Russ Feingold: 'I Strongly Disagree With Ralph Nader' On A Primary Challenge To Obama

[jaxx]

Russ Feingold: 'I Strongly Disagree With Ralph Nader' On A Primary Challenge To Obama

<..> "I strongly disagree with Ralph Nader. As I've said many times before, I believe that re-electing President Obama is an absolute imperative for our economy, our judicial system, for progressives and for our country," said former Sen. Russ Feingold, who announced recently that he was not running for Wisconsin's open Senate seat. The Wisconsin Democrat added the following:

President Obama took office in a time of historic challenge for the country. He passed the Recovery Act to bring our economy back from the brink, implemented historic health insurance reform to make health care more affordable and accessible, repealed the discriminatory Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, and rejected the conventional wisdom in Washington to offer a life-saving loan to the auto industry, saving 1.4 million jobs.

Now, facing Republican candidates that are bought-and-sold by corporate money, and who want to give more tax breaks to the wealthiest and attack the rights of working Americans, the President is fighting to create jobs and provide economic security for middle class families. 2012 will be a close and competitive election, and in an environment after the lawless Citizens United decision, where corporate special interests will be out there fighting for Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, progressives must unite to ensure that the President is reelected.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/russ-feingold-primary-challenge-ralph-nader_n_972288.html

Nader should pay attention.

[bluestateguy]

1. Time is rapidly running out for this option anyway

How many people have said they aren't interested? Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders, Russ Finegold, Howard Dean, Peter DeFaazio and Dick Grayson have all said no thanks.

And Ralph Nader isn't even a Democrat? What right does he have to interject himself into the party primary?

[jaxx]

2. Nader is all about Nader.

[Recovered Repug]

4. Alan Grayson, not Dick.

Unless Robin ruled out a primary challenge and I missed it.

[JohnnyRingo]

3. Ralph Nader could put his money where his mouth is.

Mounting a presidential bid will likely cost upward of a half billion dollars. This fund raising will have to be done without help from the Democratic party. Huge corporate donations will have to be shunned because that will give the appearance of the very manipulation that many accuse the current president of.

The money will have to be raised at the grassroots level. Since the limit is just over $2000 per person, PACS will have to step up to flood the coffers. Of course those PACs will have to be liberal foundations that know ahead of time they will receive no special treatment after the election. Unfortunately, I'd have to say the deck has been stacked for decades to prevent "the people" from holding the highest office.

As an aside, for all the threats made about a primary challenge, I've yet to hear of one dime raised with only 14 months to go. Underfunded primary challenges just go the way of Warren Mosler. Remember him? ...That's my point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Mosler

Like it or not, Nader and others will very soon have to admit that the royal flush primary bluff they're playing is no more that a skip straight, and everyone knows it. Meanwhile, the republicans through their home team media outlet is storing every clip for proper edit just before the election. "Even the liberals have seen the light when it comes to Obama" will be the big punch line in every Fox News monologue after next September.

[JNelson6563]

5. I sense many DUers are now conflicted

:popcorn:

[Bodhi BloodWave]

6. nah, those who wanted russ to run will just toss him under the buss and latch onto somebody else nt