In stunning news, Former Republican Congressman Bob Barr has asked current Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate.
Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party nominee for president, has invited GOP Congressman Ron Paul to be his running mate in the upcoming election. In a letter sent to Paul, Barr called Paul one of the "few American patriots" who exist in today's society, and asked him to "seriously consider this final offer as an opportunity to show true, lasting leadership beyond party politics."
The incredible part about this isn't that a Barr is asking Paul to be his running mate, it's the fact that we still aren't hearing anything about the lack of unity in the Republican Party.
Ron Paul was a candidate to be the Republican nominee for President. He is already on the Montana ballot this November. Now, he has been asked by a third party to leave his party completely and join the Libertarian Party to run against John McCain.
It's not a total stretch, Paul ran for President as a Libertarian in 1988.
Barr's offer seems real.
Barr's running mate, Wayne Allyn Root, expressed support: "As the Libertarian Party vice presidential nominee, I believe in one thing above all else-principle. There can be no compromise on the ideals of limited government, lower taxes, lower spending, and more freedom for the American people. Those are the principles to which I've dedicated my life. The GOP and Democratic candidates only give lip service-at best-to these ideals and principles. It is only an act at election time every four years."
This signals that the Republican Party is still fractured. It also helps our statewides as the small government right are drawn to the Libertarian party. Not to mention the effects it has on the straight ticket vote.
This all assumes two things-- Ron Paul accepts and Suzanna Hupp doesn't find a way to get Barr and Paul to drop out of the race.
Update: This just gets better.
Republican Rep. Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning Texas lawmaker who attracted a devoted following in the GOP primaries, said Wednesday he rejected an appeal to endorse John McCain's presidential bid.
Paul said the request came from Phil Gramm, the former McCain adviser and ex-senator whom the campaign jettisoned after he said the country was a "nation of whiners" about the economy. Gramm defeated Paul in the Republican primary for the Senate in 1984.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Paul said Gramm called him this week and told him, "You need to endorse McCain." The Texas congressman said he refused.
"The idea was that he would do less harm than the other candidate," Paul said. |
