But such questions miss the point about the Libertarian Party. It does not exist to help the likes of John McCain get elected, even if Hillary or Barack is the real-world alternative. The Libertarians are stuck on this notion that principle should matter even when electing presidents. Damn the consequences . . . or, at least, damn the short-term consequences. (Libertarians tend to reason like this: If you are always willing to compromise to get a little liberty, a little liberty is all you will ever get. If that.)

Indeed, that is how Barr answered Hannity: "Sooner or later, we have to put principle ahead of expediency." Barr also said he was getting tired of “whining” from Republicans.

The point seems to be: Until American libertarians can get Americans in general to support real individual liberty, what’s the use of worrying about half-measures?

If you find this sort of thinking appalling, then you won’t be voting for Gravel or Barr — or Steve Kubby, the medical marijuana activist and LP insider out front in the race — when you go to the polls this November.

But it is worth realizing that the Libertarian Party is poised to continue. Never in American history has a minor party persisted so long after it had failed to “catch on” to become a major one, and persisted even to affect the outcomes of races. The Liberty Party morphed into the Free Soil Party which morphed into the Republican Party. But the Bull Moose died, as have the many celebrity vehicles; the Prohibition Party lingered for ages, but after alcohol Prohibition ended the party failed to maintain the kind of broad, nationwide support the Libertarians have managed to muster.

If the LP takes enough votes away from McCain to ensure a Democratic success this time round, the Republican Party will have to start taking the libertarian wing of its supporters a tad more seriously.

Wouldn’t that be a good thing? I, for one, would weep no tears for a McCain loss, even if that meant losing his fairly consistent support of free trade (an issue that both Hillary and Barack are abominable on). He’s just done too much against freedom otherwise to make me trust him an inch.

So, you can see: the LP is seriously out for my vote.

If party members select Gravel instead of Barr or Kubby (an unlikely possibility), could they grab enough Democrats away to help McCain?

Perhaps.

Americans’ support of the current two-party hegemony is at an all-time low. The Libertarians, having chugged along (they think they can they think they can they think they can) to reach the top of the Third Party heap, have placed themselves in the odd position of (gasp) actually making a difference.

Maybe.