While being interviewed on CNN by Wolf Blitzer, Ron Paul was asked if he would consider endorsing Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr. Here is what Dr. Paul said:
“I think [Bob Barr] is running a very important race, and I’m encouraging him. I haven’t endorsed him, but he’s saying the kind of things I like to hear said, and I hope he does real well.”
But Paul was quick to add: “But we also have Chuck Baldwin, who runs on the Constitution Party. His views are very very close to mine, and he worked very hard in my campaign, so for me to pick one over the other is not easy. I hope they both, together, get a lot of votes.”
When asked if a good turnout for Barr and Baldwin would hurt John McCain, Paul said that many of his young supporters are torn between Ron Paul and Barack Obama.
Ron Paul also said that he will not vote for or endorse John McCain unless McCain changes his positions on foreign policy and the Federal Reserve. In response to a viewer question, Paul said he almost definitely would not be willing to serve as McCain’s VP, even in the unlikely event that he was chosen or nominated from the floor.
Watch the video below:
52 responses so far ↓
1 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:24 am
well that’s about it as far as I can determine. RP calls himself a conservative republican. He says Baldwin is very close to him ideologically just as I determined. So we have Paul, Barr & Baldwin as “true” conservative republicans or dixiecrat conservatives or Constitutionalists- NOT LIBERTARIANS. Therefore Barr should be removed with cause pursuant to LP bylaws. I recommend replaced with Milnes/Kwiatkowski. But Bob, you aren’t a libertarian either. that is arguable by definition of left libertarian which I claim to be simultaneous to left anarchist. There is an overlap. Besides, it is quite different to nominate a non libertarian by mistake or subterfuge or other reason than to deliberately nominate a non libertarian as part of a calculated strategy to dramaticly favorably alter the election dynamic. A fusion ticket. KK can reach many rightist Paulites. I can reach those that even Paul says are considering Obama. -leftist/progressives. This would be a VERY inclusive ticket. this is a potentially winning strategy. I propose a vote at the next LNC meeting.
2 MattSwartz // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:25 am
. I haven’t endorsed him, but he’s saying the kind of things I like to hear said, and I hope he does real well.â€
This is a very guarded, very tentative, word of praise. Would I be wrong to infer that Paul might have some questions about Barr’s motives or character? Barr is a lawyer and career politician who has changed his positions a great deal over the years. Someone like that would certainly benefit a great deal if Paul would affirm his character in some way, but it doesn’t happen.
3 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:25 am
You can’t reach anyone, Milnes. Not ONE person. Put your head in the oven, man.
4 Mike Theodore // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:27 am
G.E.
Mind your manners. Robert is a guest on your site.
5 Mike Theodore // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:27 am
6 Hugh Jass // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:31 am
Wait, so being a dixiecrat isn’t libertarian, but advocating white supremacy is?
7 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:37 am
Hugh Jass, what are you talkimg about?
8 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:41 am
G.E. , here’s one for you. Would you rather have Barr or Milnes as LP nominee?
9 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:42 am
Mike Theodore, it is ok. I’m used to G.E.’s voltage.
10 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:46 am
G.E., choke on that!
11 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:47 am
Barr.
12 Hugh Jass // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:53 am
“Hugh Jass, what are you talkimg about?”
Well, let’s just say that a certain lunatic who posts in the comments section of a certain third-party news website supports colonization of the middle east and the deportation of african-americans.
13 Thomas M. Sipos // Aug 23, 2008 at 1:48 am
Milnes: “I can reach those that even Paul says are considering Obama. -leftist/progressives.”
While some of your criticisms of others have some, slight, accuracy, you have a HUGE blind spot: your own worth as a candidate.
Nobody wants you Milnes. Nobody.
Any ticket with Robert Milnes on it would be inclusive of no one because nobody wants Milnes.
Not progressives, not Greens, not left libertarians, not right libertarians, not center libertarians, not Marxists, not Maoists, not conservatives, not dixiecrats, not neoconservatives, not liberals, not neoliberals, not Republicans, not Democrats, not independents, not Nazis, not Constitutionalists, not Tories, not Labour, not Likkud, not Baathists, not the Dalai Lama, not Shiites, not Sunnis, not Christians, not Jews, not feminists, not Objectivists, not collectivists, not monarchists, not aristocrats, not oligarchs, not feudalists, not neo-feudalists, not fascists, not neo-fascists, not the Illuminati, not the Bavarian Branch of the Illuminati, not Opus Dei, not the Pope, not the Freemasons, not Hindu nationalists, not Basque separatists, not Polynesian cargo cultists, not nobody, nowhere on this or any other world.
No, not even the Gray Aliens, nor the Reptilians, nor any living being anywhere in the universe would vote for a ticket with Robert Milnes on it.
14 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 1:52 am
Obama picks Biden vp.
15 Anti-Corporate // Aug 23, 2008 at 1:53 am
I think this video is pretty old.
16 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:01 am
Hugh jass, oh, you refer to my very rational proposals of making Afghanistan a colony state & voluntary subsidized emmigration. They have nothing to do with white supremacy though.
17 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:02 am
Anti-Corporate, I think losing again is pretty old.
18 Robert Milnes // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:12 am
G.E., & which has a better chance of winning, Barr/Root or Milnes/Kwiatkowski?
19 Deran // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:29 am
On the other hand…I noticed that in the video and text, the tone of Dr. Paul’s discussion of the two candidates was different. Congressman Paul seemed, to me, more cautious in his praise of Mr. Barr, and slightly more enthusiastic abt Mr. Baldwin?
I think Dr. Paul supports the idea of development of a right independent of the GOP, as part of building a broader and stronger “liberty” movement? So, he tacitly allows his name to potentially be entered on the ballot in a couple states, or not if they don’t work out, and he is pleasantly supportive of both independent right candidates?
20 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:37 am
Deran – The text is directly quoted from Ron Paul, every word he said. How would you have liked me to more accurately reflect his tone?
Barr/Root has 0.0000000000000000000001% chance of winning.
But there is even less chance that Karen Kwiatkowski would even consider, even for one nanosecond, running with you or even having anything to do with you for any reason whatsoever.
21 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:38 am
Yeah, it looks like it was added June 18. I’m surprised it didn’t make more news then.
22 NewFederalist // Aug 23, 2008 at 8:57 am
Baldwin has apparently been invited to speak at Pauls’ “Rally for the Republic” in St. Paul during the GOP convention. I don’t believe Barr has received a similar invitation. For what it’s worth…
23 Nexus // Aug 23, 2008 at 10:12 am
” G.E. , here’s one for you. Would you rather have Barr or Milnes as LP nominee?
Barr.”
Coming from GE, I’d say that’s about as bad an insult as you can get.
NewFederalist:
If that is true then I’d say it’s a done deal as far as who Dr. Paul will endorse.
24 Trent Hill // Aug 23, 2008 at 10:20 am
NewFederalist,
My understanding is not that Baldwin has been invited to “speak” to the Rally for the Republic, but he is going, has paid for a major sponsorship of the event, will have front-row tickets, and will be campaigning hard.
Is anyone going?
25 mscrib // Aug 23, 2008 at 11:58 am
For what it’s worth, the RNC is in St. Paul and the Paultard c3LOVEbration is in Minneapolis.
26 VTV // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Baldwin also spoke at the recent rally in DC, and Barr was not asked to be there either.
27 inDglass // Aug 23, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Several weeks ago, maybe at the rally in D.C., I heard Paul say he will announce who he is supporting sometime after the RNC. I hope and expect that it will be Chuck Baldwin.
28 Fred Church Ortiz // Aug 23, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I’ll definitely be there.
29 Trent Hill // Aug 23, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Fred,
Please give us a few updates throughout the day. Or at the very least, call Jason Seagraves (or me) and give us the updates,so we can post them here. Unique content during the LP Convention is what made this blog takeoff,and i’d bet unique-content during this event would do the same. (though it’ll need to be unique content still).
30 Mike Theodore // Aug 23, 2008 at 2:13 pm
“Yeah, it looks like it was added June 18. I’m surprised it didn’t make more news then.”
It grabbed a few headlines.
31 LEFT- // Aug 23, 2008 at 3:30 pm
your all stupid
neither one will win
don’t waste your time or your vote
32 Trent Hill // Aug 23, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Time – I’ll be in the voting booth anyway.
Vote – I’ll be voting for someone who wont start a war, wont egregiously trample all over the Constitution, and wont raise my taxes.
Nope,no waste here.
33 Andy // Aug 23, 2008 at 4:38 pm
By not endorsing either Barr or Baldwin or anyone else for that matter, Ron Paul is abusing his position as a leader in the Liberty Movement.
34 Deran // Aug 23, 2008 at 4:56 pm
“Deran – The text is directly quoted from Ron Paul, every word he said. How would you have liked me to more accurately reflect his tone?”
I wasn’t criticizing, G.E., I was just speculating on Paul maybe favoring one over the other, but not wanting to discourage either.
Probably meaningless speculation, but just speculation.
Your reporting is always great. Your “hot headed” opinions are where I get twitchy.
35 Morgan Wick // Aug 23, 2008 at 5:18 pm
“that is arguable by definition of left libertarian which I claim to be simultaneous to left anarchist.”
I’m sorry, anarchists do NOT make up one-sixth of the electorate.
36 Trent Hill // Aug 23, 2008 at 5:22 pm
“By not endorsing either Barr or Baldwin or anyone else for that matter, Ron Paul is abusing his position as a leader in the Liberty Movement.”
Abusing? He is protecting it.
37 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 5:31 pm
My bad. I see now that I misinterpreted your words.
Twitch all you want! I’m very thankful for the compliment in the first part of the sentence.
38 inDglass // Aug 23, 2008 at 5:39 pm
You spelled “you’re” wrong. Punctuation is good too. Who is the idiot?
39 Mike Gillis // Aug 23, 2008 at 6:41 pm
“I would rather vote for what I want and not get it, than vote for what I don’t want…and get it.”
– Eugene Debs.
40 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Yeah, but what to do when no candidate represents even close to what you want?
41 Fred Church Ortiz // Aug 23, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Write-in Yonyuth Hongsakaphadana.
42 Mike Gillis // Aug 23, 2008 at 7:33 pm
“Yeah, but what to do when no candidate represents even close to what you want?”
Run.
43 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Why?
All I want is to be left alone.
There’s a concept known as division of labor.
44 Mike Gillis // Aug 23, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Well, I guess you’re up shit creek, GE.
There’s always writing in “Fuck You”, which you seemed excited about.
45 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Yes, Mike, but it’s not just me being difficult. Libertarians have been disenfranchised by the nomination of Barr.
“Fuck You!” is running a close, close second to Baldwin; with McKinney right behind in third.
Too bad there’s no option for Gloria LaRiva.
46 VTV // Aug 23, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Nope. I agree Jason. Jason Seagraves, 2008. I am writing you in.
47 G.E. // Aug 23, 2008 at 11:18 pm
If I do manage to get the electors, please don’t write me in. I’m trying to go down in history with one vote!
48 George Phillies // Aug 24, 2008 at 10:21 am
If you listen carefully, you will notice that Paul is asked about Barr, and brings up Baldwin spontaneously. Barr is said to be saying important things that need to be said, while Baldwin has views “very close to mine” and worked “very hard on my campaign”. Baldwin appeared at the Paul DC march and by report will appear at the Paul RNC event; Barr did not.
49 Nexus // Aug 24, 2008 at 10:35 am
“If I do manage to get the electors, please don’t write me in. I’m trying to go down in history with one vote!”
That means you’ll beat Milnes by one vote.
50 Steven R Linnabary // Aug 24, 2008 at 11:59 am
Baldwin appeared at the Paul DC march and by report will appear at the Paul RNC event; Barr did not.
But I hear that the Barr campaign is trying to rent the restaurant across the street from the Paul Rally. They need $6000 to rent the facility for one morning.
PEACE
Steve
51 marc // Aug 24, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Baldwin spoke for about 5 minutes at the Revolution March Rally on July 12th. Barr spoke at the rally back on April 15th dubbed the Freedom Rally. Both events were organized by organizations other than the official campaign or CFL.
-Marc
52 inDglass // Aug 24, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Baldwin shortened his speech at the Revolution March because he was the last speaker before Ron Paul and the schedule was behind. He offered to give up time from his own speech so that Ron Paul could keep his full slot.
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