Harold Myerson writes in the Washington Post:
"Nader of all people should know that social change in America emerges from movements -- labor, civil rights, feminist -- rather than from third parties. Movements transcend parties; third parties divide movements."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A Driving Force
Bob Herbert in the New York Times:
"It would have been impossible to believe during his heyday that Ralph Nader could be despised by many Democrats and progressives, that he would become a target of their ridicule and vitriol. He is now widely viewed as a hapless perennial candidate with no political upside and the ever-present potential of throwing an election the wrong way. "
"It would have been impossible to believe during his heyday that Ralph Nader could be despised by many Democrats and progressives, that he would become a target of their ridicule and vitriol. He is now widely viewed as a hapless perennial candidate with no political upside and the ever-present potential of throwing an election the wrong way. "
Monday, February 25, 2008
Nader Supporters for Obama...
...have a page here. Perhaps the most poignant case not to support Nader.
And from an American in Oxford
Asheesh Siddique, blogging for The Guardian on The Audacity of Egomania:
"Ralph Nader has defied all logic and announced this morning that he's going to help win eight more years for George Bush and a hundred more years of dodging IEDs for American troops in Iraq."
"Ralph Nader has defied all logic and announced this morning that he's going to help win eight more years for George Bush and a hundred more years of dodging IEDs for American troops in Iraq."
A voice from the UK on Nader
John Rentoul blogs for The Independent:
"The man is the Tony Benn of American politics, whose egotism and cult of left-wing purity has been an utter disaster for the values he affects to espouse."
I have to agree with a comment on this post that if Ross Perot hadn't run in 1992, Clinton would have lost to GHW Bush. But I don't agree with the commenter's point of view that we can't be happy about that and yet decry Nader's run. For one thing, there was a real feeling in the air that Perot could win. He was a serious candidate trying to win, at least. Nader has never been that.
"The man is the Tony Benn of American politics, whose egotism and cult of left-wing purity has been an utter disaster for the values he affects to espouse."
I have to agree with a comment on this post that if Ross Perot hadn't run in 1992, Clinton would have lost to GHW Bush. But I don't agree with the commenter's point of view that we can't be happy about that and yet decry Nader's run. For one thing, there was a real feeling in the air that Perot could win. He was a serious candidate trying to win, at least. Nader has never been that.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Ralphing
Marty Kaplan writes on Huffington Post:
"It's hard to believe, I know, but there is now an entire generation of 20- and 30-something Americans who don't know that Ralph Nader wasn't always a total a**hole. And yet, despite the stupefying narcissism and destructive potential of Nader's 2008 presidential bid, there's one important issue raised by his independent race that a legitimate fear of his candidacy's consequences, or a well-earned contempt for his arrogance, should not be allowed to obscure."
Read on!
"It's hard to believe, I know, but there is now an entire generation of 20- and 30-something Americans who don't know that Ralph Nader wasn't always a total a**hole. And yet, despite the stupefying narcissism and destructive potential of Nader's 2008 presidential bid, there's one important issue raised by his independent race that a legitimate fear of his candidacy's consequences, or a well-earned contempt for his arrogance, should not be allowed to obscure."
Read on!
Thanks again, Ralph
Eric Alterman writes on Media Matters' Altercation:
"One of the great mistakes liberals made in the 1970s was to try to win in the courts what they could not win at the ballot box -- thereby allowing their democratic muscles and instincts atrophy and helping to inspire a right-wing backlash against which they were defenseless -- and which now controls those same courts -- and Nader was the leader in this misbegotten movement. As a presidential candidate, he's been an undeniable catastrophe."
"One of the great mistakes liberals made in the 1970s was to try to win in the courts what they could not win at the ballot box -- thereby allowing their democratic muscles and instincts atrophy and helping to inspire a right-wing backlash against which they were defenseless -- and which now controls those same courts -- and Nader was the leader in this misbegotten movement. As a presidential candidate, he's been an undeniable catastrophe."
Nader's Glitter
Thomas Sowell for Human Events:
"Nader was never a consumer advocate in any real sense. He was a Nader advocate then and he is a Nader advocate now, when he runs for office oblivious to his friends and supporters."
"Nader was never a consumer advocate in any real sense. He was a Nader advocate then and he is a Nader advocate now, when he runs for office oblivious to his friends and supporters."
Why would he?
Steve Benen on The Carpetbagger Report:
"Why would someone with an impressive legacy on behalf of consumers take additional steps to make his enemies happy, his allies resentful, and his reputation tarnished?"
"Why would someone with an impressive legacy on behalf of consumers take additional steps to make his enemies happy, his allies resentful, and his reputation tarnished?"
Nader's Nadir
Marc Cooper on Huffington Post.
"Politics is all about perception, and the perception of Nader's first run, fairly or not, was that of a tragedy. His redux in 2004 was more of a farce. His run this time will be doomed to be pathetic. It will accomplish absolutely nothing except to diminish Nader's own towering record as a citizens' advocate and to marginalize the crucial issues he raises... It doesn't have to be this way. Ralph Nader could play an essential and productive role between now and November without sacrificing neither his independence nor his principles."
"Politics is all about perception, and the perception of Nader's first run, fairly or not, was that of a tragedy. His redux in 2004 was more of a farce. His run this time will be doomed to be pathetic. It will accomplish absolutely nothing except to diminish Nader's own towering record as a citizens' advocate and to marginalize the crucial issues he raises... It doesn't have to be this way. Ralph Nader could play an essential and productive role between now and November without sacrificing neither his independence nor his principles."
Ralph Nader: tragedy to farce
On Atlantic.com by James Fallows, who once worked for Nader.
"...Ralph Nader has so many people who actually are loyal to him -- and who wish they didn't have to face the reality about the choices he has made over the last eight years."
"...Ralph Nader has so many people who actually are loyal to him -- and who wish they didn't have to face the reality about the choices he has made over the last eight years."
Obama and Huckabee on the Nader candidacy
From the Chicago Tribune:
"He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush, and eight years later I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about."
- Barack Obama
"Naturally, Republicans would welcome his entry into the race."
- Mike Huckabee
"He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush, and eight years later I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about."
- Barack Obama
"Naturally, Republicans would welcome his entry into the race."
- Mike Huckabee
Nader Announces Plan to Wreck Election
Read Andy Borowitz on the Nader candidacy. Hysterical as always.
Nader announces candidacy
As expected, Ralph Nader announced he is a candidate for President of the United States this morning.
It occurs to us he may be trying to help the Republicans by making McCain only the second oldest candidate in the race.
It occurs to us he may be trying to help the Republicans by making McCain only the second oldest candidate in the race.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Obama on possible Nader run
From the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog by Nick Timiraos:
"Barack Obama said today during a visit at the Ohio State University Medical Center that he wasn’t terribly concerned about the prospect of a Nader campaign. 'I think the job of the Democratic Party is to be so compelling that a few percentage [points] of the vote going to another candidate is not going to make any difference.'
"Obama responded to criticism from Nader, who has suggested that the Democratic hopeful lacks substance, by noting that Nader has reached out to his campaign. 'My sense is that Mr. Nader is somebody who if you don’t listen and adopt all of his policies thinks you’re not substantive,' Obama said, before praising Nader as a 'heroic' and 'singular figure in American politics.'"
"Barack Obama said today during a visit at the Ohio State University Medical Center that he wasn’t terribly concerned about the prospect of a Nader campaign. 'I think the job of the Democratic Party is to be so compelling that a few percentage [points] of the vote going to another candidate is not going to make any difference.'
"Obama responded to criticism from Nader, who has suggested that the Democratic hopeful lacks substance, by noting that Nader has reached out to his campaign. 'My sense is that Mr. Nader is somebody who if you don’t listen and adopt all of his policies thinks you’re not substantive,' Obama said, before praising Nader as a 'heroic' and 'singular figure in American politics.'"
Proud to be part of the "Liberal Intelligentsia"
From the Weekly Standard in 2004:
"On Meet the Press, (Nader) exhibited a marked animosity toward the Democratic party. He said there wasn't a whit of difference between the Republican and Democratic parties--a talking point he used often in the 2000 presidential race. Sounding a lot like, well, a conservative, he said that those urging him not to run--a motley crew that includes the editors of the Nation magazine, ice-cream magnate Ben Cohen, and an assortment of websites such as Ralphdontrun.net and NoNader.org (precursor to this blog) --were all members of the 'liberal intelligentsia.'"
"On Meet the Press, (Nader) exhibited a marked animosity toward the Democratic party. He said there wasn't a whit of difference between the Republican and Democratic parties--a talking point he used often in the 2000 presidential race. Sounding a lot like, well, a conservative, he said that those urging him not to run--a motley crew that includes the editors of the Nation magazine, ice-cream magnate Ben Cohen, and an assortment of websites such as Ralphdontrun.net and NoNader.org (precursor to this blog) --were all members of the 'liberal intelligentsia.'"
Nader says he needs $10 million
From a January 30th ABC news report:
"Ralph Nader has formed a presidential exploratory committee, and said in an interview Wednesday that he will launch another presidential bid if he's convinced he can raise enough money to appear on the vast majority of state ballots this fall.
"Ralph Nader has formed a presidential exploratory committee, and said in an interview Wednesday that he will launch another presidential bid if he's convinced he can raise enough money to appear on the vast majority of state ballots this fall.
Nader, who ran as an independent candidate in each of the past three presidential elections, told ABCNews.com that he will run in 2008 if he is convinced over the next month that he would be able to raise $10 million over the course of the campaign — and attract enough lawyers willing to work free of charge to get his name on state ballots."
Green Effort to draft Nader
A number of Green Party members want Nader to be the party's candidate this year.
In 2000, Nader was the Green candidate, received about 3% of the vote and, we argue, was the tipping point that lost the election for Gore.
In 2004, Nader ran as an independent and received less than 1% of the popular vote.
The Greens for Nader web site is here.
In 2000, Nader was the Green candidate, received about 3% of the vote and, we argue, was the tipping point that lost the election for Gore.
In 2004, Nader ran as an independent and received less than 1% of the popular vote.
The Greens for Nader web site is here.
"The Nation" on possible Nader candidacy
Full article here.
"Unlike Gore and Kerry, Obama -- now the likely Democratic nominee -- has taken smarter stands on a number of issues close to Nader's heart, such as trade policy. This is not to say that Obama is as good as Nader on the issues. Far from it. But the savvier Obama platform, as well as the movement character of the Illinois senator's campaign, is likely to leave even less space for Nader to deliver a message."
"Unlike Gore and Kerry, Obama -- now the likely Democratic nominee -- has taken smarter stands on a number of issues close to Nader's heart, such as trade policy. This is not to say that Obama is as good as Nader on the issues. Far from it. But the savvier Obama platform, as well as the movement character of the Illinois senator's campaign, is likely to leave even less space for Nader to deliver a message."
Nader to appear on Meet the Press
Ralph Nader will appear live on Meet the Press tomorrow (Sunday) morning. It is widely expected he will announce he is running for president. Find your local airtime here.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Time to Make a Choice
It's time to make a choice. Even if you believe Nader makes an even stronger case against the status quo than Obama, what will be the result of your voting for Nader?
Will it really help achieve your goals? What will the country and the world look like after four or eight years of a McCain presidency?
Ralph Nader and the issues he believes in and has fought for his whole career would be better served by working within the Democratic Party than by the quixotic campaign he is waging. And by surfacing every four years, his candidacy is as much distraction as bully pulpit. His message would have had more impact as a Democratic candidate than it is likely to now.
No Nader 2004
From the web site we had prior to this blog:
Ralph Nader said a lot of things that needed to be heard during the 2000 campaign. But he also said there was really no difference between Bush and Gore. Despite the shortcomings of the two major parties, there is a real difference (can you say "John Ashcroft"?).
"For the past three years, everything Nader accomplished during his period of unparalleled creativity, which lasted from around 1963 to around 1976, has been systematically undermined by the Administration that he was instrumental in putting in power."
- Hendrik Hertzberg
Ralph Nader said a lot of things that needed to be heard during the 2000 campaign. But he also said there was really no difference between Bush and Gore. Despite the shortcomings of the two major parties, there is a real difference (can you say "John Ashcroft"?).
The 2004 election may be as close as the last one. It's time to make a choice. Even if you prefer Nader's positions to Kerry's, what will be the result of your voting for Nader? Will it really help achieve your goals? What will the country and the world look like after another four years of Bush?
We believe that we will be far better off with Kerry as President than with Bush, and that the issues Ralph Nader believes in and has fought for his whole career would be better served by his support for Kerry than by the quixotic campaign he is waging.
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