[Iowa-dx] Fwd: McKinney & Nader: acting like candidates? (Polidoc)

[hhart@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu]

Polidoc Productions
http://polidoc.blogspot.com/2007/11/mc-kinney-and-nader-appear-to-be.html

Friday, November 2, 2007

McKinney and Nader Appear to Be Sharing A Lot
More Than a Party


Cynthia McKinney has announced...wait, wait,
wait....hold your breath...that she will announce
her decision to accept a run for the Presidency
on the Green Party ballot sometime in November.
Both she and Ralph Nader, seem to be sharing a
lot lately. They are both:

-- acting coy about declaring their run for the
Presidency, saying that November will be the time
for them to announce;

-- touring around the country, giving their stump
speeches, shaking hands, raising money;

-- simultaneously appearing as candidates on two
ballots, the Green Party and the Peace and
Freedom Party in the state of California;

-- using legal measures in a high profile manner
to bring about the reforms and justice that they
feel is necessary.

Nader and McKinney have been hustling up some
media, criss-crossing the nation to
presentations. Press is something that the Green
Party has been wanting. So, this tension and
postponement carries a dividend. Nader has been
hitting the college circuit, while McKinney has
been holding court at churches and community
centers, all while they are supposedly NOT
running.

While coy about declaring, they are both pumped
up to fight. This week, Nader took aim and sued
the DNC and others for conspiracy to keep him off
the ballot in 18 states in 2004. His attorney
said, "This is a case designed to make sure other
independent and third party candidates will not
be subject to the same kind of conspiracy in the
future," Afran said. McKinney is part of a Human
Rights Suit against President Bush and
Vice-President Cheney.

However, for the grassroots candidates for whom
issues, not notoriety have vaulted them into this
primary race, the inclusion of these larger names
will make their own campaigns more difficult as
money and labor resources go to the nationally
recognized candidates instead of to them.

Acting coy in politics is nothing new and yet is
SO ironic. Look how long it took Fred Thompson to
jump in. And for all those hoping that Gore will
fall in line, one rumor has him announcing after
Nov. 7 (the rumor does not cite what year).
However, to be able to stick out a run for the
Presidency, you've got to have a really strong
ego and an uncommon acceptance/desire to be a
public personna, not to mention financial
resources. It is not an undertaking for the shy.

While the two larger names are out blocking
punches, grassroots candidates Kat Swift, Jared
Ball and Kent Mesplay amongst others, have said
they hope to have a fun experience with the great
results of growing the size and visibility of the
Green Party, vocalizing social and environmental
concerns, and gaining more ballot lines.


Posted by PolidocGirl at 10:54 PM