BREAKING - Nader Endorsed by Reform Party

[Killarney]

This could be trouble.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=3&u=/ap/20040512/ap_on_el_pr/nader_3
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader (news - web sites) has been endorsed by the national Reform Party, giving him ballot access in eight states, including Florida and Michigan, party leaders announced Wednesday.

[phillybri]

1. Not so breaking...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=524117&mesg_id=524117

[Killarney]

2. Damn. Almost breaking? Breaking 2 hours ago?

;)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. And some people break wind

IOW: who cares?

[Killarney]

7. Um...

Um... if he's on the ballot or not on the ballot in the swing states could mean the election. This gets him on the ballot in 8 states including Florida if he wants it.

We should all care.

If you don't care, why don't you just skip the thread instead of being rude?

[keithyboy]

4. Nader is responsible for the Nadir of American history since the civil war

If Bush wins again because of votes in key states going to Nader, then the blood be on Nader's hands.

[Yupster]

5. The Reform Party has become

a traveling circus. It's gone from Perot to Buchanon to Nader in 10 years. That's quite a philosophical journey to make.

[cspiguy]

8. sounds like a bad STD...

n/t

[GainesT1958]

6. It just means that...

We now know (better sooner than later, too) that it's going to be a three-person race in at least those states, and probably more.

Kerry needs to pick his running mate accordingly (goodness I hope it's NOT Gephardt!:puke: ) as someone who can counter whatever qualities people (for whatever whacked-out reason) see in Ralphie Boy.

And...Ralphie Boy WILL be a factor in Florida again. If anything, it means that Kerry will have to "tack left" ever so slightly there, instead of running to the middle. We will recall that Ralphie Boy got what, 300,000 votes in Florida in 2000? If even 1/100 of those votes had gone to Al Gore, we'd all be talking about President Gore running for re-election right now. I do hope John Kerry--and ALL of his advisors--recall that fact, and strategize accordingly in Florida.

B-)

[kiahzero]

13. That's exactly the problem

If anything, it means that Kerry will have to "tack left" ever so slightly there, instead of running to the middle.

Nader and Bush have set up a damn near perfect pincer attack against Kerry. He moves left, and hemmorages votes to Bush. He moves to the center, and he loses enough votes to be significant to Nader.

The best way to win a national election is to move to the center. But God forbid we win elections.

[Renew Deal]

9. Whatever

[cspiguy]

10. if * wins Florida and Michigan due to naderism - JFK can't win

and we get four more years of miserable failure...

[ButterflyBlood]

11. who cares?

the Reform Party is a joke. They ran Buchanan in 2000, and now they're running Nader? It's basically a party for whatever independent wacko wants to run. no clout at all. forget about this.

[Killarney]

12. THE POINT IS IT GIVES HIM BALLOT ACCESS

It could be the Evil Clown Association Party. The party doesn't matter.

The point is... right now he is on the ballot in ZERO states.

With this, he has EIGHT states including Florida.

[ButterflyBlood]

16. We had no chance in Florida anyway

Jeb's still in office. End of story.

Nader barely registered in Michigan last time so I doubt that'll be a problem at all.

[Bombtrack]

14. MOTHERFUCKER

This is the work of Reformer's who want Bush to win.

FUCK FUCK FUCK

[mot78]

15. FUCK NO!!!!!

Nadir the egomaniac individual is teaming up with the Reform Party, the egomaniac of third parties. What motivated these people in endorsing them? Would it be worth it to pressure them into retracting?

[Killarney]

17. Re: the motivation

I think Bombtrack is right. They're endorsing him so he will be on the ballot in the swing states to take votes from Kerry. They're endorsing him so Bush will win.

[fujiyama]

18. No surprise

I really always found it amusing when people would say, "oh he won't get ballot access in many states". Of course he will. The right isn't stupid. They'll give the signatures necessary for him to be on the ballot wherever it counts.

Either that, or the nut job "reform" party will try to get him access. This party is a joke, but hey they've got their access.

Hopefully he'll do about as good as Buchanan did on the RP ticket. If that's any indication, we shouldn't have to worry too much.

[PATRICK]

19. Whose instrument?

Didn't that party split over Buchanan who walked away with money? Isn't it split between disaffected Republican libertarians and more liberal elements? Is it too a "deliberate mess" that can be counted on to launch stealth candidates always damaging to the Dems? Since Nader has little in common with Buchanan isn't his tie with them a sign that he will take help from anywhere to damage the Democrats?

Is he limiting campaign contributions this time? Is he winking at backdoor support ads from the GOP?

Anyone can do what is a treasured legal right, but it doesn't hurt to see exactly what is going on. Outrage and trashing runs up against the legitimate right of third party candidates to run, but Nader is running on non-partisan purity with no goal at starting a third party, no hope of bargaining for favors from Bush or the GOP. Yet he needs support from somewhere. What do they get out of it?

This has happened many times and will continue to happen. Is the candidate genuine or mostly a stalking horse? Are the stated goals counter to the real effect of his candidacy? Should be dealt with with respect, with confidence and without fear. Dialogue but do not reward with anger or fear. Undercut the platform. Point out how those goals however ideal or however the Dems might not want to go there will in any event have no ability to progress under the current GOP.

What Nader might want besides revenge is to break the hold of the DLC and those who "betrayed" him and the trajectory toward the black hole of modern conservatism. Kerry is trying to unite everyone and can't accommodate extremism. This looks like a trap conundrum even if a candidate wanted to reform the DLC or DNC. I think though Nader can be reduced to quibbling on the fine points especially when foreign policy dominates. That is where most third party candidates sink as they lose the general electorate's ability to follow impassioned intellectual differences and open calls for radical change.

Kerry should be confident but not dismissive, not repeat Gore's way of freezing out a lightning rod for people dissatisfied with both parties.