Posted on 09/10/2004 2:54:57 PM PDT by RWR8189
WASHINGTON -- Democrat John Kerry has already lost the 2004 presidential race and the country should get ready for another four years of Republican George W. Bush's leadership, Ralph Nader said Thursday.
"Bush is mocking him, he's taunting him," Nader said. "There's no strategy by the Democrats."
Nader, battling to get on ballots as an independent presidential candidate, predicted Bush would win by a margin so large that his own candidacy would not be seen as a factor in the outcome. Democratic leaders blamed Nader for former Vice President Al Gore's loss to Bush in 2000.
"The telltale sign" of looming defeat is the Democrats' failure to register 9 million black voters, Nader told reporters.
"They're going to lose it because John Kerry has surrounded himself with corporate consultants who represent some of the seediest and most craven companies and industries, and they are not letting him think for himself," said Nader, whose fight against corporate influence over government and politics is his own rationale for running.
Kerry "blew it," Nader said, by neglecting the Democratic Party's historic roots.
"The biggest winning strategy for the Kerry campaign is the living wage. One of every three workers doesn't make a living wage. That is what the Democratic party used to stand for."
With just under eight weeks remaining before Election Day, Nader said Kerry and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., have "lost the clarity of being an alternative to Bush and Cheney, even though this is the most vulnerable administration in many years."
The Kerry campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Political analysts, however, believe the contest is far from over.
"My guess is that this is Ralph Nader seeking revenge against Democrats for their attacks on him and keeping him off the ballot in a number of states," said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist.
"It's also Nader's attempt to get more Kerry people to cast protest votes for him," Sabato said, calling this "a self-serving analysis." If Nader convinces Kerry supporters that their candidate can't win, "they can vote for Nader without guilt."
Right now, things look grim for Kerry, Sabato acknowledged. "But in early August," he added, "most analysts thought Bush was done for. So we've got 54 days to go and a lot could happen and probably will. This is a wild year. I wouldn't bet a nickel on the election results right now."
But Kerry and the Democrats have indeed failed to make a strong effort to register black voters, said Ron Walters, a black political activist and University of Maryland political scientist.
"Nader is absolutely right about this," Walters said. "It's one of those subterranean stories nobody wants to talk about because Kerry could lose."
While Democrats have raised enormous amounts of money in this campaign, Walters said, funds are only "trickling in" to traditional black voter registration groups.
The independent political organizations known as 527s raised $150 million, he said, "but they have not used it very effectively -- they have tried to substitute people with Palm Pilots and Blackberries for the success we had over the years."
Walters said the problem was a hot topic of behind-the-scenes discussion Thursday at a Congressional Black Caucus Town Hall Meeting, part of a three-day legislative conference that he said drew 35,000 attendees.
Overall, however, Thomas Mann, an analyst at the Brookings Institution, called Nader's comments "utterly foolish." He suggested that Nader "team up with Sen. Zell Miller," the Georgia Democrat who delivered the strongest attack on Kerry at the Republican National Convention.
"The election remains intensely competitive with Kerry benefitting from the war in Iraq and the economy, and Bush, thus far, the better campaign. It's too close to call," Mann said.
Mann nonetheless said that he "leans toward" a Kerry victory.
Georgetown University political scientist Stephen Wayne took issue with Nader's remarks. "I don't think the election has been decided yet," Wayne said in a telephone interview, although he believes Bush holds the advantage at the moment. "Kerry does have his work cut out for him and I wouldn't bet a lot of money on him, but I don't think he'll lose big, if he loses."
You forgot his girlie fingernails.
Take it from a pro. It's good as gold.
They feel the earth shaking, but won't get off the track to avoid the oncoming train. The folks over at DU are still publishing their list of the top ten republican idiots, not seeming to realize that getting their asses handed to them by idiots does not speak too well of their smarts.
Long live delusion.
OK, long live DelUsion.
I did my part at the Minnesota State Fair last weekend.
I stopped at the Nader both and signed the petition to get his name on Minnesota's ballot in November.
Odd that black groups are pushing ther "get out the vote" campaigns, and that they have failed to register 9 million black voters, when in so many urban districts in Philly, Detroit, St Louis, etc, they get a 103% turnout (you know, in those areas where free child car safety seats and free smoke detector giveaways get a 7% turnout), and the rest of the country barely ekes out 50%.
"Right now, things look grim for Kerry, Sabato acknowledged. "But in early August," he added, "most analysts thought Bush was done for."
I am starting to think W may end up getting close to 60% of the vote once its all said and done..
"John Kerry has surrounded himself with corporate consultants who represent some of the seediest and most craven companies and industries." '
No, just you and Zogby did. And both of you are going to have some serious crow to eat in November. Even if Kerry wins, he will have done so by a miracle, which is not the same thing as prognosticating that 'this is Kerry's election to lose' and 'it would take a miracle for Bush to win'. Those comments come off looking rather silly at this point in time, and Sabato's feeble come back indicates that he was willing to stick his neck out for Kerry last month but is playing timid for Bush now.
Enjoy your crow, gentlemen.
Talk about getting a raw deal--if I were them I'd certainly get a hotter piece of a$$ for my money ha ha! It's a mystery to me why these women go for Kerry.
Or, its a slip, roots, Alex Haley. Same Idea. Slavery and the Klan. Except the Dims seem to forget that it was the Republicans that were against slavery oh so many years ago. How ever did they steal the truth from us?
Or perhaps in Theresa Heinz sKerrys words: "Any woman who doesn't agree that my husband would be wanted by any woman is an Idiot"
the Klan?
Are you referring tp that august clymer Byrd (D)??
Nader's the Buchanan '00 candidate...he'll stay in 'til the finish, but it won't matter a lick...MUD
Brigadiers UNITE...are we gonna let the BushBots talk about US like that in front of our faces?!
lol...mud
This is what I'M hoping will happen!
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