GOP fears Barr could spoil McCain's bid

[Joanne98]

ATLANTA (AP) — A fiery former GOP congressman who gained national prominence for doggedly pursuing impeachment of President Clinton has some Republicans worried he'll play spoiler in a tight presidential contest.

Bob Barr's Libertarian Party bid for the White House is the longest of long shots, but political experts say he may be able to exploit the unease some die-hard conservatives still feel about Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting. Combined with the surge in turnout among Democrats during the primaries and a difficult political climate for Republicans, they see what could be a recipe for trouble for the GOP.

"Bob could be the Ralph Nader of 2008," said Dan Schnur, a GOP consultant in California who worked on McCain's 2000 campaign but is not involved in this year's contest. Consumer advocate Nader is
the third-party candidate many Democrats blame for helping George W. Bush narrowly win in 2000.

Rep. John Linder, a Republican who defeated Barr in 2002 after Georgia's Democratic-controlled Legislature redrew congressional boundaries to put the two lawmakers in the same district, said he
didn't think Barr would top 4 percent of the vote.

"But in some states that may be enough," Linder said.

Democrats seem gleeful at the prospect. Tad Devine, a Washington-based Democratic strategist, said Republicans "are crazy if they aren't worried about Barr."

"Undoubtedly any votes he gets come out of McCain's votes," Devine said. "He hurts them."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/22/gop-fears-barr-could-spoil-mccains-bid/

[onehandle]

1. We have a LOT of Looneytarians here. Barr who served here will campaign here hard.

He could at least Nader McCain in Georgia.

Go Bob!

[Wapsie B]

2. Barr is one of those who pay more than lip service

to the gop's libertarian origins. The libby's in that party have long been shunted aside.

[Jade Fox]

3. Yes, please.

Just what the GOP deserves for letting their fascist wing take over.

[anonymous171]

5. And they talk about a "split" in the democratic party! ?

There's a fucking civil war raging on between the libertarian leaning repugs and the neocon/fascist GOP.

[tridim]

4. Well, technically it's Obama who is spoiling McCain's bid.

Fear that GOP.

[Higher Standard]

6. There's three major parties spoiling McCain's bid, none of whom are Bob Barr

Here are the three people who are spoiling McCain's bid for the presidency (in no particular order):

Barack Obama
John McCain
George Bush

[Overseas]

7. Poor GOP-- All this trouble just because little Dubya obliterated our constitution!

No true Republican would support that Bob Barr! He believed more in that damn piece of paper than the Blessed Republican Party, for heaven's sake!

[democrattotheend]

8. I met a disgruntled Republican planning to vote for Bob Barr yesterday

When I was out canvassing in Northern Virginia. He said he just wants to end the war. He is most likely going to vote for Bob Barr, but I might have made some progress in trying to convince him to vote for Obama instead, pointing out that Obama is the only candidate with a chance of winning who wants to end the war.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. It would be nice to see a "Nader" screw the GOP for a change

I personally think most of the "McCain drops out before the election" talk is tinfoil hat CRAP, but I do know one thing.

McCain isn't the first choice of the Freeps, and the opportunity for a "spoiler" to BUST his s**t UP is looming and LARGE.

McCain admirably served his country, including his time in the Hanoi Hilton, NONE OF WHICH entitles him to run the country.

Apples & Oranges.

War hero, and a guy who shouldn't come within 100 yards of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

SAME guy.

:toast: