NRA Endorses McCain, Ignores Board Member Bob Barr

The NRA hasn't gotten where it is today by backing sure losers, so today they've announced an endorsement of John McCain, bypassing their own board member Bob Barr:

The National Rifle Association is endorsing Republican presidential nominee John McCain despite differences with the Arizona senator on gun-show rules and campaign finance restrictions. …

The NRA’s Political Victory Fund has spent more than $2.3 million opposing Democratic nominee Barack Obama. The chairman of the political action committee, Chris W. Cox, says its spending in the presidential race will grow to “eight figures” by Election Day. Besides ads, encouraging battleground-state gun owners to vote will be a key focus, he said.

Did Barr have a realistic chance of getting the nod? He thought so as evidenced by this release yesterday:

In 2004, the NRA issued lifetime rankings of all members of Congress. Sen. McCain received a “C+”, indicating a mixed record on the Second Amendment.

Bob Barr has an “A+” lifetime rating from the NRA. Bob serves on the board of the NRA. His record on the Second Amendment is without question.

Given the fact that Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox have exposed John McCain as an anti-gun sympathizer, we here at Bob Barr 2008 fully expect that the NRA will announce their support for Bob Barr tomorrow and run ads against both Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

I'm sure if you talked to the NRA folks they'd tell you they much prefer Barr, but an endorsement of a sure loser candidate wouldn't help their cause. They're a mainstream organization, not a fringe bunch that chases an ideology that's supported by way too few voters.