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Nader's Kucinich Dis Payback for 2004?

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BYGONES Dennis, Ralph (inset)
(Photo: Getty Images)
The endorsements flying around the Democratic presidential candidates this week are playing out like an incestuous, adulterous affair akin to the prom episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. Inevitably, this situation leaves some ugly-duckling politicians feeling alone and unwanted. And in the unloving triangle that is Ralph Nader, Denny Kucinich, and John Edwards, that person is Nader.

Early this week, Nader accused Hillary of being a "corporate democrat" and endorsed John Edwards, saying the handsome southerner was a "glimmer of hope." (That smile, those eyes, the hair!) But it seemed more a spiteful move than anything for Nader to choose Johnny Boy over former pal little Denny Kucinich. The Kucinich camp famously dropped the third-party Nader in the 2004 general elections, cowing to Democratic big wigs, and threw his (light) weight behind John Kerry.

Is Nader still sour at Kucinich over this betrayal? Hard to say. But, hey, who really wants a Nader endorsement these days anyway? Edwards isn't exactly glowing.

Kucinich has been breaking some hearts as well. Wednesday, he urged his flock to support Barack Obama in the Iowa caucus, in the likely event that he doesn't make the 15 percent needed to stay afloat—which he failed to do in that state in 2004. However, Kucinich cautioned that this was on "Iowa-only" policy and that he and Obama would go head-to-head in New Hampshire.

Who will be left standing as prom king—or queen—in Iowa Thursday? We're guessing even if it is Edwards, Nader will be somewhere far out of plain view, ignored and alone.

Neither Nader's nor Kucinich's campaign returned calls for comment.

Ralph Nader did not endorse John Edwards. Nader said Edwards was the best of the Democrats. This is a big difference, which Hailey Eber knew before he published this piece, because Nader's camp informed him by email.

Additionally, Kucinich did not "betray" Nader in 2004. Nader was running as an independent, so it's not accurate to say Kucinich, a Democrat who endorsed the Democratic candidate, "dropped the third-party Nader." (It's also not accurate to call an independent candidate a third-party candidate.)

Posted by: obh1 on January 3, 2008 2:42 PM

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