I expected that move. Barr publicly backed Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate in the 2004 POTUS election, and voted for him.

I see this move and having good and bad in it--maybe more short term good from which the party can get more exposure. Obviously Bob Barr is nationally known, and this aspect helps the party. The drawback is that Barr has been politically dead as a Republican since his aggressive role in the Clinton impeachment process as well as a host of personal scandals and questionable behaviours that got him labelled as a huge hypocrite whilst he stumped and pandered as a social conservative.

Bob Barr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not only is he damaged goods for drawing on Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, Barr will have a harder time drawing from Democratic-leaning independents and Democrats given what he did and what he stumped for whilst in office. The Libertarians need to draw from both to be competitive.

Given Libertarianism is most akin with classical liberalism, it should be able to draw many Republicans, Democrats and independents. Both main parties embrace and oppose aspects of classical liberalism in their platforms, and what one adopts, the other opposes. They even flip-flop on these things as it suits advancement. And, often times the two main parties run candidates that are 'nanny staters' who go against their particular classical liberal stances on certain issues.

Many Americans are ideologically receptive to classical liberalism, and wind up joining the main parties or none at all as the lesser of two evils. A viable and effective Libertarian Party offers more consistency to these types.

So, the question in my eyes is: Who is Bob Barr now compared to who he was in the past? The critical factor, IMO, is whether his ideology has evolved from what it once was into the platforms of Libertarianism.

Alot of his views when he was in office--or at least what he preached--were incompatible with staple Libertarian party platforms. If he is still the same person who just cosmetically changed clothes for personal opportunity, that won't help him or the party. In fact, if he is the same person, it may even hurt the party by making it look like it stands for nothing and is a hodgepodge of disgruntled people of any persuasion.

But, if he has moved ideologically to Libertarian-minded platforms, then he can indeed be a sales pitcher to libertarian-minded Republicans, Democrats, and independents because many will notice that and give him their ears as a Libertarian.

For Barr, this move is a good one in an attempt to breathe new life into his career and aspirations.

As for the Libertarians on the whole, this could be useful as stated if indeed he has become an ideological Libertarian. He still would have drawbacks given his past conduct. The best catch for the Libertarian Party is someone with current political capital, popularity and charisma with low levels of personal baggage. It needs such a person to get the 'breakout' it needs respectability-wise to be competitive.