Nader Announces Run for President

WASHINGTON — Ralph Nader on Sunday announced a fresh bid for the White House, criticizing the top contenders as too close to big business and dismissing the possibility that his third-party candidacy could tip the election to Republicans.

The longtime consumer advocate is still loathed by many Democrats who accuse him of costing Al Gore the 2000 election.

Nader said most people are disenchanted with the Democratic and Republican parties due to a prolonged Iraq war and a shaky economy. He also blamed tax and other corporate-friendly policies under the Bush administration that he said have left many lower- and middle-class people in debt.

"You take that framework of people feeling locked out, shut out, marginalized, disrespected," he said. "You go from Iraq, to Palestine/Israel, from Enron to Wall Street, from Katrina to the bungling of the Bush administration, to the complicity of the Democrats in not stopping him on the war, stopping him on the tax cuts."

Nader, who turns 74 later this week, announced his candidacy on NBC's "Meet the Press."

In a later interview with The Associated Press, he rejected the notion of himself as a spoiler candidate, saying the electorate will not vote for a "pro-war John McCain." He also predicted his campaign would do better than in 2004, when he won just 0.3 percent of the vote as an independent.

"This time we're ready for them," said Nader of the Democratic Party lawsuits that kept him off the ballot in some states.

Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton quickly sought to portray Nader's announcement as having little impact.

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"Obviously, it's not helpful to whomever our Democratic nominee is. But it's a free country," said Clinton, who called Nader's announcement a "passing fancy."

Obama dismissed Nader as a perennial presidential campaigner. "He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush and eight years later I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about," Obama added.

Republican Mike Huckabee welcomed Nader into the race.

"I think it always would probably pull votes away from the Democrats, not the Republicans," the former Arkansas governor said on CNN.

Nader said Obama's and Clinton's lukewarm response was not surprising given that both political parties typically treat third-party candidates as "second-class citizens." Nader said he will decide in the coming days whether to run as an independent, Green Party candidate or in some other third party.

Pointing a finger at Republicans, he described McCain as a candidate for "perpetual war" and said he welcomed the support of Republican conservatives "who don't like the war in Iraq, who don't like taxpayer dollars wasted, and who don't like the Patriot Act and who treasure their rights of privacy."

"If the Democrats can't landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just wrap up," Nader added.

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Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy in Providence, R.I., and David Espo in Lorain, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

Ralph Nader presidential campaign: http://www.votenader.org

Comments

[Clinton]

Thank God for Ralph Nader. POWER TO THE BABIES.

[Robespierre]

Good luck with that!

As Mr. B. Bunny would say...What a Maroon!

While it is patriotic to serve one's country. Mr. Nadir is one who uses patriotism to dismember his country.

[Clinton]

Sorry Bugs, Nader doesn't have the power to dismantle the country.

[ladygreenslippers]

As an Obama supporter: Good for Nader! Let democracy reign!

He knows he will not win, but he sure as hell will be on the campaign trail taking to task the candidates dancing on the issues. And i understand that they have to dance to appeal to as many people as possible.

I reject the notion that he caused Gore to lose the election. Like Obama said, It is the job of the democratic party to make their case enough that people vote for the democrats. It is Obama's job to make his case, and so far he's done a darn good job in my opinion.

And i also reject the notion that he stole votes - people understand that a vote for Nader is NOT a vote for anyone else. If they wanted to vote for Gore they would have.

[exxonmobil4prez]

Let him be there to make sure they count the votes!

[Mariel]

Mike Huckabee presents an alternative, in both his economic perspective and his eschewing of big corporate strangleholds. But Nader wouldn't consider him an alternative because he probably would not care for his views on abortion and gay marriage.

If Huckabee does not sign on as VP with McCain, he, as a legitimate Presidential candidate, continues to provide an alternative. Some people notice this, others are stopped from supporting Huckabee by the views on abortion and gay marriage.

Our country could use an alternative like Mike, to save what's left of the economy and middle class survival.

[Meah]

Muriel, this post is about Ralph Nader running for the presidency.

[MichaelCorleone]

For you Naderites without a fucking clue:

http://blogs4conservatives.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/ralph-nader-to-the-rescue/

[ESerafina42]

Arianna - Why are you giving this washed-up, bitter old man the time of day, let alone a prominent position on your site?

[shutupnub]

a better question would be: do YOU believe in democracy, or just the two-party elected dictatorship?

www.votenader.org

[notKeith]

His name is spelled wrong.
He should be Rolf Nadir:
¤ Rolf (rolfing) is a technique of "deep manipulation" - it painfully moves the connective tissue around the bones.
¤ Nadir - an extreme state of adversity, the lowest point of anything.
And there you have it folks - Rolf Nadir, whose primary, single, elequent purpose in life has been to painfully push the country down to the bottom: to the likes of George W. Bush.

[Zuni]

Not to fear people...W­hen was the last time Nader filled a stadium with 30,000 people? Gore and Kerry were boring when he ran against them. Obama was against the war, Hillary and McCain were for it. Nader will not sap enough Democrat votes this time to put the Presidency into the hands of McCain..

[whimsicalpig]

He will get my democratic vote before I vote for either of the 2 losers the party is trying to pawn off on me.

[turntotheleftnottheright]

I voted for Nader in 2000, but wouldn't vote for him now, and wish he wouldn't run. (And Yes, I think Gore/DNC/Supreme Court/Harris lost Gore the election in 2000, NOT Nader) It would be great, though, if Huckabee ran for President as an independent too, taking votes away from McCain, more so than Nader would take away from Clinton or Obama.

[Frumpycat]

So you don't think Nader cost the election? Yet in the same paragraph you hope that Huckabee ran as an independent b/c it would draw away votes from McCain.

If you truly did vote for Nader in 2000, yeah, you helped Bush get elected. Seriously.

[Heretic]

Huckabee just said on Late Edition that the GOP would welcome Nader because he takes votes away from Democrats. Huckabee says he'll unite with the nominee instead of running as an independent.

There you have it.

[mystic]

"And Nader's contention that there is no difference between the Demos and Repubs is also sick".

If the electorate don't get his point by now, it really doesn't matter since we are doomed.
Pelosi's stand on impeachment proved his point. End of story. After all we've gone through, Americans still vote along superficial lines like gender or race. Third world electorates are better informed. We really are dumbed down (mostly by religion--80% still don't believe in evolution and hatred of gays still reigns supreme). Nader was proven absolutely correct and he has been vindicated a million times because stupid Americans, we DO live in a fascist state, but you don't get that do you? Whatever Nader's reasons, even if he moves the Dem contenders more to the left, Diebold still hovers over us all. Of course there's no outrage about that is there? And Nader did NOT hand us Bush, Diebold did and why did Gore just give up without a fight? Maybe he knew somnething we still don't know. Go to Church everyone..­..it's Sunday. We Americans got what we deserve in re-electing Bush (51% did anyway) and it's too late now.Nader maybe loony to some but he is right.

[realitycheck7]

Ralph Nader is actually a republican secret weapon. He was created for this purpose

[progressivepam]

Unfortunately, Ralph Nader has destroyed his legacy. He could have been publicly working for change in the country these past four (or eight) years. I haven't seen it. Hopefully, if he stays in the race, the public will see him only as laughable and pathetic. Because that's what this run is. Most of the people I know who voted for him last time would never consider doing that again. I do have friend who have already declared they're going "green" because the best choices for the people (Kucinich and Edwards) are out of the race. I think those would be the votes Nader would get.

These are bad times in America. Despite corporate ownership, Clinton and Obama are both a thousand times better than McCain. A solid democratic majority in congress is vital. We have to get rid of the obstructionist republicans who do not give one damn about the American people and are only concerned with thwarting the process to hurt the democrat. And once we have a solidly democratic congress, we put the corporately owned and operated members on notice that their days are up.

Until then, it's a two-party system, because the 3rd party will indeed be the spoiler.

[AERO]

Ralph doesn't have a chance because I'm writing in Ross Perot.

[Heretic]

I'm sorry, but despite Mr. Nader's absolute right to run again for POTUS, what he's doing is the very definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

I'd be far out there to suggest Mr. Nader must secretly work for the GOP. I applaud his efforts over the years, and there's no one like him to watch over the American consumer. But like many have posited, why the hell hasn't he run for congress to try to change things from the inside? Because he's unelectable, and he must know this. Yet he must know damn well he'll help elect McCain (WIII) just like he did Bush. One can't help wonder if he's an elephant in Green clothes.

[yolaleah]

I don't think your opinion is too far out there considering last election he actually accepted their assistance on several occasions. I don't think he's just insane...I think he's an idiot who will do anything for media attention.

If we are going to have a third party candidate I would much rather have Bloomberg running. At least he's interesting.

[xcrunner77]

Nader may be the force that unites a potentially split Democrat party. Nader got votes in 2000 because people were dissatisfied with their choices and made him almost a protest vote. This time Democrats are VERY satisfied with their candidates. Most will be insulted by Nader's jumping in long after hundreds of thousands of people have become engaged, worked hard, and poured their hearts into candidates they can finally believe in and feel good about -- whether you like Hillary or Obama.

I have to see that as an Obama supporter I'd be disappointed to see Hillary get the nomination. I even considered not voting for her because of her dirty tricks in South Carolina. But now that Nader is being an ass about it -- I would happily pull that lever for Hillary ifI had to, rather than someone like Nader, or McCain.

Thanks Ralph. All that speculation about the Dems being split at the convention now goes away. You've reminded us that we need to stick together and not let cranky old men like you or McCain screw the country up more.

[AnninCA]

I'm not. And more and more people are creeped out by the Obama cult.

Could be a better year for Ralph than you imagine.

[vitasackvillewesttexas]

actually, lots of people on this post are creeped out by you anninCA. you seem pretty thick between the ears.