Tuesday, July 20, 2004
This Is Ralph Nader
I truly hope that some independent filmmaker - a contemporary Marty DiBergi, if you will - is following the Nader campaign and filming it daily. The result, once this election is over with, could be the political equivalent of This Is Spinal Tap.
Ralph Nader will be appearing on the ballot in Michigan. This shouldn't really be news, since Nader's endorsement by the national Reform Party leadership (well, the Buchananite remnants of it) was supposed to guarantee him access in Michigan and 6 other states. Except, in Michigan the Reform Party has fractured into two feuding halves and until the question of legitimacy is resolved, it's not clear that Nader's Michigan endorsement applies.
Naturally, the reaction from the Nader camp to the Michigan party's schism was outraged denial. You'd think they didn't know what sad shape the Reform Party was in, and that it never occurred to them to check to make sure that the fracturing party was capable of delivering what it promised.
No, according to the Nader campaign, they were so relieved by the endorsement that they ceased trying to collect signatures in Michigan. One might have thought that a "better safe than sorry" approach would have been appropriate. We're only talking about a presidential election, after all. The later revelation of the party schism caught them shorthanded - by about 24,000 signatures.
Enter the Michigan Republican Party. In their fervor to ensure ballot choice (a fervor oddly limited to ensuring Nader's name appears) the statewide GOP submitted at least 43,000 signatures - more than the 30,000 Michigan requires.
Prior uproar about Nader taking Republican donations and petition assistance had resulted in the Nader campaign pledging to return Republican donations. In Michigan, Nader's people say that they'll now accept the signatures collected by Republicans. This after Nader claimed he was running to get rid of Bush.
Of course, this new partnership is not going unchallenged. The AP reports that a legal challenge from the Michigan Democratic Party is imminent:
This is only an allegation, but given all the corners that Nader cut in his ill-fated Arizona ballot effort, Democratic complaints may have some substance.
The pathetic spectacle of Nader-GOP collusion is farce piled upon farce. Nader's campaign promises to be an increasingly ragged spectacle, characterized by dubious alliances with Republicans and Buchananites and increasingly vitriolic feuds with former allies on the left. It's pathetic that he has come to this, but it's also fitting. I share the view that his electoral impact this time out will not be what it was in 2000. By November, Saint Ralph will be a national laughingstock. Let's hope someone is getting this on film.
I truly hope that some independent filmmaker - a contemporary Marty DiBergi, if you will - is following the Nader campaign and filming it daily. The result, once this election is over with, could be the political equivalent of This Is Spinal Tap.
Ralph Nader will be appearing on the ballot in Michigan. This shouldn't really be news, since Nader's endorsement by the national Reform Party leadership (well, the Buchananite remnants of it) was supposed to guarantee him access in Michigan and 6 other states. Except, in Michigan the Reform Party has fractured into two feuding halves and until the question of legitimacy is resolved, it's not clear that Nader's Michigan endorsement applies.
Naturally, the reaction from the Nader camp to the Michigan party's schism was outraged denial. You'd think they didn't know what sad shape the Reform Party was in, and that it never occurred to them to check to make sure that the fracturing party was capable of delivering what it promised.
No, according to the Nader campaign, they were so relieved by the endorsement that they ceased trying to collect signatures in Michigan. One might have thought that a "better safe than sorry" approach would have been appropriate. We're only talking about a presidential election, after all. The later revelation of the party schism caught them shorthanded - by about 24,000 signatures.
Enter the Michigan Republican Party. In their fervor to ensure ballot choice (a fervor oddly limited to ensuring Nader's name appears) the statewide GOP submitted at least 43,000 signatures - more than the 30,000 Michigan requires.
Prior uproar about Nader taking Republican donations and petition assistance had resulted in the Nader campaign pledging to return Republican donations. In Michigan, Nader's people say that they'll now accept the signatures collected by Republicans. This after Nader claimed he was running to get rid of Bush.
Of course, this new partnership is not going unchallenged. The AP reports that a legal challenge from the Michigan Democratic Party is imminent:
- [Democratic Executive Chairman] Brewer said Nader's decision not to withdraw as an independent will force the party to file a federal election complaint against Nader's campaign and the Michigan Republican Party, which it contends exceeded a state political party campaign limit of $5,000 in helping Nader get on the ballot.
This is only an allegation, but given all the corners that Nader cut in his ill-fated Arizona ballot effort, Democratic complaints may have some substance.
The pathetic spectacle of Nader-GOP collusion is farce piled upon farce. Nader's campaign promises to be an increasingly ragged spectacle, characterized by dubious alliances with Republicans and Buchananites and increasingly vitriolic feuds with former allies on the left. It's pathetic that he has come to this, but it's also fitting. I share the view that his electoral impact this time out will not be what it was in 2000. By November, Saint Ralph will be a national laughingstock. Let's hope someone is getting this on film.
