Ralph Nader on Dean and the Democrats
22) Fox News Network July 2, 2003
WASHINGTON D.C.: INTERVIEW WITH FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RALPH NADER
…JOHN GIBSON, HOST: Democrats looking for a savior to take back the
White House, and right now their best shot may be a long shot. Former
Vermont Governor Howard Dean, a dark horse emerging from a crowded
field, kind of like a previously unfamiliar governor from Arkansas. He’s
gaining the big mo, as voters begin to separate the wheat from the
chafe. Of course, a third-party candidate could affect the outcome of a
close election. Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader ran twice on
the Green Party ticket and may run again. And that is today’s big
question.
Mr. Nader, are any of the Democrats acceptable to you and the Green
Party or do you think you might run again?
RALPH NADER (G) FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, the difference
between the Green Party’s very, very people-oriented platform and the
other two parties is enormous, but Dennis Kucinich probably represents
many of the issues in terms of living wage, and universal healthcare,
and strong environmental health protections, clean elections and some of
the more democracy-binding platforms that the two parties ignore. He’s
probably the closest.
GIBSON: Well, let me put it this way. Since Dean is hot and got an
endorsement and is piling up money, is he acceptable to you?
NADER: Well, you have to judge Dean not by his speeches, which are
really pretty good — I like especially his criticism of the Bush
administration and breaking the sense of community in the American
society — but if you look at his record as governor, it’s a pretty
mediocre record. Someone said in Vermont that he’s the originator of the
triangulation. Part Republican, part Democrat. Very, very obeisant to
corporate power up there. So I think more of that is going to start
spilling beyond the borders of Vermont and there is going to be more
critical appraisal of Howard Dean. But his speeches are by Democratic
Party standards electrifying and that’s why he’s moving fast.
GIBSON: You know, Ralph, I watched you on the air yesterday on a couple
of other networks and you get savaged by those Democrats that were
professionals and now doing TV. I mean absolutely savaged by James
Carville and Bill Press. And they blame you for the fact that there is a
President Bush, and they’re afraid to death that you will enter the race
and make sure there’s a second term for George Bush.
NADER: A very superficial analysis. For example, they should be
concerned about getting more voters to the polls. Green Party
presidential candidates can generate more voters that will spill over
and help progressive Democrats running for the House and the Senate, as
they would have in 2002. If it was a presidential year, the Democrats
would be in control of the Senate and would have won the close races in
New Hampshire, Missouri and Georgia. They’re just looking at the White
House, as if they have any Democratic candidate who has got the gumption
to take Bush on the critical issue of the American people losing control
over their lives to giant corporations who control too much federal,
state and local government.
A “Business Week” poll even three years ago before the corporate crime
wave came on looting trillions of dollars from millions of workers and
investors and their pensions in the last three years. Three years ago 72
percent of the American people said that they think corporations have
too much control over their lives. If you want to get more detail about
what the Democrats and Republicans, including Howard Dean, are ignoring
in terms of a corporate crime crackdown platform, just log in to
citizenworks.org. And you will see the changes on behalf of small
investors, workers and consumers that both parties are ignoring in
Congress and in the White House.
GIBSON: OK, but Ralph Nader, a little later we’re going to have Bruce
Reed on from the Democratic Leadership Conference.
NADER: Sure.
GIBSON: At least his estimation and the Democrat’s estimation of where
the American public is about 50 percent dead center. You know, 30-
some-odd percent Republican, a slightly smaller Democrat. It sounds as
though going left isn’t going to help a Democratic candidate. That he’s
got to be in the middle and you object to that. And if a middle
candidate comes along, you are kind of holding out the possibility you
might step in and siphon off a few votes from him, which could make the
difference.
NADER: Look, everyone has a right to run for president. This idea that
the Democrats are entitled to a certain slice of the American electorate
or the Republicans is nonsense, number one. Number two, Bruce Reed and
Al From, the Democratic Leadership Council, are geometrically deprived.
There are 100 million voters in this country who don’t go to the
presidential polls and vote, half of the voters. Who is going to appeal
to them?
Who is going to give them engagement, incentives? Who is going to take
them and have them make a part of a growing Democratic society instead
of a plutocratic society where the rich take off with far more than they
deserve at the expense of millions of workers. They’re in a rut in
Washington. They don’t get out enough. I’ve told all these Republicans
and Democrats, you want me to debate you in front of your favorite
constituency back home, I will be your guest. And if I don’t beat you
2-1 in a random auditorium, I will concede defeat. They’re not talking
about things that matter to the American people. They talk gobbledygook.
They talk Senatese.
GIBSON: You know, Ralph Nader, the next time you come up against
Carville or Bill Press remind them, if it wasn’t for Ross Perot, they
wouldn’t have had a President Clinton. Ralph Nader, thank you.
NADER: Exactly. You notice, they don’t whine about that do they?
GIBSON: No. They never want to bring that up. Ralph Nader thanks a lot.
I appreciate it.
NADER: Ask Reed about corporate crimes.
GIBSON: I will get to it a little bit later. Thanks a lot Ralph, I
appreciate it.
NADER: OK….
