Special to The ConservativeVoice.com
Bob Barr, who helped lead the 1998 impeachment of President Clinton, is the object of an alliance of conservative and libertarians seeking to recruit the former Georgia Republican congressman as a third-party presidential candidate.
Now an Atlanta-based activist with the Libertarian Party, Barr has repeatedly disavowed any intention of seeking the LP's 2008 presidential nomination. He reiterated that stance Monday during an appearance on Neal Boortz's Atlanta-based syndicated talk radio program.
"Right now, he's concentrating on establishing the Libertarian Party as a viable third party," said Derek Barr, the former congressman's son, who now serves as his father's communication and research director.
However, efforts to push a Barr candidacy were given new impetus last week when Rep. Ron Paul sent a letter to his supporters announcing plans to scale back his Republican presidential campaign and concentrate on his congressional re-election fight in Texas.
Several organizers behind the draft-Barr movement were supporters of the Paul presidential campaign. Last week, Barr introduced Paul at of the 35th annual Conservative Political Action Conference, calling the Texas congressman "the Constitution's best friend" and "the gold standard of conservatism" in the GOP presidential campaign.
Barr's backers have also solicited support among conservative Republicans who were disappointed by last week's announcement -- made on the opening day of CPAC -- that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was suspending his Republican presidential campaign.
Former Romney backers were "very excited" by proposals to recruit Barr for a White House run on the Libertarian ticket, a source said.
Barr would join a crowded field of a LP presidential hopefuls, including Las Vegas oddsmaker Wayne Allen Root and Florida businessman Daniel Imperato. Barr's advantages include his national name recognition -- as one of the most prominent Republicans elected to Congress in the 1994 "Republican Revolution" led by Newt Gingrich -- and his ability to appeal to conservative voters.
Barr has also been associated with the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group whose members have been among the most prominent critics of the 2002 campaign-finance legislation co-sponsored by Arizona Sen. John McCain, now the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination.
One supporter said Barr could become the "heir apparent" to Paul, whose campaign raised more than $30 million. In a Friday message to supporters, Paul -- who was the 1988 LP candidate -- definitively ruled out a third-party White House run this year.
Another pro-Barr activist who is familiar with details of the record-setting online fundraising operation for Paul's campaign said the Texan's donors are primed to shift their contributions to a Libertarian candidate "who's got a real chance" to win in November.
"They're ready to go," said the Internet activist, who said he'd been trying to persuade Barr to seek the LP nomination since last fall. "It's very logical -- that's what's next."
The online Barr backer, a longtime Libertarian, said he was at first skeptical when the Georgia Republican switched to the LP in 2006.
"I've been very, very impressed," he said of Barr, a former federal prosecutor. "He's completely turned around" on key Libertarian issues, including decriminalization of marijuana. However, Barr's supporters would expect him to advocate a conservative stance on immigration -- a position shared by Paul.
Another Barr supporter noted that the former House Judiciary Committee member's role in the 1998 Clinton impeachment would make for an interesting media angle, should former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton win the Democratic Party nomination.
"It's a sequel -- a rematch," the supporter said.
