Nader Throws His Rusty Monkey Wrench Into the Ring

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | 4:13 PM

By Sarah Scully

Ralph Nader is running for President. Reactions are ranging from shrugs to shrieks. John McCain is one person who is not upset by this news. The 74-year-old consumer advocate's entrance means that he is no longer the the oldest person in the race and Nader appeals to, if anyone, those who would otherwise be voting for McCain's opponents or not at all. Nader also provides yet another critical voice to aim at the Clinton and Obama campaigns.

Still, the former Green Party guru may find himself too late to the party. With Ron Paul having scooped up the malcontents and Democrats wary of another 2000, Nader is going to have a hard time solidifying any sort of base. He has made an effort to distinguish himself from Paul, pointing out that Paul seeks to do away with the government agencies that he has helped create but he offers little else by way of significant alternative. The Texas Libertarian in the elephant costume has pretty much covered all of Nader's old bases with his anti-war stance and criticism of corporate influence on the government. He's also been working much longer at winning the protest vote and has earned a following that borders on cultish.

There is still a significant cache of fury within the democratic party over the 2000 election and many blame Nader's candidacy for Gore's loss. There are liberals who still don't speak to each other as a result and have continued to hold his supporters accountable for every misstep of the Bush administration. This is an arguable point as Gore still would have lost in many areas, including his home state and the key state of Ohio, even with Nader's votes. Nader's attempt at running in 2004 was met with little fanfare and a paranoid Democratic effort to keep his name off of ballots. His influence seems to wane with every passing year.

Whether you fault him or not, Nader does make the sensible point that a third party candidate should have a place on the ballot. He also argues that if the Democrats cannot manage to win this election then they simply haven't earned it. My guess is, his impact will be less than that of Ron Paul's and will, at best give rise to a fuller discussion of corruption in Washington.