Bob Barr to Run for President

Former Republican Representative from Georgia, Bob Barr, officially announced his run for president today. Barr will first have to secure the Libertarian Party's nomination. If Barr does get on the ballot in November, he is perceived as a potential drain on John McCain's support among reluctant conservatives.

Barr helped lead the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton. He has since broke with the Republican party over a variety of issues, including the Patriot Act and the invasion and occupation of Iraq, which Barr fervently opposes. He has consistently railed against the politics of fear, a theme he hit on again in his statement today, "We believe in an America that is not and should not be and should never be driven by fear as current policies on behalf of both parties are in this country," Barr said.

Barr believes his campaign has the potential to pick up where Ron Paul's primary campaign left off. In March, he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Ron Paul tapped into a great deal of that dissatisfaction and that awareness. Unfortunately, working through the Republican party structure, it became impossible for him to really move forward with his movement. But we have to have a rallying point out there to harness that energy, that freedom in this election cycle."