Nader: Is he really a threat w/o the Green endorsement?

[Not Me]

In how many states is he likely to actually get onto the ballot? When he entered the race he was counting on the Greens to put him on some 22 ballots. Without that, how much of a spoiler is he actually??

[daveskilt]

1. not a lot - may hurt republicans though

since they will have to spend time and money to campaign to get him on the ballot now - instead of campaigning for their chimp. muhahaha

[LoZoccolo]

2. If anyone's impractical enough to vote for him with ballot access...

...I don't see why they wouldn't write him in. Like if they're that far out of orbit I don't see them coming back just because you can't punch his name and you have to write it in.

[rabid_nerd]

3. Not to start a flame war, but...

NOT getting the Green nomination probably makes him more of a threat.

Nationally, being a Green or Libertarian you might as well be Communist or Whig...

But Reform, Independent, and so on (supposedly "the center") are much more dangerous...

Just IMHO...

[dansolo]

4. Then why was he so desperate for a Green endorsement?

He could possible get more votes overall as a Reform or Independant candidate, but that is not his goal. What he wants is "Democratic" votes, i.e. votes taken away from the Democratic Party.

[George_Bonanza]

5. Don't let Nader drag the Greens down

The Greens have a good agenda and a sensible policy of building from the ground up. Let's not let the imprudence of Nader sully the image of the Green Party of America.

[sandnsea]

6. Excellent move by Greens

Democrats will be willing to listen to the local Green candidates and it will probably help them move their agenda forward. Nader is nearly done, I don't even think he made the Oregon ballot yesterday. Now people who aren't happy with the two-party system still have their protest vote, the Greens. Everybody should be happy, I hope.

[bklyncowgirl]

7. If he's on the ballot in some of the swing states--a big problem

2-4% of the vote could mean a great deal in some of the swing states where things are expected to be very close.

[tinanator]

8. even more so, actually, if ever a threat he was

and I dont believe that for a minute, but consider this-
unless Kerry makes a number of concessions to those who will vote Green, he will be losing votes to two candidates and not one. Id say Kerry is now in a worse position and thats OK with me.

[goodhue]

9. Not as much as he would be with endorsement.

Still, if he makes ballot in a swing state like Minnesota, he could get 2-3% and Cobb could perhaps also get 2-3%, the sum of which would be as big a problem as Nader alone. But hopefully Cobb will not be asking for votes in swing states, and Nader will be missing active unified support from green base. So much less of a threat IMHO.

[cletusvandamme]

10. terrible mistake for the greens

Nader gave the Greens so much publicity in 2000. Now they'd be lucky to swing 1%. Great for Kerry. Horrible for those who think there should be more than two voices determining our public policy.

[tinanator]

11. whoa Cletus, slacken them jaws

The Green tally will dwarf Naders in contested states. Kerry gains nothing from this situation, it is worse than it might have been, and entirely the fault of the Nader hating campaign of the last few years. Incompetence will prevail when the Democrats make decisions like those made to scapegoat Nader. They only used this tactic to cover their Bush supporting antics. THE DEMOCRATS WANTED BUSH NOT GORE!

[mzmolly]

12. Well he has the might of the RNC behind him, and has no trouble accepting

their help/money signatures. So, I'd say yeah ... he remains a threat *at least for now*

[janx]

13. Yes.

Three out of four of the friends/relatives I knew who voted for him last time had nothing to do with the Green Party.