[conservative in nyc]

Birds of a feather flocking together? What would Nader or Kerry have to gain from such a meeting if Nader's not dropping out of the race?

[bootyist-monk]

As predicted months back. Nader was never in this thing for any other reason than to try and keep the Deaniacs excited. Now he will whore himself to Kerry in Anybody-But-Bush unity.

[Petronski]

Now there's a meeting so dull that any flowers in the room will wilt.

[Rokurota]

I don't think Nader is dropping. Nader will meet with him and then say Kerry doesn't meet his standards on abc, so he is running on abc.

[Freemeorkillme]

Watch your back and wear your running shoes, Ralph.

Kerry may ground the boat and run your down, shooting you in the back.

[GODFEARINGWOMAN]

Maybe I'm wrong here, but recently polls show that if Nader was not running his supporters would vote for Bush.

[Lizavetta]

Where's that article that was posted on FR from a former Nader employee that describes how Nader's public face on issues (unions, multicultural, living wage, etc) is in direct contradiction to how he treats his employees? I tried to do a search on it and didn't find it.

[Pukin Dog]

Ultimatum time. Nader is as wacky as Kerry is desperate. Nader wants the VP slot, or he will announce that he will work all out against Kerry, and throw his support to Bush near the election if Kerry doesn't make him #2.

Nader will have a press-conferance where he will state that Kerry refused to support the issues important to his supporters. Watch.

[CyberAnt]

I wonder how much TAH-RAY-SAH is going to offer Nader to drop out ..??

[conservative in nyc]

More added to the article:

AP: Kerry and Nader to Meet Wednesday

By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) will meet Wednesday with independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader (news - web sites), the longtime consumer advocate who is blamed by many Democrats for Al Gore (news - web sites)'s loss in the 2000 election.

Nader has been pushing for a meeting with the presumptive Democratic nominee since Kerry wrapped up the primary race about two months ago. Kerry also has expressed interest in sitting down with Nader, who complained as recently as Sunday about the inability to reach key Kerry campaign staffers to arrange a meeting.

The two will meet Wednesday afternoon at Kerry's campaign headquarters, according to two senior Democratic officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. They said Kerry's aides were scrambling Tuesday night to determine what Nader hoped to get out of the meeting, but said there was no reason to believe he would get out of the race as many Democrats have hoped.

Gore lost Florida — and the presidency — to Republican George W. Bush by fewer than 600 votes, while Nader garnered nearly 100,000 votes there as the Green Party's nominee.

Democrats have almost universally urged Nader not to run again, saying his presence will only help President Bush (news - web sites) win re-election.

Nader was endorsed last week by the national Reform Party, giving him access to the ballot in at least seven states, including the battlegrounds of Florida and Michigan.

Nader is not yet on any state ballot.

Nader complained during a television interview Sunday about the inability to get in touch with Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill and Kerry himself to schedule the meeting.

"I've been trying to meet him now for two weeks and we haven't been able to get even his campaign manager to return the call, even though he's indicated publicly that he wants to get together," Nader said on CNN's "Late Edition."

Asked whether he would drop out if he were to conclude that staying in the race would hurt Kerry and guarantee Bush's re-election, Nader said he would not.

"No. Of course not," he said. "You don't run a presidential campaign nationally and say to your volunteers who have worked their heart out sometime in October, well, sorry."

Kerry returned to Washington on Tuesday night after two days of campaigning in Portland, Ore., where he was joined by former presidential rival Howard Dean (news - web sites). Both men have warned that Nader could draw votes from the Democratic candidate.

Kerry and Dean, who accompanied the presumptive nominee on the return flight to Washington, said it's been relatively easy for Kerry to win the backing of his former rivals, largely because their positions on issues are similar.

"What we had in common as far greater," Kerry told reporters aboard the plane. "There were differences but we didn't differ in the larger basics."

Added Dean: "I honestly think there's a certain amount of camaraderie. You get to know each other."

But it has proven far more difficult for Kerry to bring Nader into the fold.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

Kerry wants to challange Nader for Reform Party endorsement.

[Salman]

What would Nader or Kerry have to gain from such a meeting if Nader's not dropping out of the race?

Perhaps this is to discuss concessions by Kerry in exchange for Nader dropping out, but not yet a done deal.

[ride the whirlwind]

Asked in the interview whether he would drop out if he were to conclude that continuing would hurt Kerry and guarantee Bush's re-election, Nader said he would not. "No. Of course not," he said. "You don't run a presidential campaign nationally and say to your volunteers who have worked their heart out sometime in October, well, sorry."

Does Nader have a reputation as a truth teller? If so, this would indicate he's not going to bolt.