Nader to decide soon on possible presidential run

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said on Monday he will decide soon on whether to make a another bid for the White House in 2008, eight years after playing a key role as a third party presidential candidate.

"I'll decide in about a month," he said in an interview broadcast on CBC Radio's Daybreak show in Montreal.

"What I'm deciding on right now is whether we can get enough volunteers, enough financial resources to overcome the huge ballot access obstacles, which you don't experience here in Canada, but which are the worst in the Western world in the United States," said Nader, who will turn 74 on February 27.

Nader, who made his name as a consumer crusader during decades of battling corporations on matters from car to food safety, ran for president as an independent in 2004 and as the Green Party candidate in 2000.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080121/pl_nm/usa_politics_nader_dc

[dmallind]

1. Greens

Getting Republicans Elected Every November. Stooges and/or useful idiots all - not sure which is worse.

[AndyTiedye]

33. Even the Greens Don't Want Nader Anymore

They rejected him in 2004, so he had to invent his own party. I don't recall what he calls his party. The Spoiler Party would seem appropriate.

[dmallind]

2. Greens

Getting Republicans Elected Every November. Stooges and/or useful idiots all - not sure which is worse.

[russian33]

3. oh lord, can he take his ego and stuff it?

please?

[Skinner]

4. Oh, good lord.

I can't believe he is even considering it.

[Botany]

12. The man has a huge ego.

Years ago I knew some people who worked for him .....
they were like zoombies following him and thought he was brilliant.
Once anybody lost their "100% love" for him he dumped them.

To this day you can find people who will say he did not effect the
2000 race ..... I really believe it too.

[LulaMay]

15. I can. It's all about him. Who would vote for him? I know my brother regrets it.

[clixtox]

22. I doubt this "announcement" is anything more...

Than an effort to keep his cogent criticisms of our dysfunctional, corrupt election system, the Democratic (sadly, In name only these days) Party and the quiescent population of docile sheeple, in the M$M mix.

Of course here on DU there will be the legions of believers in the "conventional wisdom", canards such as that Nader single-handedly cost G(b)ore the 2000 election and therefor Nader is actually why we are attempting to conquer Iraq.

Let us see how democratic principles are manifested on DU here today, or not!

Every American (since birth), when old enough, is eligible to run for the presidency.

It isn't up to the M$M or the two major political parties apparatchiks to decide who can campaign for the office of POTUS.

Well, it isn't supposed to be anyway...

Todays "neo-cons", in both political parties, would have been on the side of the Tories during our own 18th century revolutionary war. They would have been gunning for Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Paul Revere and all of the many patriots who created our nation and wrote our beloved constitution.

Just like they are always gunning for Nader in the 21st century for fighting against tyranny and for our human and civil rights, health and welfare.

The Democrats take the progressive voters for granted just like the Repulsives do with the abortion fanatics and the "religious right" voters. No wonder they are terrified that Nader might run again. If Nader was funded somehow enough to get his message listened to, it could seriously split the liberal/progressives enough to make it just about close enough to "steal" once again. Although I am not sure that "steal" is correct since the main victims, the losing candidates, seem to always go away quietly without making even a peep.

Maybe they are all in on this together?

What do you think? On your own! Not what you heard or read somewhere.

Think...

[Skinner]

25. "G(b)ore"

Nice.

[AndyTiedye]

34. But We Don't Want the Repiggies to Steal It Again

Even you admit that Nader made 2000 close enough to steal. We don't want that to happen again.

It's more likely to be Bloomberg who does it to us this time than Nader though.

[SammyWinstonJack]

104. G(b)ore?

:eyes: How original. :boring:

[onehandle]

5. He said he wouldn't run if Edwards got the nomination.

Go John, Go!

[melody]

6. Hasn't he done enough harm?

What an arrogant thug. I don't care who he endorsed -- if he does this, he's even worse than I thought.

[DutchLiberal]

102. Yes, it's terrible that people are exercising their right to run for president!

We should change the law so only two parties could run! No, wait, maybe we need a law that says only one party can run! Oh, oh, make it our party! ...

[papau]

7. Is there any way to place a bet on this - at 1 to 100 odds it is a free dollar as the GOP will pay

[jackpan1260]

8. If we nominate Hillary, I think he will get in the race

He dislikes the Clintons a lot, for obvious reasons.

[leftynyc]

35. He'll do whatever the repubs

pay him to do.

[havocmom]

44. We have a WINNER!

They feed his accounts so he can feed his ego.

[depakid]

54. Actually, that would seem more in tune with the Democratic "leadership"

and their donors.

They've been the ones dancing to Bush's tune and enabling or legitimizing OR VOTING FOR far right policies and nominees- for 7 years now. Longer than that, if you go back to the Clinton era.

If they'd stand up for traditional Democratic values for a change- start being DEMOCRATS, neither Nader nor the Greens would have much if any constuency.

Like or no- that's the bottom line....

[SammyWinstonJack]

105. He always does.

[HereSince1628]

9. Someone PLEASE call Chuck Norris and nip this in the long tooth.

[ChazII]

10. Please tell me this is a joke.

He has done enough damage - imho.

[ret5hd]

11. Somebody contact LocoZollo!

[stimbox]

29. HAHAHA!!! Dooga, dooga, dooga!!!!

Any mention of Nader summons LoZoCULO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOdATCFM30

[LulaMay]

13. Consumer Reports rates Nader's ego as largest one available.

[2Design]

14. he must like replublican rule and hate humanity and the environment n/t

[BigDDem]

16. "enough financial resources"

What's wrong Ralph, did your GOP gravy train leave town?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. RNC donations just aren't what they used to be.

They're finding it difficult enough to milk the dough out of their supporters w/o taking on another burden.

[McCamy Taylor]

17. For everyone who drank the "Gore =Bush koolaid" here comes the "Dem Nominee =Bush" koolaid

Financed by lots and lots of wealthy GOP donors (and their spouses) each giving the maximum allowable to the Nader campaign.

Ralph Nader 2000 was the Frankenstein creation of Grover Norquist and if you do not know who he is you had better go look him up. Hint: he is a Reagan style changer.

[NavyDavy]

18. that idiot just needs to disappear

[acmavm]

20. This guy has become a bad joke. A really bad joke. Too bad

so much garbage and shit is left behind when he pulls this nonsense.

[BearSquirrel2]

21. Hasn't he learned yet ...

Nader is not helping. If he wants to help, he should throw his weight behind his favorite candidate. Then support the Democratic nominee.

He cannot win, and the only thing he does is make it harder for the Democrat to win. There is a particular Democrat running that I would NOT like to be the nominee. Yet, if she is the nominee, I'll vote for her in the general election. She is not a liberal. But she is a hell of a lot closer than any of the assholes on the Republican side.

[bdamomma]

23. oh geez, why doesn't he just give it up?

[Gman]

24. I wonder if Nader likes the collective gasps this generates

He's pretty much dead political meat anyway. But his callous disregard for what he caused in 2000, doing it again in 2004, then even thinking about it now is very disturbing.

[olddad56]

26. He was never presidential material, but in his day.....

he could have done this nation a lot of good. He could have organized a consumer union that empowered middle class consumers. But that was many years ago. Now he is just a tired old narcissistic creep that won't fade away. His glory days are long behind him.

[Independent_Patriot]

27. Rakph had done alot of good for this nation...

I don't think Ralph will stop running until the Democratic Party finally begins acting like Democrats and nominates someone he deems sufficiently progressive - and that's his perogative (and with our hobson's choice of the two top candidates, I'm not entirely sure I can fault him.)

With that said, until we have real election reform in this country (i.e. runoff voting etc.),I'm not sure what good his candidacy does except enable the Repiglicans.

[riverdale]

92. & what good are the electable democrats doing?

Iraq war, bankruptcy bill, the surge, no child left behind, etc etc. Give me Nader any day.

[scarface2004]

28. whatever ralf!!!

i would vote for michael moore!

[MasonJar]

30. Please not again. What is wrong with him?

[LaPera]

31. Edwards doesn't get the nod- I'm not voting for some fucking moderate again!I'm voting for....

Liberal Nader.

So what the republicans win, what difference does it make, when all these television watching clowns are swayed by what they see and are told on television....

If Obama was ignored by the republican corporate media just as they have purposely done to Edwards...Obama wouldn't of been more than a passing thought....But the republicans needed another moderate to battle the moderate Hillary in the media and the republicans certainly didn't want it to be progressive John Edwards....

So the republicans will get what they want two moderates, one a woman, and one African American, it'll make it much easier for the republicans, than if progressive Edwards was running against the republican corporate fascist policies, just the way the republican drew it up....

This liberal can't stomach voting for another John Kerry moderate....I'm voting outside the democratic party for president for the first time in my life....Fuck the democratic party moderate bullshit that has left so many of us, we didn't leave them, they gave us Reagan & Bush praising DLC corporate moderates as our only choices.

[Lost-in-FL]

42. I'll rather vote for a Republican than Nader...

wait... isn't that the same?

[ProudDad]

52. Exactly - Clinton I was the best republican money could buy!!!

I'm sure that Clinton II would take his crown away from him...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIa2m09Nd6E&feature=user

bush/clinton/bush/clinton/bush/clinton..

[krabigirl]

32. And the entire country yawned...

[Auggie]

39. Appropriate response. Things are a lot different now than in 2000.

Who's going to take him seriously?

[Hulk]

36. Oh please...just sleep through one election without f*cking things up.

[The Stranger]

37. Ralph Nader was right.

Given the Nancy Disaster's inexplicable complicity and her continued enabling of the ongoing war crimes, despite the Democratic Base's demand for some accountability, the Democratic leadership's continued capitulation after capitulation after capitulation on subpoenas into various crimes of the Administration, illegal and warrantless wiretaps and protections for the telecom companies, approving Mukasey for the AG, and on and on and on . . .

Ralph Nader is simply applying pressure to the DINO's in charge, hoping to force them further to the Left where there Base is and where the Nation needs them to be.

[Tesha]

38. (Don't try to confuse them with the facts; they're not listening.) (NT)

[The Stranger]

43. (Thanks. And, on top of everything else, I seriously doubt he would actually run.)

(He knows the power he wields from the outside, and they better listen to him this time.)

[applegrove]

40. Oh please no.

[Redstone]

41. Oh, Jesus God no, haven't we suffered enough?

Redstone

[boricua79]

45. Nader...be realistic

you're not gonna get the progressive vote in a year where a black man and a white woman are running...sorry....it's just not an election year where it can happen.

And you've lost a lot of progressives votes with your opportunistic switch to the Reform party

[ProudDad]

53. Too bad neither the black man

nor the white woman are really Progressive! :shrug:

[catgirl]

88. Wow. Interesting way to describe the candidates

They do have names, right? What's up with that?

[boricua79]

97. totally in agreement

but because it's such a historic shift, it gets tied up with "progressive change". Progressive change would be John Edwards and Kucinich...but sadly....

[PATRICK]

46. Without the money

and without the Greens it is in his own statement about the ballot difficulties a symbolic action. So symbolic in effect that one wonders if there is no other way for him to get heard than at the pleasure of the MSM and a small utilization in vote stealing schemes?

Now he's too isolated when liberal voices of any sort need to be united to get a squeak out in this campaign year. Even Don Quixote would tell him to get real.

[superconnected]

47. I still remember the Greens telling me Bush or Gore would be the same thing.

They were sure there wasn't a worse of two evils.

ah I wonder how many people who threw away their votes on him ever figured out that voting for a candidate on "principle" who can't win, means your vote really doesnt count.

Honestly, I doubt even one green party member eventually figured it out...


I liked the guy and even bought his books before he threw the election. Now I can't stand him. I did vote for gore so I don't feel like a complete dumbshit.

[sofa king]

48. "Because America Isn't Destroyed... Yet."

[Starbucks Anarchist]

49. And then the cashier told him he was holding up the line.

[fascisthunter]

50. The Really Sad Thing is He Was Right

He will not however have any spoiler influence in this election.

[natrat]

51. yea but this time he can argue there is no difference and be totally correct

[leftchick]

108. yep

nancy and harry prove it day after day after day.....

[Hissyspit]

55. Nader Mulling Over Bid for U.S. Presidency

Source: CBC News

Nader mulling over bid for U.S. presidency

Last Updated: Monday, January 21, 2008 | 4:49 PM ET
CBC News
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, whose bid for the 2000 U.S. presidency has been criticized by some for affecting the outcome of the race, is considering another run for the White House.

Nader, who ran as an independent in 2004, told CBC News in Montreal that he will know in about a month whether he has the resources for another bid.

"The issues are there, the need to redirect the country politically in terms of policy," Nader said. "What I'm deciding on right now is whether we can get enough volunteers, enough financial resources to overcome the huge ballot access obstacles, which you don't experience here in Canada, but which are the worst in the Western world in the United States."

Nader said while the Republican and Democratic parties do differ in some areas of policy, they are similar when it comes to concentrating power in the hands of the few against the many.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/01/21/nader-run.html

[99th_Monkey]

56. Is it Ground Hog day already ? again?

oh boy! Rethug/M$M wet dream ... someone on the left to blame for the upcoming "Astonishing Dem. Defeat in 08" of whichever M$M's Darling Dem candidate wins the nomination.

I can't stand it... i'm going to scream ... AAAAAHAHHHHHHHGG..

[Sarah Ibarruri]

57. Oh! Sh*thead Nader is still around? nt

[CBHagman]

58. Better he should mull some wine or cider.

His idle mind IS the devil's playground.

[grytpype]

59. .....

[gmpierce]

61. Ralph was right

Everyone is still upset over Ralph. What I have never seen was a reasonable argument that anything he said was wrong.

Since Reid and Pelosi took charge, the Democratic party has demonstrated that his complaints were accurate -- we have one political party with two heads. The Democrats have clearly demonstrated that they are not an opposition party.

If they are any different from Bush, where is the united front of Democrats demanding an end to the occupation.

The way Nader was treated by his own party is the same as Kucinich was treated by his own party. Kucinich is a little too mellow to treat them as they deserve. If Gore and the other apparatchics of the Democratic persuasion had given Ralph even a portion of the respect he earned over the years, it might have been a different election.

In the mean time, Lieberman is more of a traitor than Ralph ever thought of being, and Hillary and the rest of the DLC stooges are kissing his heinie.

[aquart]

64. No. He was NOT right.

But let me hear more about a Democratic president nominating a Scalia. A Roberts. An Alito. A Thomas.

[ProudDad]

69. He wouldn't have nominated a corporate tool like Breyer either (n/t)

[John Gauger]

74. That's the only reason you can give to vote Democratic?

Surely you can do better than that.

[caraher]

72. I fear Ralph has a hangup about personal glory

When his candidacy was about building the Green Party as a viable "third party" a vote for Ralph meant something. But this running as an independent is politically sterile. Running as an independent he's a man without a movement.

What seems to drive him instead of a plan to transform American politics is what you said - "If (DLC folks) had given Ralph even a portion of the respect he earned over the years, it might have been a different election."

Presidential elections cannot be about soothing one man's bruised ego (no matter how unjust the treatment was). Playing "spoiler," which is all he'd be doing - can anyone honestly think he'll set the agenda during the fall campaign? - has consequences for real people in real life. Does America deserve the nightmare of the last 7 years because the DLC slighted one man?

[John Gauger]

73. If they were any different from Bush they

never would have allowed the occupation in the first place.

[pleah]

60. Someone needs to slap the shit out of this guy. I don't know how anyone would vote

for him after the last two elections.

[DutchLiberal]

62. "Slap the shit out of this guy", posted by member "Jesuswasnotafacist". Hmm....

I'm a big fan or irony. :rofl:

[pleah]

90. I thought this would get a laugh or two. Glad you enjoyed it.

[DutchLiberal]

100. Oh, I did! Give me another one! Please...

[ProudDad]

70. Me too

It's Irony that gets me through the day...

:rofl:

[Ecumenist]

91. Someone needs to beat him till the white meat shows....

Our country and our planet is at risk and in danger and this muttonhead is determined to see his name on a ballot because his penis is a bit too short or something of that nature. It's time to stop playing games, Ralphie because noone cares about what you think. We are fighting for the life of our democracy and your ego doesn't even come into play. I would suggest a long term of serious therapy, perhaps in-care for the next 11 months...

[Montauk6]

63. Salt, please?

:popcorn:

[Historic NY]

65. Take his tuna on white bread away and what does he offer.............

nothing. Naders time has come and gone he has become an abcess on the political landscape.

[Danger Mouse]

66. While it's true that the current Dem congress sucks...

I think there would be a SIGNIFICANT difference between a Dem presidency in 09 and a Rethug.
Nader, seriously, fuck off.
The past 7 years of Bush weren't bad enough?
Fucking moron.

[riverdale]

95. I'm not saying, I'm just saying...

There hasn't been a significant difference between the post-2006 Dem congress and the previous Repub congress

[JerseygirlCT]

67. Oh just go away, Ralph. nt

[ProudDad]

68. Too true, too true...

"they are similar when it comes to concentrating power in the hands of the few against the many."

The near right-wing of the Big Business Party nominates ObamClintWards...

[ProudDad]

71. Open letter to you dildoes who still think Nader cost Gore the "selection"

GORE SAYS GORE cost GORE the Selection!

Get real...

Get over it!

[the other one]

76. No. Republicans STOLE the election

And they would have done so wether or not Nader ran.

[ProudDad]

82. What you said -- Even MORE true!!! (n/t)

[KingOfLostSouls]

75. well if ralph runs we know one thing

the kucinich supporters will be lining up to help him get another republican selected to the white house since kooch won't get the nomination.

[newburgh]

79. Bush is as much a Republican as Clinton is a Democrat...

Kucinich is as much a Democrat as Nader is a Green and Paul is a Republican.

So what will it really matter who we vote for? Not only will the votes not be counted, but another party pretender will in the post anyway.

[fishwax]

87. we know no such thing

[Zorro]

77. Ralph Nader is soooo 2000

Ralph is only out for Ralph. He would run to satisfy his enormous self-ego; he'd love get that ego stroked by cadres of true-believer volunteers.

[davidinalameda]

78. a campaign between him and McKinney will at least be entertaining

seeing which one can be the biggest moonbat out there

[ladywnch]

80. I honestly believe he will/would be a non-factor this time around.

there are so many players this time around I think he would just fade into the background pretty mucnh like ol' Freddy has. Most of the sheeple already suffer from cadidate overload. One more this late in the game would make most of their heads explode. IMHO

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

112. i think the opposite

you underestimate how many people hate the rightwing clinton/carville/penn machine
i know of many people who held their nose for kerry, but won't vote for her under any circumstances

[bluestateguy]

81. We will fight his efforts to get on state ballots state by state, root and branch

Nader is just an opportunistic, communist bastard.

[ProudDad]

83. "communist bastard"????

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You don't work for Mitt, do you???

[riverdale]

93. Free and fair open elections = communist plot

Yes, what could be more un-American than letting just anyone get on the ballot? Someone without millions of dollars in the bank. Someone who will look toward the people's interest instead of the corporations.
Only those approved and vetted by the party shall be granted the right to run, or vote. Those not supporting the party candidate will be placed under surveillance. We must not allow the proletariat the opportunity to vote according to their own conscience.

[orleans]

84. kill me

[AlphaCentauri]

85. Ralph could be a good vice... n/t

[DiverDave]

86. Nader is a egomaniac

he NEEDS attention!

Who cares if he gives the WH to the rethugs?, he gets to see his name in the paper! whee!

Go away ralph, you are a buffoon.

[kurth]

89. Idiotic idea

[Tatiana]

94. UNBELIEVABLE.

His ego knows no bounds.

[MrScorpio]

96. .

http://www.wickedsunshine.com/WagePeace/Election2004/Images/AwJeez,NotThisShitAgain!.jpg

[mac56]

98. Aw, Christ, no. Not this shit again.

His timing absolutely sucks.

He's like a recurring hemorrhoid.

[RiverStone]

99. that about sums it up for me to....n/t

[DutchLiberal]

101. Well, like they say: the more, the merrier...

People need to stop thinking the Democratic candidate is somehow 'entitled' to the left-wing/progressive vote. Votes need to be earned. If you select a good candidate, you'll have nothing to worry about.

The real reason Nader attracts so much anger from Democrats, is because he has a platform that actually offers what liberals and progressives want. Contrary to the 'moderate' DLC-type candidates from the Democrats who have neglected the progressive voting segment (but whom they treat like outcasts if they dare to vote for Nader).

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

103. If the Clinton's get control of the party, I'm backing him all the way

NO more Rubinomics, NAFTA and Dick Morris, please!

[jzodda]

106. I worked for the Gore campaign

and we had detailed analysis where (to our eyes) Nader stole votes that would otherwise have gone to us by conning people into the shocking idea that Gore was no different then Bush. Thats the answer many of these misguided people told the exit pollsters. I hate that man more then any other in this country and if he tries to get on the ballot here in NY I will support any lawsuit against him with my time and money. Hell I will donate my time pro bono to fight this bastard.

[Tarc]

107. The blood of the Iraq war is on the Naderites hands

just as much as it is on Bush's, since they enabled that dipshit's election victory.

[kamtsa]

109. Could not say it better.

Good intentions is not enough. One needs also to be responsible. Asserting that there is no different between Bush and Kerry was naive, childish and destructive.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

111. and you let the "Dems" like Hillary who voted for it off the hook?

and don't give me the old "it wasn't really a vote for war" b.s.

we all knew at the time what it was and the cowards who were trying to savetheir careers by taking the tehen-popular position knew damn welll what they were doing

[Snarkturian Clone]

110. Eat shit, Nader.

"What I'm deciding on right now is whether we can get enough volunteers,

The only way I would volunteer for Nader if it was to volunteer for the ass-kicking of Nader.