The Waiting Game

As I've said in the past, the only man I've ever voted for to be my president is Ralph Nader, but I hope he doesn't run this year. I'm not in an articulate mood tonight, so maybe I shouldn't write about this topic because whenever I menion Ralph, I try to do it with dignity. I think highly of the man and I he deserves the respect. But I have to question his strategy here.

In 2000, everyone and their mother knew before the end of 1999 that Ralph was the Green Party candidate, yet he didn't annouce it and start his campaign until February, thus wasting valuable time which could have been used for, uhm, campaigning! During the campaign, Ralph was such a control freak that, from what I hear, he had to personally approve all advertising coming from the campaign. As you can imagine, that's a very timely process. Ralph axed one commercial, a spoof on the monster.com ads where children tell you want jobs they want when they grow up, because the ad used children and he disagreed with using child labor. I like Ralph, but that's borderline ridiculous.

In 2004, if Ralph runs, I'll have no clue why or what he expects to get out of it. Honestly, I don't even see how he can get on the ballot. To build a network of volunteers in all 50 states to troll for signatures, starting this March, is a tall order, especially when that network has to be rebuilt all from scratch because he has rescinded Green Party support. Ralph got onto the ballots of over 40 states in 2000, but that's largely due to the networking he built within the Green Party starting in 1996. It was not an overnight success, it was a long and patient grassroots campaign. The Greens are going to use that network for their own candidate in 2004, and Ralph can expect no help from the party. Honestly, I just don't know what's going on in Ralph's mind. He has to know that building a network to get an independent presidential candidate on the ballot in 40+ states is a near impossible task when you're starting in March of the election year. If there wasn't a Green Party in every state and networking that started in 1996, there's no way Ralph would have gotten on the ballot in as many states as he did. These kind of networks don't happen overnight. Ralph has to know this.

Before this election year started, I told myself that if Ralph pulled this crazy shit again, starting late and mishandling the campaign, then I wouldn't vote for him. He had a serious bid for the presidency in 2000, he should have learned from his campaigns mistakes then, but obviously he hasn't. And it makes me want to rip my hairs out because I really like the guy, but if you're going to run a campaign, then just fucking do it. Surround yourself with a team of advisors that you trust to run the show, and give them a little leeway to do things that don't require your constant approval. Otherwise, what's the point?

If Ralph chooses to run, then this could very well be much ado about nothing. He's already mismanaged his campaign if it exists, declining to use the Green Party network which he helped build over time. There's no way Ralph can build a network of volunteers to get signatures for him and make it onto the ballots of most states in America. He doubt he can make it onto half at this point. Personally, I dunno what's on Ralph's mind but I just don't know what he's doing or what he expects. Yes, Kerry's a republicrat and not exactly an ideal candidate if you're looking to vote for somebody with a progressive agenda. Yes, I'm going to hold my nose when I vote for the guy and feel dirty afterwards. But Bush has proven that he's worse, that there is a difference and that difference is that Bush isn't a republicrat, he's a neocon. I don't want to see what him and Rove can institute when they don't have to worry about getting reelected. We've got to get the democrat in office, and then fight him tooth and nail on all his bullshit.

But this could all be a moot point. If Ralph decides to run, I honestly don't see how he can build a campaign at this point. He's starting too late and has to build a network from scratch, and I just don't see it happening.