Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader on Sunday left the door open for another possible White House bid in 2008 and criticized Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton as “a panderer and a flatterer.”
Asked on CNN’s Late Edition news program if he would run in 2008, the lawyer and consumer activist said, “It’s really too early to say. … I’ll consider it later in the year.”
Nader, 72, said he did not plan to vote for Clinton, a Democratic senator from New York and former first lady.
“I don’t think she has the fortitude. Actually she’s really a panderer and a flatterer. As she goes around the country, you’ll see more of that,” Nader said.
On whether he would be encouraged to run if Clinton gets the Democratic nomination, Nader said, “It would make it more important that that be the case.”
He added that Clinton may face a challenge in her own state from wealthy Republican New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“I think her main problem may well be right in New York City, Michael Bloomberg. They’re talking in the Bloomberg camp of a possible run. I’m saying he’ll give more diversity, for sure, and he’ll focus on urban problems. But I might say, he’s got the money to do it,” Nader said.
Democratic candidates Nader likes include former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, he said.
“These people have records, not just rhetoric,” he said.
He also criticized focusing on campaign fund-raising to judge candidates’ prospects. “The press and the polls are gravitating on cash-register politics … who’s going to raise the $100 (million) or $200 million, McCain or Obama or Hillary. That’s very unhealthy. That’s rancid politics,” he said.
Nader ran for president as an independent in 2004 and as the Green Party candidate in 2000, when some Democrats said he siphoned away votes from former Democratic Vice President Al Gore, helping Republican George W. Bush to win.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited
11 thoughts on “Oh God! Nader may run again”
Like him or not. Ralph Nader has done more for the people of this country than any of the people running for president, and he is a hell of a lot smarter, speaks better and remembers all of the facts and figures without any notes or telepromters.
When have you heard old Ralph stick his foot in his mouth? When have you heard old Ralph not answer a direct question directly? NEVER!
I hear many people call him all kinds of names, but no one can call him a liar, or a dummy, or a puppet for anyone or anything.
The neocons can not control him and Israel can not control him. Ralph Nader is the last of a dying breed in this country. An honest and honorable person.
I remember when the automakers spent millions of dollars trying to dig up dirt in order to discredit old Ralph. They came up empty. These days you don’t have to dig too deep or sometimes not at all to find the dirt on any of the others running for president or any other office in this screwed up land. The Untied States of America.See how easy it is to go from United to Untied. Thank the family Bush for that, will ya.
One Ralph Nader is worth more than every one of the family Bush combined, dating back to Poppy’s granddaddy’s. And you can take that to the bank.
Why does it require millions of dollars to run for office? It can’t be for banners and bumper stickers and 30second tv blirps. And when does flooding the msm with a name insure the qualifications of the candidate? Do voters really choose according to numbers of exposures? Who prints the most bumper stickers wins?
What a totally flawed system. This country is in big trouble but everyone knows who won survivor and who slept with who. Reap what thou sow.
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