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December 18, 2003
: Why run?...
Judy Woodruff put the big question to Ralph Nader yesterday afternoon:
WOODRUFF: It sounds like you'd like to run [for president].NADER: Well, substantively there's a strong case for it. But we have to see what kind of support there is among young people, people who are representing labor and want a living wage, people who want universal health care, people who want to crack down on the trillions of dollars of corporate crime, fraud and abuse. And above all, people who want clean elections with public financing.
WOODRUFF: My take on this is that Democrats, a number of them, are desperate to see you not run. I understand Terry McAuliffe has been talking to you or at least trying to talk to you, the Democratic Party chair. Have you been talking to him, and what's he saying?
NADER: Yes. In fact, in late October, I submitted a 25-page agenda inquiry to the Republicans and the Democrats. And they both said they're going to respond.
This exchange almost became politically useful. Woodruff, following the script of structural biases, quickly makes the interview about political contention.
But what are the reasons for a Nader candidacy? To indulge in a fallacy for a moment: Everyone knows Nader has no chance. But notice that his reason for running subtly acknowledges this. He says there is a substantive case for his running, and then he lists items from his political agenda linked to particular constituencies. No over-generalized "vision thing" here. This is a man interested in effecting certain policies.
His 25-page agenda is the 800-pound gorilla that Woodruff ignores. (via Political Wire)
Posted by acline at December 18, 2003 8:45 AM | | Spotlight