Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Nader and Kerry had a meeting, both came out alive.
As a Nader voter from 2000 I think he would make a fine President, but it's not going to happen in 2004. With the Reform party's nod last week Nader has ballot access in Florida, a tough state for Kerry to win, if Nader keeps pulling off 5% from Kerry such as the polls suggest, Nader this year will be a spoiler.
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When Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry meets with independent rival Ralph Nader on Wednesday, Kerry isn't likely to ask him to leave the race. And it's even less likely that Nader will offer to bow out.
Kerry probably will point out that the two rivals share a goal - ousting President Bush - and contend that a joint effort is the best way to achieve it, aides to the Massachusetts senator said. Nader told The Associated Press that he looks forward to discussing "certain common policies" with Kerry.
"I think that's for the good of our country and for the benefit of the American people that are being ignored or repudiated by the Bush regime," Nader said in an interview.
Still, Kerry aides hope Nader eventually comes around to Kerry's view - if not after the meeting, then following what senior Democrats say will be a weeks-long campaign by party operatives to pressure Nader publicly and privately. That effort, being formulated by Democrats not aligned with the Kerry campaign, may include television commercials and challenging Nader's efforts to get on state ballots, the Democrats said on condition of anonymity.
As a Nader voter from 2000 I think he would make a fine President, but it's not going to happen in 2004. With the Reform party's nod last week Nader has ballot access in Florida, a tough state for Kerry to win, if Nader keeps pulling off 5% from Kerry such as the polls suggest, Nader this year will be a spoiler.
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