I believe I remember that Com. Doug supported voting for Gore over voting for Nader in 2000 and, if I am correct in remembering this, he and others who thought this way were wrong. Nader's candidacy absolutely made the Green Party. There's just no question about it. Obviously the follow-through from Nader has not been there, but it's still true that the Greens would be nowhere without that candidacy.
Building the Green Party in 2000 versus voting for yet another DLC loser was the right choice. Likewise, building the Net Left by supporting Dean over somebody who talks a more progressive agenda is the right choice in 2003-2004. Even if the candidates in question are not the greatest, at least you leave behind something of value.
Consider this: The Democrats in D.C. cannot figure out why candidates who voted FOR Bush's only real priorities - the war and tax cuts - are unpopular with fellow Democrats. If you think this blinkered DLC-think is bad this year, imagine what it would have been without that little Green revolt in 2000.
Without Nader and Dean, the Democratic Party would never have woken up to the fact that you can only sell out for so long before it stops working.
Indeed, they are only just rousing themselves into consciousness now.
peace,
boddi