Ralph Nader Announces White House Bid

[Tienshin]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ralph Nader, whose third-party White House bid in 2000 was blamed by some Democrats for helping elect President Bush, said on Sunday he will try again this year as an independent.


Ignoring pleas from Democrats to stay out of the race, the veteran consumer advocate said he wanted to challenge the two parties' stranglehold on the political process and their shared addiction to corporate interests.

"Washington is corporate-occupied territory, and the two parties are ferociously competing to see who is going to go to the White House and take orders from their corporate paymasters," Nader said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Nader said claims that his candidacy would distract from efforts to beat Bush in November were a "contemptuous" attempt to restrict democracy and maintain what he called the "two-party duopoly."

"It is an offense to deny millions of people who might want to vote for our candidacy an opportunity to vote," he said, adding the "corporate government" practiced by both parties had led to rollbacks in labor, environmental and economic standards.

"This country has more problems and injustices than it deserves," Nader said. "It's time to change the equation and bring millions of American people into the political arena."
Nader's Green Party bid won nearly 2.9 million votes in 2000 and was blamed for siphoning support from Democrat Al Gore -- particularly in Florida, where Nader won 97,488 votes and Gore's loss by a bitterly contested 537 votes cost him the presidency.
More: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4409662

[The Landstander]

I love Nader, but...

...I hate him.

[Delthayre]

Eh, like I said before, I don't think this matters too much.

He's running as an independent this time, so he won't have the resources of the Green party, which are meager but not insignificant. He'll have to garner ballot status on his own this time rather than with the Green party, which actually does have automatic ballot status in a number of states.

He also doesn't have the support of prominent leftists like, and I'm not saying it's a good thing, Michael Moore and others. The electorate is less ambivalent now, for good or ill...well really just for ill, George W. Bush has proven too polarizing for there to be much room for Nader to grab votes. This move is more an appeasement of Nader's vanity and self-righteousness than anything else.

And if Roy Moore, everyone's all-time favorite Alabama Supreme Court Judge (although for me, Abner Smith Lipscomb was a close second), runs either as independent or on the Constitution Party ticket, he should balance out any damage Nader could do.

[Dark Vicious]

Does Nader really think he'll win?

[Delthayre]

Does Nader really think he'll win?
No, he might be egotistical, but he's not delusional. He's in the race to make a piont, or at least that's what he fools himself into thining.

[Corrado]

I liked his quote about giving the Republicans "D-" and the Democrats "D+"

Despite that, I'm afraid that he'll cost the Democrats the election like he did in 2000.

[SSJPabs]

Not really. Even for most of the 2000 Naderites, they understand how horrible it would be for them to have another 4 years of Bush. Also, Nader is running as an independant, and not even a Green. He can't even hide behind the fiction of trying to create a third viable political party. The only thing this proves is that he is increasingly out of touch and egotistical in the extreme. Most of the hard-core Nader supporters have also urged him not to run. Plus, according to polls Bush has alienated so many centrist Republicans and "independants" that the loss of say, 1.5 million votes (last time Nader got about 2.9 million) won't be the death knell it was in 2000.

The goal for Greens/Dems alike is overwhelmingly Anybody But Bush, even most of the angry Deaniancs (like me ;)) are going to fight against Bush. If the Greens want to build a solid party, they should do what they have begun to do, and focus on local races to build a grassroots organization.

In short: Nader Running in 2004 = Idiot

Yes, in case you're wondering I do blame Nader for this last 4 years...

[Anyone00]

*gasp* What's that sound? [listens]

It's the sound of an entire Nation shrugging and then going about their business.


Bit OT: As for a viable third party, how about the Libertarians. They may not vote in laws you want but they also won't vote in laws you don't want (and the same thing goes for trying to get rid of laws). Sure they're extreme in alot of thing but they probably won't gain a majority but they help prevent alot of unnecessary government regulation.

[Bound High]

Most evil man in America.

[Delthayre]

Most evil man in America.
I really think it'd be more salubrious for discourse and sanity if we avoid such proclamations. Evil is a simplistic and noxiously relative term that I really don't see applying here. Surely there are eviler men than he, killers, rapists, and a host of other human fiends. To cast that title glibly upon a political figure who is perhaps more deluded and self-absorbed than most is destructively irresponsible.

[Tienshin]

I am curious to see how Nader portrays this 2004 run for the White House as the media starts to pepper him with stinging questions regarding his viability as a candidate. Without Green Party support this time around (As Del mentioned a couple times) campaigning will be tough. Especially with the 2000 election albatross around Nader's neck. There is the distinct possibility the Ralph will blow his chances in the media without proper campaign personnel to filter his speeches, prep responses, etc.

In any case, I think the biggest factor will be whether or not Nader can convince the young voters to buck the system and vote for him. I'd say that's going to be better then difficult.

*loves drama*

[SSJPabs]

Bit OT: As for a viable third party, how about the Libertarians. They may not vote in laws you want but they also won't vote in laws you don't want (and the same thing goes for trying to get rid of laws). Sure they're extreme in alot of thing but they probably won't gain a majority but they help prevent alot of unnecessary government regulation.I'm familiar with the general libertarian platform and there are of course, lots of aspects of it that I like. However, again we see the role of government as totally different and with events in the world I think they would find it difficult to be able to convince people of their positions in that respect.

[Bound High]

Only the most evil man in America could get this much press for doing so little.

[Blue]

And this is where the race is decited? I really hope it's not like back in 00 when he only got what was it? 2 3 percent of the votes?

[Delthayre]

And this is where the race is decited (sic)? I really hope it's not like back in 00 when he only got what was it? 2 3 percent of the votes?
Nader might not even break 1%.

As I keep saying NADER HAS NO TEETH THIS YEAR. He doesn't have the support of a lot of prominent liberal figures, he doesn't have the Green Party's resources and will have to win ballot status on his own, which is very hard for an independent. NADER WILL NOT HAVE AN EFFECT THIS YEAR.

[MJC]

What an ass.

I hope he realizes that this only helps Bush.

*sigh*

[zmanjz]

I think it's good to have an option that allows you to vote BUT not for someone you dislike.

[SSJPabs]

I think it's good to have an option that allows you to vote BUT not for someone you dislike.Well if I were a cruel political strategist/mastermind:

I'd encourage Ralph to be as vitriolic as he wants... as long as it's directed as Bush. Let him take the heat while the Dem nominee takes more reasoned criticisms against Bush. As long as Nader attacks BUSH and not the Democrats he can be a help...

[Tienshin]

Well if I were a cruel political strategist/mastermind:

I'd encourage Ralph to be as vitriolic as he wants... as long as it's directed as Bush. Let him take the heat while the Dem nominee takes more reasoned criticisms against Bush. As long as Nader attacks BUSH and not the Democrats he can be a help...
I doubt that would work, Ralph wouldnt take too well to being used as a pawn in power politics. And besides that undermines the "spirit" of the political process.

[Delthayre]

Howard Dean has denounced Nader's candidacy quite pointedly, "Those who truly want America's leaders to stand up to the corporate special interests and build a better country for working people should recognize that, in 2004, a vote for Ralph Nader is, plain and simple, a vote to re-elect George W. Bush. I hope that Ralph Nader will withdraw his candidacy in the best interests of the country we hope to become ... There is still time for Ralph Nader to stand with those in the Democratic Party who are building a progressive coalition to defeat George W. Bush."

Considering that and his own vocal promise to support the nominee, I think it's reasonable to say that Dean won't bolt to a third party, despite speculation.

[MJC]

Well if I were a cruel political strategist/mastermind:

I'd encourage Ralph to be as vitriolic as he wants... as long as it's directed as Bush. Let him take the heat while the Dem nominee takes more reasoned criticisms against Bush. As long as Nader attacks BUSH and not the Democrats he can be a help...

No, he'll do the opposite and take away votes from Kerry. All the people that vote for Nader would vote for Kerry if Nader didn't run. In fact, Bush probably wouldn't be in office if not for Nader (Nader got something like 17,000 votes in Florida).

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lindas/corvair.jpg (http://www.leftwatch.com/articles/2000/000070.html)

"Don't count on a vote from me, Nader!"

P.S. Click on the picture! ;)