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4.8.08 @ 12:01AM

NO HOLDS BARR'D
Re: W. James Antle III's Barr Fight:

Barr running against McCain's weak base would ensure an Obama presidency. Obama is a radical leftist and black nationalist. The worst of all worlds.

If Barr ran, I would have to vote for him because he is so much more conservative, loyal to the Constitution and to the US -- plus smarter -- than McCain. But it would only end up electing Obama.

Damned if we do; damned if we don't. I can only hope libertarians nominate a Christian hating, amoral moonbat like they usually do. Not Barr.
-- Jo Fullerton

In view of the fact that I recently received a donation request from Bob Barr deceitfully calling himself a "conservative Republican like yourself," I responded with a request to remove me from his mailing list. If you continue to support him in his quest to ensure a Democrat Presidency in the next election I will likewise request you remove us from subscribing to The American Spectator.
-- Maureen A. Davies
El Cajon, California

John McCain need not worry about Bob Barr. The 2008 vote for Barr will be from the libertarian wing of the two parties plus the Libertarian Party itself, giving him about a half million votes. The votes he needs to be worried about are from the conservatives whom McCain and the RINO wing of the GOP have ignored this year. These untold millions will have a candidate with Alan Keyes and the Constitution Party and they are in no way joining in with the pro-drug, pro-abortion, ect, ect, of the Libertarian Party. Also, a note on Congressman John Schmitz, the American Party candidate for president in 1972. He did get 1.4 percent of the vote, however he was only on the ballot in 32 states. Had he gotten on the ballot in all fifty plus D.C. he would have gotten 2.3 percent of the vote and would have given McGovern some more states rather than just lonely Massachusetts.
-- Michael Skaggs
Murray, Kentucky

If Mr. Barr patterns himself after Thomas Jefferson he should be made aware that he more closely resembles Alexander Hamilton. McCain may not be 'Reagan', but neither is Barr. Though I am sure the latter won't cry in his soup when Obama or Missus Clinton sits in the Oval Office.

Mr. Barr recently stated that if his 'third party' candidacy would hurt McCain then it is McCain's fault for not appealing to a broad cross-section of the (R) electorate. I'd respond to Mr. Barr that if he were more appealing then a third party run would not be necessary.
-- Jeff Anderson
Richmond, Virginia

Just when it was looking unusually good for the GOP and John McCain against the Democrats, in what is an election year naturally favorable to them -- Bob Barr decides that now is the time for him to come to the aid of, well, I don't know who.

Considering this information from the article:."..he is best known for his role in passing the Defense of Marriage Act -- which has kept the marriage laws of all 50 states from being at the tender mercies of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court -- and as a House manager in
the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

In 2002, Barr lost his congressional seat after redistricting forced him into a primary with fellow Republican Congressman John Linder. After leaving the House, he has focused on civil liberties and privacy protections, opposing the Bush administration on the Patriot Act and its national surveillance program. "There seems to be a disconnect with his focus on "civil liberties and privacy protections" and his wishing the state to suppress behavior he finds morally wrong, i.e. same-sex marriage. Now, I also oppose same-sex marriage, but I am at least consistent and oppose all government intruding onto personal liberties, even when those liberties go against my own personal beliefs.

Bob Barr is no Libertarian, and he can play no practical role this year other than a spoiler for John McCain.
-- David Leone

I think that as a piece of advocacy, the article gets a good grade as a nice try. The fact is that Bob Barr will be treated as a fringe candidate and probably rightly so.

Just set-aside his views on privacy which one can argue hinder the executive from prosecuting a war and tapping into the bad guys phones. To me, and most Americans, this is an extreme view. It will be easily manipulated against him.

What will be his bane are two things -- the Clinton "hatred" which the media will love to re-hash at every turn and the gun flub (shooting off a loaded gun as a campaign appearance). Both will make him look like a wacko.

Letter to the Editor

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