Salon: Nader's Republican Pipe Dream

[kskiska]

The spoiler candidate insists he's drawing GOP voters away from George W. Bush. There's only one problem: They only exist in his mind.

Ralph Nader's latest presidential campaign does not have an official slogan. It does, however, have a kind of official rationalization. "I think I'm going to take more votes away from Republicans than from Democrats," Nader says, almost every time he speaks. Democrats doubt this theory. And Nader admits no Republicans have asked him to leave the race or expressed fear he will siphon votes from Bush. "I don't think they're in with the trend," Nader explained.

But Nader insists his Republican backers are real. To find out more, I spent a good chunk of time over the last few weeks talking to Nader supporters in New England. I attended Nader meetups, Nader volunteer meetings, Nader campaign events and Nader press conferences. I spoke with Nader supporters who are still in high school, and Nader supporters with gray hair. I talked to people who have admired Nader since the 1960s, and others who first heard of him last year. I found Nader supporters who have voted for him multiple times, Nader supporters who have never voted, and Nader supporters who voted for Al Gore in 2000.

What I did not find, however, was a single supporter of Ralph Nader who voted for George W. Bush in 2000, or who had been planning to support Bush this year before Nader entered the race. After a while, I felt like a stymied naturalist stalking a rare species. Sure, Naderus Republicanus must exist somewhere, but it is an unusual creature, capable of eluding human observation for long stretches of time.

Nader supporters themselves treat the idea as a curiosity -- even in states where Republicans are supposedly most independent-minded. Take Greg Stott, a schoolteacher from Goshen, N.H., who attended a recent Nader press conference in Concord, the state capital, holding a "Teachers for Ralph" sign. Stott is a registered Democrat. Does he know any Republicans or former Bush voters who are supporting Nader this year?

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http://salon.com/news/feature/2004/06/10/nader/index.html

[delhurgo]

1. I read something recently about Nader that I found very

interesting, something that makes me believe he could actually have a major impact on the race - up until now I though his impact would be negligible. Ive read statements he's made recently that suggest he's gonna try to make an issue out of 'illegal immigration'; I mean being against it...controlling the borders, not for it. Both Bush and Kerry have come out in favor of illegal immigrants for various reasons, including the Hispanic vote. But this issue has the potential to be huge for a candidate who pushed it and ran a campaign against it. If Nader does this, and really pushes the issue, I wouldn't be surprised if he got at least 5 and maybe even 10% of the vote. This issue could shake up the whole race; it's hard to say who would gain from it tho. Something to keep an eye on.

[Skittles]

2. Nader is a deluded asshole

he is making a fool of himself.