If you weren't tuned in to C-SPAN over the weekend, you missed a multi-ballot nomination fight at the Libertarian Party convention in Denver, as former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia was picked after six ballots.

Barr edged Mary Ruwart 324-276 on the final ballot to gain the top spot on the Libertarian ticket.  His running mate was still to be named as of Sunday afternoon.

As of now, Barr said he expects be on the ballot in at least 48 states in November (Oklahoma and West Virginia may be the other two,) in a bid that many believe will only siphon votes away from GOP standard bearer Sen. John McCain.

For frustrated conservatives like Roger Hawthorne, Barr is something serious to think about for November.

"McCain is no conservative," Hawthorne wrote me earlier this month.  "If Barr gets on the ballot in FL, I may just vote for him. Forget McCain. I'd rather have Obama. At least we'll know where he stands."

Hawthorne isn't swayed by McCain's record on Iraq, his fights against pork barrel spending, his opposition to abortion and more.  The Arizona Senator's record as a maverick, going against his party on a few issues has left a bad taste in the mouth of some GOP voters.

"I'm becoming more and more frustrated with McCain," said Hawthore.  "I see the general election being about like the Democrat primary, two Democrats fighting over who offers the most government programs."

I got to know Bob Barr from covering him in the Congress, where he served four terms from Georgia, before he lost a re-election bid in 2002.

Barr gained much of his notoriety from his work as one of the managers of the Impeachment charges against then President Bill Clinton.

Barr was elected as part of the Republican Revolution in 1994, and by the time he left Congress, he was not pleased with the direction of the GOP, one reason he ended up heading to the Libertarian side of the coin.

In his early days in the U.S. House, Barr was in Newt Gingrich's corner, supporting plans to cut a number of domestic items in the budget.

In the first story I wrote about him in January of 1995, Barr predicted the GOP would make good on "significant reforms."  It was a heady time for Republicans, as evidenced by the first line of my story that day about Barr's state.

"For the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans outnumber Democrats in Georgia's delegation to the U.S. House."

But back to 2008.  Can Bob Barr be a legitimate third party candidate?

Nothing against Mr. Barr, but history shows how difficult it has been to crack the two party nut that is the Presidential election.

Yes, Ross Perot made a splash in 1992.  But you could argue that he took votes away from George Bush that ultimately provided for Bill Clinton's election.

Most people in DC view Barr's candidacy as one that would be more akin to Ralph Nader's in 2000, which some argue cost Al Gore the victory in Florida, and the victory overall.

Barr rejects talk that he is a spoiler.  He'll get the chance to prove that in the next few months.