February 23, 2004
Nader running
Nader runs as independent. Is this really a surprise? He’s been making noise more and more and in interviews has expressed his anger at those who tell him not to run. He spins it as people trying to infringe his constitutional rights (Free Speech, Assembly). I think this is disingenuous at best. Private individuals asking him to not run hardly qualifies as violation of his constitutional rights. Those asking him not to run (of whom I am one) are excercising their right to free speech in opining that it would be in the best interests of the country that he not run.
I'm not planning on voting for Nader. If the Republicans were offering us someone of substance and quality (McCain, for example) I would vote for Ralph. Well, actually I might vote for McCain. The point being that if the Reps were running someone that I didn't think was going to seriously damage this country, I'd be OK with casting a vote to support someone I truly believed in, rather than someone whom I view as the lesser of two evils. Or the lesser of two lessers, as Nader once put it.
On an unrelated note, wonkette made a wonderful observation:
Bush is ready for Kucinich machine:Posted by rev_matt_y at February 23, 2004 10:01 AM
The president's team said it also has done substantial research on Sen. John
Edwards (N.C.) in case he surges to the nomination and has even prepared a
couple of ad scripts targeting long shot Dennis J. Kucinich, an Ohio
congressman.
In other words: Ad scripts to campaign against the vegan endorsed by
"the creatures of the forest"? Got 'em. Post-invasion plan for Iraqi
government? Uhmmmm. . .
I just had a confirmation phone call from my local newspaper that they will probably publish the following letter to the editor that I submitted.
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When Democrats groan about Ralph Nader as the spoiler in the 2000 presidential election please remind them of this fact from the Nader web page. The votes that Bush got in Florida in 2000 included more than 250,000 self-identified Democrats.
If the Democrats want to win they need to address the issues of core constituents that Nader will appeal to. Instead the Kerry and Edwards campaigns will both demonize Nader in their run to the right and again appeal to those 250,000 right wing Florida Democrats who would rather vote Republican.
I will work for and vote for Nader because he represents the moral and rational side of issues that the Democrats and Republicans are single-mindedly on the wrong side of.
In regards to Nader running… I think there’s a Bush quote that puts everything in context:
Fool me once…shame on you, Fool me twice…..well, you know…
Nader, should stay home… buuuuut… he’s had numerous chances and frankly I don’t even think it will matter if he runs. Voters aren’t going to jump on him simply out of boredom and apathy this time around. Posted by: SoL at February 23, 2004 02:24 PM
Its not the man its the issues. The Democrats can continue to ignore the issues and they will continue to have a disaffected party base.
Posted by: Pat Rogers at February 23, 2004 02:31 PMYou have the right to ask him not to run. Nader has the right to run. I’m beginning to get sick of democrats asking nader not to run. Only 50 percent of the people who are eligable to vote actually vote. The 50 percent non voters is your new voter potential. But democrats are too lazy to try go after these voters.
Posted by: Ricky Vandal at February 23, 2004 06:10 PMRicky;
Right on.
The Democrats have worked with the Republicans since 1970 to suppress nonconformist voters and now they blame everyone but themselves when they still can’t control what is left of the voting population.
Nader is about to administer some political tough love for both the parties. Its long overdue.
Posted by: Pat Rogers at February 23, 2004 09:45 PM
