Bob Barr Weighing Presidential Run
File: Former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr was an impeachment manager against President Bill Clinton in 1998. (AP video still)
Former Republican Georgia Rep. Bob Barr is considering a run for president on the Libertarian Party ticket.
Barr told FOX News on Tuesday that he should know in the next few days whether he is going to go for it.
If he does decide to make an announcement in the next few days, Barr said it “would not be in either Washington or Atlanta.“
Another source todl FOX News that the announcement should happen this weekend, probably on April 5. That is the day Barr is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Heartland Libertarian Conference in Kansas City, Mo.
Barr, who joined the Libertarian Party after leaving Congress in 2003, is looking to attract conservatives who are unhappy with the choice of John McCain as the expected Republican presidential nominee. McCain and Barr are at odds primarily over the role of U.S troops in Iraq, although both agree that tough interrogation methods should not be permitted.
FITNews, who was first to report the possible presidential bid, wrote that Barr will receive the endorsement of Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul, a GOP presidential candidate who is still technically in the race but has not suggested he would throw his support to McCain. McCain and Paul, who ran on the Libertarian Party presidential ticket in 1988, also are at odds primarily over the role of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Barr, who represented Georgia’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1995-2003 and served as a House manager during impeachment proceedings against former President Bill Clinton, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week that he identifies closely with Paul’s outlook.
“Ron Paul tapped into a great deal of that dissatisfaction and that awareness. Unfortunately, working through the Republican party structure, it became impossible for him to really move forward with his movement. But we have to have ….a rallying point out there to harness that energy, that freedom in this election cycle,” he said.
Click here to read the FITNews article on Barr’s possible run for president.
FOX News’ David M. Lewkowict contributed to this report.
Please! Bob Barr is just another example of someone always seeking power. I blame him and all the other Yahoos in congress that for years sucked up all the money and human resources investigating everyone they did not like. I truly believe that they took their eye off of what was important and allowed the world to change around them and the terrorist networks to grow. Had we had a functional government we would not be in the mess we are in today. Bob, please just go away.
I think that Mr. Barr should do it, that would be great. He would be the only conservative option. I can’t vote for Obama, McCain, or Hillary, or Nader. The Republican party is dying because they’ve been taken over by the neo-cons. I say do it Mr. Barr, you have my vote!!!
So why not run for the Senate. Georgia would actually elect him. He might be able to be able to move the libertarian agenda forward rather than just spoil the presidential race. When will the libertarians ever figure out that they already have strong grass roots support but have completely failed in building a political base from which to work?
Dan,
Yeah we are going to go FAR Left with McAmnesty in there - he’s never going to get my vote so it doesn’t matter Dems are getting in no matter what. GOP really messed up allowing all these liberals into our party - We don’t have a conservative party anymore we have a bunch of apologists and weak minded fools running the GOP. They have no principles or believes that they won’t sell out in a heart beat. I’m a conservative FIRST and I probably have very little in common with the GOP the way it stands today. So SAD!
The Republicans need to lose to save its soul. If McCain wins we keep getting these Rinos shoved down our throats.
If people choose not to vote Republican to vote for Barr that’s too damn bad for Republicans. Political parties should fight for votes and if they loose them then they didn’t deserve them. They must be worthy of the vote in the eyes of the voter. Isn’t that what voting is all about? If they loose races due to third parties, they have no one to blame but themselves. Third parties may not have much chance in a national election but they can effect the outcome. It is such a relief to note hold my nose and vote for a lesser of two evils. Actually it feels pretty good. If Republicans want my support back then they need to earn it back. I want smaller government, less spending and more freedom. That’s all.
Barr has blown his career in the Republican party, and now thinks his ‘leadership’ will be recongized in the Libertarian party? This is sad, like the NBA players who get cut, and have to go play in Bulgaria.
He screwed up the Clinton impeachment (which should have been a slam dunk), paid for an abortion, been married three times, and as an NRA board member had a handgun go off accidentally while he was handling it. At least he is out of the GOP.
Stay out Barr, you will only muddle an already tight situation. How many votes do you think you can get.
Ron Netzel
Lagrange Il. 60525
Another crackpot.
The more I hear about Barr, the more I think he is nutty, though I like some of his views. As a huge Paul supporter, I don’t want to see Paul backing this guy….