"Don't Vote for Nader, Vote for Gore: Environmentalists, Gay Rights Activists, and Abortion Rights Advocates Rally Against Ralph Nader"

Strategic Insights -

A five-state tour aimed at persuading Ralph Nader voters to reconsider their support for the Green Party nominee has kicked off, highlighting the growing concern among liberal and progressive groups that a vote for Nader could tip the presidency to George W. Bush. The tour, featuring rock stars and prominent activists, argues that Al Gore's vice presidency is vastly preferable to a Bush presidency on environmental, gay rights, and abortion rights issues. Speakers emphasized the potential harm that a Bush presidency could bring, including severe harm to the environment, women's rights, and basic civil rights.

Key Takeaways:

  • The five-state tour, led by groups like the Human Rights Campaign and the Sierra Club, aims to persuade Nader voters to reconsider their support for the Green Party nominee.
  • Speakers at the rallies emphasized the potential harm that a Bush presidency could bring, including severe harm to the environment, women's rights, and basic civil rights.
  • Abortion rights leaders expressed dismay at Ralph Nader's comments on the ABC News program "This Week," in which he implied that a Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade might not be that detrimental.
  • Alice Germond, vice president of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, warned that Bush appointees to the Supreme Court could help eliminate abortion rights in state after state.
  • Speakers like Denis Hayes, chairman of the first Earth Day, and Robert Cox, president of the Sierra Club, drew parallels between the 1968 election and the current presidential race, emphasizing the importance of voting against a third-party candidate who could help deliver the White House to a conservative.
  • Several speakers, including Joe Katroscik, a Nader supporter, argued that a Bush victory could invigorate a "true progressive movement" in the country, despite concerns about the potential harm that it could bring.

Statistics:

  • The tour will visit five states, including New Mexico, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Washington.
  • The Human Rights Campaign is the nation's largest organization of gay men and lesbians, with a membership of over 500,000.
  • The Sierra Club has over 750,000 members and is one of the oldest and largest environmental organizations in the United States.
  • According to Alice Germond, a reversal of Roe v. Wade could lead to the elimination of abortion rights in state after state where legislatures would vote against them.

Sources:

  • "The New York Times", October 26, 2000
  • ABC News program "This Week", October 22, 2000