I used to have a lot of respect for Ralph Nader. Heck, I even voted for him once (though admittedly only after watching polls to sure Maine was going to go blue in the election).
However, this is not okay.
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader told the paper in comments published Tuesday.
I'm actually just plain appalled. I'm certainly not one to rush in and yell racist at the slightest whiff, and I wouldn't even go so far as to say that Ralph is a racist because of this, but... Honestly, to me, it just feels self-centered.
He said Obama's top issue should be poverty in America, given his racial heritage. Video Watch Nader describe whom the Democrats should be "going after" »
"I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law and is going to be liberated by the law," he said. "Haven't heard a thing."
The sheer gall of the man! Why does he feel it is his place to tell any person of any race what their "duty" as a member of their own race to do, or believe, or say? Would it be okay to say the same thing about a Jewish politician? Or a Lutheran? Or a woman?
I'm exhausted right now, and I want to let this percolate a bit, but currently I'm astonished and saddened. And on top of it all, it stinks of a transparent attempt to try to get into the news, in order to achieve some small measure of relevance in this historic election.
Ralph, when I heard that this year, of all years, you were getting into the race yet again I wondered... Ego or True Belief? I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you just were a true believer that wants to force the Democratic party to listen to your concerns. But this doesn't feel like that. This feels like ego.
And it makes me sad.