To the dismay of Democrats and progressives, consumer advocate Ralph Nader announced Sunday that he will run for president as an independent to challenge the corporate dominance of the political process.
“Washington is now corporate occupied territory,” Nader said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program. “There is now a ‘For Sale’ sign on most agencies and departments. … Basically, it’s a question of both parties flunking.”
Nader acknowledged that making all 50 state ballots as an independent by November is “like climbing a cliff with a slippery rope.” But he said his fight will benefit all minor parties.
In entering the presidential contest, Nader ignored the pleas of Democratic leaders and allies in the progressive political movement to remain on the sidelines in order to avoid an outcome like that in 2000.
Nader drew almost 3 million votes that year as the candidate of the Green Party, and Democrats blame him for draining support away from Al Gore–particularly in Florida, where George Bush won by 537 votes and Nader had 97,488 votes.
Even longtime admirers of Nader have urged him to refrain from any course that could aid the re-election of President Bush. As part of their effort, they set up an Internet site, ralphdontrun.net.
Some former Naderites gathered outside NBC’s “Meet the Press” studio in Washington on Sunday to deliver that message in person. But Nader said it is “contemptuous” to describe him as a “spoiler” in the 2000 presidential contest, “as if anybody who dares to challenge the two-party system and corrupt politics and broken politics and corporate power is a spoiler.”
