2.24.08: Damn Nader, Why Do You Have to Be Right?

Ralph Nader... Ralph Nader... Ralph Nader.

Mr. Nader announced today on Meet The Press that he will indeed enter the race for the Presidency of the United States. The impact of this, is felt little by all Republicans of various stripes. As far as they are concerned, they welcome the entry, harkening back to the year 2000 where many blame Mr. Nader from keeping Mr. Gore from the White House. Republicans view Nader as an equalizer in the general election. Democrats, on the other hand, look upon a Nader candidacy with real dread. But damn it, if Mr. Nader isn't correct on so many issues... and that's the problem. His arguments make him more than a compelling figure to vote for, but it is at the peril of seeing a Republican win the office. With the circumstances of the 2000 election in mind, Mr. Russert asked Mr. Nader who he would prefer in 2008, Obama or McCain. How could he ask Mr. Nader that question when he just announced his candidacy? He also suggested that Mr. Nader was responsible for the George W. Bush Presidency, which is completely ludicrous. Mr. Nader reminded him that 250,000 Democrats voted for George Bush in Florida, an eerie reminder to say the least. If you're a Democrat, chew on that number for a while.

So Mr. Nader has once again, made a compelling argument to run and this column does not begrudge anyone who makes that decision. Mr. Nader is for the populace and is right to remind us that George W. Bush's administration has committed multiple impeachable offenses. It's offensive to not hold the administration accountable. Mr. Nader justly reminds us of this - hence he candidacy is completely justified.

However, there are two problems with the Nader candidacy. One, we only hear from Mr. Nader every four years. There is no doubt that in the time between he is working on behalf of the American people, but vocalization of this work and the injustices perpetrated against Americans by its own government as he sees them is vitally important to be effective. Overall, he is not vocal enough. A President needs to have a strong voice, lead more out front, and this is never truer than in today's times.

The other problem was illustrated on today's program - the corporate media. Mr. Nader announced his run for the presidency on today's show, and Mr. Russert never brought it up with the panel that followed. The discussion immediately went to polls concerning Obama-Clinton-McCain. Ignored by the corporate media five minutes after you announce is something that, unfortunately, can only work against a candidate. This is written off as just typical these days.

Speaking of the media, for such an exciting, history-making election, they have done an awful job in sticking with the topics that are of the most importance. All they have been trying to do, it seems, is steer the race in the directions that they want it to go. The New York Times article is a good example. If they had eliminated the circumstantial part about the affair and just focused on McCain's unusual closeness with lobbyists, then the article presents a critical issue for the race. Now, as it stands, it is viewed as weak and salacious. On most issues, as Doris Kearns Goodwin pointed out today, the people are ahead of the reporters.

The panelist discussion today really isn't worth commenting on, save for this. There are so many important topics for the press to discuss, and for this particular program to address, that this constant rehash of presidential polls every week on the program has become predicable, tiresome, and counter-productive. It dominates every panel discussion and this column demands more thoughtful discussion. There was a Presidential historian (Doris Kearns Goodwin) and there wasn't even a mention of Cuba. Ridiculous. Do we demand a higher standard from Meet The Press than the rest of the 'news' talk shows? You better believe it. Did MTP live up to that standard today? Not even close.


[Side Note 1: One of the polls that was flashed on the screen was a Diageo poll. Is Diageo a spirits conglomerate? What's up with that?]

[Side Note 2: Can everyone stop with 'you plagiarized that line' tit for tat? The William Saffire clip about his lifting lines as a speechwriter should explain it all.]