Ron Paul Revolution, Part II?
Michael O'Brien
Posted: 05.14.2008 / 3:38 PM EDT
Perhaps one of the strangest phenomena on college campuses this past year was support for Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a libertarian congressman from Texas who is running for the Republican Party nomination. In Ann Arbor this past fall, Paul drew one of the biggest crowds on campus–only behind, really, a pep rally for the Ohio State game and this year’s graduation.
Indeed, the Ron Paul campaign has become known for its young, strident supporters on college campuses nationwide. The campaign drew in an array of supporters: from antiwar activists to fiscally conservative purists to even some conspiratorial types, who normally seem more given to support a candidate like, well, Lyndon LaRouche.
The Paul campaign has more or less fizzled out at this point (though he maintains it continues). But this week, former Republican Congressman Bob Barr (Ga.) announced his candidacy as the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president this fall. Barr, a manager of the Clinton impeachment while in the House, left Congress in 2002 and has since chastised his former colleagues for what he sees as excesses in spending and overextension of American power overseas.
Barr is arguably the most recognizable Libertarian candidate for high office since Ron Paul’s own run on that ticket in 1988. Additionally, whatever one’s own politics, Barr has to be considered perhaps the most formidable third-party candidate since Ross Perot. As a former congressman, Barr knows what it takes to win elections: discipline, experience, fundraising, organization, and staying on message. These are things that 2004 Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik never had, nor did 2000 and 2004 Green Party candidate Ralph Nader have.
But perhaps one of the most interesting things to keep an eye on as the Barr candidacy progresses will be to see whether or not he will attract the small, but dedicated, contingent who had supported Congressman Paul. Indeed, Ron Paul’s support was certainly not borne of charisma; having interviewed Rep. Paul twice, I can attest that his ability to articulate a consistent message is nowhere near “refined.” Nonetheless, a good deal of Barr’s support may come from places like Ann Arbor–which will certainly go Democratic in November, but nonetheless attract a significant number of supporters to the libertarian ticket.
