That sound you hear
Submitted by kycolonel on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 10:33am.
the one that sounds like watermelons smashing on the road...is the sound of Daily Kos sockpuppets' heads exploding. Ralph Nader just tossed his hat in the ring of the presidential election on Meet the Press. No word though on whether he would do so as a Green.
For the record, I thought Mr. Nader hit a home run in terms of framing the issues which should affect the upcoming election. This assessment should not be confused as an endorsement. At this point, I'm admittedly somewhat perplexed. With the election approximately eight months away, where does this leave Greens?
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As I noted in another reply, we Greens need to think about not only Nov, but post-Nov. I would love to bring in the crowds Nader brought in in 2000. We now have much more experience and have a better shot at retaining these activists after the election.
Remember, everyone under the age of 30 didn't vote in 2000...well, almost everyone under 30. A well organized and well funded campaign could bring a lot of people to us, including a huge number of folks who not only don't hate Nader for 2000, but are basically unconcerned about such ancient history. This fact is part of why Clinton doesn't motivate some. Her time in the spotlight was long ago for those young voters.
Personally, I have thrown my endorsement and a few dollars behind Cynthia McKinney. I believe in her. I believe she represents me and my values very well. She is a legitimate national political figure. She has taken big risks to seek our nomination. She can be our future.
I will support McKinney at the convention. I will support the Green Party nominee in November. But most importantly, I will follow McKinney as leader of the Green Party in the post November future. This leadership role was never accepted by Nader, and even Cobb serves no leadership role. We need leadership at least as much as we need a nominee. I think it makes sense to get both from Cynthia McKinney.
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I think Ralph Nader running this year will have a very strong negative impact on the Greens and the movement he once tried to build. Let me explain:
1. Ralph has given no indication that he wants to run as a Green. He has made his vow that he will never join a political party. It appears that he's going to duplicate his 2004 effort of running an independent campaign that seeks the endorsements of all third parties. How does that build the Greens?
2. What's worse, because so many Greens rightfully respect his work and his contributions, it will split the party. We saw this in 2004 with the battle between David Cobb and Nader. This year it will be worse, a fight between Cynthia McKinney supporters and Nader supporters. California voted for Nader. It's going to lead to a major fight at the convention between the people who believe Nader is the best way to build the party and the people who believe that the party should stand for more than one honorable man.
3. Nader is going to have to run against McKinney and Obama. What does that say of our commitment to civil rights and women's issues? How will African Americans react if the Greens embrace Nader in his campaign against them? What will be their opinion of the Greens? I don't know the answer, but do believe it's worth considering the question.
4. Barack Obama is far from perfect. His ties to the nuclear energy in Illinois are the biggest concern. Still, he is the most liberal major party nominee in most of our lifetimes. He was also against the war when Greens were out in the streets marching against it, way before that became the popular opinion of the nation. With that in mind, there is no way a Nader campaign can come any where close to where it was in 2000. Liberals only rally to the Greens when there is no liberal major party choice on the ballot. That's not the case this year.
So ask yourself, what will the Greens aligning themselves with Nader accomplish in 2008? Will it grow the party? Will it heal old wounds? Or will it cause a split in the party and possibly drive African Americans away?
Ralph Nader is a great and honorable man. He has the right to run and to bring up the issues the other candidates ignore. Most Greens respect him, but I'm not sure that a Nader campaign in 2008 will do more good than harm for the long-term prospects of the Green Party.
I voted in the California Primary for Cynthia McKinney.
I support Cynthia McKinney.
If Mr. Nader is the Green Party nominee I will support him 100%
Check Out My Post on California Greening with a link to the YouTube video.
when the Demogreens would slime out of their hole and start pushing for Obama (D-Exelon) and their corporate controlled party. Didn't take long, did it?
Are you planning to speak to the general public this way? Do you believe it will increase Green Party membership or votes? Will it build the campaigns of down-ballot candidates? Will it build a worthy legacy for Nader?
Do you want to have NO ballot access this year? Do you want to join Cobb in his Wisconsin "safe state" Democratic Party-funded think tank paradise? Do you think we're playing a game of poombah here? Are you going to be nice and polite and sit at the back of the bus forever? Is that how you're going to build the Green Party?
Silly questions. Of course you are.