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.
McCain is going to split the conservative vote. He should drop out before he ends up handing this election to the democrats.
Barr ‘08
I admire Bob Barr and appreciate most of the things he accomplished as a congressman. But by running as a Libertarian, he will assure the Democrats of a victory in Nov. Remember how the first Clinton won, twice….with Perot taking a lot of “conservative” votes that would normally gone Rebublican.
Geoff:
If, as you say, the Republicans in congress would indeed try to stonewall everything that a Libertarian president tried to do — in effect — if they wouldn’t support a good policy because their name wasn’t on top — then they are small and evil and don’t deserve anyone’s support.
The next Supreme Court vacancies are highly likely going to be from retiring liberal justices. So even if Obama does get elected, he can only replace liberals with liberals, not effecting much.
The Republicans don’t OWN my vote. And they definitely have not earned my vote.
If enough us stand up and say “no” maybe they will once again try to earn it in 2012. Why would they change a damn thing if they don’t have to…?
Geoff:
There are those within the Republican Party who have been trying to effect change and show the party the error of its ways. You may have heard of one: Ron Paul….
The Republican Party calls his supporters fascists.
The Republican Party has earned my defection.
If all you dummies who say Barr is a spoiler would vote for him, then he wouldn’t be a spoiler anymore. Stop being morons! Vote for who represents you, and if that person is not in your two party beauty pagent than at least you loose with your personal integrity.
Those of you who expect me to vote for anyone less than a true conservative are the reason the GOP is in the condition it is in today. Always settling for less….Disgusting….
“If you run Bob Barr, you will end up taking the votes away from the Republican…”
If anything said here represents what has gone wrong with the Republicans, this is it. Republicans have adopted, even embraced, an entitlement mentality to the extent that they truly believe that they are the rightful owners of my vote, and that I am stealing from them if I exercise my vote as I choose…
This has been really brought home with their treatment of Ron Paul supporters, whom they accuse of being outsiders and “taking over” the caucuses, even though Paul’s supporters are just voting to restore the principles of liberty that Republicans once stood for.
Now get this: If you Republicans truly believe that the Libertarian candidate will spoil the election, meaning that Obama or Clinton will destroy the country, then YOU bend your principles and YOU all vote for the Libertarian. And you’d best donate and convert your friends too….
Quit being whiners. You DO have a choice still.
This moron would GIVE the election to the democrats….what an ego. What a spoiler….do we want Bill/Hillary or Obama selecting judges for the US Supreme Court for the next 8 years? Vote McCain………send the Clintons home……………shame on Bob Barr
Response to Dufflepud: The difference being my IQ has three digits. You apparently only have two…vote for Obama or Clinton…who cares!
John McBrainless just lost the election - and he, the Repuplican party, and everyone who supports the Republican party deserve it.
- a former Republican