The Once and Future Greens

Amazingly, that Ralph Nader 2008 story has turned into international news. Howard Kurtz opines:

The reason this comes up--besides a slow news day--is a scooplet by the Politico's Roger Simon. I don't know whether this is a testament to Roger's finely honed skills or that he was the only one who bothered to ask.

As one of those un-honed, un-skilled reporters, my reasons were 1)Nader has already said he might run and 2)he won't get any votes this time. In 2004 he got 4,479 votes in New Hampshire—almost 2,000 votes fewer than he got when he ran as a write-in candidate in the 1992 New Hampshire primary. He's a great interview, but his presidential days have passed.

Someone whose presidential days might still be coming: Cynthia McKinney. At a June 9 speech in Harlem (available on Google Video), McKinney made strong, winking references to a possible 2008 Green run.

Near the end of the speech McKinney started riffing on the nations who'd elected left-wing leaders.

The world can't wait for us any longer. And the world did not wait! Because starting in Cuba, but then in Venezuela and Chile and Argentina and Bolivia and Brazil, they did not wait for us! So if I do something in 2008, and I really do want to do something in 2008, it will be the fullest expression that I know of revolutionary love. Because we will make revolution and it will only be about love.

One of the event organizers takes the mic and says "I can't hardly wait for 2008. Ms. McKinney, in 2008, what color is your parachute?" Off mic, she answers: "It's not red and it's not blue!" When she gets up to close out the event, McKinney makes a few more references to a possible run:

Y'all have also helped me make a little dent in next month's bills that have to be paid for the 2006 campaign, but I can tell you that we're well on our way, with the well-wishes that I have from all of you, for what we have in store for 2008.

If the election was held tomorrow and everyone who's dropped hints ended up on the ballot, your WinVote touchscreen would look like this.

Democratic Party - Some Democrat
Republican Party - Some Republican
Independent - Michael Bloomberg
Unity08 Party - Chuck Hagel
Green Party - Cynthia McKinney
Libertarian Party - Wayne Allyn Root
Constitution Party - Jerome Corsi
Monster Raving Loony Party - Ralph Nader

(Apologies to Alan Auguston, a current Green candidate and Hit and Run comment thread denizen who will be blown away if McKinney decides she wants their nomination.)

Comments

[sage]

(guy on the right)

"I know what you're thinking, folks, but the gentleman to my right is certainly more dorky than I. These are safety glasses I'm wearing. He's got a sweatervest, for Christ's sake!"

[stoneymonster]

The world can't wait for us any longer. And the world did not wait! Because starting in Cuba, but then in Venezuela and Chile and Argentina and Bolivia and Brazil, they did not wait for us!

Oh good gravy. I can hardly wait for my Bolivarian future.

[mediageek]

By the gods, what could possibly have more potential for hilarity than a Cynthia McKinney presidential bid?

I'm biting my lower lip in anticipation.

[Randolph Carter]

I care about the green party nomination... why?

P.S. indeed, bring on the Cynthia McKinney campaign, it shall be most amusing.

[David]

That looks more like a cardigan, sage, the sort of Fred Rogers chic that was all the rage on Sesame Street.

[David]

By the gods, what could possibly have more potential for hilarity than a Cynthia McKinney presidential bid?

A venomous Cynthia McKinney concession speech.

[J sub D]

Stassen, La Rouche, Nader. What a bunch of losers. And yet, they still get acolytes.

[Cesar]

A venomous Cynthia McKinney concession speech.

Yeah, I can't wait until I hear here saying she lost because of Diebold, the Klan, and Teh J00w.

[Cesar]

Damnit! I mean "HER" not "HERE!"

Preview! *smacks head*

[sage]

That looks more like a cardigan, sage, the sort of Fred Rogers chic that was all the rage on Sesame Street.

Sorry. Actually, no I'm not. I'm glad I didn't know the diff. Sometimes ignorance *is* a good thing!

[Bruce H.]

So Nader is a Monster Raving Loony but McKinney isn't?

[Jim Bob]

The hell she isn't.

[Big Moe]

RC:

"I care about the green party nomination... why?"

For the same reason that on some crunchy blog with carbon-neutral webhosting that they're saying "I care about the libertarian party nomination... why?"

Or, in more practical terms: Because every vote for a minor party candidate is a vote that could potentially swing the election.

DW: Undeserved cheap shot at Monster Raving Loony Party. They're arguably more successful than the Naderites, as measured in candidates elected. Almost on a par with libertarians.

[David Weigel]

Big Moe - I didn't mean it as a cheap shot. If there was a way to draft Lord Sutch next year, I'd be on board. I was just poking at Nader's insane 2004 strategy, which went like this:

1)Turn down the Green nomination.
2)Run for Green nomination anyway via a stalking horse candidate.
3)Lose nomination, beg random third parties in other states to nominate you.
4)Failing that, create your own small parties.

[Daze]

McKinney 2008: You Can't Touch This!

[Robert]

But how would Nader do in 2008 compared to how he did in 1996?

[PapayaSF]

So she's saying she wants to be America's Castro? Are even the Greens so deluded they think that's a good idea?

[jh]

"So if I do something in 2008, and I really do want to do something in 2008, it will be the fullest expression that I know of revolutionary love. Because we will make revolution and it will only be about love."

The folks fleeing Cuba on leaky rafts are doing that because they're against all the love they've been receiving from Castro. They just can't stand clingy, overly loving types, yeah?

[Aresen]

Democratic Party - Some Democrat
Republican Party - Some Republican
Independent - Michael Bloomberg
Unity08 Party - Chuck Hagel
Green Party - Cynthia McKinney
Libertarian Party - Wayne Allyn Root
Constitution Party - Jerome Corsi
Monster Raving Loony Party - Ralph Nader joe and John as co-presidents

Fixed it

[joe]

Oh the activst marches up and down
Wearing a dyspeptic frown.
He puts cones around the sidewalk cracks.
And lectures you about your snacks.

The consumer advocate is a person in your neighborhood.
In your neighborhood.
In your neigh-bor-ho-od.
The consmer advocate is a person in your neighborhood.
He's a person that you meet
When you're walking down the street.
He's a person in your neighborhood.

[BTS]

Hmm, could you tell me more of this democratic frontrunner "Some Democrat"?
(Braces for smarmy stereotype of democratic base)

Not that I'm against smarmy stereotyping of democrats (or republicans, for that matter)

[J sub D]

So she's saying she wants to be America's Castro? Are even the Greens so deluded they think that's a good idea?

We shall see.

[J sub D]

BTW "revolutioary love" sounds kinda kinky. Just not with Cynthia McKinney.

[tarran]

joe,

I hate you. I really do. I'm supposed to be working, and I can't stop giggling. Now I've got that damn song in my head, and it won't leave. 😉

[D.A. Ridgely]

By the gods, what could possibly have more potential for hilarity than a Cynthia McKinney presidential bid?

A Cynthia McKinney bid with enough initial support to get her included in the debates.

[joe]

Can you imagine Al Gore walking up to McKinney at a debate, the way he walked up to Bush in that 2000 debate?

That woman has more "Do you know who the fuck I am?!?" in her left pinky than Hillary Clinton has in her whole body.

[D.A. Ridgely]

Unfortunately, that pesky Constitution has deprived me of my preferred political entertainment scenario -- Hillary Clinton v. Arnold Schwarzenegger, but seeing McKinney at the debates could be even better. Any chance she could land Michael Moore as her VEEP candidate?

[Aresen]

BTS

I believe it's short for Sodding Obsequious Mindless Elitist Democrat. He/she was separated from his/she identical twin at birth, who was coincidentally given the same name, even though the twin was adopted by Mr & Mrs Republican.

[Big Moe]

DW: Thanks. Unfortunately Screaming Lord Sutch has gone to "a better place" (in 1999) and it would therefore be impractical to run him as a candidate.

[Deus]

1)Turn down the Green nomination.
2)Run for Green nomination anyway via a stalking horse candidate.
3)Lose nomination, beg random third parties in other states to nominate you.
4)Failing that, create your own small parties.

Didn't Nader end up running as the Reform Party candidate in '04. That would be the same Reform Party that nominated Pat Buchanan in 2000.

[Mel Carnahan]

DW: Thanks. Unfortunately Screaming Lord Sutch has gone to "a better place" (in 1999) and it would therefore be impractical to run him as a candidate.

Hey! being dead didn't prevent me from winning!

[ChrisO]

Sounds like Ms. McKinney's been listening to too much Barry White lately.

On the entertainment scale, a McKinney/Kucinich ticket would be off the charts.

[Charles]

Aresen-

John and joe as co-presidents would be among the best things that could happen to this country.

We need co-presidents in general, with overlapping terms. Totally serious here.

[Hillary Clinton]

I completely agree with Charles!

[Aresen]

Charles

Yeah, what one didn't veto, the other would.

And think of watching them try to give the State of the Union address together. :))))

[Col DuBois]

Are you sure she didn't say "we're going to make love and it will only be about revolution"?

[Alan Augustson]

(Apologies to Alan Auguston, a current Green candidate and Hit and Run comment thread denizen who will be blown away if McKinney decides she wants their nomination.)

(*shrug*) I'll live. 🙂

I have corresponded with the other declared Green candidates, assuring them that they have my support. I am content to let the democratic process weed out the unqualified, the unstable and the just-plain-dangerous.

However, Ms. McKinney is not a declared Green candidate. She needs to get a move on, commit herself, and go public in support of the whole Green agenda, including the issues that her core constituency normally doesn't get too excited about.

My principal worry is that she'll let other candidates do all the grunt work, push the issues, pound the pavements in pursuit of ballot access; and then simply turn up at Convention time expecting to be crowned. I will not honor that; I will fight.

[Paul]

He's a great interview, but his presidential days have passed.

Ralph Nader's presidential days were never here.

[dj of raleigh]

Ralph Nader isn't a candidate but a voice.
He won't let the democrats play their pretend game.
He asks great questions that others don't.
He isn't speaking for some big contributor.
He sees a threat from corporate influence.
People know Nader is saying it like he sees it, right or wrong.
Nader provides valuable background coloring
to the portraits of leading candidates.
What Naders says won't be said if he doesn't run.
He associates himself with some weirdos, yes,
but we're having this conversation because he MIGHT run.
We need a Nader-like candidate to always run.

[J sub D]

Is revolutionary love related to "going around the world"? In a sexual context, I mean.

/juvenile

[Alan Augustson]

From another source:

> Nader says that if they don't implode, the Democrats
> are very likely to win the presidency and retain
> control of Congress in 2008.
>
> So why would he run at all?
>
> "What third parties can do is bring young people in,
> set standards on how to run a presidential election
> and keep the progressive agenda in front of the
> people," he said. "And maybe tweak a candidate here
> and there in the major parties."

You heard it here first: Nader would waste GP resources (your resources!) to conduct a campaign that he has no intention of winning.

Please. Reject this. Show Nader, the Party, and the country that you have a different definition of a "credible candidate".

You know -- you have seen -- what you should expect if a Democrat or a Republican takes the White House. Bill Clinton accomplished nothing for the environment, nothing for universal healthcare, nothing for the working poor. His was a client-oriented administration, just as Bush's was -- just somewhat less obvious.

If you haven't yet given up on democracy, vote for a Green President. Get as many others as you can to do the same -- especially those who've stopped voting. And back a Green candidate who has the guts to run to win, and the brains to run a nation after winning.

Thank You,
Alan