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Miss Modular Miss Modular is offline
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 06:31 PM        Nader runs again...
I'm surprised no one has picked up on this yet.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...on_el_pr/nader

Nader Announces He'll Run for President
1 hour, 52 minutes ago Add Top Stories - AP to My Yahoo!


By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader (news - web sites) announced Sunday he is running again for president, this time as an independent, and rejected claims that a longshot candidacy would merely siphon enough votes from the Democrats to ensure President Bush (news - web sites)'s re-election.

But Nader's decision was greeted with a chorus of condemnation from Democrats, longtime friends and former supporters who blame him for Al Gore (news - web sites)'s loss four years ago. They suggested that Nader would not pull close to the 2.7 percent of the vote he won before without the backing of an established party and some of his past supporters.

Republicans resisted the temptation to gloat as party chairman Ed Gillespie proclaimed that Bush would win a second term no matter who runs. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a former Republican National Committee (news - web sites) chairman, said, "It will make less difference than the Democrats fear, but I know they're very nervous about it."

In getting into the White House sweepstakes, Nader declared that Washington has become "corporate occupied territory" and he accused both Democrats and Republicans of being dominated by corporate lobbyists who "care little" about the needs of ordinary Americans.

"It's a question between both parties flunking," Nader said on NBC's "Meet the Press," where he chose to make his announcement. He asserted that "it's time to change the equation and bring millions of American people into the political arena."

Nader said he will mount a national campaign as an independent to highlight issues he claims the major parties are ignoring, including universal health care, rising poverty and environmental concerns.

Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) chairman Terry McAuliffe, who personally urged Nader not to run, called the decision "unfortunate."

"You know, he's had a whole distinguished career, fighting for working families, and I would hate to see part of his legacy being that he got us eight years of George Bush," McAuliffe said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico minced no words. "It's a total act of ego," he said.

Liberal Vermont Rep. Bernie Sanders, the only independent in the House and a longtime Nader friend, called Nader's decision "counterproductive." Even the Green Party, whose banner Nader carried four years ago, chose to focus on its own priorities.


"Our midterm goal is the creation of a multiparty political system and the participation of a strong Green Party in that system," said Ben Manski, the party's co-chairman.

But Nader dismissed his critics among "the liberal intelligentsia," and called the spoiler moniker "contemptuous."

"It shows how hostage they are to the antiquated electoral system and how unwilling they are to oppose and change it," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I would urge them to calm down, start reflecting, be tolerant of democracy and freedom and watch events unfold since we're all on the same page of wanting to retire our supremely elected president, George W. Bush."

Nader predicted he would get more net votes from conservatives and liberal Republicans dissatisfied with Bush's record than from registered Democrats.

Democratic officials on Sunday claimed that Nader has promised not criticize the Democratic nominee but, rather, focus his ammunition on the Bush administration. Nader acknowledged the pledge but said it does not mean he will refrain from criticizing Democrats if they attack him. "I'm not going to avoid responding," he told The AP.

Nader, who scheduled a news conference Monday to discuss his issues, said he plans to begin campaigning this week on Bush's home turf of Texas, where he will focus on Bush's record.

As the Green Party's nominee in 2000, Nader appeared on the ballot in 43 states and Washington, D.C., garnering nearly 3 percent of the vote. But in Florida and New Hampshire, Bush won such narrow victories that had Gore received the bulk of Nader's votes in either state, the Democrat would have won the general election.

Nader's decision not to seek the Green Party's nomination has raised doubts that he can get on many state ballots without a party organization or major financial resources. An independent needs about 700,000 signatures to get on the ballot in all 50 states, a prospect that Nader likened to "climbing a cliff with a slippery slope."

Nader said his exploratory committee had raised about $150,000 in the past five months. He said he is confident he can raise more than the $8 million he received last time using the same Internet fund-raising strategies that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (news - web sites) employed before dropping out of the race. Nader will rely on small contributions and refuse money from corporations and political action committees.

Campaigning in Atlanta, Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry (news - web sites) said, "I'm going to appeal to everybody in this race and we'll make it unnecessary in the end for an alternative." Kerry's rival, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), said he could attract many of Nader's progressive followers. "It will not impact my campaign," he said. "People are looking for someone who can beat George Bush."
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 07:53 PM       
HAHA!
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 08:00 PM       
He's got my vote. I think it's good that hes running as an independant.
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Ronnie Raygun Ronnie Raygun is offline
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 08:41 PM       
That's right!

Stand up for what you believe in, BoBo!
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 09:07 PM       
Thats exactly what I'm doing, you should try it out sometime. Feels good and refreshing, like the feeling of morning dew on the rocky slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
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Ronnie Raygun Ronnie Raygun is offline
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 09:18 PM       
....impressive....
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:10 PM       
So Ronnie, if Roy Moore decides to run a third-party campaign as a real social/moral/economic conservative, will you support him, or will you support the big government politics of George W. "aint seen a spending bill I don't like" Bush...?

This is your big chance, Ronnie. Are you a conservative, or are you a Republican....???
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:12 PM       
most impressive
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:26 PM       
I just found this:
http://www.corporatemofo.com/stories/040222nader.htm
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:45 PM       
Well that was poorly written shit. I mean, we can find better critiques of a Nader run than "boo hoo! what a dick! he makes me cry!! "
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 11:48 PM       
I dunno. I was too lazy to even read it. :/

Guess I won't make that careless mistake again.
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 12:27 AM        Hmmm
I dunno, do you think it will matter? Im kind of curious to see what voters are going to do. 2000 was a bit different and I think a lot of Nader supports had the noblest of intentions. But after four years of Dubya, I'm curious to see if people will think twice before voting for Nader.

Also, everyone rambles about what a huge impact Nader had in 2000 and there's no denying that he certainly had an impact, but in spite of it all Gore still won the popular vote. It's not out of the question to think that Kerry could win even with Nader running. It seems a bit early to me to be breaking out the champagne for Dubya and Co.
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 12:41 AM        Re: Hmmm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GAsux
It's not out of the question to think that Kerry could win even with Nader running. It seems a bit early to me to be breaking out the champagne for Dubya and Co.
Well, I think there are a lot of dependent variables here.

1) It looks as if Nader WILL accept the Green Party nomination, despite curren reports. This is good for him, but potentially bad for the Democratic Candidate. The Greens have automatic ballot status in many/most states, however they lost it in some states like New York during the 2002 mid-cycle elections. However, ballot access doesn't guarantee ground troops. Many likely Nader supporters are already in the Anybody-But-Bush camp, thanks in part to the Dean and Kucinich campaigns. It's my opinion that those who support/supported these two guys will NOT swing towards Nader, and will instead vote AGAINST Bush this November.

2) Unlike 2000, Nader won't have the campus energy he once had. Many college kids swung towards Dean, Kucinich, and even Clark. My guess is that these youngsters will also take the above mentioned route and support the Democratic candidate, be it Kerry or Edwards.

3) We should NOT rule out the signifigance of a third-party run from the RIGHT in Roy Moore. The Constitution Party doesn't exist in every state, but it essentially has affiliates, like The U.S. Tax Payers Party in Michigan. The Christian Coalition types have not been happy with Bush lately, and anything other than a Constitutional Amendment blocking gay marriage may not appease these folks. Secondly, The Libertarians can't be happy with Bush and his domestic spending, either. If Moore is competent, and can coalition build similar to the way Barry Goldwater and others have done, he could REALLY hurt Bush from the Right....
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 01:25 AM       
I'm all for setting up a draftbuchanan.com or draftperot.com if they don't exist already...
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 02:04 AM        Agreed
Kev,
I'm with you. While it's probably not the best case scenario for the Dems, Im not so convinced that a Nader run spells doom for Kerry. I think many who supported Nader in 2000 are a lot more jaded this time around and may well vote based upon reality rather than principle.

I could be wrong, just the way I see things shaping up. I'll be interested to see how the early polls show a three way match up with Kerry, Bush, and Nader just out of curiosity.
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KevinTheOmnivore KevinTheOmnivore is offline
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 02:27 AM        Re: Agreed
Quote:
Originally Posted by GAsux
Kev,
I'm with you. While it's probably not the best case scenario for the Dems, Im not so convinced that a Nader run spells doom for Kerry. I think many who supported Nader in 2000 are a lot more jaded this time around and may well vote based upon reality rather than principle.
Well, I take a small issue with this philosophy. I'm certainly not a critic of "big tent," compromise politics, but I feel that the Democrats are not an adequate response to the Republicans. I think Nader, much like Dean this year, have been a much needed kick in the ass for the DNC....

Quote:
I could be wrong, just the way I see things shaping up. I'll be interested to see how the early polls show a three way match up with Kerry, Bush, and Nader just out of curiosity.
I saw one on FOX News the other day that had Nader polling at 4%, with Kerry losing to Bush by 1% point. This seems very unlikely to me. Keep in mind, Nader was polling in the TEENS at some points in 2000, and he ultimately finished with only 3-4% of the vote.

Any polls now will probably be of "likely voters." Nader supporters, the staunch ones, are great for these polls, b'c they know Nader's their guy already. Once we get closer to the election, and the pool of "likely voters" increases, it's my guess that Nader's numbers will diminish off the charts (I hope I'm wrong about that, but we'll see).
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 10:04 AM       
nader's got balls Lol,

putting the candidates on a table with the ends being capped on the right by bush and the left by kucinich.. i think we have a spectrum with no one in the middle and the dems once again on the right side of the middle. fuggin sucks.

i want to campaign for nader/kucinich issues but vote against bush. i need some good slogans!

'i'ma goin drop my real candidate to vote against bush'
'defeat bush, vote the lesser of two evils!'
'regime change by baby steps, vote dem'
'another cynical vote against bush, vote dem'
'for democracy in 2012 vote democrat now'
'the demicans make me wanna RALPH'

damnit all the demicans suck, if bush wins i'm moving to canada!
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Old Feb 23rd, 2004, 02:08 PM       
Saddly, I think it's going to be irrelivant.

The press will play it up because it gives them something to write about, and I think that's all to the good. At least it will give pres coverage to what Nader has to say, and I think that's probably his main goal.

In the general election I can't imagine it mattering. Anyone who was going to vote prior to his entering the race isn't going to change their vite to Nader (my opinion). Anyone who agreed with him last time that there wasn't any difference to be seen between W. and Gore saw what a serious agenda lunatic can do without any mandate whatsoever and will be disinclined to still think so.

I agree with Nader's main point, that Wahington is totally beholden to it's corporate benefactors, almost to a person, regardless of their party mebership. I agree that's tragic state of affairs. But I don't agree that means the solution is to hand it to a nasty little man who honestly believes God speaks directly to him and a weasely cabal of power hungry jackals who woud do away with Habeus Corpus, clothe blind justice, and turn as much of government over to coprorations they worked for prior to holding office and will return to once their terms are up.
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