The Democrats can’t catch a break this week. First, there’s the new poll numbers on Bush’s approval rating, which took a decent uptick after his visit to Iraq.
Now, I don’t put much stock in polls — especially this far from an election. This story, however, is another matter:
Ralph Nader has not yet decided whether to make another run for the White House, but he’s authorized a new exploratory committee to raise money for a potential bid.
The Nader 2004 Presidential Exploratory Committee was formed in late October as part of the consumer activist’s effort to gauge support for a run, said Theresa Amato, a committee director.
If Nader runs, I doubt he’ll get the same level of support in Naught-Four as he did in Naught-Naught. Two reasons. First, a lot of Democrats who voted for him probably experienced some serious buyer’s regret, since their votes almost certainly helped tip the election to Bush. Once bitten, twice shy, and all that. The second reason is a little more subtle, but, I think, no less true: Nader has already run before.
Three years ago, voters — many of them voting for the first time — got excited over the prospect of being able to vote for the first recognizable Green candidate on a national ticket. Now they’ve been there and done that and I don’t expect Nader will be able to generate that kind of excitement the second time around.
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