Why Ralph Nader Is An Asshole
Only a huge gaping asshole would imply that Barack Obama an Uncle Tom.
To put it very simply, he is our first African American President; or he will be. And we wish him well. But his choice, basically, is whether he is going to be Uncle Sam for the people of this country, or Uncle Tom for the giant corporations.
Nader has decided to be the cracky racist uncle. Only a self-destructive politician, a racist or huge gaping asshole would speak this way of Barack Obama on the day of the election. Anyone who still thinks that Nader has the judgement or temperment to be president should watch the video.
Shepard Smith: I just wonder in hindsight, if you wished you used a phrase other than Uncle Tom?
Ralph Nader: Not at all.
Shepard Smith is the most rationale anchor on Fox News. He asked Nader if he regretted his statement. Nader stood firmly behind his use of a racist term. A huge gaping asshole.
Labels: 2008 election, fox news, racism, ralph nader, shepard smith
posted by Michael Hussey @ 8:29 PM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
I really don't get Nader, either. He's run for president in 1992, 96, 2000, 2004, and 2008. Only time he made a splash was in 2000 -- and even then, he stunted his campaign's own growth by not hitting the Clinton/Gore legacy right in the gut. Instead he relied on standard stump speeches which garner some news coverage at first, but eventually interest dies. Even with this, I can hardly believe this is the same man who drew audiences of thousands at "super-rallies" in 2000 in the events you had to purchase tickets for.
Then Nader says he's for third party movements but refuses to join a party and build it. (Nader says he won't join a political party because his father asked him not to on his deathbed.) Nader killed the Green Party in 2004 by running against them -- he ran against them this year, too. (The Greens ran Cynthia McKinney, for some inexplicable reason.) In 2000 he built the Greens into a budding national movement. Though the Greens he had ballot access in over 40 states for 2004 -- he didn't have to gather up an army of volunteers and start from scratch with getting signatures to get himself on the ballot. What does he do, though? Mr. "Let's Build Third Parties" gives the Greens the finger, starts his campaign late, and campaigns on the exact same platform as 2000 -- despite 9/11, despite the Iraq War, despite Bush clearly defining himself as different than the Democrats.
I understand the anti-corporate jargon, but come on.
Nobody voted for hm in 2004, but that doesn't matter because he just pulls the same shit again in 2008: lip cservice to third parties while running against them, claims all major party candidates are the same, blah blah... He again pulls a whole 1% of the vote. Like that wasn't predictable even to him.
What's the point? Does he really need attention that badly? He seems to be getting more desperate for it -- but he really screwed the pooch this time.
I saw Nader speak in Ybor City last week and was unnerved by his untactful Obama comments then. I would never vote for him again (I did in 2000) but I do agree with much that he has to say...and his criticism of the 2 party corporate system is entirely valid. I just don't think his time and energy is well spent continuing to run for President. With that said, that anchor dude was a total conniving asshole and did not want to engage Nader on anything other than his bad choice of words, which is a shame, because a lot of what Nader says is important to hear. We do need to hold Obama's feet to the fire and ensure that real change occurs, not just a reshuffling of the same tired deck.
Kelly, Shepard Smith is one of the few resonable people on Fox News. He took Joe the Plumber to task for his Obama will be the death of Israel statement. Smith made it clear Obama is a supporter of Israel. I think Smith was more amazed at the stupidity of Nader's statement.
Smith gave Nader an out by asking him if he regreted his statement. "Not at all," Nader responded.
I'm not a fan of Fox News. The Shepard interview was civil, compared to the usual O'Reilly/Hannity tirades.
kombatrock said everything I was going to say.
He said uncle tom.
you called me irrelevant. ( unsaid nader to shepherd)
you said uncle tom
and yada yada ...
Saying something does absolutely NOT make someone a racist.
Because by the definition of racist commentary we're not supposed to say any longer that 'i have a lot of black friends'.
That's allegedly racism 101.
Pray tell how do I say I have black family members??? How do I say I HAVE BLACK FRIENDS?????
It's a heap of bullshit.
But, in the long run, Ralph is right.
And .. Matt Gonzalez is extremely interesting.
So he got as much attention to it as possible by conveying it with electric words.
But the reason they're electric words doesn't hold any water at all.
"I have a lot of black friends"
I am NOT a racist.
Neither is ralph nader.
One does not build unions and a racist be.
I questioned his thoughts on obama so close to the shining moment but then realized if not then, when? Next week?
a time to reap a time to sow and alla that.
Yeah tas I wonder that about the party, too. The green party has gone a little off kilter, though.
The ones I meet not all of them but .. enough.
Ralph and Matt have started a movement November 5th.org to promote peace, single payer health care and all the good stuff that the country really NEEDS.
We do need these things.
Anyone has to admit that obama came out of nowhere. I'd say out of the dark but that would be racist. LOL.
It's my firm belief that Oprah found him and promoted him with all her dinero.
Still and all I am happy to have him in the White House and hope that he will do a fantastic job. Even if he does only a measurable job it will be a huge improvement.
If he's a dismal failure it won't make me feel good.
I worry because that whole 'brushing clinton off his shoulder' thingy may not go over so big in other venues.
People say he understands the different cultures but plenty of people don't believe that.
In my biggest self I want him to be a good American who does what he is supposed to do and upholds the constitution and the laws of the united states of america.
That will be enough for me.
And, he's hot.
a bonus.
and I loathed her dress.
But the kids looked cute. LOL
(i also liked that matt took a poke at moving on. I wish they would fade into irrelevancy because they are for most people and I sincerely hope that donna braziled does not become anything with any title in my white houes)
Vox, Nader runs and continues to get less support. To people he wants to support him support Obama. Calling Obama a racist slur is not going to win Nader supporters. Nader actually seems to want to piss people off. That isn't going to build a coalition.
Tas is right about Nader equating all party candidates as a like. Agree or disagree with Obama. They have vastly different views on how to run the country.
it does kinda seem like he wants to piss people off.
LOL.
Is it my imagination or are people everywhere SMILING MORE??????????
I hope so.
I love and missed America.
I missed the old girl.
Give me a break Michael, you say Shepard Smith is civil compared to Hannity...just about any ol lynching is civil compared to Hannity. Nader didnt buy into the "Change" euphoria. He's too old and cranky and radical for that. I'm glad Obama was elected, but I'm not all drunk on the false dichotomy of neoconservative vs. neoliberal. Nader was just sticking to his message. The story isn't that Nader isn't tactful, the story is that corporations control the political process, but of course Smith couldnt go there no matter how cool you think he is for stating that Obama likes Israel.
Kelly, I'm a Clintonite neoliberal. I'm not the New Republic brand of neoliberal. I can't stand Mickey Kaus and Marty Peretz.
Tas is correct. Nader's message is everybody sucks except Nader. The change message is positive and Obama is appointing Clintonite neoliberals. (Not excited about Summers at the Treasury Department.) Nader didn't pay his own employees overtimes, worked with Grover Norquist, and owned Haliburton stocks. Nader doesn't practice what he preaches.
Kelly, you have been a radical since your pirate radio days. You have never exacted change because you couldn't get yourself or a strip club owner elected. The Clintonites created record job creation and a surplus.
As for the Fox News interview, what has Nader done, in the last 12 years, to garner respect. Oh, wait, I know.
"I was in that twilight state of consciousness between deep sleep and full wakefulness when I heard on the local talk show station, KSTE, that Ralph Nader was contesting NBA officiating during the ill-fated Western championship game where the Kings lost to the LA Lakers by 106-102."
Be still my neoliberal heart.
I will protest that Nader has worked with Norquist -- he's also sternly protested Norquist. To the man's face. As for owning Halliburton stock though.. Yes. Nader has a diversified stock portfolio which has produced much dividends for him (his stocks were worth $4 million in 2000 -- should also be noted that he's portfolio had a lot of tech companies in it, including Cisco). I'm unsure of if it's a blind trust, he trusts a broker, or if he does it all himself.. But Nader's owns stock in the corporations he rails against. Take that for what you will. When I finally get a real job, I know I'll need a Roth IRA, 401 K, some index funds -- or a mixture of all three, with bonds -- to build up a retirement nest egg. So I'll be investing in all the corporations I hate, too. It sucks, but welcome to capitalism and living in America. Want to live comfortably? Make sure to suck this dick, that dick, and a couple more dicks...
Anyways, the issue is that Nader called Obama an "Uncle Tom" on the night of his election. Yeah, there are other issues with Obama and his corporate connections which should be discussed... This weekend's Wall Street Journal has a great cover photo, actually, showing a wide angle shot of all the people on stage with Obama during his first press conference. There must have been 30 people flanking him, including... (and yes I'll namne names because I bought the paper; please don't banish me to hell with Rupe) Richard Parsons, chairman of Time-Warner; Roger Ferguson, CEO of TIAA-CREF; Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. The big business connections are there -- and one wonders how Obama will react to corporations. There's no need to insult him about it right now, though.
I have been around to see this before. "Now that a Democract is in office we all MUST support endless war, torture, massive corporate welfare, and a continued increase in the prision population. I may not agree with it, but unless we control our thoughts enough to always support our president, the Republicans could win. And it will be ALL YOUR FAULT!" You idiotic Democrats are so predictible, it's pathetic. It's no surprise to me that you are coming to support FOX news.
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