And, Nader isn’t white. He’s Lebanese. Both of his parents are immigrants from Lebanon. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_nader#Background_and_early_career)

I could be wrong, but I think Lebanese people are technically considered “white,” as are Turks and Persians. This may have been determined during that board meeting held by the White Patriarchy in which they resolved to endow Italians and Irish people with the blessed “white” status too.

Anyway, I’ve always loved Nader and I think it’s unfair and disingenuous to blame him for the results of the 2000 (s)election. But his statement about “acting white” is heinous – I didn’t see that coming and am very disappointed in him for it.

castigating the 3% of people who did vote for him, instead of the 40-50% who either didn’t or couldn’t show up to the polls, seems like it’s ignoring the really BIG problems we have in American democracy.

Just to clarify, I’m not castigating those who voted for Nader. I did vote for him, and I gave him money. That is why my feelings are so strong. I still feel betrayed by the guy.

I don’t think Nader can take all of the blame for 2000. Vote tampering by the Republicans, a fucked up media system, governmental corruption and lack of a collective sense of civic responsibility, among other things, were also important and I recognize that.

But he is a little responsible.

fish vs shorebird file — part “Gators for Nader”

The conclusion I came to at the time (based, to my recollection, both on this data and some independent confirmatory information) is that the counties in Florida which follow this pattern are rural counties with very conservative populations which are governed on a local level by Democratic establishments of a form little changed since Reconstruction. Thus, many people are registered Democrats because of how local politics works, but this does not correlate meaningfully with how these voters make their choice in a Presidential election.

Thus, in a state where what party you belong to doesn’t say much about how you’ll vote in a presidential election it is very hard to then turn around and say that “Bush got 200,000 votes from registered Democrats”. So no, it isn’t Nader’s “fault” but on the other hand third parties in America act as spoilers and have zero power and always will unless we rewrite the constitution.

I wish Nader would STFU about how black people may or may not talk though. Ass.

Unfortunately, over the past 50 or so years, Nader has worked very hard to prove that he’s incapable of keeping quiet (whether he knows anything or not). Blaming him for Bush’s victory isn’t quite fair, but blaming him for the fact that so much of our energy comes from coal is more than accurate.

I wish Nader would STFU about how black people may or may not talk though. Ass.

Obama is for Obama and nobody else. Although I voted for Obama in Feb, I would not vote for him in the general election. He apparently for conservative and corporate interests and not to mention FISA. Now that he thinks he has his base, he’s telling us to f-off so he can get conservative and moderate votes. I’d prefer McCain now any day.

Let me get this straight: You don’t want a candidate who is moving from the left to the center, so instead you’ll vote for… the guy on the far right?

Genius.

Anyone who sees a black man, this was in Georgetown mnd you, and acts as he does is nothing more than a liberal cracker.

Cracker? That’s offensive.