[statecom-discuss] [adcom] Nader seeks Green Party nomination

[Jamie O'Keefe]

Would that were the case, but sadly the full transcript of that part of the
conversation is less clear.  See below.

He does not say that he would go for the nomination.  He said he would
certainly go with the ballot lines of the Green Party and then goes on to
say that it remains to be seen whether he would oppose Cynthia McKinney and
then says:

   "But we'll go independent in states where there aren't any parties. We'll
look for progressive small parties at the state level."

Last I knew, there were GPs in most of the states.

There are very few states with small parties that have ballot access.  New
York, Vermont, South Carolina and Maryland are a few I remember being
mentioned in Ballot Access News (www.ballot-access.org), and the GPs in
Vermont, South Carolina and Maryland already have ballot access.  I am not
sure that the Independence Party of NY would be considered progressive, but
certainly the Working Families Party there wouldn't put him on their ballot
line.

Sounds like he hasn't made up his mind at best, but certainly not that he is
definitely running for our nomination.

Don't get me wrong.  I would like him to run for our nomination, and if he
is our nominee I will support him, but I see little evidence that he will
run for our nomination.  I am personally getting tired of the Hamlet
routine.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/31/ralph_nader_launches_presidential_exploratory_committee

*AMY GOODMAN: *Ralph Nader, if you run, would you run as an independent or
would you run for the Green Party nomination?

*RALPH NADER: *Well, if I run—and we are testing the waters now—I would
certainly go for the ballot lines with the Green Party. I would go for—

*AMY GOODMAN: *So you would go against Cynthia McKinney?
*RALPH NADER: *We'll go for—well, that remains to be seen. It's a little
early right now. But we'll go independent in states where there aren't any
parties. We'll look for progressive small parties at the state level. You
have to do that just to get on state ballots, where there are very
obstructive rules. And my campaign manager, Theresa Amato, in '04 is
finishing a very detailed book on this major civil liberties issue of
obstructing candidates' rights, without which voter rights aren't worth very
much. When you have 90 percent of the House districts one party—

On Feb 1, 2008 1:44 PM, Merelice <merelice at gmail.com> wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> Wanda sent the following yesterday, January 31:
>
> According to Democracy Now!, Mr. Nader has today publicly stated his
> desire for the Green Party nomination as an independent candidate:
>
> "I would certainly go for the ballot lines with the Green
> Party...we¹ll go independent in states where there aren¹t any [Green]
> parties. We¹ll look for progressive small parties at the state level.
> You have to do that just to get on state ballots."
>
> It appears this now lays the issue to rest. Most of us at the StateCom
> meeting last Sunday felt that all our ballot candidates should get
> equal treatment and that voter wishes expressed this Tuesday should be
> respected. Is there now any reason to disagree?
>
> Merelice
>
>