Nader Dismisses Dems, Unveils New Ad
By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Ralph Nader (news - web sites), under pressure from progressives who say he could help elect George W. Bush (news - web sites), gave the Republican nominee a backhanded defense Tuesday night.
``Let's not turn this guy into a Ghengis Khan,'' Nader said at an ABC town hall meeting at the University of Minnesota, referring to the 13th century Mongol leader.
Nader was responding to a questioner who said Bush's election could overturn abortion rights because of the conservative justices he would be expected to place on the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites).
``First of all, he doesn't know much, secondly he's lazy, and third, he avoids conflict,'' Nader, the Green Party's presidential nominee, said to laughter. ``Those are all assets.''
He appeared with Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, one of the nation's most prominent third-party figures. Ventura said he will not endorse Nader but supports the third-party movement.
Earlier, Nader dismissed as ``whining, carping, low-expecting politicians'' the Democrats who are urging him to drop from the presidential race. He also previewed a new campaign ad.
``It's not my job to get my competitor elected,'' Nader said at a news conference, alluding to Democrats' fears that he will draw support from Al Gore (news - web sites) and turn the election in Bush's favor.
Nader said voters who back him will get ``an instant watchdog'' in Washington.
``I say to some of these people with whom I've worked for many years, `For heaven's sake, raise your expectation level. Don't settle for too little,''' he said.
Nader, however, should not look for a lift from the appearance with Ventura. The independent governor declared Tuesday that ``I would never vote for a Republican or a Democrat'' but named Natural Law Party candidate John Hagelin (news - web sites) - not Nader - as someone he might support.
Nader averages about 4 percent in national polls, but comes in higher in many of the half-dozen traditionally Democratic states considered tossups between Gore and Bush.
In Minnesota, for example, polls show him with 10 percent support.
His new 30-second TV spot, a parody like his first, is based on an ad by the employment Web site Monster.com. The black-and-white ad features children matter-of-factly reciting dismal hopes for ``when I grow up,'' and asks voters if they ``want something better for yourself and the next generation.''
Nader's potential for taking votes away from Gore has prompted a vigorous campaign by Democrats. In Seattle, Jesse Jackson urged voters Tuesday to make ``the politically mature'' decision and back Gore. Without even mentioning Nader's name, he told the crowd: ``Either Gore or Bush will be president. Let's make a president, not just make a point.''
Ventura denounced such warnings.
``Isn't that interesting? I heard the same thing,'' he said. ``I just am so pleased with the voters of Minnesota that they saw through that farce.''
Ventura predicted Gore will ultimately win Minnesota because the state historically has picked Democratic candidates.
``But then again, surprises happen. Nobody predicted that I would win,'' he said on NBC's ``Today.''
Calling himself a ``centrist,'' Ventura said he considers Nader too far left and Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan (news - web sites) too far right.
He said his appearance with Nader at the University of Minnesota for ABC's ``Nightline'' shouldn't be seen as an endorsement.
``I'm there strictly to talk about third-party politics. I have no candidate, really,'' Ventura said during an interview on Minnesota Public Radio.
Nader is being pressed to endorse Gore in swing states, but campaign manager Theresa Amato dismissed the possibility: ``Absolutely not. We're going for every single vote across the country.''
His new ad will begin airing Thursday in up to 30 markets nationwide, said Bill Hillsman, the Minneapolis-based adman who made the commercial and Nader's radio spots. He also created Ventura's ads.
Hillsman refused to disclose where the ads would run, only suggesting ``look at where we're campaigning.'' He said he didn't want to tip his hand to the much richer competition.
The ad features children speaking directly into the camera, one at a time:
``When I grow up I want the government to have the same problems it has today.
``I want to vote for the lesser of two evils.
``I want to be lied to.
``I want to be apathetic.
``I want tax breaks for the very rich. ...
``When I grow up I want politicians to ignore me.''
It ends with an announcer asking, ``Is this what you want from your government? Or do you want something better for yourself and the next generation?''
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Associated Press writer Eun-Kyung Kim, in Washington, contributed to this report.
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