[from the Madison Hotel, Washington DC, Presidents Day 2000]
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PRESS RELEASE
THE GREEN PARTY
Contact: Tom Sevigny, Co-Chair 303-554-1575 / 860-693-8344
National Office of the Association of State Green Parties http://www.greenparties.org http://www.gp.org (Green Platform)
RALPH NADER ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT
-- Green Party Bid Raises Ante in 2000 Campaign
[Feb 21] Announcing his bid today for the Green Party nomination for President, Ralph Nader promised to campaign actively and "send a message across the country."
In a statement at a news conference at the Madison Hotel, a few blocks from the White House, Nader, one of the most respected political figures in America, stated that he will campaign on "fundamental issues -- democracy, concentrated corporate power and the excessive disparities of wealth." Invoking the message of last year's Seattle demonstrations against the WTO, Nader introduced an extensive blue-green agenda that pointed to core labor standards and environmental safeguards as central issues in his campaign.
"In 1996 I stood for election, this year I'm running," Nader said. "The American people deserve a debate on corporate globalization and its damage to democracy."
Addressing concerns regarding Nader's potential impact in November, Nader's advisors claim that his campaign will help turn out the vote and could assist the Democrats in taking back Congress. In the 1996 election, more potential voters didn't vote than did. A serious Nader campaign could bring independent and new voters to the polls, energizing the 18-to-30-year-old voters and others who have traditionally not turned out to vote. But there are those in the Democratic Party who do not relish the prospect of having to debate Nader or deal with the issues raised by his progressive-populist campaign.
Pointing out the impact of "big money, big influence" politics on Washington, Nader distributed a fifteen page statement on how to revitalize democracy. Nader said that "concentrated corporate power is on a collision course with democracy".
In 1996, in the Green Party's first presidential campaign, Nader received nearly 700,000 votes and finished in fourth place, although limiting his campaign spending to under $5000. In 2000, the Nader campaign intends to raise $5 million dollars.
On March 7th in California, initial polls have indicated that Nader could receive a significant block of votes in the state's open primary.
A Connecticut native, Nader is a Harvard-trained lawyer who has a four decade record in consumer and public interest law and activism.
The Green Party is holding its national Nominating Convention in Denver at the Renaissance Hotel, June 24-25. One of approximately 80 Green parties internationally, the US Green Party platform focuses on environmental protection, economic justice, grassroots democracy and nonviolence.
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