The Ego Has Landed: Nader Runs Again

If you thought George W. Bush was disconnected from reality, tune in to Ralph Nader, now making his third run for the presidency and a leading contender for the most politically tone deaf person in the known universe.

“When you see the paralysis of the government,” he told NBC’s Tim Russert on Meet the Press, “when you see Washington, D.C., be corporate-occupied territory, every department agency controlled by overwhelming presence of corporate lobbyists, corporate executives in high government positions, turning the government against its own people, one feels an obligation, to try to open the doorways.”

I edited his rambling statement because he couldn’t get to the damn point if his life depended on it, but if you must convince yourself watch the video below and drink deep the confusing oratory that is Ralph Nader.

I covered one of his campaign stops in 2000. He showed up even later than is typical in Political Standard Time (candidates are always at least 30 minutes behind schedule unless it’s first thing in the morning). With no time left before deadline I anxiously waited as he started speaking. A good candidate would have come right out with a couple of good quotes that summed up what message he wanted voters to take away from the event. Instead, he spent 13 excruciating minutes talking about legalizing hemp.

Anyone with a firm grasp of the obvious realizes that if you want to persuade people to share your point of view you need to make sense and cut to the chase. I listen to Ralph Nader and I often can’t tell what he’s talking about, except I know he’s angry and corporate greed heads are conspiring against us all.

Nader still seems to think he’s relevant, but does anyone else care? Nader only won 2.7% of the vote in 2000. In 2004 he dropped off the map with just 0.3%. If both of his remaining supporters get to the polls this year, it will be an accomplishment. The only people likely to vote for him this time are probably as far off in the fringes as he is and likely wouldn’t show up to cast a ballot unless there was some other long shot gadfly running.

After that you have to wonder why he bothers with yet another futile effort. Although he makes lofty claims about spotlighting important issues like single payer health care in the candidates’ debate, he does not have the popular support or money to force the mainstream candidates to address his agenda.

I suspect his actual motivation is captured perfectly by line of Prom Dresses for high school girls: All About Me. Despite the good work he did as a consumer advocate, this is his sad legacy now and if he doesn’t continue to beat a dead horse, no one pays any attention to him. Nader just can’t stand that.

Savor the moment Mr. Nader, it’s all downhill from here.