Nader out, predicts Obama landslide

[Faygo Kid]

Source: Detroit Free Press

Ralph Nader, the self-styled consumer crusader and perennial third-party presidential candidate, has conceded, telling the Free Press about 7 tonight that there was going to be “a landslide” for Barack Obama.

“The streets are going to be filled with revelry … both here and in Africa,” Nader predicted, followed by a 10-minute denunciation of most of the Democratic Party candidate’s policy and record.

Obama ran “a brilliant tactical campaign,” Nader said, but showed cowardice by failing to take on entrenched corporate interests or the Israel lobby in the U.S. While Americans “can be proud that an African American has become president,” Obama has done it without challenging the status quo, he said. Nader cited Obama’s support for federal assistance to General Motors, his nemesis for the last half century, as an example of “a serious character deficiency.” . . .

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20081104/NEWS15/81104099

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See ya in four years no doubt, Ralph.

How sad that he has become a raving egotist.

I think he's bitter.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. He has become irrelevant...and has no one to blame but himself.

He disappears, except during Presidential election years...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. What a douche. Good riddance, Ralph.

[undeterred]

3. Nader can go suck a lemon.

[onehandle]

4. Fuck you, Ralph. nt

[mike_c]

5. I think you're wrong-- Nader speaks the truth....

Obama is going to win tonight.

Democrats have failed to lead on the issues that are meaningful to liberals.

I'm glad Nader keeps the pressure on for progressive issues!

[Gregorian]

9. Thanks.

You've got to be brave to speak up about Nader in these parts. And with all DU respect.

I hear a progressive in him as well. He's bright. And he's right on the money with the corporate issues.

Thank god the forum is moving to fast for anyone to see this.

/hides.

[Faygo Kid]

10. I saw it.

Like I said, Nader will run in 2012.

And until his death. It's very sad to see what happened to a true progressive - but an even greater egotist.

Ultimately, it's all about Ralph. Maybe it always has been.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

19. Is it gonna be a

Nader / Palin or Palin / Nader ticket

[Oddball]

20. That is genius. Nice. Two irrelevant ciphers.

[happydreams]

22. You have a real fucking problem with reality. You sound like a Repuke

going after someones character with nothing to back it up.

[MaggieSwanson]

11. I respect Nader.

Power to the people.

[happydreams]

21. I agree. Why people are piling on Nader when he acknowledges the

good things about his opponent is beyond me.

[noamnety]

28. agreed. (nt)

[fascisthunter]

30. I Agree with You

[defendandprotect]

31. Yes .. and the ignorance of these posts is shocking ...

they're "know-nothings" nand proud of it -- !!!

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

38. yes, you're right

We need Nader and other real progressives like him out there to keep 'em honest, so to speak.

Nader-haters and scapegoaters always baffle me. Hilarious to blame Nader for Bush stealing the 2000 election.

Just sad, really, I don't care about all the personal attacks. Seems petty.

Don't get me wrong, I cheered for Obama winning. Chill the fuck out, Nader-haters. Shit.

[orwell]

6. Thanks for "harshing my mellow" Ralph...n/t

[Lifelong Protester]

7. Too bad, as he used to be one of my heroes....

back in the 70s. Now he is just a spoiler, for the most part.

[Auggie]

8. Corporations are the reason things are so screwed up

Who do you think was pulling Pinocchio's strings?

[greyghost]

12. Ralph is spot on! He remains one of my hero's and Barack should

seek his consul vis-a-vis progressive issues.

[happydreams]

25. This is what really bothers me. Obama seems more comfortable

with the bankers than true liberals like Kucinich or Nader.

[defendandprotect]

32. Right .. we've returned a party to power but what we actually have

has to be proven --

Rest up now --

[bertman]

13. I hate what happened with Nader's votes in '00, but let's face it folks, the man tells the truth

that no politicians other than Dennis the K (and the late, great Paul Wellstone) are willing to tell.

Keep tellin' it Ralph. Even if most of us don't want to hear it.

[proud progressive]

14. much as i love obama, nader is the better man

[wordpix]

17. bullshit---he helped bring us BushCo in 2000. I've lost all respect for Nader

[defendandprotect]

34. You're absolutely wrong ...

But it worked for Dems who wanted nothing to do with challenging 2000 --
It's been Nader who has fought/sued re election/voting corruption -- NOT Dems -- !!!


Nader and those supporting him were scapegoated ...

Gore won by all counts -- including Florida --

More than 300,000 Democrats in Florida voted for Bush --

More than 3,000+ "butterfly" votes went to Buchanan ...

6,000+ votes went to Socislists/Libertarians, etc --

More than 600 "illegal" military ballots were counted for Bush --

We had a fascist GOP rally -- uninteferred with by Florida police -- which successfully
stopped the Miami-Dade recount demanded by the Florida State Supreme Court --

AND, of course, the fascist decision by the Gang of 5 on the Supreme Court for Bush --!!!


And yet these idiots conclude that a man who has fought for consumers --
from cars to elections -- and who has done more to keep Americans politically
informed and aware of corporate fascism in America should be be scapegoated for it.

WHY...? Because this is what the Dems told voters --
Dems who didn't do much but immediately concede --
and who refused to register official protest in USHR --

Overall, more registered Democrats voted for Bush and not Gore -- !!

[rebel with a cause]

18. Oh my god.......

That is just idiotic.. Not going to say any more because that comment does not deserve any more.

[ryanmuegge]

24. I agree with you.

[defendandprotect]

33. True ....

[ryanmuegge]

43. He was great on FOX news last night...calling out everybody.

I loved it.

[depakid]

15. What a sad thing

Quite frankly, reading some of the knee jerk responses doesn't give people much hope that people on this board are, in many ways, any more than freepers who can spell.

[happydreams]

23. I wonder how many are freepers trying to sow discord?

We will now see what happens with neo-liberal dems back in control.

[Lilith Velkor]

40. Not very many

Neo-liberals are as consistent in attacking the left as they are in rolling over for the right. It's the "kiss up/kick down" mentality, rationalized by willful ignorance.

[defendandprotect]

35. Right .. scarey, isn't it -- !!???

[BlueDonkey08]

16. Go die, Ralph

Ah well, at least we won.

[mzmolly]

26. Who?

[mdmc]

27. God bless

[Martin Eden]

29. "serious character deficiency"

seriously?

Has Ralph ever looked in a mirror?

[defendandprotect]

36. Wake up ... FISA .. ???

Biden is DLC --

Obama first was for national single payer health care and then bailed on it --

Obama was for the huge bail out with no accountability --

Obama is talking about putting Republicans in his administration --

Obana saw no reason to investigate/impeach this administration --

Don't take anything for granted ..

Meanwhile, you're wrong on Nader --

[Martin Eden]

39. You're talking about policy disagreements, not character deficiency

While I have always admired and respected Nader for how he has championed causes I believe in, calling Obama deficient in character says more about Nader than about Obama. And while Nader had every right to run for president in 2000 and I don't begrudge him that, he could not have been more wrong about there being little difference between Bush and Gore.

I have no illusions about Obama. He will govern from the center, reach out across the aisle, and work in the realm of the possible while using the bully pulpit of his office and his eloquence as a speaker to broaden the realm of the possible. I expect many DUers will be disappointed in Obama's conciliatory approach to governance, but this country desperately needs reconciliation and to be successful Obama needs to demonstrate to those who didn't support him that he will be their president as well. I'm not talking about the rich and powerful. I'm talking about ordinary Americans who bought into the smear and fear campaign of McCain and his surrogates. I know quite a few people who fall into that category and they're not all idiots or fundies. For the most part they are misinformed and indoctrinated by 30 years of incessant right-wing framing of the issues. We can't just cram the entire progressive agenda down their throats overnight, and Obama will need some of them and their representatives in Congress on his side to make real progress in repairing the damage of the last 8 years.

I think Barack Obama is on our side (the side of all Americans working to make a better life) and that he has a very good understanding of what is required to begin implementing the CHANGE that was a central theme of his campaign.

YES WE CAN

But can we see the larger picture and continue to rally behind our new president even when we may disagree or think he is moving too slowly? Frederick Douglas initially was highly critical of Lincoln, who was a moderate in his party on abolition, but in the end Douglas saw clearly that Lincoln did what he had to do given the circumstances and poilitical realities of the time. Obama is not Lincoln, but like Lincoln he faces an enormous challenge and he will need all the support we can give him.

There will be plenty of attacks coming from the right. We don't need attacks from the left calling Obama seriously deficient in character before he even gets started. Sorry Ralph, but you just lost some of my respect.

[defendandprotect]

41. Any decisions - including political - come from "character"/ethical standards ...

Certainly spying on Americans is not only unethical, it was done secretly and illegally --
Obama is a lawyer -- that alone should be sufficient in providing a basic interest in
upholding our laws --

To see no reason to investigate Bush also suggests Nader is likely correct --
time will tell. In fact, given your reminding us of the much exaggerated
"little difference" between parties, we may see more Pelosi/Reid/Hoyer/DLC
"politics" moving the party to the right.

And, both parties have been moved dangerously to the right --
that "center" you refer to is a goal post moved to a different arena.
Compromise with the opposition often leads to greater tragedy as we note from the
Founders' compromise with slavery -- and in their creation of an elite propertied
class out of public lands. Though the Founders feared capital and corporate power
they too often surrendered to it.

This GOP is thoroughly corrupted and criminal in the interests of corporate --
that's who owns them -- the "have more's."

As for "cramming a progressive agenda down anyone's throats overnight" ..
was that what the Constitution did on its appearance -- ??
Or, perhaps, FDR's New Deal -- ??
Rather, we seriously need to restore our Constitution--
And restore regulations on corporations and break up monopoly power.

You also seem to have little understanding of the threat of Global Warming,
the threat from the MIIC which is now privatized, nor sense any moral urgency
in overturning the pain and suffering established by our war-mongerers and torturers
all over the world--!!

Nader remembers where the goal posts should be and he's most often correct --
Now it's up to Obama to prove himself and for ALL Democrats to prove they're
more than DLC/Repugs --
Let's go -- !!



Meanwhile, have you re-read this recently -- ???

It takes stunning arrogance for a president to invade an oil-rich, politically strategic country on the basis of demonstrable lies, put his favorite companies in control of its economic future, create a puppet regime to do his bidding and then claim that this is all a bold exercise in spreading democracy. - Robert Scheer

It sounds as though you're pointing to executive crimes which should be investigated -- !!

In fact, I'd say that bamkrupting the Treasury should be TREASON, at least -- !!

[Martin Eden]

45. You misjudge me and I think you misjudge Obama

More times than I can count I've battled with RWers in open forums arguing that impeaching Cheney/Bush was necessary for upholding our Constitutional rule of law and sending a clear message to future administrations that they will be held accountable. In my opinion when Pelosi took impeachment "off the table" she may as well have said she was taking law and justice off the table.

Have I demonstrated my own deficiency of character (or cognitive dissonance) by supporting for president a US senator (Obama) who did not make every effort, upon gaining his seat, to impeach those bastards? Should I denounce and withhold support from every elected Democrat who did not lead or join that charge? How many would that leave besides Dennis?

If Obama had come into office as a freshman senator and clamored for impeachment without the support of the Democratic leadership, do you honestly think he would be president-elect today?

Oh, I think I know your response to that question. He sold his soul for ambition and political power.

Before you pass such judgement, I think you had better consider that without political power very little can be accomplished in Washington. I suppose you can feel morally superior by sticking to your guns even if the only result was to shoot yourself in the foot.

Yes, the goalposts have steadily and surely been moved to the right over the last few decades. There is one thing about goalposts, though ... they are on the field of play. If you choose not to play on that field you have no chance to win the game -- or to begin moving the goalposts in the other direction.

Politics is the art of the possible. There is much work to be done. Barack Obama has thus far proven to be a very skillfull politician, and I believe he is on our side. The problems facing our country are great, and like Lincoln he must work within the political realities of his time. The long nightmare of Cheney/Bush is coming to an end. Impeachment should have ended that nightmare years ago, but that is not the fault of Barack Obama. Whatever you may think of our president-elect, he is a liberal Democrat and also a pragmatist with an enormous challenge ahead of him.

President Obama will have to fend off repeated attacks from the right demonizing him as a socialist appeaser of terrorists. He is neither. With every perceived failure to champion the progressive agenda, some on the left will demonize him for for being a DLC appeaser of the right. He is not that either. He is the best chance we have for at least the next four years to begin repairing the damage of the last 8 years and to begin moving those goalposts.

I am not suggesting that you blindly follow any politician or president, or that you lose sight of our progessive goals.

I am asking that you consider the challenges and political realities facing our next president and that you support him to the extent you can with the understanding that he will work on our behalf according to his own best judgements on a political playing field that can and will be changed -- but only with great effort, prudent decisions, and all of us pulling together.

[Dogmudgeon]

37. Why people hate Nader

During the 2000 presidential race, he said that he intended to punish the Democratic Party by denying them the Presidency. In just those words.

And that's exactly what happened.

His threat came true. Sure, the loss also depended on Team Bush's theft of the election, but people remembered Nader's threat.

I don't blame anyone for being anti-Nader. If Nader hadn't made such a bellicose and contemptuous statement, he wouldn't be getting so much grief today.

Within a week, I'm sure we'll see other self-styled super-leftists calling Obama a traitor and a capitalist and DLC and a murderer. Count on it.

--p!

[pinerow]

42. Breaking News!!!!!!!!...Night to fall sometime after darkness!!!!!!

[cobalt1999]

44. FUCK NADER

The man is dead to me.