Denver dinner with Dave

Just had lunch with David Weigel of Reason magazine and two Libertarian conspirators I won't name. (The alleged Barr conspiracy updated here.) Weigel's got a good take on the convention:

When Barr walked onto the exhibit floor of the 2008 Libertarian Convention, a trail of six campaign staffers followed behind him -- the kind of showy political operation that gives outsiders the impression that the former Georgia congressman is the obvious frontrunner in the race to head up the biggest third-party challenge in this year's presidential campaign.
A few feet away in the Denver Sheraton, Barr's opponents are shaking their heads, sharing "can-you-believe-this" looks. "Talk to some delegates, already!" says Jim Casarjian-Perry. A Massachusetts delegate for candidate George Phillies, Casarjian-Perry had, moments earlier, pinned Barr over whether he sticks by all the propositions of the Defense of Marriage Act, which Barr uthored.

Read the whole thing. Weigel is a great reporter, extensively familiar with the LP's history. Here are some photos from Denver:

LP National Chairman Bill Redpath presides over the opening session of the convention.

George Phillies and Wayne Allyn Root -- both LP presidential candidates -- chat in the exhibition hall.

Barr and I, attempting to get some product-placement bucks from Starbucks.

Denver's 16th Street, which has been converted into a pedestrian mall and tourist magnet.