Fringe Candidates Party On In MSP

MINNEAPOLIS -- In the Twin cities, third party candidates (and the partiers that came along with them) aren’t planning to follow the GOP’s lead when it comes to Hurricane Gustav. Representatives from Bob Barr's and Ralph Nader's camps said they plan to go ahead with their plans this week, for now, despite the GOP’s decision to tone things down in the Excel Center.

“If they want to cancel because they don’t want it to look like they’re having a party while a hurricane hits, that’s up to them,” said Andrew Davis, Media Coordinator for the Barr campaign, referring to the GOPers gathered in MN. Barr’s planning to go ahead with a full schedule of engagements during the convention, including press avails and speeches.

For the Nader camp, it’s more of a waiting game. Nader has a rally similar to the one he held in Denver scheduled for 9/4, the same day originally planned for John McCain’s acceptance speech. Campaign spokesman Jason Kafoury said that Nader has not made any plans to change the event in the wake of the GOP convention announcement, but could alter his schedule if things continue to change for the Republicans.

“We’re going to closely track what the Republicans are doing,” Kafoury said. “If McCain’s going ahead, we’re going ahead.”

Organizers behind the other political outsider event taking place this week, Rep. Ron Paul ( R )’s 9/2 Campaign For Liberty Rally, are also planning to move forward despite the GOP’s changes to the convention schedule. “Thousands of people around the country paid a lot of money to come up here for this, and we’re going to continue as planned,” said Jesse Benton, spokesman for the Campaign For Liberty.

Benton said Paul had no opinion on the GOP’s convention decisions, but added that Paul, who represents a gulf coast district in TX, thinks that St. Paul might be the best place for politicians as Gustav heads into shore.

“The last thing local responders need is a lot of federal elected officials walking around and getting in their way,” he said. “If Dr. Paul’s presence could do anything to change the [Gustav] situation, he’d be there.”

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)