Texas Congressman and Republican Primary candidate Ron Paul is holding a “counter convention” which he calls the Rally For the Republic in Minneapolis while the RNC goes on in St. Paul. While he says that this rally is not an event to get votes as a write-in candidate, it is certainly a thumb in McCain’s eye.

The event covers “the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy.” It is strongly focused on getting out of Iraq.

This is an interesting mix of speakers who are independent, or libertarian, or radical-right-Republicans. Take a look at their schedule today:

Tuesday’s Rally for the Republic schedule:
11:30 – Doors open
12:30 – Intro: Tucker Carlson
12:40 – National Anthem: Matt Colvin
12:50 – Invocation: Barb Davis White
12:55 – Howard Phillips
1:10 – Doug Wead
1:30 – Tom Woods
1:50 – Grover Norquist
2:10 – Lew Rockwell
2:30 – Bill Kauffman
2:50 – Special Guest
3:10 – Bruce Fein
3:35 – Gov. Jesse Ventura
4:05 – John Tate, Campaign for Liberty Presentation
4:25 – Gov. Gary Johnson
5:00 – Aimee Allen
6:00 – Break
7:00 – Intro: Barry Goldwater (Jr.)
7:05 – Ron Paul
8:05 – Sara Evans
9:30 – End of Program
9:30 – Jimmie Vaughan After Party

Paul has said that this “a philosophic campaign… my campaign for the Presidency has ended.” But it will compete with the first really big day of the RNC (and be covered live on C-Span2) and can’t be good for the Republican Party’s hopes to get back on track after Gustave muted their first day.

So it looks like the Republicans have their own Nader… and it remains to be seen if this, combined with the Bob Barr Libertarian Party campaign, has an effect on the election.

Under The LobsterScope

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