Ron Paul, who inspired a fervent following in the GOP nominee, is not endorsing Libertarian nominee Bob Barr but a more obscure candidate.
Meet Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party candidate.
Per Reason's Dave Weigel, who knows this territory better than anybody, Baldwin seems to have an open mind about whether 9/11 was an inside job and would be an open to an investigation.
The snub of Barr, says Weigel, goes back to the former Georgia's congressman refusal to show up at a press conference earlier this month featuring Paul and other third-party candidates.
The political upshot here seems plain: It will be a lot tougher for Barr to draw support from Paulites without the support of the internet cult hero. Barr was already marginal and underfunded, and this only ensures he won't get a financial boost from Paul's golden touch. In a handful of key interior west states, that will likely translate to less llibertarian-leaning votes being siphoned from McCain.