May 9, 2008
Is Ralph Nader Poised to Raid the Democrats' Youth Vote?
John McCain is not the only presidential candidate who might benefit from the Democratic Party’s internecine struggle. Some polls are suggesting that some share of Democrats—especially the younger ones—may cast their votes for the Independent candidate Ralph Nader if they are unhappy with the Democratic Party’s eventual nominee.
In recent polls conducted in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana before their primaries, the Suffolk University Political Research Center found about a fourth of likely Democratic voters under the age of 36 saying they may vote for Mr. Nader if the candidate they prefer does not get the nomination. David A. Paleologos, the center’s director, cautioned that the number of young voters sampled in each of the polls was small enough that the young-voter results were not statistically valid for any individual poll. But, he said, the findings from one poll to the next were consistent enough for him to conclude that young Democrats are much more likely than older ones to consider Mr. Nader if they are unhappy with the outcome of the Democratic selection process.
Mr. Paleologos said his surveys’ findings for all age groups suggest that “Obama’s voters have a higher propensity to vote for Nader than Hillary Clinton’s.” Among other polls suggesting that Mr. Nader will fare better in a Clinton-McCain race than an Obama-McCain race are national polls by Zogby International—the most recent of which was conducted late last month—and a poll of likely Michigan voters conducted in early April by the polling firm EPIC-MRA, based in Lansing, Mich. In a national poll of 18- to 24-year-olds conducted back in March, Harris Interactive found 7 percent of the voters in that age group favoring Mr. Nader if Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain are the major party choices, and 4 percent favoring Mr. Nader if Mr. Obama is the Democrats’ pick to go up against Mr. McCain.
Bruce E. Cain, a professor of political science at the University of California at Berkeley, says he interacts with undergraduate students from 10 campuses in his capacity as director of the University of California’s center in Washington, D.C. His sense is that students who support Mr. Obama “would be horribly disillusioned and upset” if Mrs. Clinton became the Democratic nominee through the support of superdelegates. “I think Ralph Nader would have fertile ground to go after their votes,” he says.
Mark Saigh, one of the Nader campaign’s point people in dealing with colleges, says he is not actively going after disillusioned young Democrats, but their defection to Mr. Nader “is bound to happen” as the fight between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton drags on.
The likely impact of youth support for Mr. Nader on the election’s outcome is anything but clear.
Clearly, youth support for third-party candidates has been a factor in other recent presidential elections. The Independent candidate John Anderson got about 11 percent of the under-30 vote in 1980, and H. Ross Perot received about 22 percent of the vote from this age group as an Independent candidate in 1992 and about 10 percent as a Reform Party candidate in 1996, according to exit polls conducted by Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a nonpartisan research organization housed at University of Maryland. (In all three elections, the outside candidates received the support of significantly smaller shares of over-30 voters.)
Ralph Nader received less than 1 percent of the vote from people under 30 in the 2000 and 2004 elections. But some Democrats insist that his presence in the 2000 race contributed to George W. Bush’s victory, an assertion Mr. Nader strongly denies.
Peter Schmidt | Posted on Friday May 9, 2008 | PermalinkComments
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Ralph Nader is crazy. Ralph Nader is about as crazy as it gets. Here’s a guy who’s never held elective office and never managed anything other than a come-to-work-in-your-pajamas consumer advocacy office. He will not deign to run for school board or mayor or even dog-catcher. No, the only office good enough for him is President of the United States. Can you not see how deluded this is? When are liberals going to stop fawning over this guy and tell him the truth about his madness?
— original marci May 9, 03:10 PM #
The most profound and complete unauthorized biography of Mr. Nader will contain at least two major eras of his influence. Ironically, it may demonstrate that much of what the first era accomplished was destroyed by the vacuous, “righteous” ego of the second.
— Droste May 9, 03:37 PM #
Ralph Nader is a far superior candidate for true liberals than either Obama or Clinton. He has consistently—over a period of time—defended the environment, the rights of common working people, consumer safety, protection from corporate welfare & rip-off scams, and promoted an equitable society, including viable health care for all. The only element of disappointment stems from his waiting until now to gear up his campaign. This article is most encouraging—the best news I have seen in a while.
— Henry May 9, 03:46 PM #
Original Marci,
I suggest you take a good hard look at what Mr. Nader stands for Marci. The fact of the matter is he recognizes that corporate America is in control and they generally have no interest in serving your interests. Why do yoiu think we don’t have universal health care while Bear Stearns gets bailed out, executives walk away after nonperformance with big payouts, drug companies make out while people can’t afford their medications and oil companies get billions of dollars to in tax credits while reporting record profits?
Listen Marci, I support Obama or anyone other than the run away Republican’s who are fleecing the U. S. citizens in the name of free markets and free enterprise. But I have no misconceptions that McCain, Clinton, or Obama are going to shake things up with lobbyists well in control. Where do you think these people are getting their money to fund these high priced primaries. Start with Mr. McCain’s wealthy wife and follow the money with all of the candidates.
Consider the recent efforts to eliminate farm subsidies with farm lands being set aside to keep food prices high.
My friend, the real crazy people are those of us who are not outraged.
On the other hand, maybe Mr. Nader is a bit egocentric or crazy since he continues to sing the same tune that has not gotten any traction for some time now.
— John May 9, 03:48 PM #
I have known Ralph nader since 1961 when I lived next door to him in Washington Dc. We had many conversinces then and since. I am afraid although he is sincere he is also a selfish human being,. that is he is egoist , loves the world and hates his neighbor, He loves to getattention and too self centered,farfrom the imge he projects. He never was married or to my mind is too self involved to be in a relationshop. He should have become a priest .
— Freddy May 9, 03:52 PM #
Hmmmm…..aren’t all politicians egoists?
I’ve voted for Nader before because of the stances John cites. This country needs an overhaul—out with the crooks. Unfortunately, that platform is unpopular with most people who like things put more politely.
— kgotthardt May 9, 08:36 PM #
I suspect that a lot of Bush/Cheney/McCain Republicans are kicking in to help this schmuck pick up just enough votes to give us a third term of GWB and what new Supremes would get appointed. What does it take to get Nader’s head out of his ass?
— AW May 10, 09:49 AM #
In 1972, when Thomas Eagleton resigned as the Dem v-p candidate, George McGovern asked Ralph Nader to take his place. Nader said “No”, so Sargent Shriver was chosen. I think that shows Nader was considered by leading Dems at one time to be ready for big-league national office.
— Richard Winger May 10, 12:27 PM #
Original Marci,
Ralph Nader has accomplished more in his lifetime than all the other major candidates put together. You need to READ before making such comments.
— Matthew May 11, 11:36 AM #
One of the above Naderites looking for free passage to the promised land claims that in 1972 George McGovern offered the vice-presidential nomination to Ralph Nader, who was only 38 at the time and very controversial and who then — as now — had never been elected anything other than teacher’s pet.
It turned out not to matter, of course, but after the fiasco with Thomas Eagleton, McGovern would have been insane even to consider risking his election on an unvetted, politically inexperienced radical like Nader. I volunteered for the McGovern campaign in 1972, and I don’t remember any such thing and don’t believe it.
— S. Britchky May 11, 04:31 PM #
Considering what it’s accomplished and the education his career has provided to activists everywhere, all I can say is thank goodness for Ralph Nader’s ego! Long may it reign and continue to teach and inspire!
— Ivana May 11, 06:22 PM #
Yes, Ralph Nader is an egomaniac.
His main accomplishments:
Bad: He helped Bush win Florida in 2000, thereby bring 8 years of the worst administration ever.
Good: He helped Bush win Florida in 2000, thereby preventing Joe Lieberman from becoming Vice President.
— Zachary May 11, 06:40 PM #
the title should have been:
Are Democrats Poised to Raid the Ralph Nader Youth Vote?
— voter2008 May 12, 07:38 AM #
Just when I thought the world had forgotten about Nader, he returns. My gosh, does he ever get a clue?
— Eric May 12, 08:44 AM #
How many of you have done anything to rid this country of an outdated voting system that encourages people to vote against their own interests and hate people who do vote for their favorite candidate?
Check out this video on youtube of his VP candidate Matt Gonzalez talking about Instant Runoff Voting (and please answer the question that he poses at the end)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8Qwqio6H4
— Amy May 12, 05:01 PM #
Eric,
When will voters get a clue that both parties, in their current forms, are only interested in serving their corporate masters? I am tired of hearing since 2000 that the stakes are too high to permit third parties to campaign and that a vote for one is a wasted vote. The two parties have had a lock on political life for far too long, and they have blown it.
Politicians talk often about competition in all spheres of American life but their own. There’s no way all of our interests can be neatly shoehorned into a two party framework. It’s time that the
two parties had some real competition.
Bryan
— Bryan May 12, 07:12 PM #
nader is and has always been a true fighter…i’ve voted for him ever since 1996 & will do so again in 2008.
— ginger baker May 19, 09:23 PM #