Nader Holds Final Rally

Determined to fight until the very end, Ralph Nader denounced both the Democratic and the Republican parties as corrupt at a rally Monday and assured the crowd that a vote for Nader was not a wasted vote.

Nader spoke a block from Wall Street, across the street from the New York Stock Exchange, and used the location to highlight what he called the excessive influence of corporations over both political parties.

[…]

He had to speak over hecklers at Monday’s rally, who shouted lines like, “Nader is a traitor,” and held up signs that read, “Vanity, thy name is Nader” and others accusing him of being funded by Republicans eager to have him steal votes from Democratic candidate John Kerry.

“The only vote you ever waste is a vote for someone you don’t believe in,” he said.

Nader Denounces Major Political Parties

AP: Nader Denounces Major Political Parties

Independent candidate Ralph Nader, speaking over hecklers’ voices, denounced the major political parties and assured a Monday crowd that a vote for him was not a wasted vote.

“The only vote you ever waste is a vote for someone you don’t believe in,” said Nader, who spoke a block from Wall Street, across from the New York Stock Exchange (news - web sites). The consumer advocate used the location to highlight what he called the excessive influence of corporations over both major political parties.

Nader is on the ballot in 34 states and the District of Columbia; he is a write-in candidate in Texas.

Nader had to speak over hecklers who shouted “Nader is a traitor” and other criticisms. One sign read, “Vanity, thy name is Nader.”

Nader Could Still Impact Key States

The Los Angeles Times reports that even though Nader is only on the ballot in 34 states, he may have an impact because some of those states are still competitive.

According to the Times, the thirteen potentially competitive states in which Nader might impact the outcome include Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

From California Yankee.

Nader Loses Bid To Get On Ohio Ballot

AP: Nader Loses Bid To Get On Ohio Ballot

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader’s bid to get on the Ohio ballot.

Nader wanted the court to force local election boards to review their voter registration lists, a process Nader said could have led to the validation of petitions to place him on the ballot.

The court ruled 6-1 against Nader Friday, saying his campaign waited too long to raise its concerns.

Nader Emerging as the Threat Democrats Feared

NY TIMES: Nader Emerging as the Threat Democrats Feared

With less than three weeks before the election, Ralph Nader is emerging as just the threat that Democrats feared, with a potential to tip the balance in up to nine states where President Bush and Senator John Kerry are running neck and neck.

Despite a concerted effort by Democrats to derail his independent candidacy, as well as his being struck off the Pennsylvania ballot on Wednesday, Mr. Nader will be on the ballots in more than 30 states.

Polls show that he could influence the outcomes in nine by drawing support from Mr. Kerry. They are Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Wisconsin.

Moreover, six - Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Wisconsin - were among the top 20 where Mr. Nader drew his strongest support in 2000. If the vote for Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry is as evenly divided as the polls suggest, the electoral votes in any one of those states could determine who becomes president.

Mr. Nader repeated this week that he had no intention of leaving the race. He said no one from the Kerry campaign or Democratic National Committee was pressing him behind the scenes to quit, and he said he thought that Mr. Kerry would not make a good president anyway.

“He’s not his own man,” Mr. Nader said on Tuesday in a telephone interview from California. “Because he takes the liberals for granted, he’s allowing Bush to pull him in his direction. It doesn’t show much for his character.”

That is a change from May, when Mr. Nader met Mr. Kerry at his campaign headquarters and afterward praised him as “very presidential.” Mr. Kerry did not ask him to withdraw then, but now the party is in a full-throated plea, with its chairman, Terry McAuliffe, saying on Thursday that Mr. Nader should “end the charade” of a campaign being kept afloat by “corporate backers.”

Court throws Nader off Pennsylvania ballot

CNN: Court throws Nader off Pennsylvania ballot

A state court knocked Ralph Nader off Pennsylvania’s presidential ballot on Wednesday, citing thousands of fradulent petition signatures including “Mickey Mouse” and “Fred Flintstone.”

Describing the petitions as “rife with forgeries,” Commonwealth Court President Judge James Gardner Colins said that fewer than 19,000 of the more than 51,000 signatures that Nader’s supporters submitted were valid. Nader needed at least 25,697 to be listed on the ballot as an independent candidate.

“I am compelled to emphasize that this signature-gathering process was the most deceitful and fraudulent exercise ever perpetrated upon this court,” Colins said in a 15-page ruling that followed a two-week review in multiple courtrooms across the state.

“The conduct of the candidates, through their representatives (not their attorneys), shocks the conscience of the court,” he said. “In reviewing signatures, it became apparent that, in addition to signing names such as ‘Mickey Mouse,’ ‘Fred Flintstone,’ ‘John Kerry,’ and the ubiquitous ‘Ralph Nader,’ there were thousands of names that were created at random and then randomly assigned either existent or nonexistent addresses by the circulators.”

Nader Off Ballot In PA

The NY Times reports that a PA court has struck Ralph Nader’s name from the Pennsylvania ballot.

Nader Says He Can't Win Single State

AP: Nader Says He Can’t Win Single State

Independent candidate Ralph Nader conceded on Thursday that he won’t win a single state in the presidential election.

“Of course not, the system is rigged,” the consumer advocate said when asked if he thought he could carry a state Nov. 2. Nevertheless, Nader is remaining in the race.

Democrats say Nader’s candidacy in 2000 cost Al Gore (news - web sites) the election as the third-party candidate took votes in states such as Florida and New Hampshire that were decided by razor-thin margins. This year, Nader is on the ballot in more than 30 states, including New York, and is suing for ballot access in several others.

Nader also took a swipe at Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, calling him a “sniveling coward.” Nader contended that Edwards failed to criticize Vice President Dick Cheney over limiting awards in medical malpractice lawsuits in their debate Tuesday.

Activist Holds Anti-Nader Hunger Strike

AP: Activist Holds Anti-Nader Hunger Strike

A peace activist who once fasted for 63 days to protest movie violence and war toys is launching another hunger strike to persuade Ralph Nader to abandon his presidential bid.

Jerry Rubin, 60, said he plans to consume only liquids from Saturday until Nov. 2 if Nader doesn’t take a meeting with him.

“I know Ralph Nader and I don’t think he’s doing the right thing,” Rubin said Saturday. He said the consumer advocate’s campaign is dividing the progressive political movement.

Many believe the votes Nader received in Florida in 2000 would have gone to Democratic candidate Al Gore had Nader sat out the election. Gore lost the state — and the national election — to George W. Bush by 537 votes.

Didn’t Jerry Rubin die while “protesting crosswalks and DON‘T WALK lights” ten years ago?

Rubin is often confused with now-deceased “Chicago Seven” defendant Jerry Rubin. He legally changed his name to Jerry Peace Activist Rubin to avoid confusion with the 60s radical.

Ah, okay. Same name, different a******.

Fla. Supreme Court Puts Nader on Ballot

AP: Fla. Supreme Court Puts Nader on Ballot

Ralph Nader is back on Florida’s ballot — probably for good this time.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled 6-1 Friday that he can run as the Reform Party presidential candidate in the November election.

The decision met a Saturday deadline for mailing 25,000 ballots to overseas voters, most of them military personnel, and ended a dizzying two weeks during which Nader was on and off the ballot.

“This is a case that should have been thrown out of the courts sooner,” said Kevin Zeese, a spokesman for the Nader campaign.

Florida OK's Nader's Name on Election Ballot

REUTERS: Florida OK’s Nader’s Name on Election Ballot

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader’s name can appear on Florida ballots for the election, despite a court order to the contrary, Florida’s elections chief told officials on Monday in a move that could help President Bush in the key swing state.

The Florida Democratic Party reacted with outrage, calling the move “blatant partisan maneuvering” by Gov. Jeb Bush, the president’s younger brother, and vowed to fight it.

In a memo to Florida’s 67 county supervisors of elections, Division of Elections director Dawn Roberts said the uncertainty of Hurricane Ivan, which could hit parts of the state by week’s end, forced her to act.

…

“I’m in disbelief,” said Scott Maddox, chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. “This is blatant partisan maneuvering on the part of Jeb Bush to give his brother a leg up on election day.”

“They are trying to get ballots printed with Nader’s name on them,” said Maddox. “I am astounded that Jeb Bush is willing to defy the judiciary to help his brother.”

(Ballots printed? I thought that this was supposed to be the year of e-voting.)

Nader off the ballot in Florida

A Leon County circuit judge issued an emergency order Wednesday night removing Ralph Nader from the Florida Presidential ballot.

Less than 11 hours before Secretary of State Glenda Hood is supposed to certify the ballots for 67 counties - which signals elections supervisors to mail thousands of ballots to Floridians overseas, including troops in Iraq - Davey ruled that the Reform Party is no longer a real political party. Therefore, he held that Nader’s certification as the Reform candidate did not meet Florida laws, which require a presidential candidate to get nearly 100,000 voter signatures or be nominated by a national convention.

The ruling could be reversed on appeal.

Nader Won't Be on Virginia Ballot

AP: Nader Won’t Be on Virginia Ballot

Independent Ralph Nader will not appear on Virginia’s presidential ballot, the State Board of Elections said Tuesday.

Nader fell short of the required 10,000 certified signatures on his qualifying petitions, said Jean Jensen, secretary of the board. “He needed 10,000 and we were able to verify 7,342,” Jensen said.

Nader had submitted about 12,900 signatures, and officials checked them against local voter lists.

“We’ll review those ourselves — the ones they’ve knocked off — and see if they are accurate,” said Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese. “But if they’re not registered voters, they’re not registered voters.”

Court Orders Michigan Ballot To Include Nader

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Michigan Court of Appeals overruled a state elections panel and ordered Nader’s name to be on the November’s presidential ballot as an independent presidential candidate.

From California Yankee.

Judge rejects Nader's bid to get on Texas ballot

AP: Judge rejects Nader’s bid to get on Texas ballot

A federal judge today rejected consumer advocate and independent president candidate Ralph Nader’s attempt to force his way onto the Texas ballot for the November general election.

Nader’s campaign had claimed Texas ballot access requirements for independent candidates are the toughest in the nation and unconstitutional, noting they are more stringent than those faced by third-party candidates.

Texas has one of the earliest deadlines to qualify for the presidential ballot and requires independent candidates to collect about 20,000 more signatures than those required by third-party contenders.

Nader Gets Access To Connecticut Ballot

The Associated Press reports that Ralph Nader will be on the Connecticut ballot as an independent candidate:

A spokesman for the secretary of the state’s office confirms that Nader’s campaign has filed enough signatures to qualify.

From California Yankee.

Nader Supporters' Secret Shame

The New York Times explains why Nader failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the California ballot.

This month, Mr. Nader failed to gather enough signatures to qualify for the California ballot, and Ms. Taylor, 39, a kindergarten teacher here, said she knows why. As one of those who volunteered to collect signatures at shopping centers and street festivals, she said she was cursed, scolded, threatened and called “naïve” and “stupid” by Democrats who blamed her for ruining Al Gore’s chances to win the White House in 2000 — and for what they see as the resulting wars, tax cuts and other assorted actions of the Bush administration.

Even paid workers quit after a few days because “they were getting yelled at and they weren’t making any money,” said Forrest Hill, a Nader campaign coordinator in Northern California.

[. . .]

It’s almost like a liberal type of McCarthyism right now.

From California Yankee.

Ralph Nader's Curious New Allies

From the JewishPress.com:

Ralph Nader’s latest run for president has been much more negatively received than his 2000 attempt. A prominent criticism in the anti-Bush fever-swamps is that the damage Nader could cause this time by draining Democratic votes would not only be epic, but inversely proportional to the value of his political career. Certainly his critics are on to something with this last bit — Nader, once an impressive and prolific activist, seems to have been transformed into an oblivious gadfly bent on undermining the movement he ostensibly cares about.

Few people realize, though, just how precipitous Nader’s fall has been. Driven into a corner by both his lousy political gamesmanship and the tectonic redefinition by 9/11 of the ideological playing field, Nader has begun to flirt with something that has been embraced by so many on the Left: anti-Semitism.

Wow. Them’s fightn’ words.

Reform Party Coup D'etat

Apparently without the blessing of other party officials, the Reform party’s treasurer told federal election officials that the party should be terminated because it only has $18.18 in the bank. The Associated Press reports:

William D. Chapman said in a telephone interview Tuesday that he sent the Federal Election Commission a “request for termination based on guidelines the FEC had established for the Reform Party.”

According to the Associated Press Reform party leaders suspended Chapman as treasurer;

Reform Party Chairman Shawn O’Hara accused Chapman of leading a “minor coup.”

“I love him and he’s my friend, but he did wrong,” O’Hara said in a telephone interview. While the national party’s bank account was small, “we are in the process of rebuilding and raising money,” O’Hara said.

from California Yankee.

Nader Doesn't Get Spot on California Ballot

REUTERS: Nader Doesn’t Get Spot on California Ballot

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader did not collect enough signatures to make the ballot in California as an independent presidential candidate but his spokesman said on Sunday the campaign would keep trying.

Nader had gathered about 85,000 signatures by Friday’s deadline and had clearly failed to accumulate the 153,035 signatures needed to place him on the ballot, California Secretary of State spokesman Doug Stone said. Final tallies were not immediately available.

Nader campaign spokesman Kevin Zeese said the campaign would keep trying to get Nader’s name before the state’s voters. “We have four or five other options to get his name on the ballot, none of which I can disclose… We expect to be on the ballot in November,” Zeese said.

Zeese said Nader’s campaign was trying to convince Green Party members in California to replace their presidential nominee with Nader, who was their candidate in 2000. A spokesman for the Green Party was not immediately available.

Nader accuses Kerry of dirty tricks

AL-JAZEERA: Nader accuses Kerry of dirty tricks

Launching a tirade against Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, Nader on Friday also denied charges that he was heavily supported by Republicans.

“I say to Senator John Kerry, call off your dogs,” Nader said in Los Angeles. He accused Kerry supporters of “harassing, obstructing and impeding” his efforts to get on the ballot in all 50 states.

“Stop encouraging these dirty tricks or you will be held responsible,” he added.

Nader to Crash Dems' Party?

CBS NEWS: Nader to Crash Dems’ Party?

For the 30,000 Democrats gathering in Boston, Ralph Nader remains public enemy number two, behind only President Bush. Beneath the convention speeches, the delegate banter, the concern persists that the independent candidate will once again stand between a Democrat and the Oval Office.

Nader plans on coming to Boston Wednesday, if not to calm their concerns, then to crash a party he sees as celebrating the wrong ideals. If he can get credentialed, Nader said in a phone interview from his home in Washington, D.C, he hopes to shock Democrats inside the FleetCenter. And if he does, the highly scripted convention will face the one curveball it hoped to avoid.

“I would like to see the bazaar. I’d like to see the alcoholic-musical-political payoff bazaar of accounts receivable,” Nader said. “I would like to be there at the convention to watch. I will try to get credentials… I may try as a syndicated columnist, which I’ve been for 35 years. Let’s see if they are against reporters.”

Italian Parliamentarians Call For Nader Withdrawal

AFP: Italian deputies call for Nader to withdraw, Kerry victory.

“Dear Ralph Nader, we are a group of Italian politicians who appreciate your battles on behalf of US consumers and citizens since the 1970’s”, said the letter.

“Despite your intentions, which are no doubt the best possible … your candidacy could mean defeat for John Kerry, who we are following with much hope,” it went on.

“Precisely because, as Europeans, we are also committed to the United States … we ask you today not to give George W. Bush a second chance, which would be costly for your country and the whole international community,” the letter said.

“In a world which is ever more interdependent, the choice that will guide the most powerful country on Earth will have deep and durable repercussions,” it said.

“Which is why we ask you to withdraw your candidacy for the White House and give your support, even with reservations, to John F. Kerry.”

The letter was signed by many of the top leaders of Italy’s centre-left opposition, and notably by Francesco Rutelli, Luciano Violante, Paolo Cento and Pietro Folena.

Ralph's Nadir

That’s also an awfully good headline, and it comes from The Age, which writes:Long hailed as a champion of the regular guy, Ralph Nader seems determined to trash his reputation with a tilt at the US Presidency that can only harm his supposed allies in the Democratic Party

Nader sues to get on ballot in Texas

HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Nader sues to get on ballot in Texas

Ralph Nader’s independent presidential campaign went to federal court Thursday in a fight to get the consumer activist on the Texas ballot for the November general election.

Nader’s campaign says Texas ballot access requirements for independent candidates are the toughest in the nation and unconstitutional, noting they are more stringent than those faced by third-party candidates.

“This involves First Amendment rights and fundamental freedoms,” attorney James C. Linger told U.S. District Court Judge Lee Yeakel. The judge did not immediately rule on the case and suggested it would be a matter of days.

Nader was scheduled to be in Alaska and did not attend the hearing.

Nader Should Drop Presidential Bid - Democrat

REUTERS: Nader Should Drop Presidential Bid - Democrat

The head of the Democratic National Committee urged Ralph Nader on Sunday to drop his independent bid for the U.S. presidency or at least disavow Republican efforts on his behalf.

“He needs to get out of the race,” Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the DNC, said on CBS “Face the Nation.”

“He needs to help us not hurt us.”

Nader Accuses Democrats Of Dirty Tricks

The Associated Press reports that Nader, “denied a spot on the Arizona ballot, on Friday accused the Democrats and presidential candidate John Kerry of engaging in political ‘dirty tricks:’”

Just hours before the developments in Arizona, Nader complained that the Democratic Party has “stepped up its obstruction tendencies” in challenging his ballot access. The consumer advocate said he had called the Kerry campaign three times Thursday, asking to chat with the candidate.

“We have to get a clarification if they’re going to engage in dirty tricks,” Nader told reporters at a news conference to criticize multinational corporations.

From California Yankee.

New On The Web: www.dearralph.com

This is interesting:

Dear Ralph asks people to pledge donations to organizations Nader helped found. If Ralph hasn’t dropped out of the race by September 1, all that money goes to organizations that are directly working to defeat George Bush (and elect John Kerry). Each pledge does double-duty: it gives Ralph a reason to leave the race, and shows potential Nader voters that progressive Americans are uniting to take back the White House.

A more interesting angle that the typical “Leave Ralph leave!” online petition …

Nader Abandons Arizona

The Nader campaign has abandoned efforts to get Nader on the Arizona presidential ballot. According to the Associated Press, even though the Campaign submitted over 22,000 signatures the campaign was about 550 short of the 14,694 required “valid” signatures:

Two Democratic voters had filed a lawsuit last week, backed by the Arizona Democratic Party, questioning the validity of Nader’s nominating petitions and other documents. The Democrats argued that more than 70 percent of the signatures were invalid.

As a judge prepared to hear arguments in the case, the campaign said a review by the secretary of state’s office found that the campaign was about 550 signatures short of the number needed to get on the ballot.

“We withdrew after elections officials came out with us being 550 signatures short,” said Nader campaign spokesman Kevin Zeese. “There’s no question that deep-pocketed Democrats don’t have much of a sense of fair play.”

He said the campaign does not have the resources to fight the aggressive legal challenge.

From California Yankee.

Nader to debate Dean -- about Nader

AP: Nader to debate Dean — about Nader

Among the debate topics: Should Ralph run for president? The participants: Howard Dean and a candidate who always has an opinion on the subject — independent Ralph Nader.

Dean, the former Democratic presidential hopeful who attracted legions of liberal followers before his bid fizzled out, will debate Nader for 90 minutes on July 9 before a studio audience.

National Public Radio’s weekly program “Justice Talking” is sponsoring the debate, and correspondent Margot Adler will moderate.

Dean has been urging his supporters not to back Nader, but to stay within the Democratic fold and vote for John Kerry,

“I am anxious to debate Ralph Nader in order to speak about why he wants to run for president,” Dean said in a statement. “This is the most important election in my lifetime and a third party candidate could make a difference — this November and for years to come.”

Group: Bush allies illegally helping Nader in Oregon

CNN: Group: Bush allies illegally helping Nader in Oregon

Efforts by two conservative groups to help President Bush by getting independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the ballot in the key battleground state of Oregon prompted a complaint to the Federal Election Commission Wednesday by a liberal watchdog group.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said phone banks encouraging Bush supporters to attend a Nader nominating convention last Saturday amounted to an illegal in-kind contribution to the Nader campaign by the Oregon Family Council and Oregon Citizens for a Sound Economy.

Bush’s re-election campaign and the Oregon Republican Party were also named in the complaint for allegedly participating in the effort. The complaint alleges the groups worked together to promote Nader and siphon potential votes away from Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Nader Criticizes Dems

AP, through MSNBC.com, reports on Ralph Nader’s fight to remain on state ballots, despite attempts to keep him off. Nader also criticizes Democrats for ignoring their “own failures.”

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, working to get the 1,000 signatures needed to get on the Washington ballot, told supporters Sunday the Democrats trying to get him out of the race are overlooking their own failures.

“They’re heavy into scapegoating,” Nader said. “They’re not looking at their own decay.”

Chastising party leaders for not mounting a tougher challenge to the Iraq war, tax cuts and other Bush administration policies, Nader said, “The least worse approach to elections is that every four years the parties get worse.”

Jason Kafoury, one of Nader’s national field coordinators, said volunteers had gathered more than 1,100 signatures for Nader in Washington and that more would be gathered Sunday night. It was not clear how long it would take the Secretary of State’s Office to determine whether Nader gets on the ballot.

Greens Reject Endorsement for Ralph Nader

AP: Greens Reject Endorsement for Ralph Nader

The Green Party nominated Texas attorney David Cobb as its candidate for president Saturday, dealing a blow to independent Ralph Nader’s campaign.

Nader, the party’s candidate in 1996 and 2000, had hoped for the party’s endorsement and access to the ballot Greens have in 22 states and Washington, D.C. Instead, he will have to find another way to get on the ballot in those states, including Wisconsin and California.

Nader told party officials months ago he would not accept the party’s nomination for president, openly courting their formal endorsement instead.

But 408 delegates voted for Cobb on the second ballot to give him the nomination. Maine radio personality Pat LaMarche was the party’s nominee for vice president.

Cobb has walked a line between praising Nader and questioning what his candidacy as an independent offered the Greens as they try to expand their status as a third party.

Oregon Republicans Turn Out For Nader

The Oregon Family Council and Citizens for a Sound Economy are calling for their members to rally to Nader this Saturday to help him get on the ballot.

In April, Nader held a Portland convention that failed to attract the 1,000 registered voters required to put him on the November ballot. Democratic activists picketed the event and urged voters not to support Nader.

Nader plans to try again at 5 p.m. Saturday in Portland’s Benson High School, and this time he has openly courted conservatives as well as voters who oppose Bush on such issues as the environment and the war in Iraq.

Officials from two groups that have been calling members — the Oregon Family Council and Citizens for a Sound Economy — said they had no qualms about trying to help Nader despite opposing most of what he stands for.
…
“Ralph Nader is undoubtedly going to pull some very crucial votes from John Kerry, and that could mean the difference in a razor-thin presidential election,” reads a script used by Citizens for a Sound Economy in its phone calls. “Can we count on you to come out on Saturday night and sign the petition to nominate Ralph Nader?”

In Center City Philadelphia yesterday, Libertarians were gathering signatures for ballot access and having little luck. The signature gatherer’s tactic with resistant voters in this heavily Democratic city?

“It’ll take votes away from Bush”

(Hat tip to Don for the OR story in the comments to this story)

Dems Suing to Keep Nader Out in AZ

Arizona Democrat activists are trying to keep independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader off of the state ballot. Some, however question legality of the action. Nader is, expectedly, defiant.

The suit underscores the determination of the Democrats to try to frustrate Nader’s efforts to qualify for state ballots. It is a shift from four years ago, when party officials and the campaign of Vice President Al Gore generally ignored Nader, who was running as the Green Party candidate, in the hope that his campaign would not attract support.

The suit, filed in superior court in Maricopa County in Phoenix, charges that, of the 21,512 signatures on Nader’s petitions, only 6,045 are valid. State law requires Nader to submit 14,694 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Although state law prohibits a political party from filing or financing such suits, the state party provided space in its office for volunteers and staff members working on their own time to review the signatures.

“We did this on our own,” Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Jim Pederson said. “I hasten to say we’re not taking action on behalf of the Democratic National Committee or the Kerry campaign.”

Nader called the suit “potential harassment” and said if Democrats persist, he will revise his campaign strategy. “We will concentrate only on the close states.”

Nader: Support Me, Vote Kerry

In an NPR interview, Ralph Nader encouraged supporters to attend his rallies, but feel free to vote for Kerry, especially if it looks close.

Nader says he is running for the office as a way to steer the Democratic Party toward an agenda he advocates. The longtime consumer advocate wants would-be supporters to attend his rallies, but he says he wants them to feel free to cast their votes for Sen. John Kerry once they enter the voting booth — especially in swing states where their vote might help defeat President Bush.

Nader's Pick For Kerry Veep Candidate

John Kerry is giving advice and everyone, but this one is probably the least expected.

In an open letter sent Wednesday, the independent presidential candidate urged Kerry to choose John Edwards (search) as his running mate, saying the North Carolina senator and former trial lawyer has been thoroughly vetted and is committed to protecting the right of consumers to sue corporations that harm them.

“(Edwards) has already gone through a primary campaign and has his rhythm and oratory (the two Americas speech) all well-honed,” Nader wrote to Kerry. “After a slow start, Sen. Edwards closed fast and has won praise from the media.”

Edwards, the last Democrat to bow out after Kerry’s series of primary wins, won several large verdicts before he was elected to the Senate. Nader said Edwards is committed to preserving a civil justice system that is under attack by “corporate supremacists.”

Nader Again Refuses Dems' Request He Quit

AP: Nader Again Refuses Dems’ Request He Quit

Ralph Nader had a testy meeting Tuesday with black members of Congress and rejected their request that he quit the presidential race. At the same time, Arizona Democrats prepared to challenge Nader’s qualifications to appear on that state’s ballot as an independent candidate.

The developments reflect Democrats’ increasing frustration with Nader and his potential to woo liberal votes away from John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Shouts could be heard from inside the meeting with more than a dozen Congressional Black Caucus members, including Nader’s voice, in what proved to be a rancorous session. One female shouted, “You can’t win,” to which Nader shot back an inaudible response.

“It became abundantly clear to us that this was about Ralph Nader and we were sorely disappointed,” caucus chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md, said afterward. “If nothing else we believe we’ve had an impact on his conscience. Now we pray he’ll synchronize his conscience with his conduct.”

Nader dismissed the shouting as an “exciting exchange” between two sides with the same goal — the defeat of President Bush — but with different strategies for achieving it.

Nader: US should disengage from Israel

JERUSALEM POST: Nader: US should disengage from Israel

No diplomatic plan can be acceptable unless it allows for the right of return for Palestinian refugees and a full Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders, a spokesman for US Presidential candidate Ralph Nader told the Jerusalem Post.

Nader, an independent presidential candidate, also disagrees with Israel’s construction of the security fence, its targeted killings of terrorist leaders, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Gaza disengagement plan, his spokesman said.

“Too often the United States walks lockstep with the Israelis; it needs to think for itself,” Nader’s spokesman added.

Nader's running mate?

CNN: Nader’s running mate?

Finally, the day we’ve all been waiting for. At 1 p.m. ET Monday, we’ll learn his choice for vice president.

Ralph Nader’s choice, that is. Who, we assume, won’t be John McCain.

Nader unveils his running mate at the National Press Club after an 11:45 a.m. ET meeting, notably perhaps, with the Congressional Black Caucus.

Pick me! Pick me! Pick meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

AP: Nader Taps Green Activist As Running Mate

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader selected longtime Green Party activist Peter Camejo to be his running mate on Monday, a move sure to boost his chances of winning the Green Party’s endorsement this week and its access to ballot lines in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Camejo, an investment adviser from Folsom, Calif., had been one of two leading contenders for the Green Party’s presidential nomination.

Green Party to Make Its Presidential Pick

REUTERS: Green Party to Make Its Presidential Pick

The Green Party holds its presidential convention in Milwaukee this week to decide whether to field a candidate or go without one and endorse the independent bid of Ralph Nade, who headed its White House ticket in 2000.

Nader is not seeking the Green nomination this time, and it is unlikely he will attend the June 23-28 meeting, but he is seeking the party’s endorsement.

To win that, he will have to get past Green Party activist David Cobb, a California lawyer actively seeking the party’s nomination. He leads its national delegate count by a clear margin and has spent the last eight years visiting 40 states, working at the grass-roots level to build ties between its environmental and labor wings.

“David Cobb has a long history with the party,” says Ben Manski, a third-year University of Wisconsin law student and co-chairman of the Green Party of the United States. “He’s a democracy activist centering around election reform and fighting corporate power. His appeal is that he is charismatic, articulate, working-class, and he’s a Green.”

Nader Had Campaign Office at Charity

WASHINGTON POST: Nader Had Campaign Office at Charity

Since October, Ralph Nader has run his campaign for president out of the same downtown Washington offices that through April housed a public charity he created — an overlap that campaign finance specialists said could run afoul of federal laws.

Tax law explicitly forbids public charities from aiding political campaigns. Violations can result in a charity losing its tax-exempt status. In addition, campaign law requires candidates to account for all contributions — including shared office space and resources, down to the use of copying machines, receptionists and telephones.

Records show many links between Nader’s campaign and the charity Citizen Works. For example, the charity’s listed president, Theresa Amato, is also Nader’s campaign manager. The campaign said in an e-mail to The Washington Post that Amato resigned from the charity in 2003. But in the charity’s most recent corporate filing with the District, in January, Amato listed herself as the charity’s president and registered agent.

The office suite housing the campaign, the charity and other sub-tenants had a common receptionist for greeting visitors.

And Federal Election Commission records show the campaign paid rent to Citizen Works and Citizen Works’ landlord. Nader said the campaign has taken over the charity’s lease on its coveted location on 16th Street NW.

“There is nothing, no wrongdoing here,” Nader said Friday.

FEC: Nader Campaign Qualifies for Funds

AP: FEC: Nader Campaign Qualifies for Funds

Ralph Nader’s independent bid for the White House has qualified to receive matching government funds, the Federal Election Commission announced Friday.

Campaign officials said Nader has raised more than $850,000 to date from 7,800 separate contributions. To receive matching funds, a candidate must raise at least $5,000 in 20 states in donations of $250 or less.

The average contribution to the Nader campaign is $100, with 89 percent being $100 or less, the campaign said. The FEC matches all contributions of $250 or less up to $18.7 million.

Nader Advises Kerry on VP Candidates

AP: Nader Advises Kerry on VP Candidates

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader said Sunday he had advised John Kerry to choose North Carolina Sen. John Edwards or Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt as his running mate on the Democratic ticket.

Kerry won’t discuss whom he is considering for vice president, but his advisers have been examining Edwards and Gephardt, two of Kerry’s rivals from the Democratic primaries.

“They’re very careful,” Nader said on ABC’s “This Week.” “They’re not going to cause him any embarrassment. And they do bring an additional voter support for him.”

Nader Says Kerry Getting Free Advice

AP: Nader Says Kerry Getting Free Advice

Nader, interviewed Sunday on CNN’s “Late Edition,” said Kerry is “getting free consulting from this campaign. We are putting on his desk twice a week issues that could win if the Democrats are smart enough to pick them up.”

The latest issue letter, which Nader distributes by e-mail, concerns a living wage. Nader, who is running as an independent in this year’s presidential campaign, said 47 million people make less than $10 an hour — “Wal-Mart wages,” he called them — and urged Democrats to make it an issue in the campaign.

“They’ve got to get to the level where they can sustain themselves and a minimum standard of living,” said Nader, a longtime consumer advocate who sought the presidency under the Green Party banner in 2000. Democrats blame him for Al Gore’s loss to Republican George W. Bush, but Nader says Gore is to blame for the defeat.

Nader Wins Endorsement From Reform Party

AP: Nader Wins Endorsement From Reform Party

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader has been endorsed by the national Reform Party, giving him ballot access in seven states, including Florida and Michigan, party leaders announced Wednesday.

Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese said Nader welcomes the support but plans to continue running as an independent. He said Nader would decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept the ballot lines in each state.

“This shows that Nader can garner support from across the political spectrum, including conservatives who supported Bush in 2000,” Zeese said. “The naysayers who said Nader could only get liberal votes are being proven wrong. Conservatives are upset with Bush and looking for an alternative.”

Nader wants rapid pullout from Iraq

BALTIMORE SUN: Nader wants rapid pullout from Iraq

Ralph Nader, still laboring to get his presidential campaign off the ground, now calls himself a “muscular peace candidate.”

Nader, an independent, remains a marginal player in this year’s election. He is likely to be shut out of fall debates, has little campaign money and faces a struggle to get his name on the ballot in many states.

But the anti-corporate activist apparently senses an opening for an anti-war candidate in the ‘04 contest.

Nader is advocating a pullout, within six months, of all U.S. military forces from Iraq. He argues that Democratic candidate John Kerry is “making a big mistake” by adopting a “stay-the-course” position in the face of rising anti-U.S. violence in Iraq.

“The peace movement in this country is going to have an interesting choice” in November, Nader told a group of reporters in Washington yesterday.

Nader wants Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney impeached for taking the nation to war without a formal declaration by Congress. But he also labels Kerry a “war candidate.” He sharply criticized the Massachusetts senator for refusing to admit that the war, which he voted to authorize, was a mistake and for supporting the continued U.S. occupation.

“He’s stuck in the Iraq quagmire the way Bush is,” Nader said.

Nader Calls for Bush to Be Impeached

AP: Nader Calls for Bush to Be Impeached

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader called Tuesday for President Bush to be impeached for “deceiving the American people night after night after night” about U.S. involvement in Iraq.

“When you plunge our country into war on a platform of fabrications and deceptions, and you bring back thousands of American soldiers who are sick, injured or dead, and that war is unconstitutionally authorized to begin with, Mr. Bush’s behavior qualifies for the high crimes and misdemeanor impeachment clause of the Constitution,” the 2000 Green Party presidential nominee said to applause from about 200 students at Columbia College Chicago.

Nader said President Clinton was impeached for “far less of an offense.”

“Lying under oath is not a trivial offense, but it cannot compare with deceiving the American people night after night after night on national television, staging untruths and rejecting the advice of his advisers,” he said.

The Nader File

We know many of you are relatively new to this page, and that you might not know that we’ve been covering the 2004 election since last summer. In that time, we’ve posted a number of items about Mr. Nader and the possibility of his making another run, the first of which appeared on July 5th, 2003. To see all our Nader posts, click here.

FYI, this is from the July 5th post:

Ralph Nader, still blamed by many Democrats for draining critical votes from Al Gore in the 2000 race for the presidency, says he is seriously considering running in 2004.

His decision has the potential to vex Democrats who worry that he would divert some of their supporters and delight Republicans who think the same thing.

Nader says he has moved closer to a repeat run as the Green Party nominee after concluding that Democrats have no one who can defeat President Bush.

The more things change, the more the Green party seems wedded to splitting the “No More Years” vote …

Fox News: Nader to Jump in Presidential Race

Fox News is reporting:

Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate who ran for president in 2000 as a Green Party candidate, will enter the 2004 race for the White House as an independent candidate, advisers told Fox News on Friday.

A formal announcement by Nader is expected this weekend.

Nader Decision Expected Sunday

Ralph Nader will announce his decision regarding the election on Meet the Press.

… turning to presidential politics, will the race for the White House get another candidate? Consumer advocate and 2000 Green Party Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader will join us exclusively to announce his decision on whether or not to run for the presidency in 2004.

Mr. Nader was dubbed a “spoiler” in the 2000 elections for siphoning votes away from Al Gore, and helping Bush win the White House. Does he have any regrets? And is he ready to make another run? We will find out this Sunday on “Meet the Press.”

NADER OUT - PROBABLY

Ralph Nader apparently isn't going to be a spoiler again this year--at least not as a Green.

Ralph Nader, the third-party candidate viewed by many Democrats as the spoiler of the 2000 election for taking votes away from Al Gore, has decided not to run on the Green Party ticket next year, a party spokesman said Tuesday.

Nader, who garnered nearly 3 percent of the national vote in the last presidential election, has not ruled out running for president as an independent and plans to make a decision by January.

"I think we're all a little bit disappointed," said Scott McLarty, a Green Party spokesman. "I suspect Mr. Nader would have gotten the nomination."

Nader called party officials Monday to inform them of his decision, said Ben Manski, a Green Party co-chairman and spokesman. Nader's reasons were not clear, Manski said.

Cross-post from OTB

Ralph Nader 2004 Presidential Exploratory Committee

A message from Ralph Nader:

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Via NZPundit.

Nader: Heeees Baaaack?

Several sources, and here the Independent, are reporting that Ralph Nader is raising money for an exploratory bid, and that a Nader 2004 Presidential Exploratory Committee had been set up three months ago.

Which brings us the latest Command Post 2004 Poll: Which candidate does Nader hurt most? Cast your vote in the right-hand column (and if you came to this page directly, click here to go to the main 2004 page and see the poll).

Green Party Faction Wants McKinney For President In 2004

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Nader may have competition among the Greens in the person of former Democratic Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. Hmmm ... a controversy on the issues splitting the Green party vote and harming Nader. Wouldn't that be ironic?

Nader Says He'll Decide On '04 Run By End Of Year

From the Baltimore Sun:

Dismissing criticism that his Green Party candidacy helped elect President Bush in 2000, Ralph Nader said yesterday that he is weighing a bid for the White House next year.

The veteran consumer activist, whose third-party presidential campaign drew 2.8 million votes in the last election, criticized Democrats for not aggressively challenging the Bush administration's economic policies and its handling of corporate fraud. The party's candidates, he said, have not shown that they are a sound alternative to Bush ...

... Speaking to reporters at a breakfast meeting, Nader said he would decide by year's end whether to launch another presidential campaign. If he does, Nader said he would run as an independent or as a Green Party candidate.

No, Ralph, No

The Boulder Colorado Daily Camera hopes Nader will keep his hat out of the ring.

Nader Considering Another Try At White House In 2004

Yes, you read the headline correctly. Now if we can just get Perot to toss his hat in the ring! From Yahoo / USA Today:

Ralph Nader, still blamed by many Democrats for draining critical votes from Al Gore in the 2000 race for the presidency, says he is seriously considering running in 2004.

His decision has the potential to vex Democrats who worry that he would divert some of their supporters and delight Republicans who think the same thing.

Nader says he has moved closer to a repeat run as the Green Party nominee after concluding that Democrats have no one who can defeat President Bush.