Today Ralph Nader made it official: he will be running for president of the United States as an Independent…for the fifth time. And for the fifth time, he threatens the Democratic race.
Barack Obama, arguably the leading candidate on the left, has the momentum to get to the presidency. He has the charisma to draw people from both sides of the aisle to unite on an issue. Obama holds the promise to unify this country at a time when we need it the most.
This is where he stands in stark contrast to Hillary and ‘Ralphy.’ While both have been in the political arena for quite some time, they both represent old politics. To his credit, Ralph is running a campaign similar to Barack’s, in that he believes that the government is overrun by lobbyists and lawmakers who are a stymie to progressives and progess itself.
He’s getting a late start in the election, he’s run five times before and this time is unlikely to be any different. Remember that election back in 2000? The one where Bush won Florida by a few hundred votes in a county that had quite a few Nader supporters? Let’s not forget what happened over the course of the eight years that followed.
I urge Democrats and Independents out there who normally lean in the ’Nadir‘ direction to use their better judgement, and vote for one of the larger party candidates. Unless someone comes along who holds more promise than Obama, Hillary, or Nader; don’t vote for Nader. He is truly a home-wrecker and I don’t think I could survive another ‘2000 style’ election in 2008.