DENVER — The exhibition space at the 2008 Libertarian National Convention is a who's who of improbable causes.

From the Marijuana Policy Project (which advocates legalizing pot) to the booth selling off-the-wall, and sometimes off-color, Libertarian T-shirts and hats (best-seller: a white T-shirt that says "Electile Dysfunction" and features symbols for the Republican and Democratic parties), the Libertarian convention at the downtown Sheraton Denver Hotel is a place to see the unusual.

In the convention hall itself, a fight for the soul of the third-largest political party in the nation is going on and will likely settle itself today.

This afternoon the Libertarian Party will select its nominee for president. Among the candidates is former four-term Georgia congressman Bob Barr, who switched from the Republican Party in 2006 and looks to carry the Libertarian Party to a wider audience. Battling him are old-school Libertarians like Mary Ruwart of Texas and Wayne Allyn Root, a Las Vegas odds maker.

Many in Georgia's 40-member Libertarian delegation are doing their part to help Barr.

Standing on a chair near his booth in the exhibition hall, Barr acknowledged the faithful Saturday.

"We have another day and a half here," Barr said, as dozens of his supporters hollered and cheered. Many were decked out in Barr's signature giveaway: black cowboy hats with Barr 2008 pins attached.

"We have some relatively important work to do tonight," Barr said, "but the tremendous work you've done, laying the groundwork, talking to our delegates and making sure they understand our message of freedom and what a Bob Barr candidate will bring this party and to this country have been absolutely essential."

Each of the party's 560 delegates was given a token — really, an individualized ticket — that they were to award to one of the 14 candidates seeking the nomination. To participate in Saturday night's debate, a candidate had to collect 56 tokens, or 10 percent of the total. To make a speech asking delegates to nominate them today, a candidate had to collect 30 tokens.

As Barr and his entourage marched into the convention hall Saturday to deliver his 94 tokens, some Libertarians told him to keep marching — right out of the party.

"Go back to the GOP!" one man who declined to be identified called as a group of others shouted, "March on out of the party!"

Root and Ruwart also collected 94 tokens each, signaling that Barr's nomination is no sure thing.

In all, eight candidates collected enough to make a speech today, but only seven had enough to participate in Saturday's debate.

One of the seven was former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, who until earlier this year was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Ruwart is among those praising Barr's conversion from the GOP, but who still doubts his commitment to the Libertarian cause.

"What we're talking about is running a standard bearer who embraces liberty fully, or partially," Ruwart said in an interview.

Ruwart supports legalizing all currently banned drugs, including cocaine and heroin. Barr supports an easing of the drug laws as they pertain to marijuana, but believes it should be up to the states ultimately to set drug law.

"Traditionally, we have been against all drug prohibitions, we've been against the income tax and want to replace it with nothing," Ruwart said. "If we nominate a standard bearer who dramatically changes our message, it's like changing our libertarian brand."

But Barr believes that his is the campaign that could elevate the Libertarian Party to new heights. And he promised to do it wisely.

"It's my intention to not to reach out to just other candidates' base, but to reach out to all Libertarians," he said.