Nader could win the Arab and Muslim vote, dooming Kerry

[_Jumper_]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FAABEE5C-7BB6-4340-9E4A-B3840950A919.htm

<However, if the election was held today with Nader on the ballot in those four states, Kerry’s support among Arab Americans would drop to 43%, with Bush getting 27% and Nader 20%.>

<All were closely contested in 2000, with Bush winning Florida by just 537 votes. Arab Americans represent a likely voter turnout of roughly 510,000 voters in these states, constituting 5% of the vote in Michigan and 2% in Florida, according to AAI figures.>


<“The current policy of the (Israeli occupation troops) in the occupied territories is a great hothouse for terror,” Nader said. “Nobody believes that more occupation, more killing, destroying, and humiliation will help to decimate it.”>


<In a speech delivered at the AAI’s National Leadership Conference last year, Kerry referred to Israel’s construction of a separation barrier as a “barrier to peace.” More recently, however, he reversed himself, calling the partition a legitimate act of self-defense.>
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Nader just joined the race and he shot up to 20% support among Arab-Americans, 23% behind Kerry. Three-fourths of Arab-Americans are Christian so he conceivably could be winning a plurality of Muslim votes right now, since they place more importance on foreign policy than Christians.

Nader is obviously the best candidate for Muslims and Arabs concerned about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kerry and Bush are virtually identical on that issue. The threat of losing this swing vote is real.

[kalian]

1. Unfortunately, its not like Kerry is doing anything....

to really earn their vote. And Kerry's unquestioned support for
Israel is something else that will cause arab-americans to think
twice before casting their vote.

[_Jumper_]

2. If I were a hardcore Palestinian supporter I'd back Nader....

...to send a message to the Democrats for future elections. Kerry is as pro-Sharon as Bush. He also has been silent about Peter King's anti-Muslim comments so he apparently is either taking the Muslim and Arab vote for granted or is willing to cede it.

[kalian]

3. Most definitely

and that's what will happen. Its not just about the Palestinian's
plight, it goes much deeper but unfortunately this won't happen.

Too bad...please continue watching your regular televised propaganda.

[tameszu]

17. Clark can help

You know a candidate will help the I/P peace process if he can win big plaudits from both Arab-American as well as Jewish-American groups.

How the General manages to thread the needle and win the trust, more or less, of both the Arab-American Assoc. and AIPAC (at least student groups) is anyone's guess, but that's what we need to help solve that thing.

[corporatewhore]

4. Nader is also arab american

[_Jumper_]

7. True

But I don't think that is a major factor. He is popular among Arabs because of his progressive views on foreign policy. Spencer Abraham is an Arab and I bet he is very unpopular among Arabs.

[corporatewhore]

10. yep just pointing that out most people dont know that my palestinian

american friends are very very disgusted with kerry and his policies

[salinen]

5. Why make it sound like Arab Americans

are so different than us. If they are ABB, then they will also know that voting Nadar is a vote for Chimp.

[corporatewhore]

8. well most of my arab friends dont like kerry that much because they are

palestinian/american and kerry thinks that an apartheid wall is just peachy

[_Jumper_]

9. Some of them vote based on foreign policy, not most but some

My point is that Kerry being as pro-Likud as Bush could cost us victory. Clinton managed to appear even-handed, even though he clearly preferred one side. Kerry needs to create the same perception. I realize that him taking a truly even-handed stance is impossible but what he do is create such an impression like Clinton did.

[lancdem]

6. This poll was done right after Nader announced he was running

I don't know if his support would be the same now.

[DuctapeFatwa]

11. This is actually good news for Kerry. Support from this particular

demographic would do him more harm than good with the mainstream pro-status quo supporters he needs to win.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

13. Maybe in some bizarro world, that would be true.

In the real world, everybody's votes add up the same.

[DuctapeFatwa]

14. I think you better recheck your mainstream AOB curve. And you should

decide if you want Kerry to win, or if you would prefer to waste your time suggesting that he is soft on terror and an appeaser.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. I think your comments are unrelated to reality

and instead express an oversimplified view of the world, based on extremist ideology and false premises.

Which is why you are unable, when challenged, to articulate a positive vision of what would be a desirable goal, and how we can use the political process to take steps toward that goal.

[DuctapeFatwa]

19. sounds like your issues are with the voters, not with me

And while it is very flattering to suggest that I am so important as to make even Diebold tremble, in the interest of full disclosure I think you would be better off convincing your fellow status quo supporters to support changing the anchor talent to the tall guy with better reading skills.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

21. A perfect example of what I mean.

My post:

I think your comments are unrelated to reality
and instead express an oversimplified view of the world, based on extremist ideology and false premises.

Which is why you are unable, when challenged, to articulate a positive vision of what would be a desirable goal, and how we can use the political process to take steps toward that goal.

Your response (emphasis added):

"sounds like your issues are with the voters, not with me And while it is very flattering to suggest that I am so important as to make even Diebold tremble, in the interest of full disclosure I think you would be better off convincing your fellow status quo supporters to support changing the anchor talent to the tall guy with better reading skills."

So, you pretend I suggested something that I did not in fact suggest, and completely ignore the reality of what I actually did say.

[DuctapeFatwa]

22. My idea of a desirable goal starts with cease aggression and disarm

Not something you or your candidate would be interested in.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

24. So you are in favor of unilateral disarmament? How far should we take it?

No military whatsoever? Or should there be some limited military? If so how big should it be? What about police, should they be armed? And you're right, Kerry is not in favor of unilateral disarmament for the US. What candidate is?

[DuctapeFatwa]

25. Far enough to give your grandkids a fair chance to be born

And to grow up in a real country instead of a pariah corporate oligarchy pseudo-state.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

26. That's just a meaningless slogan. What does it translate to in reality?

How far should we take it?
No military whatsoever?
Or should there be some limited military?
If so how big should it be?
What about police, should they be armed?

And you're right, Kerry is not in favor of unilateral disarmament for the US. What candidate is?

[DuctapeFatwa]

27. It will come to be more meaningful as the years pass, trust me on that one

[Feanorcurufinwe]

28. So, to get a meaningful response from you, it's necessary to wait years?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. Arab Americans are just as smart as anyone else.

And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Nader will not get elected President.

[MoonRiver]

15. Nader can't win. Therefore, anybody voting for him,

who doesn't want * to have 4 more, is an idiot.

P.S. And, he/she will fully deserve the hell we'll all be subject to if those Nader votes help * seize the presidency again.

[Killarney]

16. Hopefully they'll realize

they are just helping to get Bush re-elected and wise up.

[ButterflyBlood]

20. I doubt this would doom Kerry

Gore won last time with * winning the Arab and Muslim vote. In fact it's probably a good thing in this case if they'r voting for Nader, since that's better than *.

[jsw_81]

23. Fuck Ralph Nader

And fuck the idiots who are supporting his pathetic candidacy.

[w4rma]

29. I think the Republicans will sweep if Nader runs.

That simple. I've read all the excuses from the anti-establishment-at-all-costs side and I have no doubt that, at this point, they will not be satisfied with anything Dems can do between now and November.

Nader is helping Bush right now. His campaign wastes the resources of those of us who want to oust Bush. This conversation isn't even about issues, it's just about Nader. And this waste of time is being repeated all over the country.

[John_H]

31. Never forget that, although they'll never admit it, Naderites want Bush

Their plan is for things to get so horrifyingly bad with another four years of Chimp that their authoritarian agenda will look a lot less idiotic than it does now.

[John_H]

30. I think Arab-Americans are far, far smarter than one-percenters

Like everyone else who actually wants Bush out, they'll vote for Kerry.