Russo out, Badnarik in - Nader trudges on

Today's Libertarian convention in Atlanta contained all the drama that the major parties' conventions have missing.

Film producer, Aaron Russo went into the convention as a slight favorite over radio host Gary Nolan. However, in a last minute surprise, computer consultant Michael Badnarik took Nolan's endorsement to best Russo, in a move that seems to have resulted from bad blood between Russo and Nolan.

It's really cool to see that true conventions with drama still take place (granted that this is at the expense of meaningful primaries). That said, this outcome is very disappointing, Russo probably had the best chance to make the Libertarians a force this election and Badnarik isn't even that popular within his own party (he only won two of his party's non-binding primaries).

This comes close to eliminating the Democrat's last hope for the Right to have a 3rd party challenger to counter the Naderites. The Independence Party sold out in endorsing Nader who has nothing in common with their Perot founding except for delusions of grandeur. The Constitution Party was unable to get Judge Roy Moore to run, in what would have probably shifting the entire country to the left. Although Moore acts coy by saying he may still run; there's no hope of him running with any success as an independent.

And so, we're left with Nader swiping votes from the Left - forcing Kerry to walk a tightrope on the war, outsourcing and labor - while Bush can move back to the center for the next 6 months with no credible threat to his left.

Thanks Mr. Nader!