Wayne Allyn Root Marches On

It's a hot topic in the left-libertarian blogging community: What happened to Wayne Allyn Root? Since clinching the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nomination in May, Root appeared with Barr on one Fox Business interview and then slipped out of the national media gaze. That, and the fact that Barr's campaign site barely acknowledged Root, set tongues wagging about Root's role on the ticket.

Well, never mind. The Barr campaign is relaunching its site to feature Root more prominently, leading off with this video:

Root e-mailed me to explain what he's up to. "The miracle of modern media allows me to campaign across the counry from my home offices in either Vegas or Park City, Utah," he wrote. "Today—through the magic of radio—I was in San Francisco, New Mexico, Connecticut and Buffalo. I do 3 to 5 radio interviews a day, plus web interviews and blogs."

Root's also fundraising for the LP and planning for the San Francisco pride parade, where he'll be "waving to the crowd from a convertible."

I asked Root what he thought of the Obama campaign buying ads in Nevada, Montana, and Alaska—states that almost never vote Democratic, but where the LP vote is strong. "The Barr/Root campaign thinks we can make it a close three-way horse race in many Mountain West states—add Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado to that list. I think many other states are 'in play,' too." But Nevada is definetly "ground zero" for our campaign. I will be literally living in the Mountain West states nonstop this Fall, once voters attention turns from summer days at the beach to the Presidential election."

Meanwhile, the latest poll out of Georgia shows Obama and McCain in a statistical dead heat, with Barr pulling 6 percent of the vote.

You can check out reason's panel with Barr, Root, defeated LP candidate Mike Gravel, and Ron Paul Republican Vern McKinley, right here.

Comments

[Strop]

Nothing new about this. McKinley campaigned from his porch in 1896.

[Jeff Wartman]

Very professional and effective video!

[Waquoit]

Is this guy Root, Wayne Root the scamdicapper? For VP? This is a joke, right?

[Brandybuck]

Barely acknowledged? He's right on the front page of Barr's site!

[jtuf]

Barr should focus his campaign on legalizing marijuana on the federal level. Obama bragged about inhaling to rally the base, but now that the house has a bill to legalize it he decided against sponsoring a senate version.

[John C Jackson]

Yeah, where is Root? He is doing nowhere near the media appearances of Richard Campagna or Art Olivier. Even Jo Jorgensen was all over TV when she ran.

[joe]

Oh, man, fish in a barrel. Fish in a barrel.

I just can't do it.

[Bramblyspam]

Looks nice, but I'm not sure it says enough. Barr will need to spell out much more clearly what sets him apart from the major party candidates. If he doesn't, then the constituency that wants change will simply vote for Obama.

Perot ran some very effective ads that highlighted why the two major party candidates weren't good enough. He was actually tied with Clinton and Bush in the national polls at one point, before he flaked out and melted down. If Barr wants to stand a chance, I think he'll need to get much more specific on exactly what's wrong with this country, and why neither of the two major party candidates will fix the problems. I'm hoping there'll be ads like that as election day draws closer.

Sample Perot ad from 1992

[Warren]

The Barr campaign is relaunching its site to feature Root more prominently,

Why the hell would they do that? Putting Root in the cellar (HA) was Barr's best decision since winning the nomination.

So where is this big mainstream appeal Barr was suppose to bring to the party anyway?

[thoreau]

Root looks better on camera. He has better make up and he's taller. They should have played with chairs and camera angles to make Barr look at least as tall as Root, and they should have told Barr to sit up straight in his chair.

[Chris Potter]

At least Wayne Allyn Root isn't trying to hide his middle name like some other candidates I could mention...

[Franklin Harris]

Meanwhile, the latest poll out of Georgia shows Obama and McCain in a statistical dead heat, with Barr pulling 6 percent of the vote.

Obama + Barr = the night the lights went out in Georgia for McCain.

Forget Ohio and Florida. Georgia is going to be were the action is.

[Chris Potter]

Warren,

Barr has been on cable news networks already 10x more than Badnarik was for the whole campaign in '04. I know that won't stop you from carping because the purists didn't win at the convention, but I try.

[joe]

Chris, I'll have you know that Sidney is ALSO a boy's name. And very butch.

Like Stacey. Or Kerry.

[John-David]

I'm just wondering where Eric Dondero is.

[SIV]

Forget Ohio and Florida. Georgia is going to be were the action is.

McCain will have to really fuck up to lose GA.
I could see it happening though.

[Ayn_Randian]

Chris - shh! Warren is hellbent on believing that Barr is neither a real libertarian nor an effective candidate. Your "reason" and "logic" and "facts" cannot stand in the way of those articles of faith.

[Chris Potter]

joe,

So is Joe. nyaaaaaahhhhaaaa

[Jack]

John-David: "I'm just wondering where Eric Dondero is."

I heard the last donkey show went a little... off.

[Fritz]

""The miracle of modern media allows me to campaign across the counry from my home offices in either Vegas or Park City, Utah," he wrote."

So, is he now going to give stump speeches from his couch?

[Trevor]

I hope Barrbomb.com turns out to be a hit. Barr needs to get some attention.

[Thomas L. Knapp]

"I'm just wondering where Eric Dondero is."

Last I heard, he was petitioning for Libertarian Party ballot access in Illinois.

[Carl Kibermante]

One September rolls around we won't hear much if anything from Wayne Root. He'll be producing and staring in his weekly football tout infomertial TV and radio show. From the looks of things this guy has run every business he has been involved in right to the ground. As long as he gets paid his salary and bonuses he's happy. If his high pressure boiler room business scams people out of their hard earned money then so be it as far as he's concerned. He's a regular con artist in most people's opinion that know him well.

[Ayn_Randian]

wow Carl...that's a whole lot of unsubstantiated mudslinging.

if you want, feel free to e-mail me a list of names, numbers and e-mail addresses of people who can attest to the fact that a successful millionaire "is a con artist" and a bad businessman.

I won't hold my breath.

Last I heard, he was petitioning for Libertarian Party ballot access in Illinois.

He may be mistaken on the regular, but that kid's got heart, I tells ya.

[jtuf]

Carl, I see what you mean. Most small business owners with that success rate would have switched to a heavily subsidized industry by now. They also would have enrolled their kids into public school so they could focus more on work. Although, I had not heard of any pending fraud investigations. Do you have the case numbers so I can look them up?

[enrique]

I was at the post nomination banquet and sat at the table with Root's campaign manager. I was shocked when Root came up and started talking about how he had to "meet with Barr and his people so we can be on the same page and hit the same points."

I confess that I have only been in the party since the mid 90s but I cannot remember any VP candidate in the LP care one lick what the Pres. candidate is doing much less what their 'message is'. Usually they do interviews and hit whatever points they like and just spread the LP message.

You could probably argue that is all he will do anyway but the fact that he is trying to coordinate with Barr shows how much more professional this campaign is likely going to be. (As to its success... we'll see and hope for the best.)

[Nigel Watt]

Last I heard, he was petitioning for Libertarian Party ballot access in Illinois.

As long as he's not saying a word.

[PC]

Wayne Allen Root? Who did he kill, he does have three names?

[Pro Libertate]

I intend to vote for Babar. Remember, that's one B.

[Randolph Carter]

I just hope that they put his full name, not the acronym, on the ballot.

No one's going to vote for Barr and WAR!

[Pro Libertate]

I just ran across an AOL poll about who McCain should select as his VP. You pick five out of a group. The only easy one (#1) for me was Mark Sanford.

[Brian24]

Pro,

No, it's two. Just not right next to each other. I thought that's what you meant.

[Pro Libertate]

Isn't there a children's book about an elephant named Babar?

[ludwig]

Where's the video / audio of the entire hour-long barr/gravel debate?

[James B.]

One September rolls around we won't hear much if anything from Wayne Root. He'll be producing and staring in his weekly football tout infomertial TV and radio show. From the looks of things this guy has run every business he has been involved in right to the ground. As long as he gets paid his salary and bonuses he's happy. If his high pressure boiler room business scams people out of their hard earned money then so be it as far as he's concerned. He's a regular con artist in most people's opinion that know him well.

What are the equal time implications of Root appearing on those Handicapper's infomercials?

Will the cable stations have to allow Cynthia McKinney on to announce her 5-star lock in the WNBA playoffs?

[Chevy]

PL,

I don't know. I don't have any elephant books.

[joe]

So is Joe. nyaaaaaahhhhaaaa

Whatever you say, Chrissy.

😉

[Utah Libertarian]

Wayne Root has a home office in Utah? I've never seen him active in the local Libertarian Party. Ask the LPUtah's leadership how much they've seen of Mr. Root.

Seems like the Nevada LP's delegation didn't think too much of the candidacy of the "King of Vegas" at the national convention either.

Speaking of Jo Jorgensen, where the heck is she? A Google search turns up almost nothing. She seems to have dropped off of the face of the planet (not that disappearing from the grid is necessarily a bad thing) after the 1996 campaign with Harry Browne.

[PicassoIII]

Politics is as much show business as it is principled action.
The LP has a golden opportunity to make a splash here. Wayne is a handsome devil and could match Obama's prowess in front of a crowd or on camera. Barr carries the best name recognition in a long time. Both need to hammer the very 'alternative' nature of LP principles and hog the camera starting yesterday.
Even a few good words from Paul would help immensely, even if an 'endorsement' isn't forthcoming.
The 'brand' MUST capitalize on this cycle and then parlay into other federal and state offices in the next two.

[Shakaama Live]

Wayne Allyn Root has been co-opting his way into the LP. Enough is enough.

He is not libertarian. At some point, someone needs to stand up and show him the door. Will the LP just remain quiet for the publicity of it? What about actually having a Libertarian on T.V. instead of WAR. omg what a novel idea.