Nader Rejects Green Party Backing

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23298-2003Dec22.html

Ralph Nader, whose 2000 campaign many Democrats believe cost former vice president Al Gore the presidency, has decided not to run for president next year as the candidate of the Green Party but is still contemplating a presidential race as an independent, a Nader associate said yesterday.

"My understanding is that, if Nader runs, he does not want to run a mediocre campaign, and he is trying to assess the political and resource variables on how he would run the most serious campaign possible to unseat George Bush," Mirkarimi said. He said there appears to be "no consensus" within the Green Party over its approach to the 2004 campaign.

[Terwilliger]

1. I knew that was probably coming

Dems have browbeat enough Greens into submission over 2000 that it was inevitable the party would become split.

[BiggJawn]

2. Nader? "Unseat" Bush?

Thanks, I needed that!
:7 :7 :7

[lancdem]

5. Yeah, I thought that was pretty amusing, too

[jenk]

3. old ralph needs to stop contemplating

I know he would love to run as an independent and do whatever he can to take votes away from the DEM, but it's time to stop being so selfish and do what's right for America.

[wryter2000]

4. Go away, Nadir

Please. Just go away.

[The Sushi Bandit]

7. You just dont get it, Ralph forces the Dems to be stronger.

and to take on a more progressive platform. He shakes up the dialouge and talks ISSUES that affect Americans.

He is a man of principle, we as Democrats need to find someone that can make America feel like they are speaking to them, and not at them.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. Better idea

How about trying to change the system instead of trying to screw over his own people within the system?

[Yupster]

6. Good news for the Greens

For them to grow, they need to get away from Nader and build on their successes from the ground up.

[mac56]

8. I agree.

My esteem for the Greens has just increased tenfold.

[BiggJawn]

10. True. This could be good for them.

Face it, Nader is a Pariah. Disliked by collectors of the Chevy "Corvair" and it runs downhill from there....

[BeatleBoot]

11. Later Nader

Enjoy Mr. Bush.

[yellowcanine]

12. Nader Rejects Greens? I don't think so.

I believe it was more that the Green party wasn't going to accept Nader as a candidate, at least on his terms. Anyway, if the Greens are a real political party, why would Nader assume that he could claim their endorsement without any vote by the members? Will the Greens participate in the primaries? Could Dean get on their ballot and on the Dem ballot?

[ajacobson]

15. In most states that's a no go.

[durutti]

13. Nader is not himself a Green.

He's a registered Independent and a member of the U.S. Labor Party.

[Randi_Listener]

14. More on the same.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031223/ap_on_el_pr/nader_green_party

"Ralph Nader, the third-party candidate viewed by many Democrats as the spoiler of the 2000 election for taking votes away from Al Gore, has decided not to run on the Green Party ticket next year, a party spokesman said Tuesday.

Nader, who garnered nearly 3 percent of the national vote in the last presidential election, has not ruled out running for president as an independent and plans to make a decision by January.

"I think we're all a little bit disappointed," said Scott McLarty, a Green Party spokesman. "I suspect Mr. Nader would have gotten the nomination."
****************************
About time he smartened up.

[Jinx]

16. nader

I wonder if the Greens now understand the full extent of their stupidity in supporting this man, who has now abandoned them without a second thought.

[dolstein]

17. I guess he's no longer satisfied with just screwing the Democrats

now he wants to screw the Greens as well. Of course, it serves the Greens right for nominating Nader in the first place. Talk about a pact with the devil . . .

[Moderator]

18. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=282042