“Barr’s booth was the only one taking up two spaces, and had enough staffers milling around that they probably could’ve taken over a couple more, and then at least had room for their multiple TVs. It was on this Friday that the anti-Barr push really got going, and the congressman’s campaign didn’t help matters: the radicals felt like the party was being invaded, and the campaign was doing its best to come off as invaders. To disguise weakness, put your strongest foot forward; treat the election as if it is already won. That might have made sense, had the voters in question not been the contrary, bloody-minded creatures known as libertarians. As it was, the dark-suit, black-hat approach came off as mere posturing and bravado, compounded by Barr’s decision to skip the night’s ‘unofficial debate’ deep in the bowels of the hotel, in favor of a solo meet-and-greet. Perhaps it was a no-win situation for him. The audience was packed with radicals: if there were any undecideds there, they were undecided between the candidates who weren’t Bob Barr. But his chair was the only one of 11 that was empty; even the right-leaning Wayne Allyn Root (who, whisper whisper, could just be a Republican plant or somethin’) came down into the arena to fight for votes he was unlikely to get — on the first ballot.” (for publication 08/08)