Barr: ‘I Think McCain Is A Hypocrite’

John McCain isn’t the opponent of big government that he claims he is, according to Bob Barr, the former GOP congressman and Libertarian presidential candidate.

“I think McCain is a hypocrite,” Barr said of the Arizona senator. “He claims he is for smaller government and that’s not the case.”

Barr doesn’t think Democratic candidate Barack Obama is a hypocrite. He’s just a “classic liberal,” according to Barr.

“I’m not saying he’s a better person, but he’s not hypocritical politically as many Republicans are these days,” Barr said.

Barr made the comments in a 20 questions interview with The Hill that will run in Friday’s newspaper.

Barr also criticized McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as too inexperienced to be vice president. After saying Palin has done “a very good job” as governor, Barr said, “I don’t think she has anywhere near the depth of experience to be vice president.” He said he would pick a secretary of state who had significant experience in foreign travel and foreign business, “not someone who could see Russia from their back door.”

He saved some of his sharpest barbs for his former colleagues. “This Congress has allowed the president to walk all over it,” Barr said. “Congress sits back and says, ‘Thank you sir, may I have another sir?'”

Barr served four terms in Congress as a lawmaker from Georgia.

The Hill called McCain’s campaign about Barr’s comments, but it has yet to respond.

–Betsy Rothstein