Dean Supporters... with Nader apparently ready to run again,

[progressiverealist]

how many of you will vote Nader if Dean does NOT get the nomination?


I have three acquaintances who, today over lunch, told me/ each other that they are voting for Ralph if Dean isn't the Dem. nominee, unless Dean runs as an independent.

Is this thinking prevalent, or is this just "water-cooler" conversation?

I'd like to think that most of the Dean supporters would vote, if grudgingly, for the Democratic nominee. Am I right or wrong?

[demnan]

1. I will support whoever the Democratic candidate is

I hope it's Dean. I'm not interested in third party candidates. Living in Virginia I already feel like I waste my vote.

[virgdem]

14. I'm glad I'm not the only Virginian who feels that way

eom

[unfrigginreal]

2. Hmmm?

What answer would best serve your purposes?

[unfrigginreal]

38. Now that I know you are a Clark supporter

I can guess the answer to my question.

[LSdemocrat]

3. ABB

I'll vote for the Democratic nominee no matter what.

[Hep]

4. Not even grudgingly

depending on who wins the nomination. There are several candidates for whom I would happily vote. And I'm a die hard Dean supporter.

[wryter2000]

5. No effing way

The only way I'd vote for Nader is if he's the only guy running against Whistle Ass.

[wryter2000]

7. And...

If Dean ran as an independent, he'd lose my vote, for sure. He wouldn't do that, though.

Only, please don't make me vote for Lieberman, Pleeeeeeze.

[Julien Sorel]

6. ROFL

Dean or Green. More evidence of the insanity that has overtaken leftist DP politics recently. Their only alternative to one of the most conservative Democrats to come down the pipeline in decades is Ralph Nader and the Greens. But they are the 'true Democrats,' and the rest of us are somehow not.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

44. I don't think this is the case

Everyone I know who voted for Nader last time hates Dean, and everyone I know who supports Dean, myself included, hates Nader. The twain shall not meet, except in a very small percentage of cases. Every Dean supporter I know (again, myself included), is voting for the Dem nominee next year.

This is a non-issue and I don't think you have to worry that this is some kind of a prevalent mentality. I know you don't like Dean but I'm pretty sure most of us who support him want Bush gone and will do whatever is necessary to make that happen. I know I will.

[WhosNext]

I like the "best of both worlds" approach

Dean is the nom and Nader runs as a Green. Dean will still win many Green votes, but at the same time have Nader making him look more viable (centrist) as a national candidate. Best of both worlds.

[w13rd0]

8. I will support the Democratic nominee...

...Dean has already had a marked impact on the political landscape. He won't run as an independent, and I've no interest in Nader or any third party candidate in this most crucial of elections, living in Missouri, a critical swingstate.

[eyesroll]

9. Just water cooler.

Most Dean people I know are ABB. (Most Kucinich, Kerry, Clark, etc. people I know are also ABB.)

The other possibility: If you live somewhere that was sure to go to * or to the Democrat, then perhaps protest voting is more likely. (I know a few people in solid Republican states who have never voted for a major party nominee.) In that case, though, it doesn't matter.

BTW: Just because there's an "exploratory committee" or a Web site doesn't mean anything, in and of itself. In fact, since the alleged committee is his pre-existing campaign committee, they already have the paperwork, accounts, etc. (assuming they didn't 100% dissolve after the 2000 election) This could be a ruse, could be so they can raise money just in case, etc.

[Cheswick2.0]

10. Dean or Nader?

that doesn't make any sense at all.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

21. That's what I was thinking...

Dean supporters support Nader?
I find it hard to believe that there are that many Greens supporting Dean. He is far from their progressive platform.

TWL

[mrgorth]

11. The only way I WOULDN'T vote ABB

is if the dems do 2 pro-war candidates on the ticket. Lieberman and Gep, for instance, I think I'd have to waste my vote. The war was wrong. Anything else I vote dem.

[coloradodem2005]

12. I will support any Democrat.

While I believe that the third parties, including Greens deserve a voice, this is not the time to vote third party. The only feasable way to get * out is to support the Democrat, Dean or otherwise, even Lieberman. I will admit on issues I am closer to Nader than Lieberman, but while he is a hero in many ways, he has too much baggage and is probably just going after the Democrats. Furthermore, he is not helping his cause or the Green Party's cause by running next year.

[ecstatic]

13. I made a similar comment yesterday

For me it would depend on WHY Dean didn't get the nomination--if it was due to negative smears and attacks from Democrats who are content with an ineffective party, then yes, I would vote Nader because I refuse to support an organization that refuses to stand for anything.

I don't think that some people understand how ANGRY some of us are with the way the Democrats have conducted themselves over the past couple years. Dem leaders have let the Republican leaders scare them into silence and war under the guise of patriotism. Dean promises to have Congress scurrying like cockroaches and I look forward to that. Dean is the only candidate who wants to change things and start from scratch if necessary (i.e., remove ties to corporations and to ineffective leaders like McAuliffe).

[Adjoran]

15. A vote for Nader = a vote for bush

Period.

Call it a protest if you like, everyone has the right to vote as they choose - but make no mistake of the effect.

For example, in Florida in 2000, the repubs took the state by a contested 500 votes. Nader got over 97,000 votes. If even 1% of Nader voters had voted for Gore, he wins.

In New Hampshire, Bush won by 5000 votes, with Nader getting over 22,000.

In Oregon, Iowa, and Wisconsin, Gore won by razor-thin margins, while Nader racked up significant totals.

Don't be surprised if Karl Rove contributes to the Nader campaign, should he run again next year. And don't fool yourself over WHO you are really voting for.

Democrats support the Democratic candidate. Period.

[AntiCoup2K4]

16. If Ralph gives Bush another 4 years, then he and all of his supporters....

...might as well declare themselves Republo-fascists right now and get it over with.

[Demobrat]

17. I will vote for Nader

when he's the only one running against Bush.

[Hep]

18. You should be more worried about the Dean Haters not voting for Dean if HE

gets the nomination.

[sangh0]

29. Ducking the question?

Not surprised

[Scott Lee]

35. With you it's ABD (Anybody BUT Dean)

So you have not a leg to stand on.

[htuttle]

19. Woof! Woof! Someone said 'Nader'!

Quick, push the Red lever.

Good boy...here's a biscuit...

:eyes:

[Terwilliger]

22. feels more like Harrison Bergeron

every 20 seconds *bzzzt* *bzzzt* *bzzzt*

[MoonAndSun]

20. ABB

[Fitzovich]

23. Anyone But Bush

The Democrats could run a trained monkey for President and he (or she) would have my vote. I really hope that * makes a wonderful retired president come January of `05.

[Egnever]

24. I think your friends bumped thier heads

No way does nader get my vote ever forget this election. I dont care if lieberman is the nominee.

That statement is so ludicrous I am tempted to think you made it up.

[progressiverealist]

26. I wish I had....

but alas, that's what I heard while enjoying my turkey sandwich and pretzels.

[THUNDER HANDS]

25. I know I'd vote for whomever the nominee is

And I know for a fact I will NOT be voting for Nader again like I did in 2000.

[vi5]

27. I think more Kucinich supporters based on what I've read...

Nader himself has also said that Kucinich is the only one whose win in the dem primary would make him consider not running.

I've come to many conclusions about Dean supporters over the past few months. Some of them correct, others erroneous. And in the latter category is definitely that they are covert Greens or Nader supporters. I really don't think that's true.

[Silverhair]

28. It all works on a percentage. If 1 in a 100 votes for Nader,

almost all of that will come out of our base. Can we afford to lose any of our base?

[ulysses]

30. Nader has little to do with it, honestly.

Currently, the only candidate whose nomination would make me vote third-party again is Lieberman who, as has been noted before, is pretty much dead in the water. That could change (there are several other candidates for whom I really don't care very much), but Nader's candidacy does little except give me another option should I make the same decision that I have the last two elections.

[BJ]

31. Any of the Democratic candidates are acceptable.

Except Joe Lieberman. I think he was tabbed Veep to keep his corporationist tendancies in check in case Gore won (like he didn't.)

[CMT]

32. I'm tired of people challenging us on how we will vote

I wonder how many of the Dean haters who on a daily basis do nothing but blast Dean will vote for him if he is the nomination. We have had countless threads asking this question of Dean supporters and the majority of us have said we will vote for the Democratic nominee whoever that is and that goes for most of the supporters I know.

[progressiverealist]

34. well, OK... I for one, as a Clark supporter, will definately vote Dean

should he be the nominee. As for the Dean haters (I am not one) I sincerely hope most will vote for Dean should he be the nominee.

[unfrigginreal]

37. LOL

A Clark supporter "worried" that Dean's support might be split with Nader. Thanks for being so thoughtful.:eyes:

[w13rd0]

33. Well...

...I think we can see what some of that $200 million and "6 million" supporters is going toward...

[info being]

36. Kucinich, Dean, Nader

That's my vote priority.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

39. I would sooner vote for Lieberman than Nader

Dean is my first choice, followed by Clark, then Edwards, and so on down the line. The entire Democratic party would have to suddenly cease to exist overnight in order for me to even consider voting for Nader. I don't consider Dean and Nader to be candidates who are in the same league in any respect, whether ideologically, politically, you name it. This is like asking that if Dean were not to get the party's nomination, would I vote for Burt Reynolds.

I don't believe that Nader cost Gore the election, but I would never vote for someone who I didn't feel was qualified to hold the office they're running for. The only reason to vote for Nader would be as a protest vote, and I'd rather use my protest vote getting Bush the fuck out of the White House, thank you very much.

[genius]

40. RED HERRING. NADER IS SUPPORTING KUCINICH. NADER PEOPLE DON'T LIKE DEAN.

Nader has said that if Kucinich gets the nomination, he won't run. I see Naderites all the time on the Kucinch campaign. If Dean gets the nomination they won't have anything to do with the Democratic Party. They can't stand Dean.

[ulysses]

41. erm...

:hi:

Hi there. I'm ulysses. Who are you?

[RevolutionStartsNow]

42. LOL Nader will spare us only if Kucinich gets the nomination?

I love Dennis, but this just shows the ego of Nader.

Still I bet he will begging for the Dean voters if he jumps in.

[Khephra]

43. ABB

as long as they're Democrats. There's no chance for a third-party candidate to win this late in the race, unless Jesus entered the race.

[drfemoe]

45. Probably right

"most" .. but nowhere near "all" ..

[damnraddem]

46. Any Dem but Leiberman.

I WILL NOT vote for Bush-Lite. But don't worry: Lie-berman won't get the nomination.