Ralph Nader's campaign for president and his support from voters continue to struggle as the election date draws closer. Nader, an independent candidate, told a standing-room only crowd at Morton Hall yesterday about why his campaign was important.
The Nader/(Peter) Comejo ticket is based on 40 years of advocating on behalf of the American people-their health
their safety and their economic well being Nader said.
Nader is dissatisfied with both parties' plans for future policy, calling Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's plan for healthcare grossly inadequate.
Nader's platform includes healthcare for all, a higher living wage for workers and pulling troops out of Iraq.
Even though victory is not likely, Nader's more liberal agenda influences the Democratic Party, and keeps them away from strictly serving the needs of corporations, he said.
The less demands that are made of Kerry from the Nader camp, the more Kerry will drift over to satisfy corporate interests. As a result the distinction between Kerry and President George W. Bush becomes muddled and will lose him votes, Nader said.
Nader has a spot on the Ohio presidential ballot, providing the 5,000 signatures that were required. Nader supporters turned in 14,473 names on a petition to Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, 6,464 of which Blackwell logged as valid signatures.
The Ohio Democratic Party is contesting Nader's candidacy. Columbus lawyers filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court alleging fraud and misrepresentation in the campaign to get Nader on the ballot, according to the Associated Press.
Carlo LoParo, Blackwell's spokesman, told the Associated Press that if Nader is found not to qualify, he will be removed from the ballot.
Lawsuits from Democrats are continuing to sprout up around the country, and people from across the political spectrum have called Nader a threat to Kerry's campaign, especially in battleground states.
Our stance is that people need to ban together to help defeat Bush said Nadeam Elshami, spokesman for the United Progressives for Victory, an organization based in Washington, D.C., whose members include some of Nader's former colleagues.
The progressive values that Nader stands for are critical, but he has to admit that his campaign is going to harm the progressive agenda in this country, Elshami said.
Republicans know the best way to defeat the progressive agenda is to support Nader
Elshami said.
But the Republican support that Nader is receiving -at least financially -seems to be exaggerated. The Center for Responsive Politics investigated Republican financing and reported only 4 percent of Nader's funding came from people who also donated to Republicans.
Republican groups have offered to circulate petitions on behalf of Nader, said Julie Coyle, a Nader volunteer. But Nader does not allow groups of any kind to help, only individuals.
In the whirlwind of lawsuits from Democrats and rhetoric about defeating Bush in November, the issues of Nader's platform have largely been drowned out.
Nader's candidacy is a run of pure vanity
said Kevin Kovach, communications director for the Ohio University College Democrats.
Our goal is to get Bush out of office before he wreaks any more havoc
and Nader is making that harder to do
Kovach said.
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Megan Cotten
