LAWRENCEVILLE, Aug. 10, 2002 – Congressman John Linder is expecting Barr-hunting Libertarians and Democrats to help him defeat Congressman Bob Barr in the upcoming primary election.
Libertarian Carole Ann Rand recently announced that she is running for the 7th Congressional District seat, but her name won’t even be listed on the Aug. 20 primary ballot.
However, Rand’s purpose isn’t to win an election, but to stop Barr. Libertarians recently began attacking Barr for his hard-line stance against illegal drug use in a blistering ad campaign.
Oddly enough, as the Libertarian’s negative ad campaign against Barr cranks up, Linder has decided to ask that they back off.
“According to press reports, I understand that the Libertarian Party intends to run television advertisements with the intention of influencing the 7th District Congressional Primary. I ask them not to do this,” Linder states in an article posted on his Web site.
In light of Linder’s statement, the Barr campaign wonders aloud why Linder is only now coming out against the Libertarian attack ads.
A Barr recent press release states: “‘According to press reports?’ Is John Linder now claiming ignorance of a release first posted on his own campaign Web site all the way back on May 13 announcing this negative campaign?”
The Barr camp points out that for more than two months Linder has been boasting of his Libertarian support and the article remains posted on his Web site even today as he denounces it.
Soon after the Libertarian Party announced they would target Barr for his anti-drug legalization stance, members of Linder’s own Republican Party, including Bartow County Republican Party Chairman Barry Loudermilk, asked Linder to denounce the Libertarian ideals, including legalizing drugs, gambling and prostitution.
Linder finally complied and on July 31 asked the Libertarians to curtail their involvement in the Republican primary – more than two months later.
In the mean time, Rand and the Libertarians have already launched their ad campaign. Beginning this week, the Libertarians began running a television ad featuring a hospitalized woman with multiple sclerosis. The woman says that Barr would have her put in jail for using medical marijuana.
Linder has said he is also opposed to the use of medical marijuana, but he is more low-key in his opposition Libertarians surmise. Therefore, they choose to attack Barr instead.
Barr spokesman Walsh questions Linder sincerity in denouncing the Libertarian involvement.
“Mr. Linder has known since May that the Libertarian Party was planning a negative ad campaign against Bob Barr for his opposition to drug legalization, and yet, for almost 80 days, he not only failed to condemn it, he encouraged it, just as he’s encouraging Democrats to vote in the Republican primary,” said Brian Walsh, Barr’s communications director.
Linder now openly boasts that he has the support of some Democrats, who will be cross over voters on Aug. 20. Barr has pointed out on more than one occasion that the Democrats have targeted him for defeat.
Now, in an Aug. 1 Washington Times article, Linder is quoted as saying that Democrats will help him keep his job.
According to the article: “We get Democrats calling to ask what to do to vote on the Republican ballot,” the current 11th District representative said. “There is going to be some Democratic vote, and it’s going to be for me. No Democrat would vote for Bob Barr.”
Once again, Linder is revealing a little bit about himself, Walsh says.
“It is the height of hypocrisy for John Linder to ‘disavow’ the Libertarians’ negative ads with a Washington wink-and-smile, and then turn around and encourage Democrats to vote in a Republican primary,” Walsh said. “We don’t know what’s more disturbing – the fact that Mr. Linder still has not condemned the drug legalization movement or the fact that his campaign is doing everything possible to undermine the integrity of the 7th District Republican primary.”
