Nader takes steps towards another White House bid
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/30/art.nader.gi.jpg caption=" Nader is taking steps toward another White House bid."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Ralph Nader, the longtime consumer advocate who was blamed by many Democrats for Al Gore’s loss in the 2000 presidential election, launched an exploratory committee Wednesday for another White House bid, and told CNN he is likely to get in the race if he can put the resources in place.
"John Edwards, the banner of Democratic Party populism, is dropping out, and Dennis Kucinich dropped out earlier, so in terms of voters who are at least interested in having major areas of injustice, deprivations, and solutions discussed in a presidential campaign, they might be interested in my exploratory effort," Nader said.
Nader has launched an official exploratory committee Web site, and said he will formally make a decision in about a month. He said he is certain to get in the race if he can demonstrate the ability to raise $10 million and recruit enough lawyers to deal with ballot access issues. He has yet to formally file paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission, though he does not need to until he officially becomes a candidate, according to the FEC.
Nader said he finds Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both unacceptable candidates, and he said whichever wins the party's presidential nomination will not have an impact on his decision to run.
"They are both enthralled to the corporate powers," Nader said of the two leading Democrats. "They've completely ignored the presidential pattern of illegality and accountability, they've ignored the out of control waste-fruad military expenditures, they hardly ever mention the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars to corporate subsidies, handouts, and giveaways, and they don't talk about a living wage."
He expressed particular disappointment with Obama, whose senate record he called "mediocre, and quite cautious."
"It's not that he doesn't know what the score is, of course he does - look at his background, he knows plenty," Nader said. "But he's censoring himself."
Nader attracted close to 100,000 votes in Florida in 2000 - a state Al Gore ultimately lost to George Bush by approximately 500 votes. He brushes aside suggestions his candidacy this year may ultimately spoil the election for the Democratic Party.
"Political bigotry will be the label on anybody who uses the word 'spoiler,' he said. "Because ‘spoiler’ means minor candidates are second class citizens. Either we have an equal right to run for election, or we are spoilers for each other trying to get each other's votes.”
- CNN Producer Alexander Mooney
Run, Ralph, run!
Hey if he helps McCain win then I am all for him running!
The "Green Machine" is back to steal votes away from a viable candidate, but atleast he provides an option if Hillary receives the nomination. I planned to vote Republican if that happened.
Dear God, give people the courage and strength to vote Obama!
Has anyone read their sample ballots for the primary? In CA Ralph is ALREADY on the ballot for both the Green and Peace & Freedom Parties. Are you sure he isn't already on the primary ballots in your states as well? I know, the last thing people want to do is exercise their brains by thinking, but it might do you some good. Also, perhaps we should show some respect for someone who has done more good for this country than all of the current candidates for any political party combined? Just a thought. Oh yeah, and Kerry didn't lose the election because Nader. Maybe Gore did, but not Kerry. People didn't want that mistake made twice. Kerry lost the election because he was lame. Go HillBama '08!
Love this amanda girls "now we know where all the edwards votes will go" No you moron...we will support the nominee of our party. Hi, my names earth,,have we met...also love frank,another genious....i would never vote for the GOP, never vote for the dems...I will not vote..thats intelligent.....amazing how people die all over the world for the right and stupid americans will not vote or not have a clue like amanda about how people think...this man gave us Bush....are you better off now 8 years later/
Ralph Nader needs to stop running for president. I saw him speak at my college once and he was the most boring speaker I've ever had the displeasure of listening to! A person with absolutely no charisma would NOT make a good president!
Go Ralph
moderation or censorship?
Nader, you are a self-centered piece of trash
Great Comments about Obama! If he wants to run then run, who cares what evryone else thinks. This country has gone way too tip-toe.
Have you not screwed the Democrats out of one election.
Stay the heck out or we have anothe republican president
WHO CARES?
The man is as relevant as his Corvair...he should hop in the driver's
seat and drive off into the sunset....
OH.....he already did.
Is there to be no end to the ego-driven damage this unbalanced man can cause?
Oh God Not Again!! Does this man's ego know no bounds?!?! He has to be the most arrogant self serving political figure I ever saw. I can see it now flash forward 2024 : NADER LAUNCHES ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL BID FROM DEATHBED
GO AWAY RALPH!!!
Finally, someone who's running for office who is willing to tell the truth about Obama. Obama is mediocre and is afraid to speak the truth about who really stole this country from the American people- the international bankers.
It is his right to run. If you don't like it tough luck.
Nader, I've voted for you TWICE before...I even voted fro Ross Perrot! I did that because there were no good candidates at that time (in my opinion). This eyar, there are PLENTY of good cnadidates. This is NOT the year. Go do something else, ok? Thanxl
Ralph Nader apparently has no understanding of arithmetic. He should go to
the blackboard and write the following equation repeatedly until he grasps it.
GORE – NADER = BUSH
My blood is boiling, Nader will have a special place in hell reserved for him if he runs again.
I think that Ralph Nadar runs for president all the time, just to mess up the election. He is a pain in the arse. He must have nothing to do with himself except to aggravate voters.
As someone else posted ego ego ego...But then the crooked and sneaky obama has an ego problem also doesn't he.
He's running an ad saying he is going to save the world and the planet..Now how darn big is that EGO....someone tell us.
Whether or not he thinks of himself as a spoiler or not, he is the reason we had to put up with Bush for the last 8 years. Not more then 1 or 2 % of the Nader votes would have gone to Bush, but most would have gone to Gore. Please do not run, please do not make liberals split their votes between two candidates again and lose the next election.
Ralph,
Just stay out of it and move on. You're going to hand the election to a Republican again.
AREN"T YOU DEAD YET?!!??!
I don't mind having a 3rd party in the race. In fact, I am HOPING for it. But, please let Bloomberg get there first! Let anyone capable of winning a 3rd party nomination run. He has proven time and again he cannot win. This can actually be a changing point for 3rd parties in this country. But, we need the right candidate in place. If Nader was as against the two party system as he claims, he wouldn't want to stand in the way.......This is nothing but ego at its core.
Nader back off. Let someone get in that has an actual chance. In case you haven't noticed, repeat players chances usally do down, not up.