Nader Sells Out Cleveland Venue in Furious Final Run

A barrage of political slogans, pamphlets and sticker-dotted activists welcomed streams of voters to Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader's campaign stop at Cleveland State University yesterday.

"IS THIS GOODBYE?" asked one widely distributed pamphlet. A wrecking ball and words such as privacy, civil rights, reproductive rights, gun control and various other progressive causes accompanied the question. Bold letters told readers to vote as if their freedom depended on it. Nader supporters also emphasized voting to "revitalize our democracy," as one Green Party member said. This year's presidential campaign, initially expected to attract the smallest voter turnout in America's history has, as the election approaches, become a heated battle. The battle is sometimes fought between members of the same progressive army.

Mainstream media recently tagged Nader as "the spoiler." His progressive policies have more and more lured voters away from traditional Democratic loyalties, threatening Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore's support base. "Up until this year you could consider me a pretty strong Democrat, but nothing was getting done because they were looking for universal appeal. Hearing about Nader made me realize I didn't have to support them if they weren't supporting me," said Chris Adams, a 28 year old Cleveland resident.

Many voters voiced dissatisfaction with the economic and civil-rights policies of Gore and Republican candidate George W. Bush. As the candidates continue to speak of the middle class, some feel they are ignoring the growing rift between the rich and the poor in the U.S., as well as other social ills.

"In reality, building an all inclusive progressive people's coalition and getting ourselves organized like the religious right is what needs to happen. The Green Party can't do this by themselves, we need a broad coalition, including the Democrats and with labor at its base," Ann Pallotta, a Cleveland Gore supporter said.

"As an individual, Ralph Nader is great, but the threat of electing Bush is the preeminent fear of the moment," Khallee Satahi, a 27 year old Cleveland Gore supporter said. "By voting for Nader we are wasting a vote, therefore giving up our rights," he added, voicing an argument Nader supporters call "lesser of two evilism." Wednesday evening's Oberlin debate emphasized this argument as well. Many Oberlin students stated positive feelings toward Nader but apprehension in the face of Bush's threat. These Gore supporters feel working within a Democratic party structure willmove progressive goals forward faster than the possibility of spending four years under Bush.

In his speech Nader addressed this question, inherent to a campaign that some of its best friends are calling ill-timed, by calling the challenge of choosing him over the traditional Democratic Party "a challenge of self respect." Following the crowd's applause, Nader continued, "Only a vote that is not from your heart, not from your conscience is a wasted vote."

"I'm voting for Nader because I've lost faith that Gore can fight big business to represent my interests. Gore's refusal to back his campaign promise in 1992 to stop the World Trade Organization and protect an elementary school in East Liverpool, one of the poorest parts of Ohio, from toxic fumes spells it all out for me," first year Liz White said.

Nader went on to point out similar policies of Gore and Bush, including support of the death penalty and the courting of big business. When the crowd asked Nader to respond to the risk of Bush appointing two or three conservative Supreme Court Justices, he raised the point that a Democratic majority approved two of the most conservative justices, Scalia and Thomas. "Bush, when asked if he would change the standing of Roe v. Wade, said lots of Americans would have to change their minds first," Nader said in specific reference to the reproductive rights widely thought to be on the line if Bush gains power.

"I am more afraid of Gore," said junior Betsey Grossman, "because he gives the illusion of progressiveness while in actuality affecting virtually all the same policies as Republicans."

Nader emphasized the value in having a third party watchdog group in the face of two parties who, in his view, pander to corporate powers. His party, as a citizen-run campaign, can fight for you, the citizen he told the crowd.

"We are getting what we deserve, an awful lot of Americans love corporate America. It is the American dream, but education and a third party option could challenge this mainstream view and show America another direction," said George Solomonoff, 78 year old long -time Nader supporter. He added, "I spent 40 years working in a large corporation and they are not all bad." "They give people what they want. But we need to show the people another picture, that what the corporations want is not always what's good for them. We need a restructuring of American values, and Nader is giving us that different perspective."