For someone who captured all of 0.38 percent of the popular vote in 2004 presidential election, Ralph Nader still manages to command a disproportionate amount of media attention.

One needs to look no further than yesterday morning, when the producers of "Meet The Press" cleared some prime Sunday morning real estate with Tim Russert for Mr. Consumer Advocate to announce that he's running yet again for president.

It's rhetorical to even ask whether, say, the Libertarian Party candidate would have been afforded the same cherished media platform, but it's not as outlandish as it sounds. Nader received 465,650 votes in 2004. Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik received 397,265 votes, or about 0.32 percent.

Eight years after the fact, the Nader brand still resonates in large part due to the popular belief that he alone is the reason we aren't nearing the end of the Al Gore presidency. Paradoxically, Nader manages to keep this belief alive by continuing to deny it, saying that Democrats have only themselves to blame for the 2000 debacle.

We could talk all day long about whether or not Nader is to blame for two terms of George W. Bush, but it's counterproductive and, honestly, irrelevant. But it's also the only hook Nader has at this point, and the media continues to let itself be snagged. Nearly all of today's stories about Nader make note of the 2.8 million votes he won as the Green Party's candidate in 2000. Only a couple note the 1.4 million fewer votes he won four years later as an independent.

It's almost as if 2004 didn't happen. Nader, who turns 74 this week, hasn't done anything in the interim to convince us that 2008 will be anything different. In fact, we predict Nader checks in with less than 0.2 percent of the popular vote in November. Despite a well-intentioned platform, we don't see how Nader makes himself a relevant force in this race.

Neither Obama nor Clinton seem overly-concerned about yesterday's turn of events, and with good reason. Unless they let the media make it an issue, Nader is likely to remain a non-factor after today's news cycle comes to an end.

Despite all this, we still appreciate the work Nader has done on behalf of consumers and for the environment. The country needs more outspoken advocates like him. If the next president really wants to show some cajones, he or she will nominate Nader for HHS Secretary and assure themselves four years of entertaining cabinet meetings.

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written by Heather, February 26, 2008

Apologies for the lack of intelligent comments here...but is it just me, or does Nader look just like Mr. Bean in that picture?

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