Nader undecided on presidential bid
Originally published in Newsday
Nader Undecided on Presidential Bid
By SAM HANANEL
Associated Press Writer
October 2, 2003, 5:31 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- Ralph Nader said Thursday he will wait until the end of the year to decide on another run for the White House. First, he wants to see how the Democrats and Republicans respond to his agenda.
The consumer activist plans to send the parties, in the next few weeks, his blueprint on the need for universal health insurance, a more progressive wage policy and an aggressive crackdown on corporate fraud and abuse.
"The highest priority is to defeat President George W. Bush and his administration, which is running this country into the ground," Nader said at a news conference.
If he runs, Nader has said it would most likely be on the Green Party ticket.
Nader won about 3 percent of the vote as the Green Party's candidate in 2000, but many voters blamed him for siphoning votes from Democrat Al Gore, paving the way for the President Bush's razor-thin victory.
Nader said such criticism is not a factor in his decision on whether to run again. He remains adamant in denying he cost the Democrats the election, saying his campaign brought out many new voters.
Asked if any Democrats had pressed him about not running -- or any Republicans had urged him to seek the presidency -- Nader said no on both counts.
This year, Nader has been an active supporter of Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich, his longtime friend and political soul mate, who is considered a long shot to win his party's nomination.
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Democratic Rep. Ted Strickland of Ohio announced his support for presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt on Thursday, making him the 32nd member of Congress to endorse the Missouri Democrat.
Gephardt has collected more congressional endorsements so far than any other candidate seeking the Democratic nomination.
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