Bob Barr on the Patriot Act, Medical Marijuana, and His Mustache

Nick Gillespie | June 20, 2008

MobLogic sits down with Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr and gets the skinny on his conversion from conservative to libertarian, his changing positions on various policies, and why he won't shave his mustache. Check it out here:

And then check out reason.tv's path-breaking interview with Barr from before he snagged the LP nod.

Comments

MikeB|6.20.08 @ 1:55PM|#

I'm happy now. A Bob Barr article on Reason. Thankfully not another ra ra ra go Obama one.

|6.20.08 @ 1:58PM|#

The woman's "jokes" land with an audible thud.

Sam Grove|6.20.08 @ 2:15PM|#

Was she making jokes? I was too preoccupied to notice.

|6.20.08 @ 2:20PM|#

I can tell the both of you that if I saw her at a bar or pub, I'd laugh at her jokes anyway. I do it all the time. Hahaha you're so funny.

|6.20.08 @ 2:33PM|#

Was she making jokes? I was too preoccupied to notice.

Were you mesmerized by Barr's mustache?

Colin|6.20.08 @ 2:39PM|#

I think he'd do a lot better without the mustache.

|6.20.08 @ 2:42PM|#

R. Totale | June 20, 2008, 1:58pm | #

The woman's "jokes" land with an audible thud."


She's throwing jokes at a libertarian. Of course they get no response.

Watch close, I count at least 17 times when he steals a peek at her chesticles.

The mustache gives me comfort in an Alex Trebec kinda way.

|6.20.08 @ 2:44PM|#

Oh, and I find nothing wrong in adopting a better position on issues as one matures.

|6.20.08 @ 2:46PM|#

Odd. I just noticed something. She keeps looking down at her chest. What does that mean?

Bingo|6.20.08 @ 2:51PM|#

Probably just making sure the fellas are being properly displayed

|6.20.08 @ 3:05PM|#

I think he'd do a lot better without the mustache.

Spoken like the bare-lipped ruffian you are.

|6.20.08 @ 3:08PM|#

This was a dumb interview. The same 'why should people believe you' stuff that's been asked over and over again.

The only question I liked was the Bush or Clinton, and the response surprised me, given his history with Clinton. I think that shows, more than almost anything, that he's willing to put aside partisan differences and personal histories for liberty, which Bush violated way more than Clinton. Though maybe I'm reading too much into that.

Mr. X|6.20.08 @ 3:12PM|#

I agree on the George W. Bush or Bill Clinton question. Very heartening.

Taktix&#174|6.20.08 @ 3:12PM|#

I can't decide if he's completely full of shit or just phrasing his answers in a mainstream-palatable way.

I suppose one doesn't preclude the other...

Also, a quick look at lindsaycampbell.com proves that her chesticles are a bit, uhh... disappointing.

dhex|6.20.08 @ 3:25PM|#

chesticles is the worst term for anything.

but yeah he's totally sneaking peeks!

|6.20.08 @ 3:39PM|#

No he's not sneaking peaks! He's not even in the same room with her. This is a standard interview technique. Record from behind, focusing on the interviewer, the record the interviewee later. When you see Barr's face, he's in a different room or in front of a screen or something. He's not looking at the low lying fruit, he's looking at cue cards or something.

M Abeln|6.20.08 @ 3:41PM|#

Help Give Americans a choice, pledge to support Bob Barr this July 2nd, Barrbomb.com

Mike Laursen|6.20.08 @ 3:52PM|#

This was a dumb interview. The same 'why should people believe you' stuff that's been asked over and over again.

It's a legitimate question. Probably, the biggest question most people will have about Barr. So, he shouldn't mind answering it over and over again. A lot of people probably wonder about the moustache, too.

GG|6.20.08 @ 4:23PM|#

July 2nd, Barrbomb.com

Barr needs the money like yesterday, friend.

This Bob Barr money bomb is almost as timely as the "Fred's Giving Day" money bomb that the geniuses held on the busiest travel day of the year.

|6.20.08 @ 4:31PM|#

I hope Bob Barr and the Libertarians ditch Root and take on Paul as a VP. Theres a whole site dedicated to the idea. www.BarrPaul08.com

Nigel Watt|6.20.08 @ 4:39PM|#

I hope Bob Barr and the Libertarians ditch Root and take on Paul as a VP. Theres a whole site dedicated to the idea. www.BarrPaul08.com

I'm just going to start listing reasons here why that's ludicrous:


Paul can't run in Texas for an office that he already lost a primary in another party for. Texas contributes serious Libertarian votes (like mine).
Paul has said he is not interested in running as a third party candidate.
The LP has already picked its VP candidate. That candidate, unfortunately, is Wayne Allyn Root.
Changing VP candidates would make the LP seem more fractious than it already does.
In terms of movement cred, it's stupid for Paul to play second fiddle to Barr.

Feel free to pile on.

Nigel Watt|6.20.08 @ 4:39PM|#

Apparently ol and li tags do not work here.

|6.20.08 @ 5:27PM|#

There is one great thing about having a moustache...You can never lose an argument because of the intimidation factor. Barr should grow it out to a hairy beast and get on stage with Obama and McPain. They'd be frozen with fear from the 'stache, not to mention being slaughtered with logic.

|6.20.08 @ 5:49PM|#

What are Barr's odds of getting 2% this year?

Regardless, when I throw away my vote, it will be to him.

|6.20.08 @ 6:40PM|#

Sadly, I bet the BarrPaul2008.com site will get more hits than my MeetThePressWithJimRome.com site will.

|6.20.08 @ 8:12PM|#

The last president elected with a moustache was William Howard Taft in 1908, also a convention fight victor, coincidentally enough.

The last president elected with a full beard was Benjamin Harrison in 1876.

|6.20.08 @ 8:14PM|#

Uh, I meant Harrison in 1888...

|6.20.08 @ 8:59PM|#

What no *boxers or briefs* info?

Mignon|6.20.08 @ 9:06PM|#

The last president elected with a moustache was William Howard Taft in 1908, also a convention fight victor, coincidentally enough.

Let's not forget that in 1912 a third party candidate split the moustache vote that rightly belonged to Taft and opened the door for Wilson and Progressivism and the woes that followed.

|6.20.08 @ 9:30PM|#

I was always sorry that Harry Browne felt it necessary to shave off his full beard in order to run for President. I thought he looked a lot more distinguished with it than without it. Unfortunately, I think that just a moustache does not do well by Mr. Barr; he probably ought to shave it off or cultivate a full beard. But if he keeps the 'stache I'll give him points for having a spine.

|6.20.08 @ 9:41PM|#

Interesting fact: The presidential election years of 1888 and 2000 are the only two in US history with the same digit repeated three times.

The next one won't occur until 2212, though in that century there will be four others as well (2232, 2252, 2272, 2292). The next ones after that won't come until 2444 and 2888.

There won't be a presidential election with all four digits the same until the year 4444.

|6.20.08 @ 9:45PM|#

1. RE comments on interviewer's physical attributes: From the way everyone here was talking, Barr sounded like that popping-eyed wolf from the old WB cartoons, so I expected to see someone like "Suzette" (or Jessica Rabbit). She wasn't all that. You guys ought to get out more.

2. Barr's surprising quotes: Given either-or choices, Barr picked the Fourth Amendment over the 2nd, because the former, he said "defined the relationship between citizens and government." Funny, that's exactly what 2nd Amendment partisans say about the RKBA. Also, he was happy enough to choose Bill Clinton over GW Bush! But when it came to same-sex marriage vs. polygamy, he refused to choose, being clear that he didn't endorse either option, but was willing to let States handle the marriage issue their own way. The amazing thing to me is that he was actually willing to make a choice in Clinton v. Bush, when told he had to choose one or the other, but NOT in gay marriage vs. plural marriage. What does that tell us?

|6.20.08 @ 11:24PM|#

No (mustache); Yes.

BTW, Being attractive does not necessarily mean busty. I found that chick pretty nice. I would say most of the babes often called the hottest on the internets are facially beautiful if anything. Of course, the ass models are the exceptions ( tits don't get as much play; probably because big tits are a dime a dozen. Great Face and/or ass is hard to find.)

|6.21.08 @ 2:44AM|#

I've already started growing my mustache. I'm hoping we can turn this into our signature.

|6.21.08 @ 5:09AM|#

I am impressed by Bob Barr and have decided to support his campaign. He appreciates the US Constitution and will bring peace, prosperity and liberty to America.

Urkobold™|6.21.08 @ 11:48AM|#

BTW, Being attractive does not necessarily mean busty. I found that chick pretty nice. I would say most of the babes often called the hottest on the internets are facially beautiful if anything. Of course, the ass models are the exceptions ( tits don't get as much play; probably because big tits are a dime a dozen. Great Face and/or ass is hard to find.)

THE URKOBOLD READS YOUR WORDS BUT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THEM.

Brad F|6.21.08 @ 12:54PM|#

While Ron Paul has been my hero for years, and will remain so, I'm agreeing with his advice and putting my support behind Bob Barr.

Realistically, most states will have only three names to choose from on the ballot in Nov.

Barr,
McCain, and
Obama.

With those choices, and the futility of voting for unregistered write-in candidates, I can only comfortably put my support behind Barr. I hope he can live up to it.

For the conservatives, McCain is not going to be able to beat Obama. It's time to take a lesson the GOP has fed to the Libertarians for years. If McCain can't, your choice is Barr or Obama. How do you like the lesser of two evils now?

|6.21.08 @ 1:41PM|#

Agree with Adamness, Clinton answer a good move. It shows adjustment of position on principle and offers an olive branch to liberty minded Democrats.

Better in an interview than McCain. Let him calmly pump out the doctorine to the masses, let Root rally troops.
Go LP or stay home.

PS - she looks like Sandra Bullock's or Janine Turner's cousin.....'watchable' either way. *smirk*

Benb|6.22.08 @ 7:15AM|#

Didn't watch it. Hope to see it as a proper written story some time. Video is not a replacement for proper writing.

Or to put it another way, the pause, rewind and play buttons are no replacement for measured reflection and analysis at reader-selected times.

|6.22.08 @ 1:32PM|#

I see a little of Sophie Marceau in Lindsay Campbell.

http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/celebs/sophiemarceau/sophie_marceau_2.jpg

Of course, I could see me in Lindsay Campbell sometime, too.

|6.23.08 @ 12:09AM|#

Dear God, what is wrong with you people? She's not even that cute, and stupid to boot.

|6.23.08 @ 3:23AM|#

Dear God, what is wrong with you people? She's not even that cute, and stupid to boot.

A-R: Apparently we suffer from not being gay like you. ;)

NTTAWWT

|6.24.08 @ 2:45AM|#

Neverrrr trust a Campbell!!!

|6.26.08 @ 11:56PM|#

@James Merritt,

To answer your question, it tells me that you could also stand to get out more.

@Ayn_Randian,

Are you kidding me? Yes, there are other cute women in the world, but she's cute, c'mon. It's not like there is some limit and you can only say so many women are cute...there is no limit.

OK, what the heck was my point, you all got me distracted.

Oh ya, Mustache should go, some people are going to judge him on it, and this is politics, you take votes and money where it comes. If you wait for people to be, well 'reasonable'...you can fughetaboutit.... he should shave the thing and we should move on and talk about something else, like where did he get that scar on his lip? or something useful like that.