Nader Looks to Another White House Bid in 2004 By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ralph Nader (news - web sites), accused by some Democrats of helping elect President Bush (news - web sites) by seeking the presidency as a Green Party candidate three years ago, said on Thursday he wants to make another White House bid in 2004 and will announce a decision next month. The veteran consumer advocate said Democrats have not put up enough of a fight against Bush, but he was still weighing whether he had the financial and volunteer support to make another third-party or independent bid. "I would like to run," said Nader, who gained nearly 2.9 million votes for president in 2000. "Substantively there is a strong argument for running. Now it's a question of resources -- just getting on the ballot is a major endeavor." Nader has started an exploratory presidential committee to begin raising money for a campaign. He said he was uncertain whether he would run again for the Green Party, which has been split on his possible candidacy, or mount an independent bid. Democrats blame Nader for siphoning votes from Al Gore (news - web sites) in the disputed 2000 election, particularly in Florida, where Nader earned 97,488 votes and Gore's loss by a bitterly contested 537 votes ultimately decided the race. Nader, who argued in 2000 that there was little difference between the two major parties, said Democrats should "stop whining" and start mounting more of a challenge to the Republican Bush on issues like corporate crime, wages, taxes and the military budget. "They know that Gore beat Gore," he said of Democrats. "It's just scapegoating." He said his campaign could open a second strategic front against Bush on issues that Democrats had been reluctant to take on, like the size of the military or corporate malfeasance. 'HANDS TIED' "If the goal is to defeat Bush, the Democrats have their hands tied on so many issues that a third political force could elaborate on," he said in an interview. "They are dialing for dollars from the same corporate interests and they aren't willing to really challenge him." Nader said he would push for inclusion in the fall presidential debates if he runs in 2004 -- he and independent candidate Pat Buchanan (news -web sites) were excluded in 2000 -- and that part of his campaign would be aimed at breaking the stranglehold on the process held by the two major parties. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll in October found two-thirds of Americans did not want Nader to run again, and he acknowledged that some of his supporters in 2000 might back a Democrat this time because they were focused on beating Bush. "There are a lot of people who supported us in 2000 who are anybody-but-Bush adherents, and going back into the fold of (Howard) Dean or the Democrats," he said. He said Dean, the former Vermont governor who shot to the top of the Democratic field with his heated denunciations of Bush's policies, was "better than most," but still did not push Bush hard enough. He criticized Dean's refusal to back cuts in the military budget and said he was "a pretty conservative governor." "He's at a crossroads now," he said of Dean. "The Democrats are damaging each other far more than any Green campaign could. What they are saying about Dean ... all that will be used by Republicans." He can't so stupid as to not know that bashing within the party is exactly what happens in the primary season. He also must know that right wing contributers will be throwing money at him to get him to run. The question is, does he care that the only reason they would contribute is to ensure that voters vote for him instead of the Democratic nominee? Idiot.
"Oh yeah, somebody woke me up for another self-obsessed, one-note campaign. You might ask where I've been. You might think a self-righteous warrior for righteousness would have had a lot to do over the last several years, a lot of public things to do, good fights to fight... Nahhhh. It takes a lot of time to manage my seven not-for-profits that won't publicly release their financial data. It also takes a lot of time to manage my mutual funds portfolio, but I'm happy to tell you that my many funds that include defense industry stocks have done very well over the last year! Hurray for the good guys! Also, I've been busy giving exhorbitantly priced speeches to the already-converted, glossy-eyed naval gazers of the nation. So, despite most of them being unemployed, I've been making out like a king -- er, a non-corporate kind of king, mind you, a king for the working people, naturally. Finally, I've had to spend a few hours a day looking at myself in the mirror. It's amazing how much better I look as I age. ..... Rrrrrr. I see a tiger! Don't you?"
If he runs, he should run on his own... the Green party should not let him be the standard bearer... what has Nader done in the last 4 years to further the Green agenda nationally and build the organization across the nation? How much has the Bush administration done to harm the interests of Greens? The choice is clear. The Nader run is a vanity run and should not be allowed to piggyback on a party that has made inroads in several states. Aligning with Nader this time will only weaken Greens across the country.
Aligning with Nader this time will only weaken Greens across the country. I agree. Despite agreeing with all their positions or being somewhat to the left of them it is very hard for me to have anything to do with the Greens till they wise up tactically. Running Nader or anyone for president at this time has caused me to not even vote for some personal friends who have run as Greens in Houston. I just can't see encouraging them till they wise up a bit. Nader is really a strange bird. He was for years the last of the naive liberals believing that you didn't really have to be political. You could be a nice little consumer guy, just tinker with government regulations, filing law suits and informing consumers abo8t their rights. It is like all of a sudden he became some sort of naive revolutionary leftist. All of a sudden he realized that elections matter. He could file the perfect law suit with Scalia types and get nowhere. He could have the perfect lobbying campagn with Bush/Ashcroft types and get nowhere for his liberal values. Then he just wigged out. It was really sad for me to see Ralph, who you had to admire for his prior good work, stoop to lying in the last campagn as he stayed doggedly on message that there was no difference between Gore and Bush. As I've said before my internet research found that he told some personal friends that he really did realize that a lot of poor people would be hurt by Bush.
I don't think he has joined the Green Party still. I say "Bring it on". If the democrats can't run someone that can beat nader and the bushies so be it.
I voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, and would have everyday of the week. But running in 2004 would probably be a mistake. Nader is one of the most important private citizens of the 20th century (he's done more good for this country than I could even list), but a 2004 campaign would get ugly. I'd much rather see him throw his support behind the Dem candidate (if it's Kerry, Dean or Clark) in exchange for a cabinet position. We'll see.
GV, I am serious here. Just list some highlights for me. In particular, some recent highlights would be appreciated. The corvair was an awesome car, by the way.
Off the top of my head... His accomplishments in public policy -- from workplace safety, to cleaner air, to the Freedom of Information Act, to redressing systemic power imbalances -- leave no doubt about his impact. He's arguably the most influential private citizen in America since Martin Luther King, Jr. You can hardly go anywhere without seeing Nader's life-long work. Want to see what your councilman spent on road work last year? You can, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, championed by Nader. Your workplace safety standards are in place as a direct result of OSHA, which Nader guided through Congress. Wear a seatbelt? Have airbags in your car? Thank Nader, whose Traffic Safety Act required both. Breathe clean air? The Clean Air Act was Nader's baby, and lowered the amount of lead in the atmosphere, saving countless lives. The Consumer Protection Agency led to better food labelling and forced businesses to reveal ingredients and source of origin. Public Citizen, which Nader founded, lobbied Congress for better fuel efficiency in the 1970s, was instrumental in getting Superfund legislation passed in the 1980s, sued (and won in the Supreme Court) to strike down legislative vetoes, got warning labels on chewing tobacco in the 1990s, won a landmark case in 1993 that prevents destruction of electronic Presidential records, and was directly responsible for the Firestone tire recall in 2000. Nader's role in Bush's selection in 2000 is controversial at best, stupid at worst. But his resume is beyond reproach.
Thanks, GV. Still think he should stick to public advocacy, and I still don't know what he's been up to over the last few years. But I needed some reminders about his work, especially his work in the 70's and 80's.
I agree. Public advocacy and politics are two different beasts. I have nothing but respect for Ralph Nader, but I hope he declines to run in 2004. Plus, I love the idea of Ralph Nader, Attorney General!
