Posted on 02/24/2008 7:15:41 AM PST by jdm
Barack Obama can now point to someone running to his left as evidence of his moderateness. Ralph Nader has announced that he will run for President in 2008, giving Democrats another potential headache in the fall, albeit a small one:
Ralph Nader has announced plans to run again for the US presidency. The anti-establishment consumer advocate made the announcement in a televised interview on Sunday. ....
"I'm running for president," Mr Nader said as he announced the move on NBC's Meet the Press.
He said most Americans were disenchanted with the Democratic and Republican parties - who were not discussing the urgent issues facing American voters
Democrats, he said, were "complicit" and if they did not win by a "landslide" this year, "they should just close down".
Nader managed to make the 2000 race a lot more interesting than anyone predicted. Although he only captured 3 million votes nationwide, he took more than the gap between George Bush and Al Gore in Florida -- ensuring Gore's defeat. In 2004, however, Nader didn't account for any change in the results as Bush beat John Kerry in his successful re-election bid.
How much impact will Nader have this time? Probably none at all. Unless Hillary Clinton pulls off a miracle, the Naderites of 2000 have aligned themselves enthusiastically with Barack Obama. Having Nader attack him from the Left won't hurt Obama's prospects in the middle, where he needs to draw more heavily than John McCain.
The bigger worry for Obama is Michael Bloomberg. The billionaire mayor of New York City ay still launch a vanity run for the White House, and he would challenge both McCain and Obama for the center. However, given Bloomberg's nanny-state tendencies, he will likely draw far more support from Obama than from McCain. If both Nader and Bloomberg enter the race, Obama could get squeezed from both sides.
If nothing else, Nader's presence will provide a few laughs as he gets reviled for blocking Obama's path to victory, even if it's just a small roadbump.
His 2 or 3 percent will likely come in real handy. We have him to thank for the narrow margin in Florida back in 2000.
Wow.. If Clinton wins the primary, she will disenfranchise the black vote.. and all the lefties will go for Ralph..
Could be a perfect storm, fir the dems.
>>Although he only captured 3 million votes nationwide, he took more than the gap between George Bush and Al Gore in Florida — ensuring Gore’s defeat.
On Youtube there’s a video of Michael Moore and Bill Maher
literally getting down on their knees (on Maher’s TV show) to beg Ralph
“Don’t run! Please! Don’t! Run!” in 2004
Just listened to Nader on MTP. I got the feeling he knows he cannot possibly win but feels the Democratic party has to move further left to win the Presidency and his entering the race pushes the Democrats further left to recapture Nader’s potential voters.
Nader also said if the Democratic party cannot win in a blowout in 2008 they might as well hang it up.
Of course Nader thinks to get this “blowout” Democrats have to move so far to the left; they are standing nearly alongside Fidel Castro....
Does not a crime have to be committed to be "complicit"? Was this an odd choice of words or deliberate by Nader?
Non factor.
He could throw a real monkeywrench into a tight race in a blue state like Wisconsin with all their "progressives" and worse.
NONE of the presidential contenders are to the left of Obama.
Nader's candidacy serves only to make Obama look more middle-of-the-road. He's probably been paid by Obama to run.
Leni
Unless Nader also announces that he is now a black lesbian, he won’t take away any Democratic votes. He’ll get maby 0.25%
Worth repeating:
“WARNING: Anyone who declares Nader is “to the left” of Barak is a hot air bag.
NONE of the presidential contenders are to the left of Obama.
Nader’s candidacy serves only to make Obama look more middle-of-the-road. He’s probably been paid by Obama to run.”
Obama is as left as it gets and will be the start of totalitarian socialism here in the USA. Think of Cuba with newer cars left over from when they could be sold.
Thanks again Ralph
Nadir got 97000 votes in Florida in 2000. Thanks, Ralphie!
I differ with you. I just listened to Nader on MTP. He feels the Democratic party has to move further left to win the Presidency and his entering the race pushes the Democrats further left to recapture Nader’s potential voters. He WANTS Obama to move further left and Obama will have to now to get those votes or consider them gone.
Nader, for some ignorant reason, is a liberal that really believes he is mainstream and everybody to the right of him is not.
Over 250,000 Democrats voted for Bush in Florida in 2000; Nader did not lose the election for Gore, those 250,000 moderate Democrats did thank God.
Thanks to Nader, McCain is no longer the oldest geezer in the race.
hmmmmm........decisions, decisions........
Yet another Harold Stassen wannabe.
And about 3 times that many will vote for McCain over MuBarack Hussein.
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