Barr makes his case

Bob Barr made his pitch in Durham Tuesday.

The Libertarian presidential candidate, the only third-party candidate on the North Carolina ballot, argued that there is little difference between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

"Nothing will change," he told a group of about 100 students at Duke University. "Both want to spend our money, increasingly huge amuonts of our money."

Barr was a Republican when he represented Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a Libertarian, he is polling at one or two percent in many states, enough to make a difference in a closely contested state such as North Carolina.

Speaking for about 45 minutes, he argued that the $700 billion federal bailout was distorting the free market, that Congress is ineffectual and that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin did not answer questions at a debate. (N&O)