PRESIDENTIAL RACE Nader weighs bid, dividing backers

Many fear he will again siphon votes from Democrats, giving Bush the win.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON -- Ralph Nader, whose campaign for president in 2000 arguably tilted several close states-- and victory -- to George W. Bush, is considering another run.
Running as the Green Party nominee, Nader won about 3 percent of the popular vote in 2000, including 97,000 votes in Florida. Democrat Al Gore lost the election when Bush defeated him in Florida by 537 votes and the Supreme Court halted a recount. Nader, who thrives on controversy, bristles at the "spoiler" label, saying it is "offensive and a violation of my civil liberties" to tell him not to run.
And there are growing signs that he will run again, from the creation of an exploratory committee this month to constant meetings with Green Party members and his longtime supporters across the country.
"I'll decide next month," Nader said in an interview Wednesday, pushing back his earlier promise to make a decision by year-end.
The veteran citizen-activist's interest in running again in 2004 is generating new divisions among even his closest supporters, who are alarmed that he could cost the Democrats the election.
Goal is to defeat Bush
Ronnie Dugger, an activist and writer who campaigned for Nader in 1996 and 2000, says the overriding goal of the Left has to be defeating President Bush. "It's quite clear that Nader was one of the determining factors in Bush stealing the election," said Dugger, referring to the Florida outcome.
"I passionately believe Nader should not run. If he does, he reverses his position in history from positive to negative."
Even Green Party activists are split on the question.
"There are a lot of Green Party activists who don't want Ralph to run," said David Cobb, a Green Party member in Northern California who is himself campaigning for the party's presidential nomination. "Many voters, fairly or unfairly, view Nader as the cause of Bush's election. The 'spoiler' charge will dog him throughout the election."
Favors Kucinich
Nader has been supporting the presidential candidacy of Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, -- "I tell Democrats to vote for him" -- but does not think the Ohio congressman has caught on. And he believes that the other eight Democratic candidates are failing to sound a progressive message against corporate crime and for a reduced military.
Greens have other problems with Nader, such as his lack of devotion to the Green cause -- he is not a party member -- and his penchant for running his own campaign without input from party regulars.
Yet Ben Manski, national co-chairman of the Green Party of the United States, says that Nader still enjoys considerable support within the party for his frequent fund-raising appearances. "There's no question there's support for Ralph Nader to win the Green Party nomination," he said.
The Green Party has grown considerably since 2000, with chapters in 43 states and 205 elected officials. Earlier this month in the San Francisco mayoral election, Green candidate Matt Gonzalez won 48 percent of the vote to Democrat Gavin Newsom's 52 percent. Thanks to Nader's 2000 showing, the Green Party is on next year's ballot in 21 states and gearing up to get on in at least 20 more. In 2000 Nader was on the ballot in 44 states.
Concern for balance
Some Greens want to insist that their nominee campaign only in states certain to vote for either the Republican or Democratic nominees, so their party won't tilt the election. Others oppose having any nominee at all, though six candidates are seeking the party's nod.
Nader is concerned that the party's decisions will not be made until its national convention in Milwaukee from June 23 to 28. "They're not going to decide until June. That's untenable," he said.
The consumer advocate is also considering running as an Independent, like John Anderson in 1980, who garnered nearly 6 million votes but won no states. Securing ballot access would be "extremely difficult," Nader concedes, but he believes he could do it.
And his eye is still on the prize.
As he was driven by the White House, Nader observed that it's "pretty nice public housing."