"we want to punish the Democrats, we want to hurt them, wound them"

[joshcryer]

I suggested a Bush victory would be a disaster for everything that Nader has worked for and believed in all his life, just as Ronald Reagan's had been. "With all due respect," I said, "Ralph's Tweedledee and Tweedledum argument isn't true and most people know it. By saying that the two candidates are the same, Ralph undermines his own credibility. Ralph has spent his whole life telling the truth. He doesn't need to say things in this campaign that aren't true."

Tarek interrupted me. "People get that point wrong. Ralph doesn't say there is 'no difference;' He says there is 'no major difference'." Tarek also said that lots of environmental groups say it would be easier to fund raise and increase membership under Bush than Gore.

...

I then turned to my favorite argument. I said: "There are those who say at the end of World War Two, that instead of dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the U.S. should have taken the Japanese high command out to some island and shown them what this new bomb could do. The U.S. could have demonstrated their destructive weapon without actually taking hundreds of thousands of civilian lives. Ralph could do they same thing. The large vote in the 40 or so safe states would send a real political message; the low or non Nader turnout in the close states would show that Nader sent people to Gore and that he had that kind of power. If he did this, he would be someone to be reckoned with. If Gore won, Nader would have real influence for progressive causes, and he could continue to build his movement and the Green Party. If Gore lost, Nader would have substantial credibility and power within the Democratic party. By holding back in a handful of states now, he could demonstrate his capacity to cause real damage in the future, and gain much in the short and the long run."

Tarek did not disagree with that at all. Instead, leaning toward me, with a bit of extra steel in his voice and body, but without changing his cool tone and demeanor, he simply said, "We are not going to do that." "Why not?" I said. With just a flicker of smile, Tarek said: "Because we want to punish the Democrats, we want to hurt them, wound them."

http://www.hereinstead.com/Ralph-Nader-As-Mad-Bomber.html

I originally posted this 2 years ago, as a sort of warning: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025175397

Nothing has changed. Except that they have succeeded.

[sfwriter]

1. Are you equating this to today's Green Party voter?

How do you account for the voters who stayed home?

I think there is a real connection between the tenor of Green Party messaging this cycle and low Democratic turnout in the rust belt areas. Greens were up, but not by more than the Dems were down. I can't say that their message reached as far as voter dis interest.

That said, the "they are both the same" frame always serves conservatives, just like its media cousin, the false equivalency.

[deaniac21]

2. You know

it may have been a little difficult to get the Japanese High Command to go anywhere with you.