As a smart politician, Barr realizes that the ONLY interest the mainstream media has in him is as a “spoiler.” That is, in the subversive and wonderful role he can play in hurting the evil John McCain. Indeed, the MSM was always fascinated and horrified by the idea that Ron Paul might be a “spoiler” too.

Originally, Barr had said he had no intention of costing McCain votes, and intended to try to hurt Obama. Yeah, right. But he soon realized the lay of the land, and is having fun with it too. Today the New York Times runs a major story on him (indeed, he has been all over the MSM) focusing on–you guessed it–his potential spoilership. Says Julie Bosman in the Times:

He has been called a spoiler. A would-be Ralph Nader. A thorn in the side of Senator John McCain and the Republican establishment.

None of it bothers Bob Barr, the former Republican congressman from Georgia turned Libertarian Party candidate for president, who gleefully recounted what he says a group of Republicans told him at a recent meeting in Washington: Don’t run.

“‘Well, gee, you might take votes from Senator McCain,’” Mr. Barr said this week, mimicking one of the complainers, as he sat sipping Coca-Cola in his plush corner office, 12 stories above Atlanta. “They all said, ‘Look, we understand why you’re doing this. We agree with why you’re doing it. But please don’t do it.’ ”

But with the Libertarian nomination in hand, Mr. Barr hopes to follow in the footsteps of Ross Perot and Mr. Nader, whose third-party presidential bids wreaked general-election havoc.

Hooray! Read the rest.