Nader Announces ’04 Run

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

"Give the election to Bush" Nader

Dave


Nader Announces ’04 Run

February 22, 2004
 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS



 WASHINGTON -- Consumer advocate Ralph Nader announced
Sunday he will run again for the presidency, declaring that
Washington has become "corporate occupied territory" and
arguing there is too little difference between the
Democratic and Republican parties.

Nader, who will turn 70 this week, said he contemplated
retirement but decided against that. "I've decided to run
as an independent candidate for president," he announced on
NBC's "Meet The Press."

"This country has more problems and injustices than it
deserves," Nader said, bemoaning a "democracy gap." He said
he needed to get into the race to "challenge this two-party
duopoly."

"There's too much power and wealth in too few hands," he
said . "They have taken over Washington."

"Washington is now corporate occupied territory," Nader
said. "There is now a for-sale sign on most agencies and
departments. ... Money is flowing in like never before. It
means that corporations are saying no to the necessities of
the American people. ... Basically, it's question of both
parties flunking."

Asked if he would withdraw if he concluded his candidacy
would merely ensure President Bush's re-election, Nader
told interviewer Tim Russert, "When and if that eventuality
occurs, you can invite me back on the program and I'll give
you the answer."

Nader decided against running under the banner of the Green
Party. His candidacy four years ago has been blamed by many
Democrats for costing Al Gore the election against George
W. Bush.

Last week, Democratic National Committee chairman Terry
McAuliffe revealed that he had met with Nader several times
urging him not to run.

"Let me say, this is going to be difficult," said Nader,
who planned a round of interviews after his announcement.
"This isn't just our fight. This is a fight for all third
parties ... They want to have a chance to compete. This is
not a democracy that can be controlled by two parties in
the grip of corporate interests."

Third party candidacies have been a greater part of
presidential politics in recent years; businessman Ross
Perot twice ran for president, winning 19 percent of the
vote in his first try in 1988 against George Herbert Walker
Bush and Michael Dukakis.

"It's his personal vanity because he has no movement.
Nobody's backing him," New Mexico Democratic Gov. Bill
Richardson said Sunday in advance of Nader's announcement.

"The Greens aren't backing him. His friends urge him not
to do it. It's all about himself," Richardson told "Fox
News Sunday."

"Now, Ralph's made some great contributions to consumer
issues over the years, but clearly it's not going to help
us," he said. "I don't think he'll have a sizable impact,
but it's terrible if he goes ahead because it's about him.
It's about his ego. It's about his vanity and not about a
movement that supposedly he headed for many years very
effectively."

As the Green Party's nominee in 2000, Nader appeared on the
ballot in 43 states and Washington, D.C., garnering only
2.7 percent of the vote. But in Florida and New Hampshire,
Bush won such narrow victories that had Gore received the
bulk of Nader's votes in those states, he would have won
the general election.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Nader.html?ex=1078462248&ei=1&en=7bde7228774d67e7


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