Alaskan Libertarian Party Offers Nomination to Murkowski?

Did I miss something? Liberal Republican incumbent Murkowski was offered a nomination by the Libertarian Party of Alaska if she could not overcome Tea Party candidate Joe Miller's 2.5% primary election lead. Other than to ensure a possible Libertarian (in name only) Senator, I cannot, for the life of me, guess as to why they would do this. Why would the Libertarians endorse an established know-nothing RINO?

It is such a crazy story that we are talking about it down here in Seattle!