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CNN Live Sunday
Nader Enters Presidential Race
Aired February 22, 2004 - 11:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: What a difference a day makes. Suddenly a wild card has been played in the presidential sweepstakes. Former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader is now in. Less than two hours ago, Nader announced that he's once again throwing his hat into the ring, but this time as an independent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: After careful thought and my desire to retire our supremely selected president, I've decided to run as an independent candidate for president. If you'll allow me to explain why, I'll give some of the reasons with elaboration coming on our web site votenader.org.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Four years ago, Nader won less than three percent of the popular vote, but many democrats are convinced that he tipped the election to President Bush. In New Hampshire, president's margin of victory was smaller than the number of people who actually voted for Nader. The same was true in Florida. If Al Gore had carried either state, he'd have won the 2000 election, say some.
What's the immediate impact of Nader's announcement on the candidacy of the front-runner John Kerry and John Edwards? CNN's Kelly Wallace has been covering the Kerry camp as well as the Edwards camp. Already, they had been anticipating this sort of announcement, hadn't they?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They had been. They didn't know for sure, Fredricka, what was going to happen. Clear to say, they didn't want that to happen. That's for sure. And they're already talking a bit about the impact here. In a statement, the Kerry campaign saying it hopes that those people who want to see a return to the track of prosperity, better health care, better jobs will unite behind the democratic nominee, whomever that might be. Last night, it was interesting, John Kerry was asked about this possibility of Nader stepping into the race, and here's what he said. He said he's not that worried about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to have a campaign that will speak to the people that talked, so appropriately, a number of years ago, and who supported him last time. This will be a different campaign this time, I can assure you. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And we're hearing a little something else from the Edwards campaign. John Edwards has been making the case that he is the candidate who can appeal to independents, the independents that perhaps Ralph Nader might attract. In a statement, an Edwards aide saying, if you have a democratic nominee who can attract all kinds of voters -- progressives, moderates, and dissatisfied republicans, then democrats will win the White House in November, making the case that John Edwards has shown that he attracts voters from across the political spectrum.
So both sides, Fredricka, trying to down play the move and showcasing the positive. But they would have preferred if Nader said, I'm staying out.
WHITFIELD: Now, Ralph Nader himself is now responding to Web sites that are out trying to discourage him and asking him to step out now that he's stepped in. He blames the liberal intelligentsia. He says it's contemptuous to even think that no one else should be throwing their hat into the race. So what do the democratic candidates say about that, the freedom to run?
WALLACE: He raises a fair point. It might touch a chord with people out there. But it is interesting, because you're seeing there was even a protest outside NBC studios today, people who did support in Ralph Nader in 2000, saying, no, he shouldn't run this time around.
So, it is a question of is he going to alienate some of his very supporters who backed him in 2000? The second question is, is that going to strike a chord with people, hey, freedom of speech, let him get in. We know the Democratic Party Chief Terry McAuliffe had been wining and dining Ralph Nader to keep him out. Clearly, that didn't work.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. It'll be interesting to see if he's invited to any of the upcoming debates.
WALLACE: He's going to raise that question that he should be.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks very much. Good to see you.
WALLACE: Good to see you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 22, 2004 - 11:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: What a difference a day makes. Suddenly a wild card has been played in the presidential sweepstakes. Former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader is now in. Less than two hours ago, Nader announced that he's once again throwing his hat into the ring, but this time as an independent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RALPH NADER (I), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: After careful thought and my desire to retire our supremely selected president, I've decided to run as an independent candidate for president. If you'll allow me to explain why, I'll give some of the reasons with elaboration coming on our web site votenader.org.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Four years ago, Nader won less than three percent of the popular vote, but many democrats are convinced that he tipped the election to President Bush. In New Hampshire, president's margin of victory was smaller than the number of people who actually voted for Nader. The same was true in Florida. If Al Gore had carried either state, he'd have won the 2000 election, say some.
What's the immediate impact of Nader's announcement on the candidacy of the front-runner John Kerry and John Edwards? CNN's Kelly Wallace has been covering the Kerry camp as well as the Edwards camp. Already, they had been anticipating this sort of announcement, hadn't they?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They had been. They didn't know for sure, Fredricka, what was going to happen. Clear to say, they didn't want that to happen. That's for sure. And they're already talking a bit about the impact here. In a statement, the Kerry campaign saying it hopes that those people who want to see a return to the track of prosperity, better health care, better jobs will unite behind the democratic nominee, whomever that might be. Last night, it was interesting, John Kerry was asked about this possibility of Nader stepping into the race, and here's what he said. He said he's not that worried about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to have a campaign that will speak to the people that talked, so appropriately, a number of years ago, and who supported him last time. This will be a different campaign this time, I can assure you. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And we're hearing a little something else from the Edwards campaign. John Edwards has been making the case that he is the candidate who can appeal to independents, the independents that perhaps Ralph Nader might attract. In a statement, an Edwards aide saying, if you have a democratic nominee who can attract all kinds of voters -- progressives, moderates, and dissatisfied republicans, then democrats will win the White House in November, making the case that John Edwards has shown that he attracts voters from across the political spectrum.
So both sides, Fredricka, trying to down play the move and showcasing the positive. But they would have preferred if Nader said, I'm staying out.
WHITFIELD: Now, Ralph Nader himself is now responding to Web sites that are out trying to discourage him and asking him to step out now that he's stepped in. He blames the liberal intelligentsia. He says it's contemptuous to even think that no one else should be throwing their hat into the race. So what do the democratic candidates say about that, the freedom to run?
WALLACE: He raises a fair point. It might touch a chord with people out there. But it is interesting, because you're seeing there was even a protest outside NBC studios today, people who did support in Ralph Nader in 2000, saying, no, he shouldn't run this time around.
So, it is a question of is he going to alienate some of his very supporters who backed him in 2000? The second question is, is that going to strike a chord with people, hey, freedom of speech, let him get in. We know the Democratic Party Chief Terry McAuliffe had been wining and dining Ralph Nader to keep him out. Clearly, that didn't work.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. It'll be interesting to see if he's invited to any of the upcoming debates.
WALLACE: He's going to raise that question that he should be.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks very much. Good to see you.
WALLACE: Good to see you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
