[Click on the link "The Tavis Smiley Show audio" to listen to Nader.]
Feb. 24, 2004
Republicans cheered and Democrats winced when consumer advocate Ralph Nader announced that he'd throw his hat into the 2004 Presidential race -- this time, as an independent candidate with no party support. Many Democrats believe his Green Party candidacy cost Al Gore the White House in 2000. Nader talks to NPR's Tavis Smiley about why he's decided to run again, and why he would be the best candidate for voters of color.
<http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1694636> *****
Cf. "Nader among Arab, Black, & Latino Voters": <http://www.mail-archive.com/pen-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu/msg86819.html>
***** February 23, 2004 US Elections 2004 Welcome Back Ralph: Nader Enters the Presidential Race as Antidote to Kerrykakis
. . . No, Kerry isn't Bush, but he'd better answer lots of questions and demonstrate how he is different. He can start by hiring some real progressives in top campaign foreign policy advisory positions.
The Democrats always drift rightward (from their already centrist positions) during general election campaigns. This will be even more likely with a candidate like Kerry. Without a candidate out there who is consistently bringing up real progressive issues, the onset of "Kerrykakis" syndrome becomes a real possibility.
Which brings us back to Nader. He's probably not the best person to represent progressive interests. Mostly, he lacks the personality, charisma, and coalition-building skills to communicate effectively with the 50% of eligible voters who never vote in presidential elections, or the millions of disaffected Democrats, Republicans, and independents (the fact that relative unknowns like Kerry and Edwards are beating Bush in national polls is a strong testament to the level of frustration out there).
Nader also doesn't have another critical element for third-party/independent candidates to get national attention: money. (It will be interesting to see whether he will be able to tap into any of the Dean-style web-based grassroots fundraising.)
In the end, Nader may not be perfect, but he's who we've got. A strong Nader campaign will mean that the Democratic Party will have to engage with progressives for the duration of the general election campaign and not just until the convention is adjourned.
Welcome back Ralph!
<http://www.muslimwakeup.com/archives/000559.php> ******
Muslims will probably vote for Nader in 2004 even in a higher proportion than they did in 2000:
***** Susan Ives: Muslim groups flex political muscle Web Posted: 03/13/2004 12:00 AM CST San Antonio Express-News
. . . Last spring a survey sponsored by several Muslim organizations and conducted as part of Hartford Seminary's larger "Faith Communities Today" study pegged the number at 6 million to 7 million. . . .
The 2000 election was a watershed for Muslim voters. For the first time, four Muslim organizations joined to endorse a candidate - George W. Bush. And the voters responded.
A survey after the election suggested 72 percent of Muslim voters voted for Bush, 19 percent supported Green Party candidate Ralph Nader and only 8 percent voted for Vice President Al Gore. Thirty-six percent were first-time voters.
Nader is a first-generation Lebanese American who speaks fluent Arabic. He was - and still is - critical of Israel and supportive of Palestinians.
Gore inherited President Clinton's uneasy relations with the Muslim community, which deteriorated after Camp David when Clinton threatened to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Hillary Clinton completed the rift when she returned a $50,000 donation to her senatorial campaign from the American Muslim Alliance after her opponent called it "blood money from terrorists."
Gore was one of Israel's staunchest supporters in the Democratic Party, and his running mate, Joe Lieberman, is an Orthodox Jew generally supportive of the Israeli government. . . .
In the second presidential debate, Bush won Muslim accolades by pledging to end the use of secret evidence in deportation hearings. He also spoke out against racial profiling, which appealed to traditionally Democratic African American Muslims.
Muslims are especially numerous in the powerhouse states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. In the 2000 presidential election, an estimated 60,000 Muslims voted in Florida, 90 percent of them for Bush.
All that good will evaporated after Sept. 11, 2001.
Muslims are critical of the Patriot Act, which has affected their community disproportionately. They were outraged by immigration authorities' special registration roundup of men from predominately Islamic countries last year, an admitted case of racial profiling.
Although it's doubtful that national Muslim organizations will endorse any candidate this year, it's clear in the grass roots that the Republican honeymoon is over.
Muslims have discovered their political muscle and they are going to flex it. . . .
<http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/stories/MYSA13.11B.ives0313.5c4cf1a2.html> ***** -- Yoshie
* Bring Them Home Now! <http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/> * Calendars of Events in Columbus: <http://sif.org.ohio-state.edu/calendar.html>, <http://www.freepress.org/calendar.php>, & <http://www.cpanews.org/> * Student International Forum: <http://sif.org.ohio-state.edu/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osudivest.org/> * Al-Awda-Ohio: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Al-Awda-Ohio> * Solidarity: <http://www.solidarity-us.org/>