Third Party Presidential Candidates Debate

The City Club of Cleveland sponsored a debate Thursday between the Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr, Independent Ralph Nader, and the Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin. The debate was broadcast by C-SPAN several times over the last few days and is now viewable online as flash video provided by C-SPAN in their video library. There’s a glitch in their video at about 57 and a half minutes, which seems to cause a repeat of most of the debate, so I recommend watching this YouTube found on Bob Barr's campaign website:

October 28: Bob Barr to speak at Duke and UNC

Come join others around the area to listen to the former Congressman and Libertarian presidential candidate discuss his plans to restore the country.

Duke at 5 pm: Bob Barr will speak at Duke University in room 139 of the Social Sciences building this Tuesday, October 28, at 5 pm. The Social Sciences building is between the Allen and Soc/Psych buildings on Flowers Drive. Parking is available at Duke Gardens or in the parking lot at the Bryan Center.

UNC at 8 pm: Bob Barr will also speak at UNC-Chapel Hill at 8 pm this Tuesday in 103 Bingham Hall. For help with finding it, please consult the UNC campus map and this UNC visitor parking map. This little map with directions to Bingham Hall may also be useful.

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Update 10-29-08: Both the News & Observer and the Independent Weekly reported on Bob Barr's visit to NC. The picture below is from the Indy story.
The N&O article contained this quote from Barr's talk at Duke:

“The lack of understanding that the job of the president of the United States is to protect, defend and expand our liberty, and not to protect, defend and expand their power, is dangerous.”

At UNC, Bob Barr talked about the bailout that he opposed, and how after adding hundreds of pages and more money to the bill, the bill passed with Paulson put in charge of overseeing Paulson.

Barr also talked about the criteria set up by the presidential debates commission that works to exclude most third party candidates from the debates. The commission requires a 15% level of support in 5 national polls that often don't even include third party candidates. So, it's a Catch-22, with the “nonpartisan” Commission on Presidential Debates actually working to promote the Democratic and Republican candidates while effectively keeping out all but the wealthiest competition.

Before he spoke at Duke and UNC, Bob Barr was also a guest on the Allan Handelman show on FM 101.1 WZTK in the afternoon. You can still listen to the podcast of that show.

Barr says giving Washington more power is no solution

The Libertarian candidate for president stands up for taxpayers with his opposition to corporate bailouts. Quoting from some recent releases from the Barr campaign:

It's not good enough to say the bailouts are acceptable as long as there are regulations attached. Taxpayers will still be on the hook for a trillion dollars the government doesn't have, and the government will still be interfering in the market—neither of which are acceptable.

Capitalism involves losses as well as profits. When government tries to insulate businesses and investors from paying for their mistakes, we all lose.

A vote for this bailout package, in whatever form it comes in, is a vote against the American taxpayer, and a vote against the free market.

In an article on the Huffington Post, Barr writes:

The financial crash is … the result of foolish federal policies manipulated by private interests -- precisely how Washington always operates. Giving Washington more power is no solution.

He also cites an extraordinary provision in the proposed bailout bill:

Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

About that provision of the bill, Barr writes:

The secretary would be able to decide which assets to buy from whom at what price and in what manner. Both the Republicans and Democrats would benefit from Treasury's unreviewable power to hire consultants and choose firms to implement the bailout. This is a prescription for extravagant waste, incompetence and abuse.

The Bush administration played this game before, using 9/11 to ram the Patriot Act through Congress, and then misused its authority while resisting court oversight. Never again should Congress allow itself to be duped in this way.

You can read the rest of Bob Barr's comments on the Huffington Post.

Surprising News about Bob Barr

He's a fan of Bob Marley and has dreadlocks at night.


(about 3 minutes)

You can see the entire 8/29/08 interview with Glenn Beck on the Bob Barr YouTube channel. Also worth watching, here's a brief interview of Barr on ABC This Week with Stephanopoulos:


(from 7/06/08; about 8 minutes; h/t to VideoSift)

Bob Barr Should be Included in Presidential Debates

According to a Zogby poll released Friday, 55% of likely voters nationwide say that Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party nominee for President, should be included in the presidential debates. While support for his inclusion is strongest among independents (69%), the majority of Democrats (52%) and half of Republicans also believe he should be included in the debates.

What about Munger in the Gubernatorial Debates?

If most Americans want Bob Barr included in the presidential debates, it stands to reason that most North Carolinians would also like to see Michael "Mike" Munger included in the gubernatorial debates. So far, Mike Munger has been invited to the final gubernatorial debate scheduled for October 15 in Charlotte, and sponsored by WSOC-TV, WTVI Charlotte, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg League of Women Voters.

Three debates are scheduled in the Triangle area between now and then. It remains to be seen whether any of the Triangle-area sponsors will invite Munger to participate.

Update 8/25/08: Dr. Munger has now been invited to participate in the UNC-TV gubernatorial debates scheduled for September 24 and October 8.

Zogby Poll: Majority Want Libertarian Bob Barr Included in Presidential Debates
Zogby International, August 15, 2008

Libertarian Munger In At Least One Debate
LPNC news release, July 28, 2008

Michael Munger for Governor '08

Bob Barr Testimony on Executive Power and Statement on Iran

On Friday, Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for President of the United States, testified before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary during a hearing on “Executive Power and Its Constitutional Limitations.” The video below contains short clips from his testimony during this hearing.



Barr submitted to the judiciary committee written testimony available on his campaign website and also as a PDF.

In other news on the Barr campaign this week, Barr’s statement that war with Iran would be disastrous was reported today in the Tehran Times. From a statement released by the Barr campaign on July 24th:

“It is imperative to find a peaceful answer, since war with Iran would be disastrous for all concerned,” emphasizes Barr. “American troops in Iraq would be at risk. U.S. citizens would be targeted for terrorist acts. Tehran could retaliate against Israel. Oil shipments would be disrupted, causing energy prices to soar even higher. Allied states in the Persian Gulf would be vulnerable to attack. Chances for democratic change in Iran would be set back.”

More on the House Judiciary Committee hearing on executive power …
More on the House Judiciary Committee hearing on executive power and the Bush administration …

Bob Barr Congressional Testimony on Executive Power


The entire 6-hour House Judiciary Committee Hearing is archived on C-SPAN. Bob Barr speaks about 2 hours 5 minutes into this C-SPAN video, and again at about 4 hours 29 minutes.

Bob Barr on Headline News

Glenn Beck interview of Bob Barr on Headline News


Bob Barr on YouTube

Libertarian Party Convention in Denver

As well as amending the party's platform and bylaws, convention delegates also selected the top candidates for the LP nomination for president. Candidates receiving enough delegate support took part in a C-SPAN broadcast debate; those candidates were Bob Barr, Mike Gravel, George Phillies, Mike Jingozian, Mary Ruwart, Steve Kubby, and Wayne Allyn Root.

Update: Election results
In a suspenseful election process taking six rounds of voting to complete, the majority of the delegates eventually selected former Congressman Bob Barr over the competition for the Libertarian Party nomination for president.

Long-time libertarian activist, Dr. Mary Ruwart, had a narrow lead on the fifth ballot, with Wayne Allyn Root eliminated in third place. In Root's concession speech, he expressed support for a Bob Barr candidacy and a desire to run as the vice-presidential candidate. The final vote on the sixth ballot was 324 for Barr and 276 for Ruwart.

Wayne Root and Steve Kubby received the strongest support in the vice-presidential nomination, with the majority of the delegates selecting Wayne Allyn Root as the vice-presidential nominee. The vote on the second and final ballot was 287 for Root and 257 for Kubby.

C-SPAN coverage available as online videos
Presidential candidates debate (~ 2 hours)
Presidential candidate nomination (~ 7 hours)
Keynote address by Richard Viguerie (~ 20 minutes)

LNC news releases:
LP selects Bob Barr as 2008 presidential nominee
Wayne Allyn Root selected as vice-presidential candidate

Barr Announces; Root and Gravel Debate

Bob Barr Announcement (1 min)


Root and Gravel Debate on Fox Business Channel
(in 6 parts, 3 to 5 minutes each)


Continue with part 2 of the Root and Gravel debate

Libertarian Presidential Candidates

Delegates to the Libertarian National Convention next week will nominate a Libertarian presidential candidate from quite a large group of possible candidates, including former Republican Congressman Bob Barr who officially announced his candidacy today, former Democratic Senator Mike Gravel who recently joined the Libertarian Party, and long-time Libertarian activist, Dr. Mary Ruwart.

LP Presidential Candidate Videos

Dr. Mary Ruwart on "Live and Let Live"


Wayne Allyn Root at a rally in Sacramento


Steve Kubby on Immigration

The Steve Kubby Show on blogtalkradio

See more candidate videos!Michael Jingozian: Reset America


'Heartland Libertarian Conference' Videos
Several of the candidates for the LP nomination - Wayne Allyn Root, Christine Smith, Michael Jingozian, Dr. Mary Ruwart, Senator Mike Gravel, and George Phillies - participated in a recorded debate at the Heartland Libertarian Conference. Former Congressman Bob Barr gave the keynote address. Here's the videos from that event:

Debate, Part 1 (58 minutes)


Debate, Part 2 (47 minutes)


Keynote Address by Bob Barr (26 minutes)


Related posts:
Ruwart Speaks Out Against Expanded DNA Collection
A Plan to End Federal Income Taxes Forever (Root)

Highlights of the LPNC Convention

The primary items of business of North Carolina Libertarians attending the annual LPNC convention last weekend were to nominate candidates for state and local offices, consider amendments to the party platform, and select delegates to the national Libertarian Party Convention in Denver.

Michael Munger was nominated as the Libertarian candidate for governor of North Carolina. Chair of the Political Science department at Duke, Mike Munger is running as a reformer who, if elected as governor, would use that office to counter the waste and corruption in state government. In addition, three Wake County Libertarians were nominated for the North Carolina General Assembly:

Susan Hogarth for NC House District 38;
Brian Irving for NC Senate District 17;
Stephanie Watson* for NC Senate District 16;

and Mark McMains was nominated for Commissioner of Insurance.

In other business, convention delegates amended their platform. They added a plank calling on the state to refuse to implement national identification programs like Real ID. Additional new platform planks address state and local issues including water rights, local sign ordinances, and fluoridation of public water supplies.

Convention attendees heard from several candidates for the Libertarian nomination for President, including former Senator Mike Gravel and Wayne Allyn Root. Former Congressman Bob Barr also spoke to the convention as our regional represenative to the Libertarian National Committee. Having recently launched a presidential exploratory committee, Barr is another possible Libertarian nominee for President.

Of the possible presidential nominees attending, Dr. Mary Ruwart was the favorite of this convention. A libertarian activist since 1982 and the author of Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression, she won the straw poll, receiving a whopping 68% of the vote.

* The Watson campaign has been postponed till 2010.

Pictures from the LPNC Convention in Burlington

LPNC Convention this Weekend

Root for Ruwart, Barr, Gravel

Libertarian Party of North Carolina
Brian Irving, Communications Director
Contact: 919.538.4548

RALEIGH (April 9) -- Former Democratic Senator Mike Gravel, who recently joined the Libertarian Party and is seeking its nomination for president, will attend the State Libertarian Convention this weekend in Burlington. Sen. Gravel will arrive Friday evening and attend most of the convention session Saturday.

Another defector from the so-called major parties, former Republican Rep. Bob Barr, will also attend the Saturday sessions. Barr recently formed a exploratory committee to gauge support for seeking the Libertarian presidential nod.

The convention will open Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. in the La Quinta Inn, Burlington.

The primary order of business will be nomination of candidates for Governor, Council of State seats and the General Assembly, especially in the unopposed districts. The party is on the verge of completing its petition drive to regain its spot on the ballot.

Nominations for the gubernatorial candidate will take place Sunday morning. There will also be a Presidential Candidates Forum and Straw Vote.

In addition to nominating candidates, delegates will also consider changes to the LPNC Platform on Saturday, including a proposal to oppose "Real ID," a scheme for a national ID card.

In addition to Gravel and Barr, three announced presidential candidates also will attend. They are Dr. George Phillies of Massachusetts, a physics professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Mary Ruwart of Texas, a biochemist, nutraceutical company consultant and author of the best-selling "Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression," and Wayne Allyn Root, a TV sports commnentator know as "America's Oddsmaker."