"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

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May 26, 2008

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair."

So, the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate for 2008 is former Congressman Bob Barr. Barr served Georgia's Fourth District as an elected Republican, but joined the Libertarian Party in 2006.

No doubt you've picked up on the notion in recent weeks that Barr is viewed by some of your more die-hard Libertarian Party members as not only a newcomer, but an outright impostor. I happen to disagree, because I believe that if there is any such thing as a "big tent party," it's the LP. The very concept of Liberty would suggest the same, no? All should be welcome that strive for freedom first, and all that jazz.

But the real story here is not which candidate is the most (or least) ideologically pure. To this observer, the tale that needs to be told is one of witches and of kings, and of prophecies that come true. Yes, I'm speaking of the Scottish play, thanks to the good wife (as she has studied and played it, and I am but casually familiar). and the media whose take on the "weird sisters" is appallingly real.

The witches foretell, and it comes to pass. Bob Barr announced his candidacy rather late in the game; but as soon as he did, one would never have known that there were others in the race. It would seem that the media seized upon a name they knew from Washington, and began asking questions like "would a Bob Barr campaign take votes from McCain?" Oh, it's just an innocent, hypothetical question, right? There's no planting going on there.

However, we cannot cast Bob Barr as Macbeth; that role, dear readers, belongs to all of us. We allow ourselves to be brainwashed (to put it bluntly) by the suggestive monotone, and we then think only within the shoddy framework that is constructed. (And, to be fair, the other late bloomer in the party, Mike Gravel, received just about as much lopsided attention from the pundits as did Barr.)

Or am I way off base? Did Bob Barr simply present the best platform, and did the Libertarian National Convention delegates respond to it, despite any perceived media intervention?

Somehow I wonder if Mary Ruwart or Steve Kubby wouldn't disagree.

Also see Post Politics for some very good analysis and a stack of links. And this quote:

It seems ironic that a true independent voter with libertarian leanings, leanings many independent voters posses[s], would find it just as hard placing themselves on the libertarian spectrum as they likely do a more traditional spectrum.

There is absolutely no indication that Kleinheider is talking about me (and indeed, I'm aware of how admitting to thinking he was would portray my ego), but at the same time: I just tried on that shoe, and it seems to fit.

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