Despite Criticism, Nader Not Wavering
Oct. 29, 2000 -- Green Party candidate Ralph Nader is refusing to back down in the final days of the presidential campaign as Democrats increasingly press him to avoid spoiling Al Gore’s shot at winning the White House.
The famed consumer advocate, whose insurgent third-party bid has unsettled Democratic leaders, is maintaining his harsh criticism of both Gore and Republican candidate George W. Bush, and continues to insist he is more concerned with building his party than the outcome of the race.
“We’re trying to turn this country into an deliberative democracy run by informed citizens,” Nader said this morning, explaining the aim of his candidacy in an exclusive interview on ABCNEWS’ This Week. “It’s a movement to put people back in charge.”
Democrats are concerned that Nader’s unapologetically liberal platform will draw voters away from Gore, who is locked in a tight race with Bush, and tip the scales toward the GOP nominee in a few key states.
But Nader rejects blame for Gore’s predicament.
“Do you think Gore is entitled to votes? Is Bush entitled to votes?” Nader asked. “We all have to earn our votes. If Gore cannot beat the bumbling governor from Texas with that horrific record, what good is he? Good heavens. This should be a slam dunk.”
‘Scare Tactics’ on Abortion?
Nader reiterated the heart of his message, that the two major political parties are too beholden to corporate interests and fail to offer voters distinct choices in this election.
“It’s a permanent corporate government that’s running the show here,” Nader said. “They’re morphing more and more into one corporate party.”
In the last week, Gore and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, have directly addressed the threat posed by Nader. Lieberman, also appearing on This Week today, repeated his concern that a vote for Nader is equivalent to a vote for Bush.
“Ralph is going to be a factor in this election,” Lieberman said. “It’s obviously going to be an extremely close election, and I just appeal to those thinking of voting for Ralph to think about the issues that matter to you: environmental protection and consumer protection and choice, a woman’s right to choose.”
Democrats and groups supporting them have increasingly seized on the possibility that new Bush appointees to the Supreme Court may help overturn abortion rights. The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League began running a television ad last week stating that support for Nader will only help Bush.
But Nader dismisses such talk as “scare tactics,” noting that Gore, as senator, voted to confirm Antonin Scalia, and that a Democratic Senate approved Clarence Thomas — the two justices considered by many Democrats to be the most conservative on the court. In fact, Bush has held up Scalia as the very model of a justice that he would like to put on the high court if elected.
Nader Campaign: Full Speed Ahead
In the final 10 days of the campaign, Nader plans to stump in a number of battleground states where the race between Gore and Bush is too close to call, including Michigan (18 electoral votes), Wisconsin (11 EV), Minnesota (10 EV) and Florida (25 EV).
Gore first mentioned Nader by name in a stump speech last Thursday in Madison, Wis., the kind of liberal college town where Nader’s message appears to be most popular.
“If the big oil companies and the chemical manufacturers and the big polluters were able to communicate a message to this state, they would say, ‘Vote for George Bush, or in any case, vote for Ralph Nader,’” Gore told his audience at a large rally.
A poll released Saturday shows Gore leading Bush 43 percent to 42 percent in Wisconsin, with Nader pulling down six percent support.
Nader will also campaign this week in California (54 EV), holding a so-called “Super-Rally” at the Long Beach Arena, which can hold up to 11,000 people.
Although Gore once held a commanding lead in California, the race there has tightened, and Gore, Lieberman, and Bush all will be appearing in the state this week.