For once I agree completely with a segment on Fox News. I found this over on Wonkette.

As I mentioned earlier today, I supported Ralph Nader, for a time, in the 2000 election. I’ve pretty much had it with him ever since then. Gore lost Florida by a few hundred votes, and it’s worth noting that in that same election, over 90,000 Floridians voted for Nader. There are plenty of arguments you can make as to what was the turning point in Bush’s “victory” in 2000, but in my mind, this has always been the one: Ralph Nader’s 90,000 votes in Florida. End of story.

Except it’s not the end of the story. For a third-party candidate, Nader actually had a respectable showing nationwide in that election, even buoying interest in the Green Party. But since then he has continued to run ever more irrelevant campaigns, with rapidly dwindling support. Yet he persists, not so much deluded that he might actually win the presidency — he knows he can’t — but deluded that what he’s doing isn’t having a net negative effect on the country.

And then there’s this, the piece from Fox News last night:

Uncle Tom??? Are you kidding me? Ralph, please go away. You have nothing left to contribute to this country.

Ralph Nader used to have a good reputation. He spoke for those who were rarely spoken for, and represented the interests of those who didn’t have the resources to represent themselves.

And then he ran for president.

Back in the early days of 2000, when it seemed nearly impossible that an inarticulate failed businessman and death-penalty-championing former Texas governor could become president, I actually supported Nader’s campaign. He represented something strikingly different from all of the political insiders the major parties had to offer. “Bush and Gore make me want to Ralph” actually seemed to make sense. But in the end my gut instincts kicked in, and I colored in the little oval for Gore. Not that it mattered.

And then he ran for president again. Read more »