By Andrew Satter, CQ Staff

Nearly 1,000 Libertarian Party delegates are in Denver to select their party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees this Sunday. There are 14 candidates.

Earlier this week, CQ Politics interviewed two of the leading candidates.

Bob Barr is a former Republican Congressman from Georgia. He is best known as the member of Congress who was a key player in impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998.

Mike Gravel , a former Democratic Senator from Alaska, ran for the Democratic nomination for President until March, when he declared himself a candidate for the Libertarian nomination.

Barr told CQ Politics that he is fit to be president because of his past experience in government, an unusual selling point for a Libertarian candidate.

“I know the power the government has, I know it can be abused,” Barr said. “I know where it can be cut back. And I want to bring that knowledge, marry that with the Libertarian philosophy in a way that becomes relevant to the American voter.”

If Barr is selected as the nominee this weekend, some analysts believe it could throw a Ralph-Nader like wrench into the presidential election, particularly in his home state of Georgia. It is unclear, in what direction Barr could affect the race. As a former Republican he could steal votes away from Sen. John McCain , but as a staunch anti-war candidate he could also siphon votes from either of the two Democratic contenders.

Gravel said that he has always been more Libertarian than Democrat, and ran as a Democrat primarily to give exposure to his platform.

“I want to empower the American people to be able to vote on all of the issues that affect their lives,” he said. “That’s it.”

The full Barr interview

The full Gravel interview