LP nominates Barr, Root
Posted by Richard on May 26, 2008
The Libertarian Party nominated former Republican Congressman Bob Barr and Las Vegas oddsmaker Wayne Root as its candidates for President and Vice President. The good news is that Barr and Root were apparently the only two presidential candidates (out of 13) who wouldn't sign a pledge — promoted by the 9/11-Truther group Libertarians for Justice — demanding an investigation into "what really happened" on September 11, 2001.
The bad news is that Barr and Root both just barely won, so nearly half the LP delegates were prepared to have the party represented by someone who's at least open to some truly insane conspiracy theories. Furthermore, Barr barely beat Mary Ruwart, who got some media attention when she refused to back away from an earlier defense of child pornography and prostitution.
The other bad news is that Barr, although not nearly anti-military enough for the "purists" in the party, seems to believe that the only way the US might be at war with radical Islam is if we attack Iran — a depressingly naive and ignorant position, if you ask me.
The "purists," who call themselves "the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party," are apparently outraged that "Republican pragmatists" have taken over, and the recriminations and name-calling have begun. Some people have denounced Barr as a "neocon," further evidence that most of the people who denounce others as neocons don't have a clue what a neocon really is.
Here are some links where you can find lots more:
- The Other McCain
- AmSpec Blog (where Robert "the other" McCain liveblogged the voting)
- JasonPye.com (liveblogging plus lots of video; just keep scrolling)
- Reason Hit & Run (various posters and posts; keep scrolling)
- The Liberty Papers (Stephen Littau, mostly, and lots of pictures; keep scrolling)
Nothing from David Aitken yet. I know he attended; I think he was a delegate; I hope he'll share his observations and impressions.
I'm glad I didn't attend. There would have been trouble.
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