Thursday, February 14, 2008

Awake From Your Slumber - Nader Sets His Alarm Clock to Run



video produced by Hudson Mohawk Indymedia 2008

The failure of the Progressive Democratic candidates Edwards or Kucinich to stay in the race for President compelled Ralph Nader to do the thing that Democrats just hate - launch an exploration into running for President.

There is little doubt that Nader will declare an official run, though he knows that a bloody ballot access battle lays ahead. He has already faced an $80,000 fine levied upon him by a Democratic judge in Pennsylvania for presumably committing voter petition fraud; Nader has since counter-sued. The DNC, however, is committed to a win in '08 at any cost, according to Progressive Radio Talk Show Host Ed Schultz.

Nader expects to ask for an endorsement at the Green Party Convention in Illinois in July. While half of Green Party voters remain loyal to Nader, the other half is determined to have a candidate that is a party member and will allow itself to work with party officials. Nader has stated on many occaisions that he refuses to join a party.

There are now four official Green Party candidates in addition to Nader. While all of them have received support within their own regions, only one has received nationwide acceptance and is the declared frontrunner amongst bloggers. Cynthia McKinney, a former Democratic Congresswoman from Georgia, recently denounced her party and declared her candidacy for the nomination for President for the Green Party. She has received endorsements from many key party organizers.

While many hope that the two frontrunners, Nader and McKinney could pull the Democratic leaning and the Socialist parts of the party together, there is no immediate consideration of that partnership. Some fear that the Convention will net the same dividing results which occurred in 2004 between the "Demo-Greens" and the "Left-Greens".


See this interview from Democracy Now.

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