Comments on: : Why run?…

By: Hunting The Muse

Hunting The Muse — Fri, 19 Dec 2003 22:45:28 +0000

Nader And Me

In the summer of 2000, I was flipping past C-SPAN and came across a televised speech by Ralph Nader. I…

By: acline

acline — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 10:03:03 +0000

J–

I suspect you are correct, since he knows he cannot win.

By: J

Thu, 18 Dec 2003 09:54:26 +0000

Could it be that the “substantive reason[ ]” is that the 25-page report is simply back-channel blackmail? Imagine the talks he is engaged in with McAuliffe: “Look, embrace at least a portion of my platform or I’ll tank your canidate again!” This is clearly something the party establishment fears. Nader is most powerful while his intentions are still unknown.
While this seems unlikely with regard to his giving the report to the Republicans (not many swing voters torn between Nader and Bush), it could be that Ralph wants cover for his real strategy (“I’m engaged in a non-partisan airing of my views with both parties blah, blah, blah . . .”)
Like anyone in the Republican or Democratic power structure needs Ralph Nader to tell them what he about. We’ve all know that for a long time. If this report was about anything other blackmail it would have been released publicly.

By: acline

acline — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 09:05:20 +0000

Re: substantive reasons

I assume they are spelled out in the 25-page report.

I mean to highlight distinction between “vision” reasons and “policy” reasons, which is the distinction I think Nader is making. I find that move interesting.

By: Steven

Steven — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 06:55:40 +0000

It could be that his motivation is ego or the hope for media exposure. Aside from that, I have a hard time seeing the substantive reasons. In 2000 he at least had the argument that he wanted to surpass the 5% threshold so as to obtain federal funds for the Green Party in the future. I suppose that could still be the motivation, although the last outing was quite the failure. Still, this year could be a better chance if Bush is looking unstoppable many liberals might vote for Nader if they think that the Democrat can’t win.

By: OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 06:48:15 +0000

NADER 2004

: Why run?…” href=”http://rhetorica.net/archives/002171.html#002171″>Andrew Cline has the latest on Ralph Nader’s likely repeat run for the White House. What’s interesting is that he’s put out…