Nader

I don't think it matters that Ralph Nader's running. It didn't matter in 2004. How many people even remember he ran in 2004? So it's silly to make a big issue of it. At this point, Ralph's just in it for the chicks... or the dudes... always hard to tell with him. But, there can be no doubt, he's got a point about how narrow our presidential debates have become. He's the wrong messenger, because even most of the people who used to like him now hate him, but no candidate is talking about single payer health care, which 59 percent of doctors support. No candidate dares talk about cutting the bloated military budget. Gun control. A carbon tax. Gay marriage. Cloning supermodels. We won't have a debate about any of these things. That's bad for the country, isn't it? In fact, isn't Ralph Nader's platform still the best one? Couldn't Barack Obama, with all his political gifts, be borrowing more from Nader's platform? That would be real change.

Comments

[Opus007]

Bill,
The only way major changes like this would ever happen is with a bullet proof majority in the Congress and Senate. There are a lot of Blue Dogs out there voting with Bush too. They have to go.
You can't be running on too many radical changes or else the Republican Fear Mongering machine goes into overdrive. The only reason Obama has gotten this far is that there are a lot of younger and bolder voters joining in with the "Mad as Hell" rest of us.
I think we should keep the Republicans busy with investigations and scandals. That should be like shooting fish in a barrel. I am astounded that the story of Don Siegelman, Democratic governor of Alabama hasn't gotten legs. He was railroaded into prison and Rove may have been pulling the strings in the Justice Department. Dan Abrams has been covering it on MSNBC on a segment he calls "Bush Justice". It is chilling.
I love seeing Bush squirm about the telecom immunity. I asked my Congressman Chris Murphy (CT) about this issue an he is solidly against immunity. After nearly 7 years of fear mongering their cheesey "24" style telecom immunity ad - is just not cutting it.
Write, call and email your Senators and Congressman...the squeaky wheel gets the grease. And we all know- they will not go quietly.

[dantanna]

i agree. i will vote for him i dont care i am one in a less than 1%

[blabberwocky]

I'll vote for him if HRC is nominated, i.e. appointed. Obama deserves his shot, IMO. I'm in a blue state anyway.

[Opus007]

I can't support Nader. He comes out hibernation every 4 years to run for president. I don't get it. You are never going to find a president that you 100% agree with. Unlike Bush's notion that he is 'the decider" we have 3 branches of government. We- the 99.5% know a) Nader would never get elected. b) if he did it would be utter turmoil. As an earlier poster suggested- I wonder why Nader didn't choose a more productive path than this presidential fantasy.
I like Obama. Well anyway dantanna- you have 8 months to think about it. At least you are taking a sincere interest by being on sites like this.

[Plus15]

Bill, Bill, Bill,
I'm a big fan of your shows. However one of the standout things that you were wrong on (we all can be wrong) is your support of Ralph Nader in 2000 behind your statement echoed by Michael Moore that Ralph Nader is correct when he says the Democrats and the Republicans are all exactly the same. Obviously that was moronic. There are those who feel your support helped legitamatize Ralph in 2000 and therefore had a part in derailing our country in favor of George W. Bush and the Republican terrorists. On that basis one would think you'd be watching your words on Nader very carefully. This new comment of yours sure seems like you are still trying to justify your foolish, egotistic support for Nader. As you know very well as a keen and now even more schooled political observer that sometimes and on some issues it's best to shut your mouth. Even your big mouth.

Ralph Nader has lost it, he's totally out of touch He is now and was in 2000 a big pain in the ass for the the United States no matter his great contributions in his earlier years. Thank you Ralph, now America must move on. The Republicans and the Democrats are not alike no matter the efforts of the media to make the parties seem equal and perfectly balanced. And Bill once again it's time for you to make that point clear. Be a man.

[WorkingClass]

"Ralph Nader is correct when he says the Democrats and the Republicans are all exactly the same".

Did Ralph ever actually say that or is this a popular lie like "Gore invented the internet" or "Saddam was responsible for 9/11. Anybody? A real quote or link?

[NeuvoLiberal]

Bill, you need to apologize for smearing Gore in 2000 before you can be taken seriously about Presidential elections again.

Have you recanted your support for the invasion of Iraq yet?

[NeuvoLiberal]

Came across this, however:

Bill Maher Says Al Gore Should Be the Next President
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/28xnv7

[angryoldman]

Exactly Bill... exactly. No one is talking about the REAL progressive agenda. We are too busy trying to LOOK like repugs in order to widen our appeal.

[pizzmoe]

If my Grandmother was alive, she would say, "Ralph Nader? Feh!"
But, Bill, what does jack Kingston think?

[Rachele]

Ralph Nader is a man for change and experience. He is truly a statesman, and cares about this country-- for real. Yet, he will not matter in this election because like Hillary, he is such a polarizing figure in American politics. I think he knows he has no shot, but he continues to run to force the other candidates to talk about issues that they feel uncomfortable with.... like the carbon tax, etc.

I will say this.... I think Nader is getting a bit egocentric. I mean, by now, most of the American voting population knows his stance on the issues, and they are not voting for him. I think he should use his campaign money to put towards something that actually might help this country confront the issues he feels passionate about, rather than (at this point) selfishly engaging in a presidential race he will never win.

[maddy03]

I do remember Nader running in 2004. I also remember you,Bill, and Michael Moore begging him NOT to run on Real Time in 2004. I think Ralph should stay out of politics and keep up his watch dog position on car company's safety and the environment.

[guntotinganglion]

The best of all possible worlds would be if Obama could pick Ralph as his running mate/advisor. It's obvious from Ralph's comments on Meat, The Press, that he doesn't hate Obama, but is aware that Obama is playing the game, and selling out in the process. It's what you do if you're a serious contender for God of The United States (GOTUS).

[enoughalready]

Bill, tell me something - where is Ralph Nader when he is not running for president. Is he trying to change Congress in any way?

Nader's Raiders was a movement that accomplished some pretty good stuff for this country. Is Ralph still working so dilligently on issues that affect us all in our daily lives? Is Ralph involved in Al Gore's movement to reduce our carbon footprint and save the planet? We only seem to hear from him every four years.

I think Ralph's interests would be better served as a consumer advocate as he once was, maybe still is but we don't hear from him till election time rolls around.

[Rescisco]

I agree Ralph has lost the capacity to carry a message given the baggage he has accumulated. All of that aside, we need more and newer voices ready to persist in promoting the kind of reform no major candidate will touch (i.e. they want to win and real change or reform that goes to the heart of corporate rule is not a platform upion which that can happen). I say yes to the notion of a third voice and no to Ralph. You cannot blame third party candidates for the inadequacy and the failures of the two major parties (which are really one party when it comes to where the power and the influence truly reside).

[fiftyseven]

What's with this new tiny little font? Is this an attempt to discourage those of us with aging eyes from participating?

[2Truthy]

Yo 57, you nailed it.

[nylefty]

I increase the size of the font by pressing ctrl and + at the same time (I'm using Windows XP).

[Democrab]

Hate the fonts and color, it's Obama's fault for wanting "change."

Oh yes, Nader.

I liked the Corvair and I'm sorry that that GM was forced by Nader's degraders to stop making it. Thanks Ralphie boy. And thanks for G.W. Bush and all the jobs you've cost Americans you political fecal impaction.

No, Obama should not adopt his policies. He'll probably figure all this stuff out as soon as he gets by the hassel he faces with congress and the establishment he so ardently opposes. Like say around 2015.

[EngineerBill]

There was a candidate in the democratic party who espoused all the above views, except for cloning supermodels (he married one instead). That's Dennis Kucinich. If Obama espoused the same views as Kucinich he would have been about as successful.

[captainjudy]

Who cares what Bill thinks? He showed who is was in last week's show.

[WorkingClass]

You are exactly right EngineerBill. If the Democrats wanted a progressive candidate they would have nominated one. Thats why Nader keeps running. So progressive ideas will be heard.

[auramac]

Do we need Nader on the voting ballot in order to "borrow" ideas that 90% of the public would shy away from? Not that I want Obama to move closer to McCain, but we've already had a taste of howtricky it is going to be to discuss national security without the Republicans scaring us half to death and painting a picture of Obama as being too naive and liberal. Maybe Nader, in contrast, helps Obama look more centrist!