leading it?
September 10th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
So you’re condemning him because he thinks he can have more influence working within the system?
Horrible excuse. Dr. Paul is talking about destroying the current two party system. The best way to do that would be by running on a 3rd party ticket. He has no interest in doing so because he doesn’t want to lose power in Texas. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t be naive enough to believe that isn’t the reason.
If he truly cared about Liberty he would be on a 3rd party ticket getting over 20% of the vote.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
So why do you support Barr in his attempt to influence the system, if system=bad. Shouldn’t Barr support bombing Washington, by your way of thinking, rather than leading it?
No, I’ve never once claimed to be an anarchist.
When I said establishment I meant the two party system.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
So I guess his run as the Libertarian nominee in ‘88 had nothing to do with his calculations? He’s been saying for 18 months that he would not abandon his party, but recapture it. So he should now break his word? And you claim to understand his motives? After he raised 35 million on message alone, as a Republican? Dude, I’m going to go eat. Nice talking with you….
September 10th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
He’s been saying for 18 months that he would not abandon his party, but recapture it. So he should now break his word? And you claim to understand his motives? After he raised 35 million on message alone, as a Republican?
So he won’t abandon the party that he is railing against on a daily basis? That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
Yes, his supporters poured millions into his pockets. What did that get them? A pledge to not support anyone or actually fight for liberty.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
NOTA just beat out Barr for my vote today.
September 10th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Great job Bob Barr way to go.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
If you’re keeping score at home:
Campaign for Liberty: 98,000+ members in a few months
Libertarian Party: 20,000 members after 30 years
Ron Paul: 1.2million votes and $28 million raised in the primaries
Bob Barr: Raised enough money for a turkey sandwich, and will be lucky to earn more votes than Badnarik, now that McCain has nominated a conservative for VP and Barr alienated Ron Paul’s supporters yet again.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Bob Barr is absolutely CORRECT! With Ron Paul endorsing four candidates, that means the vote is going to be split among them. Will four candidates who each receive 2.5% of the vote make any impact? No. But will one candidate who receives 10% of the vote make an impact? Probably. Ron Paul should have endorsed the candidate who is closest to him on the issues and has the best chance of getting a large number of votes. Chuck Baldwin is probably a little closer than Barr as far as the issues but Baldwin isn’t even at 1% in the polls and Barr is at 6% nationally, with 10%+ in some states. Clearly he is the candidate with the best chance. He’s the one with name recognition (except for Nader, who has virtually nothing in common with Paul), with a grassroots network of support nationally, and with the leadership needed to make a big impact.
I think a lot of people will vote for Barr now because of Paul’s endorsement. But a lot will also vote for the others—That’s not unity, that’s division. We all need to unite behind one candidate, not allow ourselves to be divided among four.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Craig,
That’s stupid. You’re comparing entering in your name and email address on a webpage to paying dues and actually joining an official political party. And the number you quoted for LP membership is current members. You’re trying to make the claim that there have only been 20,000 Libertarians in the last 38 years. You’re killing your argument before you’ve even started.
Badnarik’s vote totals will be easily surpassed. That’s a given. And BTW, I’d like to see a $850K turkey sandwich.
And then there’ the RP supporters you mentioned…which, by the way, I am one of and have donated money to his POTUS and Congressional campaigns and I’ve been reading Texas Straight Talk regularly for about 8 years… I’ll just say this: I think Bob Barr made the right move…It could have probably been handled a little better, but he’s just at a different level as the other three. And Nader and Mckinney are Socialists! What’s that all about? There have been whispers that this thing is all about Ron Paul for Ron Paul, and I’m starting to see it. And at least at LP meetings and Bob Barr meetups you don’t have to worry about the CFR/Trilateral freaks, or the 9/11 truthers, or the anarchists, leftists, and socialists that I would often see at Ron Paul meetings and events… which is pretty nice because those people are very annoying … You’re probably one of them.
And, News Flash to you and all of the other Barr-hatin Blog addicts—we weren’t getting those votes anyway. Baldwin will pick up the ones who believe the Jews are responsible for everything bad in America and Nader, Mckinney, and most likely the Messiah Obama will pick up most of the the leftists. Barr, with the help of a lot of good people at the grass roots , will just be going after the regular folks, Republican, Democrat, and Independent, who believe in freedom, less govt., and lower taxes…it ain’t rocket science. Given his press time and what he’s polling, it’s obvious this is the most succesful LP bid for POTUS we’ve seen. I mean…What is it w/ this hatred for Barr…hell, you’d think he was George W. Bush or something.
And give Palin a few more weeks, and we’ll see how conservative she looks then.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I laid out my 42 cents’ worth on this subject at my blog above, and in more depth over at Push Liberty:
http://pushliberty.blogspot.com/2008/09/ron-paul-voters-and-bob-barr-supporters.html
As for Paul inviting McKinney and Nader: Well, I’m still scratching my head over that one, as you couldn’t find two bigger socialist misfits without going to Cuba or North Korea, but maybe there’s a madness to Paul’s method. I dunno. But the overarching consideration is this:
If we don’t get behind the best third-party bet to beat McCain – Bob Barr – we wind up with either Obama or McCain, and America can’t take much more bitch-slapping from the Brand X Parties or their minions in Congress.
Period.
September 10th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
One follow up:
In terms of LP membership, the number of around 20,000, I believe, is actual current, dues-paying members. There are hundreds of thousands more who are registered as Libertarians, or identify themselves as Libertarians and many more who claim to be libertarian or somewhat libertarian in their beliefs and general philosophy.
September 10th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Bob Barr lost my vote as well. Ron Paul has done far more for the libertarian movement than Barr, and his antics yesterday doomed his candidacy. I’ll be reluctantly voting for Nader.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Has anyone figured out what Ron Paul did with all the millions he raised?
September 11th, 2008 at 12:57 am
The 4 point statement is very libertarian and Dr. Paul made great progress in getting four different parties together to sign onto that. He has NOT endorsed the four candidates, he endorses the 4 point program. Barr made a mistake by not attending and scheduling his own conference like a renegade. He met with Al Gore, after all and endorsed a “strange bedfellows” campaign, but now backs out of it? It is quite ironic: Dr. Paul has been more “radical” than Barr in rhetoric and policy, yet here Barr is the one that wants to be “more radical” with bold leadership. Paul’s bringing together of 4 third party candidates was and is BOLD LEADERSHIP.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:08 am
By Bob Barr (none) not attending this event, is simply a case of..”you snooze, you lose”. -Larry Breazeale, Msgt.(ret.) USAF,
NVC/CP…www.nvets.org
September 11th, 2008 at 6:16 am
.. i recently came upon a conversation amongst some stoooooooopid fuck republican bob barf supporters.. (who pretend they are ‘Libertarian’ in some fashion!!)
...some of the stooooooooopid fuck republican bob barfers were yammering about how some of the third party candidates (certainly not their fuck barf) were ‘socialists’.. (as opposed to ‘capitalists’ i guess?)
...methinks, heck meknows, if these stooooooopid fuck republican barfers HONESTLY understood how the very ‘money’ (federal reserve tokens, etc.) for which they suck, grovel, etc., originated they would probably shut their cheesecake chutes about any ‘important’ distinctions between their fuck-headed republicrat ‘understandings’ of ‘socialism vs. capitalism!’
...shut yer don’t-even-know-what-a-fucking-dollar-is pieholes, you republicrat ignorami..
...but have a good day otherwise!.. ;o)
September 11th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Ron Paul has done far more for the libertarian movement than Barr, and his antics yesterday doomed his candidacy. I’ll be reluctantly voting for Nader.
Then you weren’t a Libertarian in the first place and we don’t need your vote. No Libertarian is going to vote for Nader. Might as well throw it away on a Republicrat.
I find it hilarious the Paul lemmings feel he is so infallible that anyone who criticizes him must be completely wrong.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Clark,
You completely kill your point with all of the profanity and negativity you spew. Get a grip.
And it might pain you to know that this proud card-carrying Libertarian Barr supporter (not a Republican “barfer”) has read the “Creature” multiple times, seen the Money Masters, and read multiple other books about the FED and how money works.
I’ve noticed that many of you hung up on FED stuff think that this is some cool club that you are all exclusively a part of. And based on your writings you’re probably a year or two into this. Just calm down and catch your breath.
The fact is we’ve got to get serious about actually changing things…we’ll never change everything at once and it won’t happen overnight. The LP needs to stop being a social club. We need action. Barr getting record numbers and getting record exposure will help our cause. If you start getting too involved w/ FED talk, you lose voters. Simple as that.
And by the way, don’t use the term “methinks”...its just so gay and stupid.
Thanks!
September 11th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Boo on Barr, he’s lost my vote. Anybody sticking with him after seeing his complete lack of integrity and reckless pursuit of power needs to rethink their support. Barr’s campaign lied about attending RP’s press conference. Who knows what else they’ll lie about? Libertarianism can only work if people have integrity, and Barr doesn’t cut it as a presidential candidate.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Then you weren’t a Libertarian in the first place and we don’t need your vote.
You tell ‘em Dr. Gonzo! The last thing Libertarians need is votes!
September 11th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Patrick Shields,
Good decision, Patrick! Barr is a shmendrik and should stand down now. There are petitions in circulation to that effect, I learn. Wonder how many here would like to see that happen. Excuse the double meaning, but “just checking”.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
As a moderate, I have to admit, the purists and Paulbots were right on this one. Barr has been an unmitigated disaster. We need to do whatever it takes to get him off the ballot as a Libertarian and replace him with someone more qualified, someone more appealing to the average voter
Now, quick, does anyone know a pot smoker, a cranky old soft-core racist who hides in the Republican Party or a kiddie porn sympathizer who thinks age of consent laws are usless that we can get to take LP nod? Those are the sorts of people we want representing the LP, not a candidate with actual experience in politics who actually has the guts to be a Libertarian.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I fail to understand how Paul’s decision to stay in congress and continue voting against all the terrible things the system propagates would do less for the cause of liberty than running on a third party ticket and not winning.
Please, enlighten me.
September 11th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
September 10th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Bob Barr just lost any hope of my support! Maybe Lou Dobbs will still vote for him but this ex CIA man is still part of the system as he displayed today with his move at the national press conference. Then to ask Ron Paul to be his running mate. I’ll move my vote elsewhere. maybe O’Bama was talking about Barr. What flavor lipstick do you like.
i agree
a libertarian by any other name is still a libertarian (RP)
but a pig with libertarian lipstick is still a pig (BB)
September 11th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Bob Barr doesn’t get it. (No surprise there; the man’s an idiot.)
Ron Paul is encouraging people to vote their conscience instead of voting for one of the two wings of the Big Government Party. There are substantial philisophical differences between, say, the Greens and the Libertarians. Why not encourage Green Party supporters to vote for McKinney instead of O’bomba? Is Bob Barr so delusional that he thinks supporters of the Green Party will vote for him?
Dissing Ron Paul is not the best method for Barr to garner votes from Ron Paul’s supporters. No way, no how, no Bob Barr.
September 11th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
logicprobe,
Good thinking, logicprobe. Barr is such a yukel!
Lew Rockwell’s Blog is following the Barr meltdown. The Blog is on the right side of the homepage:
http://www.lewrockwell.com
September 11th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I’ve finally figured out bob barr and his covert backers plan. he’s a stealth republician operative. his mission was to infiltrate and neutralize the libertarian party’s impact on the presidential election
the plan seems to be working very well.
the likely results of barr’s campaign will mirror those of david “safe states” and the 2004 Green Party .
the Libertarian Party will be irreversibly neutered, rapidly losing core members, donors and ballot states.
barr is an opportunistic political huckster.
September 11th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Here is a newsflash: Ron Paul is supporting all Third Party candidates.
Bob Barr was awesome tonight on Lou Dobbs. You could tell Lou was happy to have him and enjoyed him more than when Lou had Nader in the previous segment
Go Barr Go.
It’s time for Libertarians and Americans to unite against the Two Party system. We have like 53 days left and we have rasied $892,000 and counting. I’m proud to say we Floridians have been donating a lot.
Please make your donation to make these final days count.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Bob Barr is such an idiot. He just lost half of any support he had. He has yet to break even a million in funds raised. So was it worth it to sell the party down the river for a candidate that can’t even break one million? What a joke. I doubt he will even break 400K votes.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Eosaph,
Paul’s one lone vote in Congress isn’t going to do anything. Thats one of hte lamest excuses his supporters put forth.
Him running on a third party ticket and getting 20% of the vote would have done far more for hte cause of Liberty. Instead he decided to remain a part of the problem and be a hypocrite.
Don’t tell him lemmings that though, because you aren’t allowed criticizing their messiah.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Joell,
No offense, but that is one of the dumbest things anyone has ever typed on this board.
First off, Barr is hurting McCain more than Obama so what sense does that make? Why would the Republicans need to neutralize a party that can’t even get 1% of the national vote?
The idea that Barr is a planet is hilarious.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
He won’t run because he said he wouldn’t. What should he break his word? Keep at it Dr.Gonzo. You are doing a great job sinking the Bob Barr campaign for me.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
nonstatist,
Barr is a shmendrik and is now in meltdown. When people that have the respect of the libertarian community like Lew Rockwell are unhappy with you, you’re on the way out. All the bravado from the Barr campaign’s synchophants in the world isn’t going to change the outcome. Barr is now simply hemoraging support. It’s being called “Snubgate” and that is what it was, a pointedly rude poke in the eye from someone who was supposed to be a friend. Paul’s camp is right to be outraged. Watch that petition just take off.
September 11th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
nonStatist,
If an anonymous poster on a messageboard can change your vote then you really aren’t that smart to begin with.
Paul should run because it would help advance the cause. Staying a member of teh Republican Party does not.
Criticisms of Saint Paul are allowed. That kind of thing is not off limits.
September 11th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
I predicted Barr’s own LRC people would stab him in the back and here it is.
Many of them were also in the GP messing things up years ago.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:06 am
It’s funny that none of these Barr haters are talking about the spike in LP membership since Barr’s nomination. And by the way, Barr’s donations are way up since the press conference yesterday. I think’s he done about 30K in the last two days. I think he’ll hit a million w/in a week.
I’ve said it before, but I have to stress it again to you blog addicts…you’re insignificant…you really don’t matter… 99% of the people that will vote for Barr don’t and won’t even know about the so-called Paul snub yesterday. And if they did most wouldn’t care. I’m out there on the streets talking to these people. They’re life-long Republicans, life-long Democrats, independents, lower-case l Libertarians, and many card-carrying Libertarians.
6% polling nationwide, double-digits in some states, high single-digits in many others , more press and television coverage in two months than the LP has gotten in 38 years, and some of you are actually wanting to take the time and energy to try to get Barr removed …it’s madness.
September 12th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Yes, because a drug warrior makes for a perfect representative of a party that should symbolize liberty. The voters will swing back to Obama and McCain anyways once the election is here. That wasted vote syndrome will kick in and force them to vote for the lesser of two evils. If they vote for Barr instead so what? That is voting for the lesser of three evils anyways.
September 12th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Dr Gonzo
“First off, Barr is hurting McCain more than Obama so what sense does that make? Why would the Republicans need to neutralize a party that can’t even get 1% of the national vote?”
barr is deliberately alienating LP voters, just like David Cobb did with the 2004 Green Party. and barr will be rewarded just like cobb, who now has a nice ‘think tank” job.
the voters he’s running out of the party are more likely to vote Mccain than for the theocratic party, GP & to a lesser extent Nader. so its a net gain for Mccain, and no additional votes for Obama.
As for dismissing 1% of national vote, Pat Buchanan recieved much less in 2000, but his vote total far exceeded Gore’s margin of victory in NH.
Barr is going to discard the Libertarian Party like a used condom following the elections.
September 12th, 2008 at 6:21 am
To all of the people on here that says Ron Paul is kissing, socialist ass & not showing leadership, you are wrong. Ron Paul just had a monsterously sucessful rally, after being totally rejected by his own party. Ron Paul realizes the true power of doing things yourself. If they dont want to include you, then go have your own. That was the message of this press conference. Did any of you even listen to what he said? He suggested a debate between these 3rd party candidates. Completely idependent of the republicrats. That is NOT supporting them or kissing ass. He is clearly the leader of a tremendous movement & Barr is dumb to this fact or is too self serving to admit it. It makes me wonder if Barr was a republican infiltrater from the get go. And to anyone who thinks that is a wild conspiracy theory, I say to you this; Do you really put it past the neocon controlled republican party, who does not hesitate to break election rules & subvert the constitution constantly, to use a tool like Barr. Look at this mans history. He has been doing the republican’s dirty work for years & is ex CIA. It definetly makes one wonder.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:23 am
There are so many people that are in both the Paul camp and the Barr camp that this whole thing is crazy.
1) We are both fighting for the same cause of liberty, what we disagree upon is method and presentation.
2) This is exactly what the major parties want. Those who attack Ron Paul’s character or Bob Barr’s character are probably working for McCain.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:09 am
MARSHALL OPINES: “..this proud card-carrying Libertarian Barr supporter..read the “Creature” multiple times, seen the Money Masters, and read multiple other books about the FED and how money works.
I’ve noticed that many of you hung up on FED stuff think that this is some cool club that you are all exclusively a part of. And based on your writings you’re probably a year or two into this. Just calm down and catch your breath.
..blah, blah, blah…We need action. Barr getting record numbers and getting record exposure will help our cause. If you start getting too involved w/ FED talk, you lose voters. Simple as that.
And by the way, don’t use the term “methinks”...its just so gay and stupid…” (END)
..sorry marshall …but methinks Barf, and his fuck-headed republican cheeleaders, do not understand ‘the money thing$’..
..i’ve asked for his be$t writing$, word$, idea$, etc.,—on what is OBVIOUSLY an IMPORTANT $UBJECT—yet not a fucking thing..(btw dummy, most people are worse than ignorant—i suspect you too—despite your claims—of even the simple honest basics of money, issuance, etc..small wonder they/you get ‘lost’!..)
...so i’ll ask YOU for YOUR be$t thought$, idea$, etc. marshall..(MERELY PASTE THEM HERE…AS SURELY YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO OFFER?) ;o)
..FOR ONE OF MANY THINGS, marshall, your apparent republicrat monetary ignoramus munchkin puppet hero, barf, is SHILLING FOR SOMETHING KNOWN AS “THE FRAUDULENT FUCKING FAIR TAX” to finance his fucking myopic republicrat ‘vision’ (hallucination) for america..
..marshall, and ANY/ALL other economic wizards here, I ASSERT that an honest understanding of today’s ‘money’ would lead to the conclusion that there really is no need to ‘tax’ us ‘DIRECTLY’...i.e. “income taxation,” ‘sales taxation,’ etc….
...forcing countless wasted hours, trees, more mailmen etc. ad goddamned nauseam, as we are forced/coerced to provide minions of Republicrat monetary ignoramusses, bean-counter$, etc. with our ‘economic diarie$’ so as to administer stooooooooooooooooooooopid fucking ‘income tax,’ ‘national sales tax’ etc. DIRECT TAXATION schemes…
..I ASSERT ‘the government’ could surely create all ‘the money’ they need out of thin air—just like the $hady ‘commercial bank$ters’-CHARTERED/CREATED/PROTECTED BY/ETC. “GOVERNMENT”-do today!—and leave the rest of us alone and happier!!..thus ‘taxing’ us all ‘INDIRECTLY’..and, at least, MUCH more fairly and efficiently THAN THE WAY YOU REPUBLICRAT MUNCHKIN$ DO “IT” TODAY!!..
..and when some poor pitiful goddamned republicrat fool, who doesn’t even know what ‘a dollar’ is, parrots to me, ‘That would be inflationary, Clark’..i ask the poor pitiful goddamned republicrat fool, ‘why is ‘my’ way of ‘taxing’ (indirectly) any more ‘inflationary’ than ‘taxing people/businesses/etc. (directly) who then pass that ‘expense,’ etc. on to the customer ‘hidden’ in the prices of their ‘products!’...A VERY BAD WAY TO OPERATE FOR THOSE EVEN REMOTELY CONCERNED WITH TRAN$PARENCY IN GOVERNMENT, ETC..
(wouldn’t i love to HONESTLY debate/expose these republicrat fuck-head$ on live teevee, etc.!..and believe it or not, i can be real $weetheart when necessary!)
September 12th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Clark,
In a very crazy, rude, and manic way, you’re preaching to the choir w/ me. Perhaps I didn’t make clear that, as much as it pains me to admit this, you and I are in agreement on this. Fiat money is evil. The hidden tax of inflation is evil. The Mandrake mechanisim, the “game”, and all that other crap is real and it sucks. Do we have a diabolical cartel controlling our money? Yes.
Our disagreement is on how to approach it. You talked about how most people in this country aren’t smart enough to get it—once again, you are correct but only in the fact that people aren’t aware of it. You can’t get anywhere with this right now. We’re 95 years into it…it ain’t gonna change overnight, and you’re crazy, crude rants will never to anything to help the cause. Fortunately, there’s only maybe a handful of people who actually read these things.
In terms of Barr not picking up on the FED as a key issue, let me just say that I’ve worked on several political campaigns in my life—GOP, Democrat, and Libertarian, and you have to go w/ a handful of key points and hammer away. Obviously you have your overall platform, but in terms of the major points, you have to pick and choose…it’s just the way it is.
Finally, are you really suprised that the Barr campaign didn’t respond to you? I hope you didn’t through in a “methinks” or a $ for a S.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:49 am
MARSHALL OOZES: “Our disagreement is on how to approach it.”
...it seems to me your ‘approach’ is to LARGELY ignore ‘it’..you apparently cheerlead for a fuck-head, barf, whose IDIOCY I’VE HEARD FOR YEARS ON TALK RADIO…YOUR GUY, BARF, SURELY DOESN’T ‘GET IT!’...
...TO MY KNOWLEDGE HE’S NEVER UTTERED, WRITTEN, ETC. ANYTHING THAT REVEALS HE ‘GETS IT!’..(please merely copy and paste anything here)
..i could be wrong…but you claim to be knowledgeable about ‘money’...yet you use the phrase ‘fiat money’...as if all ‘money’ is not now and/or always has not been ‘fiat’... (“by decree”...i.e. surely you understand ‘gold, silver, etc. money’ is/was every bit as ‘fiat’ as the phony number$, little green rectangles, etc., we u$e today!)
...let’s face it..LARGE CHUNKS of our lives are spent trying to acquire ‘dollars’ (federal reserve tokens)..it is a VERY important thing for us all..
...you seem to be saying something really fucking stoooooooooooooooopid..i.e. “yes, ‘the money thing’ is very important, but let’s not talk about it..it’s too complicated, etc..and it’s ok if we let fucking republicrat monetary ignoramusses like barf lead the LP!”.. (AGAIN PLEASE MERELY COPY AND PASTE HERE BARF’S BEST IDEAS, WRITINGS, WORDS, ETC. ON ‘THE MONEY THING’ or stfu about how worthy, etc. this stoooooooopid fucking republicrat is!)
...(the golden rule today: they who control the federal reserve token rule!)
...btw, don’t let my hyperbole bother you..it’s merely a technique i use in ‘the competition of ideas about government’..aka ‘politics’...i use it as would the trash-talking king of the basketball court trying to inspire ‘a better game’ from a bunch of unfocused, fucking dubs!.. ;o)
http://www.gold-eagle.com/gold_digest_02/hein111302.html
“Monetary Realists, knowing not so much what they’ve been taught, but what they’ve learned with their eyes open and ears tuned, see things clearly, without peering through a haze of misinformation masquerading as knowledge. Like the boy in The Emperor’s New Clothes, they make observations which seem to cause frustration and annoyance to those public figures to which they are directed. A case in point is the word “dollar,” the definition of which has been sought by Monetary Realists for decades.
Some years ago Paul Volcker, of the Federal Reserve, was lecturing in St. Louis. A Monetary Realist ( not your author ) was in attendance. At the conclusion of Mr. Volcker’s remarks, questions were invited, and the Monetary Realist asked, “Mr. Volcker, in your remarks you used the word “dollar” twenty-six ( or whatever ) times. Can you tell me what a dollar is?” There was a remarkable silence. Volcker said nothing. The silence grew protracted; it was embarrassing. “Well, sir, can you tell me what the yen is, or the mark? You mentioned them as well.” The silence continued. Eventually, the host made some excuse and hustled Mr. Volcker from the stage…..
...Money is one of the basics of society. Is it extreme to suggest that without sound money there cannot be a sound society? And if the money is inherently dishonest, what does that say of the people who issue it, or even of the people who accept it?” (END)
..if you can’t/won’t talk honestly, intelligently, etc. about ‘the money thing’...you ought to STFU about ‘politics’ in any form!..
..but have a good day!.. ;o)
September 15th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Thanks for this! I suspected that Barr had good reason to do what he did. And it turns out that he did. I support Barr’s decision. Some of Ron Paul people are just cult members who won’t tolerate kind of disgreement with Ron Paul. I’m a Ron Paul person too but I don’t agree with all the hate toward Barr for this.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Clearly, Bob Barr was one of those kids who felt he never quite had enough cool toys to win the affection of others. His entire press statement amounts to, “I’m too good to be seen with this group, even if more Americans support them.”
I can’t imagine any scenario in which having a separate press conference would help break up support for Obama and McCain and end the media blackout on third party candidates. What did he think would happen? Angels would sing and all of the press would stick around to watch a pompous ass have his own press conference? It’s quite telling that he would ask Ron Paul to be his Vice and not his Presidential candidate.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Really, Paul and Baldwin are good men, but can you guys blame me for not wanting to stand on the same stage as those other two communists? Sorry but I just couldn’t risk it. I was afraid I would give in to the urge to punch Cynthia Mckinney in the face as soon as she opened her mouth.