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Economics

Ralph Nader, Performance Artist

Jesse Walker | 11.3.2008 9:01 AM

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From a press release I received this morning:

Special One-hour Press Conference. For the first half of the Press Conference, Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response. For the second half of the press conference, foreign press credentialed media will be given priority.

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NEXT: Update from an Accidental Swing State

Jesse Walker is books editor at Reason and the author of Rebels on the Air and The United States of Paranoia.

EconomicsThird Parties
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  1. Nathan A. Stine   17 years ago

    Poor guy. He's getting senile (this coming from someone who voted for him this election).

    I think its about time for Nader to hang 'em up after this go-around. He's older than McCain!

  2. T   17 years ago

    Well, you didn't think he was a candidate, did you? It's just nice to see someone still has an appreciation for Dada in this late day and age. I never thought it would be Ralph, though.

  3. R C Dean   17 years ago

    Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response

    I might have gone with two words, to allow me to respond to questions that call for a more thoughtful and nuanced "Fuck you".

  4. Other Matt   17 years ago

    I might have gone with two words, to allow me to respond to questions that call for a more thoughtful and nuanced "Fuck you".

    I might have gone with two words just so that became an option.

  5. Jesse Walker   17 years ago

    I might have gone with two words, to allow me to respond to questions that call for a more thoughtful and nuanced "Fuck you".

    Does a hand gesture count as a word?

  6. anarch   17 years ago

    Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response

    A word that answers all questions must be a pretty versatile word.

  7. J sub D   17 years ago

    Poor Ralph. He is now officially beyond parody. It used to be kinda funt to ridicule him, now it feels like making fun of the mentally disabled.

    Ralph, go home and rest on your laurels.

  8. J sub D   17 years ago

    A word that answers all questions must be a pretty versatile word.

    The all encompassing JEESUS! works for some.

  9. SugarFree   17 years ago

    Transcript

    "No."

    "Yes."

    "Rooster."

    "No."

    "Onomatopoeia."

    [unintelligible]

    "Imperative."

    "Escarole."

    "Yes."

    [audible sigh] "Poop."

  10. Episiarch   17 years ago

    I might have gone with two words, to allow me to respond to questions that call for a more thoughtful and nuanced "Fuck you".

    But you have to say it exactly the way Arnold says it to Richard Dawson when he asks him to appear on the next episode of The Running Man. That would be perfect.

  11. P Brooks   17 years ago

    "Shazzam!"

  12. SugarFree   17 years ago

    P Brooks,

    What if Nader turns into Black Adam? We'd all be fucked then.

  13. Aresen   17 years ago

    Special One-hour Press Conference. For the first half of the Press Conference, Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response.

    That is for the American media.

    For the second half of the press conference, foreign press credentialed media will be given priority.

    The rest of the world is able to cope with polysyllables.

    ducks

  14. Pro Libertate   17 years ago

    Aresen,

    I wouldn't cast stones--America has four syllables; Canada has a mere three. Losers.

  15. Nigel Watt   17 years ago

    Pro Libertate - USA! USA! USA!

    Oh, wait.

  16. Episiarch   17 years ago

    The rest of the world is able to cope with polysyllables.

    "I moved here from Canada, and they think I'm slow, eh?"

  17. EJM   17 years ago

    For the first half of the Press Conference, Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response.

    Allen Ludden may be rolling over in his grave concerning this.

  18. LarryA   17 years ago

    I wouldn't cast stones--America has four syllables; Canada has a mere three. Losers.

    Except, of course, that Canada is part of America. As are Mexico, Venesuela, and the United States.

    Mr. Nader will answer all questions with just a one-word response.

    Unfortunately, we will still have to put up with typical MSM 250-word questions.

  19. Pro Libertate   17 years ago

    LarryA,

    I was being nice, because I like Aresen. It's actually "United States of America" vs. plain "Canada". Nine syllables to three.

  20. fresno dan   17 years ago

    good

  21. Guy Montag   17 years ago

    PL,

    Erm, perhaps that is the big marketing term for the only 3rd world 'country' to have a World Series winner, but the real name is KKKnadia.

  22. Abdul   17 years ago

    Dude.

    Dude!

    Dude?

    Dude

    DUDE

    Duuuuuuuuuuuuude.

  23. Ernest Hemingway   17 years ago

    Worked

  24. Ernest Hemingway   17 years ago

    for

  25. Ernest Hemingway   17 years ago

    me.

  26. DannyK   17 years ago

    One word answers? He'd have been better off going with no-word answers, but playing charades, or miming, or interpretive dance.

    Or he could have an old fashioned car horn under his trenchcoat like Harpo Marx did.

    Reporter: "Mr. Nader, what would your policy on immigration be?"
    Nader: waggles eyebrows, A-HOOOOOGA!, looks bashful, winks.

  27. xsquid   17 years ago

    Nader is a great fighter for American civil and consumer rights, as he has always been. He's also the only candidate who would be a truly democratic president..but if you want to throw away your vote on corporate red or corporate blue, don't bitch and whine when the future comes and smacks you in the head.

    Stupid, stupid people.

  28. V   17 years ago

    Apparently Nader proposed doing this some time ago and, during a recent "lightning" Q&A in Santa Cruz, he mentioned it might be fun. You can see that in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnjQz4pp0FY (approximately the 8min mark)

    Yep. That's the word. Fun!

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