Ralph Nader spoke in Portland last night.
Interestingly, The Oregonian chose to run the story on page two of the “Metro” section this morning. Here’s a glimpse:
As he has in past campaigns, Nader said he didn’t see much difference between the major-party candidates. Both, he said, support corporate interests and he was especially scathing of Obama.
Obama doesn’t represent real change, Nader said. “This guy is the biggest con artist in our generation by far.”
I like provocative language from a candidate. It challenges and makes one pause, and hopefully think.
What I think is tone-deaf Ralph is one of those guys who’s right all the time. You know, the guy no ones likes.
I know it’s his schtick to “not play ball.” But, if you’re not going to play ball, why run? To make a point about oligarchy?
I’m troubled because I want to hear from Ralph and I want to see justice prevail—economic justice, racial justice and every other kind there is. For that to happen, the ideas and righteous anger in a man like Nader, must be appealing to large numbers of people, or it will never catch on. I don’t have to like that fact of life, to see it for a fact.
why run, ralph?
You know, David, it’s for all us people who are losers
•to vote our conscience, or
•to have an out when people say, “you can’t complain if you didn’t vote,” or
•to upset or appease the dems or repubs, or
•to actually feel counted when they publish Naders name in the newspaper and you see the number 3 after it and you know one other person who voted Nader and you want to find the third. (pure narcissism
•or vote for a clown because sometimes you just think he’s really funny in a very subtle way with his humor.
Apparently there are only about three percent of the population who feel a bond to righteous anger or get the subtle humor. So don’t worry, ignore us.