WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader Monday dismissed allegations that his bid would trip up the Democratic dash for the presidency for the second campaign in a row.
Nader, the 2000 Green Party nominee who announced his 2004 candidacy Sunday, alternately expounded on his anti-corporate-power agenda and warded off charges that his candidacy might help what he cast as a pro-corporation administration stay in power.
"This candidacy will not get many Democratic votes," Nader said in response to concerns that his bid might weaken a newly upbeat Democratic camp. Instead, he predicted his message would draw independents and conservatives disenchanted with President Bush's policies, such as the military budget, the Patriot Act and corporate subsidies.
According to a Gallup poll conducted in Sept. 2003, about 60 percent of rank-and-file Democrats believe that Nader cost Al Gore the presidency in 2000. Nader, however, urged his critics to reexamine 2000 poll results before blaming him for the Democratic loss, which he says was in fact a Gore victory that Bush stole.
Nader's campaign Web site, votenader.org, cites exit polls that break down 2000 Green Party voters as 25 percent Republicans, 38 percent Democrats and the rest people who would not have otherwise voted.
Nader stressed that his campaign would focus on criticizing "the giant corporation masquerading as a human being in the White House -- George W. Bush" rather than attacking the Democratic nominee. He delivered a personal message to the current contenders for this title: "Relax! Rejoice! You have another friend carrying the ancient but unfulfilled aspirations of the Democratic Party." He said he would try to help Democratic nominees for the Senate in swing states.
At the same time, however, Nader criticized the Democratic Party for losing its edge in opposing the corporatization of the country. "How long is the learning curve before we recognize that political parties are the problem?" Nader asked, decrying what he sees as the dwindling differences between the two major parties.
Nader's Web site also directs jabs at Democratic leaders for supporting or failing to stop the war in Iraq, the passing of the Patriot Act, Bush's tax cuts and other policies.
When asked about the option of running in the Democratic primaries, Nader condemned large-scale corporate sponsorship of the candidates: "I don't choose to run in a wealth primary. You can't compete on a clean slate in a commercially driven party."
Nader said he chose to run as an independent this time because he did not have time to wait for the Green Party nomination at its convention in Milwaukee in June.
He said his candidacy is a direct attack on "the duopolistic political system," an attack he noted has a real chance of upsetting the status quo. He said funds are already flowing through his Web site, and numerous volunteers have stepped forward to collect the signatures he needs to get on state ballots. "We do expect to get on all 50 states, and it won't be easy," Nader said.
As in his 2000 campaign, the major issue Nader stressed was what he termed the expansion of corporate power and its consequences for the working class, the environment and civil liberties. He criticized government failure to step up investigation and punishment of corporate crime and blamed corporations for failings ranging from outsourcing production to developing countries to selling children junk food.
Besides worker rights and corporate accountability, Nader will also push for improved healthcare, protection of civil liberties and a new energy policy. "Our country has so many problems it doesn't deserve and so many solutions it doesn't apply," said Nader.
Political experts and insiders tended to side with Nader on how serious a threat his campaign poses to the Democratic nominee. Some doubt that Nader's bid holds the same appeal today as it did before his defeat in 2000. Political analyst and author B.J. Rudell said he does not expect Nader to get on the ballot in a lot of states without the support of the Green Party he enjoyed in the last presidential race.
"We are not concerned about Mr. Nader's entry in the race," said Craig Johnson, co-chairman of John Edward's campaign in New York State. "I think many of his core supporters recognize the importance of defeating George Bush." According to Johnson, some Nader supporters have come to stake on a standoff between Bush and a Democratic candidate and have urged Nader not to run.
"Many liberals whose honest evaluation might make them lean toward Nader will strategically vote instead for the Democratic nominee," said Michael Munger, chairman of Duke University's political science department. "Democratic voters are increasingly motivated by the need to oust Bush rather than to engage in ideological nit-picking."
Rudell said most of Nader's supporters think the Democratic Party is too far to the middle of the political spectrum and wouldn't vote for it anyway. He said Democrats should see Nader's candidacy as a way to energize the 100 million Americans who do not vote. "To bash Nader is to disregard the fact that he could serve a useful role in bashing Bush," he said.
Frank Newport, Gallup Poll editor in chief, said that although he and his colleagues are always open to surprises, the initial expectation is that Nader will score lower this year than the 2.6 percent he got in 2000. "Generally speaking, candidates do worse the second time around," Newport said.
