Ralph Nader – The Politics Of Ego Gratification
Ralph Nader is back in the game, declaring once again that he is not a spoiler, which he knows very well that he is, having destroyed Al Gore’s chances in Florida along with The Supreme Court in 2000.
Nader, who I have interviewed on several occasions, has every right to run. That doesn’t mean it is the smart thing to do. This is a guy, first in his VERY SELECTIVE consumer crusading , and then in his electoral efforts, always made his own persona bigger than the cause. All of his Presidential runs have been about Ralph Nader, not about America. His assertions that he cannot affect the other parties is a lie. In a very close November race, even in one state, Nader can affect the outcome. As I said, that is his right, but what’s the purpose?
Let’s take a look at the recent history of third party politics.
In 1980, Congressman John Anderson, a former Republican, ran as an independent for President. He was very impressive, so much so that he ruined Jimmy Carter’s chances at re-election and gave a big boost to Ronald Reagan’s victory.
In 1992, Ross Perot gave a gift to young Bill Clinton. His dramatic third party effort destroyed any chance that the first President Bush could beat the young Arkansas Governor. Perot ran in 1996, but with much less impact.
So here we have Nader again. Nader says Al Gore lost the election. According to the law, Gore lost. But he did win the popular vote. And in Florida, along with the voting mess, Ralph Nader took enough votes to do him in.
So what is he after? Raising awareness is a good thing, but his positions are not far off from Obama and Clinton.
He’s a wrecker, that’s what he is. And in the end, John McCain, a formidable candidate in his own right, will be the beneficiary of Nader’s ego trip.
Comments(29)
Let’s see,
Dennis Kucinich got trounced in this and the last presidential election cycle…
But Ralph Nader, who is a closer match than Clinton or Obama to Kucinich policy positions becomes a legitimate threat?
It’s what has the rest of the planet laughing their a**es off at us.
We don’t care about substance or issues, no matter what idealogical side those issues are on. We like to be swooned and hoodwinked…and without a kiss, thank you!
RARRY KANE YOU RACK A DISCIPRINE!
Larry, Surrender your blogging pass immediately! Maybe switch your format to bi-weekly. There’s just not enough content from you to keep churning out these vacuous reports.
Ralph Nader was a factor in 2000, but so was Pat Buchanan and the butterfly ballot in south Florida. Larry you should also mention how Nader did in 2004; his support was down 83% as voters realized the impact a spoiler can have. I doubt he will garner any impact in 2008, voters are too smart for that this time. You are right that he is all about ego, we should all thank him for teaching us to buckle our seat belts (John Corzine’s, do as I say not as I do liberalism could learn something from Nader’s past crusade for auto safety). It’s a shame Nader cannot retire gracefully.
McCain got a nice boost from the NY Times smear, hopefully Dan Rather and other left wing media will now chime in with some other fictious story to help McCain raise some more money.
Poor Hillary, her shame on Barrack Obama attack was so shrill, it’s difficult for a woman to be tough, but her righteous indignation was so transparent it’s likely to seal her fate in Ohio and Texas. No voter wants to listen to that type of scolding, especially from the Clintons!
Poor Hillary? C’mon – when you are a candidate for public office, you MUST surround yourself with smart people who can short-stop this knd of thing.
The ‘scolding’ rendered by Senator Clinton to Senator ‘Ubama was so sad it was funny. “SHame on you, Baraq ‘Ubama!”, just wait ’til you get to Cleveland and are you gonna get it…
I suppose the only thing missing was the wagging finger and the switch or strap awaiting him when she saw him.
This faux-pas, I believe, marked the end of the Billary campaign. There really is no way to recover from this. Can you imagine Billary diplomacy — “Now, now, Israel and Palestine… play nice or I am gonna spank you!”, “Hey, Kosovo, knock off the noise or it’s no dessert for you!!!!”
Who needs a ‘mother from hell’ for a Commander-in-Chief??
Hello Larry, as i said last week,if Mrs.Clinton comes up short on her bid,I was going to hold my nose and vote for Mccain but after the report of his sex scandal last week,the Russell family and I will cast our votes for Ralph Nader in the fall.
Jack, the report about McCain was unfounded- nothing has been proven! You’ve got 253 days until the election, give McCain a chance to win back the Russell family votes, don’t just throw them away on Nader the Cracked Crusader.
You go JR!
We wouldn’t want to sully the Oval office with sexual impropriety….or with someone who had an ego the size of Texas.
“that he ruined Jimmy Carter’s chances at re-election”…yeah like that was gonna happen.
I love it when you try to sneak humor into your threads.
Nader did not steal the votes from the democrats in 2000; lack of a strong platform on the latter’s behalf did that all by itself.
George my friend,sorry to say ‘where there’s smoke there’s fire’,but we will look for more info from the N.Y.Times,but right now it looks like the ‘Cracked Crusader’,of course that is if Mrs.Clinton comes up short.
Someone needs to check to see who is funding Nader’s run. Probably the Re-pubic-ans who would rather have a third party take votes away from the Democratic Nominee. I have to hand it too them, I hate their divisive, self-serving politics, but they do bond together to do whatever it takes to control the resources and future of this country. Even if it is unethical, blatant and illegal.
As for the Russell family’s voting preference, if Obama and Clinton agree on the vast majority of issues, why vote for Nader if Hillary is not the candidate her party elects? I know, just because its not Obama right. Ignorance (and a wasted vote) must be bliss.
hey rarry, i see ralph rader in a rickshaw with hilrary crinton rast night yes rast night! at ten pipteen at 12 and rocust ,i call it to rou dobbs at cnn and he yell at me for my driver ricense,i yell at him,and say,i go to call rarry kane!
to jury-Mrs.Clinton and Obama may agree on issues but to think they have the same experience now that is ignorant my friend.
Obama has next to zero experience and Mrs. Clinton has 35 years experience that is why the Russell family is not voting for Obama,if it was for giving speeches than maybe or promoting a wwe or wwf wrestling match with vince mcmahon where all they do is talk alot and say nothing in the middle of an arena than maybe.
Nader “took” votes? The people who voted for him have no minds of their own? They all would have voted for Gore instead of staying home? And what of the Democratic Party designed butterfly ballots in Dade Co., where elderly people were voting for Patrick Buchanan instead of Gore by accident? Please.
I don’t see how Nader “destroyed” the Supreme Court. I was in D.C. recently, and the building is still there. There are nine justices. They’re hearing cases.
And Nader didn’t have any effect on Kerry’s and the party’s inability to beat an unpopular sitting president.
The Democratic Party got hurt because it was ignoring its base and had no clear message. Obama is changing that perception. Nader is a non-factor whom we should listen to to hear whether he has any cogent ideas. If not, we should ignore him. Attacking him doesn’t accomplish anything.
Larry, do I see tears running down your cheeks? Seems like you just can’t get over the weak campaign that Al Gore ran in 2000. That election never should have been close enough to be decided on the shenanigans in Florida.
Where in the Constitution (or elsewhere) is the ‘only two candidates’ rule for presidential elections? Personally I would rather see more choices, not less, with the sorry lot of major party candidates we’ve been getting the last 20 years.
And why slam Nader for ‘ego gratification’? Do you seriously think that any of Hillary, McCain or Obama are running for any reason other than ‘ego gratification’?
The Great Ralph rises out of the Politico Patch every 4 years with the lunar eclipse and the leap day, spends it’s time in the camera lights, then fades back into obscurity for another 4 years like some kind of Mummy. I can see Rove boiling a Tanna leave potion to bring him alive.
Ralph fell in love with media attention early in his life and hasn’t been able to do anything of substance since then to earn that attention again, except to assume the role of spoiler. IF he really wanted to shake up the two parties on issues, why didn’t he actually start a new party from the ground up, with a platform that local officials could run on, then state wide, then national as it grew into something new and useful. But you don’t get much time in the camera lights doing it that way!
While the “happiest” people in the world are taxed over 50% of their income. We here in America struggle over silly things like universal health care, education, job growth and tax reform.
The last twenty years has seen nothing done on any of these issues. Is it a coincidence that both the Democrats and Republicans were in charge at the time?
Ralph Nader has noticed this too.
JR, I concede Hillary’s 35 years of experience. I found it. I apologize for the length.
Hillary Clinton has been telling America that she is the most qualified
candidate for president based on her “record,” which she says includes
her eight years in the White House as First Lady – or “co-president” –
and her seven years in the Senate. Here is a reminder of that that
record includes:
1. As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over healthcare reform, a
process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. she told both Bill
Bradley and Pat Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation,
that she would “demonize” anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed;
she couldn’t even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her own
party. (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the
House and Senate.
2. Hillary assumed authority over selecting a female attorney general.
Her first two recommendations (Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood) were forced to
withdraw their names from consideration, and then she chose Janet Reno.
Janet Reno has since been described by Bill himself as “my worst
mistake.”
3. Hillary recommended Lani Guanier to head the Civil Rights
Commission. When Guanier’s radical views became known, she had to
withdraw her name.
4. Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince
Foster, and William Kennedy for positions in the Justice Department,
White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later
imprisoned; Foster “committed suicide,” and Kennedy was forced to
resign.
5. Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, Craig
Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When
Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI
files of Clinton enemies (Filegate) and the widespread use of drugs by
the White House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him.
(FBI agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary
Committee in 1996 bot h the drug use and Hillary’s involvement in hiring
Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office,
after serving seven presidents for over 30 years.)
6. In order to open “slots” in the White House for her friends, the
Harry Thomasons (to whom millions of dollars in travel contracts could
be awarded), Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel
Office fired; they were reported to the FBI for “gross mismanagement”
and their reputations ruined. After a 30-month investigation, only one,
Billy Dale, was charged with a crime – mixing personal money with
White House funds when he cashed checks. The jury acquitted him in less
than two hours.
7. Another of Hillary’s assumed duties was directing the “bimbo
eruption squad” and scandal defense; urging her husband not to settle
the Paula Jones lawsuit; refusing to release the Whitewater documents,
which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor after
$80 million of taxpayer money was spent. Starr’s investigation led to
Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about and later admitting his
affairs.
—- Then they had to settle with Paula Jones after all.
—- And Bill lost his law license for lying to the grand jury.
—- And Bill was impeached by the House.
—- And Hillary almost got herself indicted for perjury and
obstruction of justice (she avoided it mostly because she repeated, “I
do not recall,” “I have no recollection,” and “I don’t know” 56 times
under oath).
8. Hillary accepted the traditional First Lady’s role of decorator of
the White House at Christmas, but in a unique Hillary way. In 1994, for
example, the First Lady’s Tree in the Blue Room (the focal point each
year) was decorated with drug paraphernalia, sex toys, and pornographic
ornaments, all personally approved by Hillary as the invited artists’
depictions of the theme , “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
- Hillary wrote “It Takes a Village,” demonstrating her Socialist
viewpoint.
- Hillary decided to seek election to the Senate in a state she had
never lived in. Her husband pardoned FALN terrorists in order to get
Latino support and the New Square Hassidim to get Jewish support.
Hillary also had Bill pardon her brother’s clients, for a small fee, to
get financial support.
- Then Hillary left the White House, but later had to return $200,000
in White House furniture, china, and artwork she had stolen.
- In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary played the “woman card” by
portraying her opponent (Lazio) as a bully picking on her.
- Hillary’s husband further protected her by asking the National
Archives to withhold from the public until 2012 many records of their
time in the White House, including much of Hillary’s correspondence and
her calendars. (There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of
those records.)
- As the junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed no major
legislation. She has deferred to the senior Senator (Schumer) to tend
to the needs of New Yorkers, even on the hot issue of medical problems
of workers involved in the cleanup of Ground Zero after 9/11.
- Hillary’s one notable vote, supporting the plan to invade Iraq, she
has since disavowed.
rick-does Larry pay you by the word?
and rick-you forget to give the Obama experience-oh that’s right there’s nothing to give-thanks for making my point-and rick Mrs.Clinton did not steal the silverware!
I’m starting to think that JR is a plant on this blog. He just provokes people when things get dull.
Rick, that was a long piece, but I think you forgot the Surgeon General appointed under Clinton that Hillary had a hand in choosing. Does Joslyn Elders ring a bell with anyone? She was the Surgeon General appointed by the Clintons who “wanted to teach the children to masterbate.” Children as young as first grade according to Ms Elders should be taught to masterbate! I’m not making this up, is there any wonder the country does not want to go back to the Clinton era? Bill had to fire Ms Elders, however, he took her advice to heart and immediately began to teach young interns to masterbate in the oval office.
JR, Larry does not pay me by the word.
That was just 15 years of 35 years of experience. Should I go on?
Ms Elders, how could I forget….
The most important aspect of America is to keep the flow of brain power coming to this country. That is what has made us great and that is what will keep us great. In order to do this we must maintain the ability for social and economic advancement. If we don’t an individual might as well stay in Europe or any other socialistic country and remain happy but poor.
…and let’s not forget Hillary & 3$Bill sending their loyal foot soldier and former National Security Advisor (yes, I said National Security!) Sandy Berger (aka Sandy Burglar) to the National Archives to retrieve and destroy secret Clinton documents, for which Sandy was fined $50,000. and disbarred from holding a security clearance for 3 years…and now, Hillary hires Sandy as an “unpaid” advisor…seems like the documents Sandy was after had to do with Hillary participating in national security policy meetings without the proper security clearance!
george-the last 3 lines-that’s some funny stuff.
rick-please stop! that’s enough i can’t take 20 mores years.
jersey joe-are you a member of the four tops-it’s the same old song-
As soon as I see someone saying Hillary has 35 years of experience and Barack has none I know they have not bothered to learn any facts.
Hillary has 7 years of experience. No, she doesn’t get credit for time Bill served. After all, she was vehemently opposed to NAFTA don’t ya know?! LMAO
What a lot of people are missing about Obama is that he grows stronger with time. He was terrible in his first few debates. In the last debate he easily crushed Hillary.
You don’t have to believe me, look at the polls in Texas:
“Among the one-third of Texas Democratic primary voters who watched all or most of the debate, Obama leads Clinton by 20 points,” said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
“Among the 42 percent who followed news about the debate, Clinton and Obama are neck and neck. And among the one-quarter of Texas Democrats who paid no attention to the debate, Clinton leads Obama by nearly 20 points.
“Is this because Obama appeals to better-educated Democrats and they were more likely to watch the debate? No. Even among college-educated Democrats, the more attention you paid to the debate, the better Obama does.”
jersey joe-are you a member of the four tops-it’s the same old song-
No, however, Hillary has been scamming us into thinking she is “My Girl”!
Hey, Jack, you libs brought up a purported (look it up) affair that supposedly happened 10 years ago…and even if true, what does that have to do with National Security?…on the other hand, I am mereley pointing out how the Clinton crowd has no respect for the laws of this nation…Hillary, 3$Bill and their crowd does as they please…laws be damned!