WASHINGTON - Ralph Nader is launching a third-party campaign for president.
The consumer advocate made the announcement Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." He says most Americans are disenchanted with the Democratic and Republican parties, and that none of the presidential contenders are addressing ways to stem corporate crime and Pentagon waste and promote labor rights.
Last month, Nader began an exploratory presidential campaign and launched a Web site that promises to fight "corporate greed, corporate power, corporate control."
Nader's appearance on "Meet the Press" was announced Friday in an e-mail message from Nader's exploratory campaign. The message from "The Nader Team" urges supporters to tell friends and family to watch the show and requests online contributions.
Of course, the Republicans are just happy to see Ralph Nader enter the presidential race. Here is what Mike Huckabee had to say about Nader's entry in this New York Times story:
Mike Huckabee, who enjoyed many laughs last night on “Saturday Night Live” when he refused to leave the stage — a parody, of course, of his uphill battle as he continues to campaign despite his rival John McCain’s indomitable lead among Republican candidates — also commented on Mr. Nader’s decision. On CNN’s “Late Edition” today:
Mr. Huckabee: Well, I think it always would probably pull votes away from the Democrats, not the Republicans. So naturally Republicans would welcome his entry into the race and hope that maybe a few more will join in.
CNN’s John King: As you know, there has been chatter from time to time about the prospect of a third party candidacy from the right. Have you picked that up at all in your travels? That if John McCain is the Republican nominee, perhaps there would be a significant third party challenge from the right?
Mr. Huckabee: I don’t think so. I mean, a couple of times it will get mentioned. But people will say, would you ever consider it? And my answer is emphatically no. I think it is a suicide mission, third party candidates are not going to win the election. At best they are going to take away from one of the major parties.
Of course it is rather ironic that Huckabee doesn't want to embark on a third party presidential run against McCain, calling it a "suicidal mission," however he is more than happy to have Nader run his own third party campaign against the Democrats. Any votes Nader steals away from a Democratic candidate brings Republican John McCain just a little closer to the White House.
I'm starting to wonder just how much of that statement is true? Will Nader steal democratic votes and hand the White House on a platter for McCain? This 2008 election is a far different political climate than 2000 was, considering the Florida fiasco that erupted between George W. Bush, Al Gore, and Ralph Nader. In 2000, this country was at peace. Now we are engaged in a lost war in Iraq, of which three-quarters of Americans are opposed to. In 2000, Americans were still supportive of President Clinton, even if they were fatigued by the Monica Lewinski scandal. In 2008, only around 30 percent of Americans support President Bush's job as president, with almost 60 percent of Americans opposed to Bush's job as president. In both 2000, and 2008, this country is heading into a recession, however I think that the 2008 recession will be even worst than what we have ever seen, considering the $9 trillion debt we've incurred, the continued bleeding of money into the disaster of Iraq, the housing bust, the subprime mortgage mess, the increased energy and food prices, and a potential rise of stagflation. How many American voters today will be convinced to join Team Nader, when considering the severe problems this country faces, and the potential disaster this country could face if McCain succeeds Bush in the White House?
Let us hope Americans are smart enough to overwhelmingly reject Nader in this election season.
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