Because I Said So…

Get your sniper rifles ready, Democrats!  Today is they day we all find out if old man and consumer advocate Ralph Nader will join in the presidential race and save America from corporate cronies.  Join me as I detail what Nader reveals on ”Meet the Press” as it happens.  Well, at least what I catch when I’m not distracted by his wonky eye.  Does anyone else think his face melting?

8:00 AM  Cue dramatic music as Russert gives the run-down of today’s stories.  He sounds like a robot.  Nader, polls, McCain banging interns!  It’s going to be a good show.

8:01 AM  Russert cuts to the chase and asks Nader will he run for president.

8:02 AM Nader’s wonky eye is explaining all the problems in the country in an attempt to put things in a “context.”  I think he misunderstood the question.

8:03 AM Nader basically says the other candidates suck.  Corporations suck.  Everybody sucks. 

8:04 AM Will he just say yes already!?!?  Nope, talking about slavery now…Wait, I think he just said he’s running for president–at least in that context?

8:05 AM Russert accuses Nader of blowing the presidential election in 2000 and bringing Bush and 9/11 on America.

8:06 AM Quit picking on us little green guys, says Nader.  “Get over it!”

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Nader is one step closer to officially announcing his third party presidential campaign.  The consumer advocate will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday where he also launched his his 2004 presidential run on the show according to AP.

Nader’s appearance on “Meet the Press” was announced today 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.

The teaser on the Meet the Press website says:

“In 2000, many think Ralph Nader’s presidential candidacy helped George Bush win the White House. He ran again unsuccessfully in 2004. Will he make another run in 2008? Find out Sunday in an exclusive interview with Ralph Nader.”

Like a zombie, Nader’s presidential aspirations just won’t die (unless you cut off his head, anyway–the zombie’s head not the Nader’s).  Awesome.  I will be live blogging the interview bright and early 9 a.m. ET.  (Hopefully.)  Make it good, Russert; elicit some Naderisms from the third party prince.

Despite not officially declaring his run for the Green Party nomination for president, Nader did well on Super Tuesday, February 5.  

Nader had a landslide victory in California where he won with 61 percent, 17,065 votes, in nearly complete returns. Democrat turned Green Party member last year Cynthia McKinney had 7,178, or 26 percent of the 30,000 votes cast.

Greens voted in three other states on Tuesday where the party’s ballot status qualifies it to hold primaries:

In Illinois, where Nader was not on the ballot, nearly complete returns had McKinney leading a four-candidate field with 57 percent of the vote.In Arkansas, where Nader was not on the ballot, early returns suggested that the majority of votes were cast for an uncommitted delegate slate. McKinney ran second with 22 percent.Statewide results from Massachusetts were not yet available Wednesday afternoon. But results from some cities had Nader running slightly ahead of McKinney.”

Nader indicated last week that he was considering making another run for the presidency in 2008, especially if New York Senator Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee.

Oooooh!  He’s gunning for you, Hil.  Quick, check out the tapes of Al Gore’s 2000 election loss to train for the fight.  Because, you know Nader: he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger… 
 

Five Green Party presidential candidates, including every voter’s favorite presidential election ruin-er Ralph Nader and former Democratic party congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, will be trying to be the candidate to siphon undecided votes in November by getting on the the ballot in the California Green Party’s primary on “Super Tuesday” Feb. 5.

A party spokesperson today said it is the most competitive race for President in the history of the Green Party.  Somewhere in the world John McCain is giving out high-fives.

Almost one-third of the Green Party delegate will be determinedon February 5 between Illinois, Massachusetts, Arkansas and California–the most significant of the Green primaries. 

California has 168 of the 836 delegates (over 20%) that will nominate the Green Party nominee on July 13 in Chicago makes California pretty critical to both Nader and McKinney in securing the Green Party nomination.”

Also crowding joining the race are:

Jesse Johnson, a filmmaker and 2006 Senate and 2004 gubernatorial candidate for the West Virginia Mountain Party.

Kent Mesplay, a biomedical engineer who sought the Green Party presidential nomination in 2004.

Kat Swift, the Texas State Party Co-chair, progressive activist and newspaper credit manager.

They look like a colorful bunch.  And according to California Green Party spokeswoman Susan King these candidates will provide a much needed “real choice” at the polls.  You know, because there have been so few candidates throwing their hat in the ring this year.

This promises to be the most competitive presidential primary on record for the Green Party of California. And it comes at a time in our state and nation’s history when voters need a real choice at the polls, and an opportunity to elect a President who will make a difference by ending the war in Iraq now, protecting our planet now and providing universal, single-payer health care for all.” 

All very unique ideas that NO candidate currently in the presidential race has mentioned yet…  Time will tell if “going green” will pollute the democratic effort later.

The race for president is not official to me without third party candidates buzzing around the chosen Republican and Democratic party candidates once the primaries are over.  They provide a little more color to the campaign trail when red and blue starts getting stale.

Fortunately for everyone–or unfortunately for major party candidates–Ralph Nader might be making another bid for the White House.  The consumer advocate has run in the past four presidential elections.  He is most notoriously known by critics as the man who sucked away enough votes from then Democratic Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 campaign to help George W. Bush win the White House.  Fast forward eight years and we all know how that story ends.

Nader, 73, told a Montreal radio show that he will “decide in about a month” whether he will throw his hat in the ring.  Who is ready for another three-ring circus and thinks Nader should enter the race?  I thought so.  I’ll bring the popcorn.