Ralph Nader (Connecticut)

OFFICIALLY ENDORSED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF THE REFORM PARTY. Famed consumer advocate, liberal activist and Harvard-educated attorney Ralph Nader is making a fourth Presidential run in 2004. He launched his 2004 Presidential Exploratory Committee in December 2003, and announced his official candidacy in February 2004. Unlike 1996 and 2000, Nader is not seeking the Green nomination in 2004. Instead, he is running as an Independent. He later announced plans to form and run under the banner of the "Populist Party" -- not for the purpose of founding a new national organization -- but merely for making it easier to gain ballot access in some states. For those who are counting, this is run #4: he ran as a write-in candidate in the 1992 NH Democratic primary, and was the Green nominee for President in 1996 and 2000. Spending just over $5,000 (a self-imposed limit) in 1996, the curmudgeonly Nader was on the ballot in 22 states and carried over 700,000 votes (4th place - 0.8%). In 2000, Nader raised millions of dollars, mobilized leftist activists and grabbed national headlines with his anti-corporate campaign message. Nader ignored pleas from liberal Democrats that he abandon the race because he was siphoning essential votes away from Al Gore's campaign -- answering that Gore was not substantially different than Bush, and that his own campaign was about building a permanent third party. In the end, Nader was on the ballot in 44 states and finished third with 2,878,000 votes (2.7%) -- seemingly depriving Gore of wins in some key states (conservative Reform Party nominee Pat Buchanan, but contrast, intentionally declined to campaign in any states that were close so as to not hurt Bush's chances in those key states). More significantly, Nader missed the important 5% mark for the national vote, meaning that the party will still be ineligible for federal matching funds in 2004. As for the after-effects of 2000, Nader still maintains he did not cause Gore to lose because he believes most of his own voters were people who not have bothered to vote at all but for his candidacy -- although he is clearly still upset that many Democrats who previously donated to his various liberal public interest groups cut off their donations in retaliation for Nader's 2000 campaign. Nader extended an olive branch -- of sorts to the Dems -- in a 2003 news interview: If the Dems agree not to go negative on his Presidential campaign, Nader promises to encourage all the voters who show up to vote for him to also vote for Dems for Congress and all the other down-ballot offices to help them recapture majority status in those legislative bodies. Nader, who will be 70 in 2004, is a lifelong bachelor, a former Army reservist, and a multi-millionaire (through investments). As in 2000, Nader vows that his latest campaign will again "emphasize the problems of, and remedies for, the excessive concentration of corporate power and wealth in our country, by highlighting the important tools of democracy needed for the American people as voters/citizens, workers, consumers, taxpayers, and small savers/investors." Nader was the heavy favorite to win the 2004 Green nomination -- until he withdrew from that contest. By forgoing the Green option in favor of an Independent run, Nader will have to secure his own ballot status -- as he cannot use any of the spots of helped the Greens qualify for through his last run. However, a vocal group within the Greens are still attempting to organize a "Draft Nader" campaign for the nomination. Peter Camejo's surrogate candidacy and other tactics are being used for this draft movement. Nader said he may also seek the Reform Party's nomination, as it would give him ballot status in a handful of states. He met with some Reform Party leaders in March 2004, and they seemed excited by the idea. "Everybody's thrilled to death to have Nader run on our line," said Beverly Kennedy, a leader of the Texas Reform Party. Also, many of his prominent 2000 supporters -- including folks like filmmaker Michael Moore and The Nation magazine -- called on Nader to get out of the 2004 race and make it clear that will not support him again. The Nation argued that the 2004 run will turn progressives sharply against Nader and expel him from their ranks. An unapologetic Nader, in response, attacked them as cowardly members of the "liberal intelligensia." Look for liberals who have been traditional donors to the various Nader organizations cut off their dollars to all of those groups in an effort to punish Nader. Other additional links include Draft Nader 2004 ("authorized" Nader draft Green campaign), Democracy Rising (Nader's political organization), Crashing the Party (Nader's book site), The Nader Page (official clearinghouse of articles), Public Citizen (Nader organization), Center for Study of Responsive Law (Nader organization), Essential Information (Nader organization), Citizen Works (Nader organization), Taxpayer Assets Project (Nader organization), Aviation Consumer Action Project (Nader organization), Congressional Accountability Project (Nader organization), Nader Watch (Grassroots Supporters - Unauthorized), Nader Watch Blog (negative), The Nader Factor (negative), Ralph Don't Run (negative), Repentant Nader Voter (negative), Damned Big Difference (negative) and Ralph Nader's Skeleton Closet (negative).

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