Nader Backs Edwards

MUSCATINE, Iowa -- Ralph Nader unleashed on Hillary Rodham Clinton Monday - criticizing her for being soft on defense spending and a chum of big business - and expressed his strong support for John Edwards.

In an 11th hour effort to encourage liberal Iowans to "recognize" Edwards by "giving him a victory," the activist and former presidential contender said in an interview that Clinton will "pander to corporate interest groups" if elected.

Nader specifically accused Clinton of failing to challenge military spending because "she is a woman who doesn't want to be labeled as soft on defense and she doesn't want to be shown as taking on big business."

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Comments

[Metacortex]

Mainstream media does not tell us what to think, but it does tell us what to think about. It told us that Ralph Nader was a marginal candidate, a spoiler, not someone who could actually win. And like a self-fulfilling prophecy voters fell right in line. The fact is that Mr. Nader has built a highly respectable career taking on corporate corruption and negligence. The current "contenders" were reading about him in textbooks when they were still in school.

[steve12]

The 2000 election was decided by fewer than 1000 votes. Nader got 97,488 in Florida. No Nader, Al Gore would have been President. Can you imagine how the world would have been different?

Nader could have worked from within the Democratic Party to change it. Instead it does a Don Quixote on us and we end up with Bush for 8-years. Now, he shouldn't get all the blame, but he certainly deserves a mountain share.

[grannysharp]

finally Nader is getting smart and hope those few who follow him vote for Edwards, the best and correct choice for president.

[themodernleader]

Mr. Nader split the Democratic vote to cause the loss of the Presidency. Singlehandedly, it can be written that he changed the course of American history---to our everlasting regret.
Now in the heat of the last moment of the most important vote in modern history, he interjects his flawed influence into the campaign.
Even his most ardent supporters must have some questions about his strange and irresponsible behavior. His last minute endorsement won't alter the election this time. Citizens are going to vote for who they see is the most competent and honorable--honest, trustworthy with integrity.

[GrauWulf]

How could this nation except through apathy, ignorance, and irresponsibility not defeat Bush with all the very clear and available evidence against him, not only the the first time but TWICE!!!! To blame Nader or the stolen votes in Florida or Ohio, or the Supreme Court, is shifting accountability away from ourselves (and also the poor campaigns of Gore and Kerry!).

I have questions of Edwards' actual effectiveness and policies if he is elected, as I also question Obama (who, while accusing others of taking 'his' change position, is suddenly taking Edwards' long established 'populist' position), but I support Edwards' populist position and realization of the entrenched opposition that runs this nation now.
I am sorry that Mr. Nader has so soon dismissed Representative Kucinich who has a long established record of position, intelligence, integrity for the people, for labor, for healthcare, for jobs, for peace, for justice, for energy sanity, against military/c­orporate/o­il/banking­/wealth establishment that Edwards has not. (I believe, in the past, Mr Nader has applauded Mr Kucinich's platforms and history.)


I hope the Green party comes to its senses and drafts Kucinich as its candidate too!

[AZM]

So Ralphie gave us 8 years of George Bush, and
now he wants to put the kiss of death of
death on Edwards? Thanks, you bastard!

[NotaBeliever]

Whew! So I guess ole Ralphie won't be running a spoiler campaign this year. As long as Edwards is nominated by the Dems. I don't trust Mr. Nader not to jump in otherwise. And if he were to jump in, would the idiot pundits tell us AGAIN that it doesn't matter who we vote for because they're all the same? Stay tuned for more from Ralph.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

all you people who blame nader for what has happened to this country - you are just making him a scape goat.

your argument is essentially that we need to support 1 of the 2 parties, because it's only one of them who will win.

well when you look at what both parties have done to this country, how in the hell can you fault people for wanting serious change? this country has been on the wrong track since well before bush, and it really shows what kind of a stupor that people have been in that they think that bush was the one who ruined this country.

bush accelerated the decline, he wasn't solely responsible.

so every time you want to blame nader you are essentially saying people must support the same parties that have dragged this country into ruin. you are arguing in support of the very thing you claim to be against.

[itsnotmyfault]

Ralph Nader is the person most responsible for directly putting George Bush in the Whitehouse, for which he should never be forgiven. Imagine what a different world we would be living in had Al Gore been allowed to assume the presidency in 2000. Nader's egotism stripped vital votes from Gore, leading to Gore's defeat.

Nader is the scum of the earth. A narcissist with no ability to appreciate the more consequential picture. Anything he endorses I will forever always believe the opposite.

[mrcontinental]

Nader should go back to his spider hole because no one is interested in any of his drivel at this late date. I'm surprised his buddy Dubya hasn't awarded him the Congressional Medal of Freedom for his assistance in 2000.

[WorkingClass]

No big deal but good news just the same. I voted for Nader in 2000 and 2004. I'm happy to see him endorse Edwards. Democrats who STILL blame Nader for their loss in 2000 and who STILL don't know that Nader was right about our ruling "duopoly" of Republicans and Democrats, are destined to die stupid.

[Mariel]

What a great thing to do! Thanks, Ralph Nader! You could be really helping now, and I should think your presence in the campaign could be welcomed. People at this point in our history are not going to be turned off by "extremists", as the corporate "middle (muddle) has failed. Go extremists! Go Edwards, go Huckabee.
(I am an extremist too, sometimes called a populist).

[coonce]

As usual - this sudden endorsement at the LAST minute before Iowa election - is all about Ralph Nader and NOT about any one Dem or Republican or even AMERICA for that matter. He always has to get HIS name in the news. Someday, Americans are going to wise up.

Coonsey's View
www.freewebs.com/coonsey/

[leatherneck]

As a ex-north carolina resident, and quite familiar with Senator Edwards, I know of him as a true humaitarian, one particular case he took of a woman whose baby was damaged thru medical malpractice in a hospital, the baby damaged for life, condemned too a wheel chair for life, needing 100% full time care for rest of this poor childs life due too doctors malpractice, he won a multi-million dollar settlement giving this child life time care, many denigrate him for being a good lawyer, but without lawyers like him the corporate big wigs, rich unethical, unfit doctors, hospitals would abuse the little guy, Edwards is what he claims too be, one might think negatively of him for his wealth, but one might also believe he was blessed by god for his deeds, instead of somehow viewing his success as bad, or evil, he is one of the few democratic candidates who is electable and a true democrat of FDR quality, who cared about the average man/woman.

[snruB]

Ralph Nader is a horrible man. All of the good that he'd done early on has been undone in the last 8 years, and it's ALL HIS FAULT