Bob Barr Must Apologize to Ron Paul

September 11th, 2008

Yesterday, Ron Paul held what was to be a press conference featuring the defeated 2008 Republican Presidential candidate. Instead of supporting Senator Songbird McCain of Keating 5 fame, Ron Paul pledged his support to any of the Independent Presidential campaigns.

There were to be four candidates featured.

Bob Barr – current Libertarian Presidential nominee

Cynthia McKinney – current Green Party nominee.

Ralph Nader – Independent candidate

Chuck Baldwin – Constitution Party candidate

Ron Paul once ran on the LP’s ticket. He served with McKinney in Congress.

Barr refused to attend the event. In fact, the Washington Post is reporting

Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president, never showed for the unity event, instead having an aide hand out notices at the door announcing that he would be making a "major campaign announcement" at a rival news conference in the same place two hours later. His major announcement: that Ron Paul could get lost.

Ron Paul and his Revolution is undeniably the greatest political movement of the internet generation. People of all ages and backgrounds flocked to Ron Paul – despite the Establishment’s Media ignoring or actively opposing Ron Paul’s message and efforts.

Ron Paul’s simple message of Limited Government domestically, a Foreign Policy of peace, and eliminating the inflation tax of the Federal Reserve resonated well with the public. Better than the LP’s recent candidacies.

When Ron Paul’s campaign for the Presidency ended, I admit I was not happy. I was hoping that Ron Paul would have continued his Revolution with his old home of the Libertarian Party. I respect his decision to defend his Congressional seat. There are far too few good people in Congress.

After deciding to resume his role as Dr. No in the hallowed halls of Congress, Ron Paul chose not to support his party’s nominee. Instead, he chose to attempt to bring the major Independent Candidates for President together and endorse an anyone but the Establishment vote.

The Barr campaign had confirmed attendance at Paul’s event, but did not attend, giving somewhere between zero notice to an hour’s notice to the Paul folks. Some of Bob Barr’s friends believe he didn’t show up because Paul wasn’t going to give him an individual endorsement. Some of Bob Barr’s friends believe Paul wouldn’t endorse Barr because Barr believes the government’s conspiracy theory regarding 9/11 without question. For the record, on this issue, I agree with Bob’s diminishing list of friends.

And that’s not the worst part. In a move, which I can’t find a single reason to defend, Barr offered the VP slot to Paul. Obviously, Paul wasn’t going to take second seat to a guy he wouldn’t endorse. He definitely won’t accept such a position from a guy he could have easily beaten in the Libertarian Convention. Trust me. I was there. Paul would have won on the first ballot.

So why make Paul an insulting offer knowing it will be rejected? I hope Bob will explain that in his apology.

Then there’s the male Sarah Palin – Wayne Allyn Root – the current VP nominee for the Libertarian Party.

Shortly before the “offer” of VP to Paul, the current Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate, Wayne Allyn Root, was given the unenviable task of coming up with a way to bow out of the race gracefully on national television.

To his credit, Root was willing to step down from the campaign if someone of Paul’s stature was willing to share the stage with Bob Barr. And, on short notice, Root managed to both effectively express the principles of his campaign and sincerely communicate a willingness to do anything to help the cause of liberty. It is no secret that the Barr and the Root campaigns are operating quite separately. Hopefully, Bob Barr’s attempt to “throw Wayne under the bus” in the words of Fair and Balanced FoxNews anchor Neil Cavuto, will not prevent Root from effectively delivering a message of limited government and individual liberty.

I’m not sure that Paul would accept an apology from Barr. But, I know a lot of Libertarians who will not be voting for Barr unless he apologizes to Paul.

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