There is a lot of hand wringing on the left, with Ralph Nader's entrance in to the race for the U.S Presidency. They see this as ensuring that George Bush will be reelected.
Chicken Little has entered the building.
I don't think that the sky is falling.
I don't think that Ralph Nader's entry will split the Democratic vote or even the far left vote. I voted for Ralph Nader in the past two Presidential elections. I won't be voting for him because 1) he is running as an independent and not as a green and 2) there are very clear distinctions between the Republican and Democrat agendas.
Al Gore did not lose the last election because of Ralph Nader (if anyone cares my vote didn't count because Gore won California cleanly). Al Gore lost the election because he couldn't distinguish himself from George Bush. From what we knew of either candidate, the election was a coin toss. As a result, voting your convictions seemed easy.
In the past four years, however, George Bush has emphasized the differences between Republicans and Democrats in a way that Al Gore couldn't. Now the lines are clear. We know where we stand.
This country and this world cannot endure another four years of George Bush. People realize this. Ralph Nader's entry into the race will not make a difference.
4:22:12 PM 
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