Consumer advocate Ralph Nader hinted Thursday that he would enter the presidential race in the next year if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes the Democratic Party's nominee.
'Flatters, panders, coasting, front-runner, looking for a coronation. ... She has no political fortitude,' Nader said of Clinton during a radio appearance when he was asked to describe the former First Lady.
I find this to be fascinating and will be following up on it closely. My initial reaction is that while this is sure to anger Nader's harshest critics, he appears to offering a sort of compromise to Democrats. Consider that the vast majority of the netroots views Clinton unfavorably and will almost assuredly push for Edwards or Obama (Wesley Clark and Al Gore would also be strongly considered if one of them decides to run).
So here, Nader is hinting to Democrats that he will not run so long as a real progressive Democrat ( opposed to the war, bold on health care,not beholden to the DLC etc ...) wins the primary. In short, the netroots and Nader, normally bitter rivals, could be strange bedfellows in the move to find an alternative to Hillary Clinton for the nominee.
This could get interesting.
