Conversation with Nader campaign worker... another reason to unify the party now.

[Lucky 13]

So I walk out of my house yesterday around 6:00pm to walk my dogs. Immediately I see a middle-age man riding down the street on a brightly colored bike. It's not just the bike itself that was brightly colored, but he had psychedelic covers over his wheels and some sort of colorful streamer/banner thing waving off the back. It looked like a bike you would see a clown riding in a circus.

Anyway, he asks me if I'm registered to vote.
I say yes.
He says he is gathering signatures to get Ralph Nader's name on the Vermont presidential ballot.
I say, "Thanks but no thanks"
He says, "But Ralph Nader is the only candidate that speaks for the people."
I say, "I disagree. Listen, I'm an Obama girl all the way."
He says, "How can you vote for Obama? He's a corporate candidate. Someone as cool as you shouldn't be voting for him."
I stare at him like he has three heads
He continues, "Besides he may not even be the nominee!"
Before I could stop myself, I blurt out, "Oh yes he fucking will be!"
We exchange a few more words about Obama, Hillary and Nader before I walk away in frustration.


I bring this up only to point out yet another reason why it's not good to have Hillary hang around through to the convention. Third party candidates use this as a talking point to show divisiveness in the party and doubt of the strength of Obama's candidacy. "How can you back Barack Obama? He may not even be the nominee! Better hedge your bets and consider Nader!" This argument may actually have traction with the general public.

It gives them a window to advance their candidate, when EVERYONE needs to be rallying around our candidate - the only likely candidate to take the white house back from the Republicans.

At this point, yeah, I understand Hillary staying in to finish this thing out. But on Wednesday, she needs to concede or the party needs to intervene. We need to start, as a bloc, as a party, pushing Barack Obama as the ONLY viable alternative to McCain to avoid defections to third party candidates disgusted with our ridiculously long and divisive primary.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. I would have stolen his bike.