Clearly some people are so strongly against Bob Barr that they will not accept him as the LP nominee under any circumstances. We heard it during the live chat tonight and someone just sent me this video, which further highlights the deep animosity…
(I don’t get the “Dob Darr” part – are delegates planning to cast gag votes for Dob Darr or something?)
Last Free Voice has a collection of anti-Barr graphics that have cropped up at the convention. I think “Bob Barr Watch” is my favorite… just because it’s lampooning a logo that I personally created. 🙂
But my question is… what happens if Barr is nominated?
Will his opposition set their sights on a VP to balance the ticket?
Or is Barr so unacceptable to the so-called “purists” that they will bolt the convention?
After first ballot, with only about 7.5% of the vote to distribute on second (4% Jingozian, 1% C Smith, 2% write ins, 2 NOTA), adn nobody at over 25% among the leaders, a 3rd ballot is almost guaranteed. Whether Phillies voters go to Ruwart or Barr is a key.
We are pretty sure there will be a 4th and probably a 5th ballot. it then becomes Barr, Ruwart & Root, which is when it will get interesting. If that breakdown holds to form, Gravel falling out might swing it, probably to Ruwart, but who knows? Root seems to be getting stronger … eek!
OR if it could come down to Mary, Bob & Mike … it could go almost anywhere …
I am not a Barr supporter and I am not at the convention, but in my part of the world (the Northwest Territory) I hear a lot of this talk about several of the front runners. (Root, Ruwart, Phillies all have high negatives.)
I would vote for Barr if he ran a very targeted campaign based on developing third parties by scheduling a tour of joint debates with Mckinny, Baldwin and Nader.
I would also vote for Barr if he ran hardcore campaigns in places like Montana and Alaska where it is feasible that a name politician running on civil liberties concerns could actually win a state.
Other than that I wont’ vote for him unless his VP is Kubby.
Now that I’ve seen that video, the 96% overhead costs claim seems a little dubious. I’d like to see more data on this rather than just random accusations.
G.E.: With all due respect, I resent your allegation that Barr backers are being “duped”. I have a long history in this party. I’ve been to many state and national conventions (I organized the campaign for NOTA in Anaheim), had some political successes, held office in my county party, have been on the ballot, worked on Steve Kubby’s 1998 gubernatorial campaign (Assistant Operation Manager) for a brief time, served on committees. Needless to say, I know what the LP is about and have worked my rear end off to further the goals of this party. To say myself or anyone else is being duped by Barr’s campaign is totally off base and absolutely groundless.
Like Steve, I will change the way I blog in the future. Once you meet someone in real life, see they are a real human being, your animosity level drops and your understanding increases. The Barr backers, like Steve, aren’t devils. For the most part they’re good people — who are being duped by a devil.
If Bob Barr is nominated, he will not be the most libertarian candidate on the ballot. Chuck Baldwin will be. I won’t vote for a CIA operative who supports anti-narco terrorism and who goes about things as underhandedly as Barr and his cabal have.
I have to admit, after lasts night’s debate my animosity towards Barr has faded a little bit. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is nominated that come November I end up voting for someone else (obviously there are also a lot of other things that can happen between now and then though.)
A week ago, reading the arguments on the Internet, I would have easily predicted a large chunk of the room walking out if Barr’s nominated. In my fourth day in Denver now, I don’t really see that happening. Maybe a small number of protests, but no en mass walkouts. I think G.E. has been expressing the sense of many I talk to… people who are unhappy with Barr need to stick around and advocate their position for the next cycle. I think my experience here over the past few days has changed the way I’ll be blogging in the future… the radicals in real life aren’t crazy or stupid, they’re just faithful libertarians who approach things from a different vantage point than myself. On some points I’ve actually found myself agreeing with them and voting their way.
Also, and this may draw some jeers here… but I think some of the anti-Barr leaders are discounting the degree to which backers of other candidates have Barr as their second pick. It’s the, “My heart is with so-and-so, my brain is with Barr” phenomenon. Kubby and Gravel backers are the least likely to accept a Barr nomination, but I’ve personally talked about 30 Ruwart supporters who said they could live with Barr for the factor of raising the LP’s profile… and would break his way if Ruwart’s vote wanes in later rounds.
On the flipside of the coin, I don’t think there is any chance of the Barr crowd getting disgruntled and walking out if Barr doesn’t make it. We’d be very disappointed, no doubt, and there would be a lot of slapping palms to our foreheads and exclaiming, “What are you guys THINKING?!?” However, after the happenings in the Bylaws and Platform debates over the past two days, as the reformers accomplished 90% of the goals they were shooting for, I don’t think any of us would see this convention as a “defeat” no matter what.