Nader In
Ralph Nader told NBC's Tim Russert this morning that he will run for president this year as an independent, indicating that both parties are complicit in big business' control over Washington.
"You take that framework of people feeling locked out, shut out, marginalized and disrespected," he said. "You go from Iraq, to Palestine to Israel, from Enron to Wall Street, from Katrina to the bumbling of the Bush administration, to the complicity of the Democrats in not stopping him on the war, stopping him on the tax cuts."
"In that context, I have decided to run for president," he said.
Nader, who at 73 would be the oldest person ever elected president, did not bite when Russert pressed him to respond to a widespread belief within the Democratic Party that he siphoned critical votes from Al Gore in 2000. Nader pointed instead to then FL Secretary of State Katherine Harris and Jeb Bush and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Barack Obama told reporters this morning that he has heard from Nader over the course of the campaign and that he has the right to run, reports NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan: But Obama said that Nader believes if you're not totally on board with his political agenda that "you must be lacking in some way." He said Nader has "a pretty high opinion of his own work."
"I think anybody has the right to vote for president if they file sufficent papers," Obama said. "And I think the job of the Democratic Party is to be so compelling that a few percentage of the vote going to another candidate's not going to make any difference."
More: "He had called me and I think reached out to my campaign - my sense is that Mr. Nader is somebody who if you're - don't listen and adopt all of his policies, thinks you're not substantive. He seems to have a pretty high opinion of his own work. Now, and by the way, I have to say that historically, he is a singular figure in American politics and has done as much as just about anybody on behalf of consumers, so in many ways, he is a heroic figure and I don't mean to diminish him. But I do think there's a sense now that if somebody's not hewn to the Ralph Nader agenda then you - you must be lacking in some way. "
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Obama definitely has a good read on Nader. Politically tone deaf and very full of himself.
Nader came down to the turbulent IN 8th District in 1990 and campaigned alongside a NON-UNION Strip Mine (as in coal)operator because the incumbent Democrat, Frank McCloskey, voted for the congressional pay raise.
McCloskey had a 90% voting record for the environment and consumer rights and yet, moron Nader, shows up to bellyache that a pay raise wasn't deserved.
Obama should ignore this clown. Nader and Slick Willy can sit around after the GE and discuss their legacies.
Ah, Obama damns Nader with faint praise.
Someone should point out to Obama that his rabid followers also claim that if you're not hewn to the "Barack Obama agenda" then you must be lacking in some way.
But I guess the irony would be lost on him.