Denver - Day 2
I'm down in the main lobby where all the candidates and organizations are. I'm taking some pictures for later. Barr has a very large presence, other candidates have a good presence as well. Mike Gravel has a huge booth, but it seems so odd to see him here.
I got credentials this morning, it didn't take too long. I've bumped into several friends. I'm sitting here with Steve Perkins and Jamie and Natalie Barker. Steve is a commenter here.
By-laws and platform are on the schedule this morning, which should be pretty interesting. This will be the first fight between moderates and purists
I'll be updating throughout the day.
[9:38am] Delegates are starting to file in. The general business session is about to begin. The Georgia delegation has a meeting at 12pm. I'll be going to the lunch with David Harsanyi, which is one of the events I have been looking forward to.
David Nolan, the found of the party, is making a motion to limit debate on platform and by-laws to spend more time on the presidential nomination process.
[9:58am] Nolan's motion failed. A second motion passed to adopt the agenda. This was sort of the first shot across the bow between the two factions of party. The moderates/reformers take the first round.
[10:03am] I just met Steve Kubby, one of the candidates for the presidential nomination. Seemed like a nice guy. You can read his story here.
[10:07am] You can view some pictures from the convention here. I'm taking some pictures as well, I'm not sure when I'll be able to upload them.
[10:13am] We'll be breaking until 10:30am, when the body will begin debating the by-laws.
[10:35am] I'm giving Sharon Harris a hand with the Advocates for Self-Government booth while she does her workshop this morning. I have a lot of respect for what Sharon does. She is such a nice lady and it was a privilege to meet her.
[10:40am] I just got an invite for Bob Barr's reception this evening.
[2:27pm] It has been an interesting day so far. We just had our caucus for the LNC Southeast region, which is now super-region (two representatives to the LNC). There were three candidates nominated, Bob Barr, Stuart Flood and Lee Wrights. Both Flood and Barr were elected. Four candidates were nominated for two alternate spots. Most if not all of the Georgia delegation backed Heather Scott, a county commissioner from Tennessee. Lee Wrights won the second alternate.
[3:20pm] The Credentials Committee just announced that there 518 delegates.
[3:22pm] I didn't realize it but I have a reserved seat at a media table on the convention floor between Antiwar.com and Reason: Hit & Run.
[3:25pm] Mike Gravel just walked by Steve Perkins and myself. We talked to him for a moment. He seems like a very nice guy.
[4:01pm] Starchild has spoke a couple times on by-laws issues. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the LP, Starchild dresses in costume for the convention every year. You can view costumes from previous years here and here. This year...he is dressed as a pirate.
[5:37pm] Libertarians do things a little different. Presidential candidates have to get 30 "tokens" in order to get on the ballot for the nomination and 80 tokens in order to participate in the debate. We heard from Mike Gravel's camp not too long ago that he doesn't even have the 30 tokens to be on the ballot.
[5:40pm] We are wrangling over platform language and the statement of principles right now. It's getting interesting. Right now there is a 7/8 requirement to change the statement of principles. Reformers are attempting to lower the threshold to 2/3.
[5:53pm] Steve Perkins tells me that the abortion and immigration planks of the platform have been retained, they were apparently voted on while I was getting my computer charger out of my room.
[8:48pm] After all of the wrangling over by-laws, a group from the Georgia delegation went over to Marlow's, a very good steakhouse just down the street, and had dinner. In about ten minutes I'll be heading a reception for Bob Barr. There was an "unofficial debate" this evening between some of the candidates, Barr and Wayne Allyn Root did not attend. I'm saving my energy for tomorrow night.
[8:54pm] I was wrong about Gravel. He has the tokens to be on the ballot, but not enough for the debate.
[10:08pm] I just got back from the reception. Green Death should be on the way in any minute now. He took a later flight because his son is graduating from school. The reception was encouraging. There was an excellent turnout and I was told that there will be another one tomorrow.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I've picked up some new reading thanks to Laissez Faire Books. I bought Restoring the Lost Constitution by Randy Barnett, The Dirty Dozen by William Mellor and Bob Levy and The Law by Frédéric Bastiat.
I'm off to bed.
Comments
Jason, thanks so much for posting this information. It's very helpful for Ron Paul Republicans like me who are weighing whether or not to change political parties before elections this fall.
Posted by: Some_other_Valerie | May 23, 2008 02:39 PM
Wow...judging from all the anti-Barr propaganda photos on Reason, I'd say it's going to be tough sledding from here on out. Good luck.
Posted by: Jace Walden | May 23, 2008 03:08 PM
The divisions here are not that unusual. There are divisions along ideological grounds in the two major parties. What is good is if all groups can unite on a common ideology and reach consensus on msome major issues. I still think Bob Barr is the best bet in climbing to a respectable vote total that may make it easier for Libertarians to have access to ballots in the various states.
Posted by: Professor Wells | May 23, 2008 03:35 PM
I've got this nagging suspicion that the hardcores are going to join forces w/ the Kubby, Ruwart, and Phillies factions coming together to ensure that a "purist' will be at the top of the ticket...Jesus, I hope not.
Any word on which way the wind is blowing?
Posted by: Marshall | May 23, 2008 08:12 PM
Marshall,
It's very hard to tell now. I believe the Barr folks are gearing up for a fight. Ruwart seems to be the alternative to Barr.
However, as the day went along I saw more and more delegates wearing pro-Barr buttons and stickers.
It looks promising, but it is just too difficult to say right now.
Posted by: Jason | May 23, 2008 10:54 PM
I wonder if Jason will go to the bar and have a "green death."
Posted by: Harry Johnson | May 24, 2008 12:15 AM
No, sir. I'm all set. I don't drink much as it is, but grain alcohol and lime concentrate is not something I think I want.
Posted by: Jason | May 24, 2008 12:20 AM
Now hang on--- green death is not made with grain alcohol -- here's the recipe for green death... get a can of frozen limeaid - everywhere it calls for water substitute the words "cheap vodka from a plastic bottle"... if you are having a fancy party, cut up some fresh lime and put in pitcher as garnish...
I doubt we will find a bar that serves it here...
Posted by: Green Death | May 24, 2008 08:25 AM
Is Antiwar.com actually blogging the convention? Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, but I can't find anything about Denver on their site. Which writer from AWC is seated next to you? (Not that I'm not loving YOUR blogging, of course!)
Posted by: Lee | May 24, 2008 03:05 PM
Angela Keaton is here. I'm not sitting on Bloggers Row. She is working the crowd for her re-election to the LNC.
Posted by: Jason | May 24, 2008 03:08 PM
The LP might as well change its name to the Bob Barr Conservative Republican Party
Bob Barr definitely isn't a Libertarian. Bob Barr is the same nasty conservative Republican liberty stripper that he has always been. His voting record can only be described as anti-Libertarian at best. Bob Barr just hijacked the Libertarian Party because the LP has ballot access and contributor lists. Rumor had it that he tried to take over the U.S. Constitution Party earlier, but failed. I also heard that Barr bragged that Libertarians were gullible and that he could easily take over the party. Obviously that statement was true. His Republican buddies jammed the convention and overwhelmed the true Libertarians at the convention. It looked like Bob had stacked several state delegation with his own cronies. It was also evident that he bought off several Benedict Arnolds within the party. Even David Nolen called Daniel Williams the "Judas that sold out the party" after the VP vote. Unless true Libertarians mobilize against this takeover threat to Libertarians everywhere, the LP is doomed. Of course, it may already be too late. Barr has already poisoned the party with his Republican henchmen.
Bob Barr's apology during the debates reminded me of a National Socialist concentration camp Commandant apologizing for gassing 6 million people. "I'm sorry that I hurt people with the Defense of Marriage Act.....blah, blah, blah." Sorry, Bob, after gassing 6 million people, enacting the Defense of Marriage Act, stripping Americans of rights with the evil Patriot Act, endorsing an even more aggressive War on Drugs, etc. - you can't be forgiven for the damage that you have done to the American people.
Bob Barr has raped Lady Liberty with his dirty Republican politics. It remains to be seen whether the membership will be able to stop this Republican thug from transforming the party into Bob Barr's new home for disaffected Republican conservatives who are upset with John McCain's "liberal" philosophy. All true Libertarians will do their best to run these Republican thugs out of the party.
Congratulations LP! You've just thrown your statement of principles away and entered the dirty, repulsive, repugnant cesspool of mainstream Republican and Democratic politics. I hereby nominate the PL for the 2008 Politically Slimy Convention Award. The LP only has to beat the Democrats this year.
Posted by: TrueLibertarian | May 27, 2008 04:18 PM
Spare me. Bob Barr is a libertarian. I know this to be a fact. He apologized for his mistakes in Congress and is our nominee. He has spent the last five years working to undo the PATRIOT Act.
I've seen the change in him. It's real. He will represent the party and its platform well.
The party grew up this weekend and it's time that we step up to the plate or drift off into obscurity and get .5% of the vote again.
Posted by: Jason | May 27, 2008 04:29 PM