Nader manages to offend Black Congessional Caucus again
Nader is becoming seriously strange. Michael Moore, say Nader’s “gone crazy.” I’m starting to agree.
Tensions between Ralph Nader and the Congressional Black Caucus flared again yesterday, after a letter from the independent presidential candidate to the caucus chairman, Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), demanded an apology for an “obscene racial epitaph” at a tense meeting last month.
Black lawmakers reacted to Nader’s letter with a combination of anger and disdain, questioning his mental health and accusing him of acute and advanced egomania.
“He ain’t playing with a full deck,” said Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), a member of the caucus and vice chairman of the Democratic caucus.
“I don’t think he gets it,” said Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Md.).
“The meeting was about strategy and the pragmatic planning to defeat [President] Bush,” said Wynn.
“We told him how at strategic level, his candidacy defeats a common a goal,” said Wynn, who criticized Nader for adopting a sanctimonious tone at the beginning of the meeting.
“We were particularly offended by Nader’s exhibitionism, his selfishness and egotism,” Wynn added.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) said, “If he didn’t understand what the meeting was about, not only is he an egotistical maniac, he’s dumber than I thought he was.”
For members of the House to be quoted saying this means they are beyond furious at Nader, and Nader seems oblivious to it all, like they owe him something. Weird.
Nader’s two-and-a-half-page letter, released to the media before many members of the caucus had a chance to see it, demanded an apology from Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.). Nader took umbrage at Watt’s choice of words. Watt, Nader alleged, called him “just another arrogant white man, telling us what we can do. It’s all about your ego, another [expletive] arrogant white man.”
Calling someone an “arrogrant white man” is not an “obscene racial epitaph”, as there is nothing obscene about it. Angry, yes. Obscene, no.
For Nader to respond this way demonstrates he has lost whatever the political skills he once had and is rapidly becoming a lunatic embarrassment to progressives.
Moreover, I think Nader meant to say “epithet“, not “epitaph” since, last time I checked, he’s wasn’t physically dead yet — although he appears well on his way to being politically dead.
Sorry Peter, this seems a bit weasel-worded to me.
Ralph Nader’s vice presidential running mate, Peter Camejo, said Monday that their independent presidential campaign “will not establish lie detector tests” to determine whether its GOP donors are using the Nader-Camejo effort solely to help President Bush.
However, he insisted, the ticket will reject any “transparent” efforts by Republican donors hoping the Nader-Camejo will siphon votes from Democrat John Kerry.
Meanwhile, there’s been plenty of venomous bashing of David Cobb and the DemoGreens, who richly deserve it too.
How to Steal an election. The Green version, 2004
Chronicle of a nomination foretold. The Green deceivers
This rant is aimed partly at Green VP candidate Pat LaMarche, who, by all measures so far, is embarrassingly inept. But it unloads on other targets too.
Finally, the Greens have to get over their kindergarten level system of organization and functioning, and throw those dumb-ass ten key values over a cliff (how about narrowing it down to these five, true democracy, equality and justice for all, sustainable living and peace?). If the gals have something to say or want to take the lead that’s fine, but if they can’t run with the big dogs then do us all a favor and go bake some cookies, politics is not for the timid or those who need a booster seat to reach the steering wheel.
Politics involves passion (hopefully), so dump the “vibe watcher” crap too, anger and emotion are very useful tools if managed properly. And the stuff that goes on at the state level has to change too, some of the guilty parties here could be perfect replacements for bureaucrats in Stalin’s Russia, lots of noise but little progress comes from most statewide Green get-togethers. Be the taxpayer’s friend, the Democrats worst nightmare and cut out the mindless political correctness if you want the Green Party to be something more than the punch line to a joke or a historical footnote.
People ask me, so who are you for, then? I don’t have to be for anyone! Nor do I have to like the news I report here…
The ongoing train wreck in the Green Party saddens me, and I expect soon enough Nader and Cobb will be attacking each other, squabbling over whatever tiny sliver of votes they might get. Sigh.