By Manila Ryce
Published Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008, 2:21 pm
Filed under: Videos: Political, Videos, US Politics

13 Responses to “Three Way Presidential Debate - Obama, McCain, and Nader”

1. A sea change as citizens see their savings disappear.

   nader paul kucinich gravel
   Open the damn debates!
   mckinney ventura
   perot charts
   RATM

   Ron Ralph
   09/23/08 at 3:02 pm
   

2. Good job man! They would look like school children if Nader were to debate.

   artugon
   09/24/08 at 1:25 am
   

3. […] Manila Ryce put this together. Excellent work and shows those Big Two as the twins they are. […]

   Three Way Presidential Debate - Obama, McCain, and Nader « BuelahMan’s Redstate Revolt
   09/24/08 at 5:17 am
   

4. Excellent. Cross-posted.

   BuelahMan
   09/24/08 at 5:20 am
   
5. 

   Really, really good. Hunting down all of these perfectly juxtaposed clips must have taken forEVER. If you ever want to work as a researcher for the Daily Show, this is your application.

   evmonk
   09/24/08 at 8:51 am
   

6. I think we need to move towards a parliamentary system which would a) give us a chance to make lasting third parties and b) have more than just two Presidential candidates at a debate.

   Comrade Kevin
   09/24/08 at 9:26 am
   

7. Well, we can all really agree on this one, Obama and McCain are “twins”, they are exactly the same, it’s true. And Bush and Kerry were exactly the same, and Bush and Gore were exactly the same too. Let’s really pat ourselves on the back for this incredibly nuanced and imaginative message (”nailed it!”) in order to once again vote for Mr. Ralph Nader as President of the united states. Pardon the sarcasm but seriously, can’t we see that making the point that Obama and McCain are “the same” or “twins” will not work this election year, not because it is tired, but rather because it just is not thoughtful and nuanced enough of an argument. It’s an argument that is not entirely untrue, but it is also untrue enough that people feel it is manipulative. And to create one’s entire political platform on such a puritanical and oversimplifying statement that essentially says: “those guys are just the same, those two sell-outs” does not do a good enough of a job to speak to the many millions of individuals in america that one needs to garner votes from, in order to be president of the entire usa. Many millions of individuals that one most likely would not like to be in the same room with. Mr. Nader is running for the president of the usa…not just President of the few of us who read and post comments on this blog, right? Up your game Nader–more imaginative, more thoughtful, and yes, we do have to negotiate with adversaries (those we disagree with) if we want to represent them in political office.

   erik
   09/24/08 at 12:19 pm
   
8. 

   Hmm, I suppose I would agree with you Erik if the Nader campaign was really about winning the election, but I don’t believe it is. I doubt Ralph would say publicly “this isn’t about winning,” but I’m quite sure that privately he understands this very well. So in terms of actually getting into some political office, yes, the “they are twins” argument doesn’t help much, and is somewhat dull regardless; this video is an exception to the latter tendency. However, there is a lot more that goes into this kind of campaign, like raising public awareness, or simply testing the limits of the political system, so as not to miss an opportunity for great reforms. So it might be a “lost cause” as far as politics is concerned, but it may yield subtle benefits for society at large. And let’s not also forget the principle that “when the people are willing to lead, the leaders will follow.”

   But might this come at some cost? Maybe, and I don’t think I’ve heard a fully satisfying answer from Nader as to how he isn’t a “spoiler.” He’s answered the “why” quite well, by pointing out this double standard for who counts and who doesn’t count as a “spoiler,” but I haven’t been satisfied with any of the “how” answers I’ve heard so far. The office of the president is an immensely powerful position, and so I really am worried about giving another charter to the same guys who are pushing for the militarization of space (!!!!).

   Bernie
   09/24/08 at 10:38 pm
   

9. Bernie,

   I agree with your point that Nader is not interested in becoming elected president of the us, and that this may bring some good–that Mr. Nader is invested in as you have stated: “raising public awareness, or simply testing the limits of the political system, so as not to miss an opportunity for great reforms.” I don’t doubt the few of us that agree with Mr. Nader’s reform proposals witness these efforts and are able to nod our heads in agreement. If Mr. Nader truly wanted to become president of the entire usa he would work at negotiating with other americans, namely those who do not agree with his proposals for reform. That Mr. Nader does not negotiate (while continuing every four years to conjure up the oversimplifying declaration that Democrats and Republicans are the same), means that he does not truly want, or perhaps feel the need, to put himself in the room with adversaries because he is not interested in winning the election–besides demonstrating an unwillingness to work at actually turning a proposal for reform into legislation, it makes individuals understand him to be manipulative in the sense that he believes he is doing something ultimately good but at the cost of going about it in the wrong way (something that Bush does very well). Nader is a conversation non-starter because conversation requires one negotiate with the other. I always come back to wondering why Mr. Nader, or any other number of skilled and thoughtful individual who works for another political organization, does not run for a local, city, state elected position. Yes, alright, the Republicans and the Democrats are both *the same* corporate sell-outs, but at least they have worked for some time now at building constituents, a party infrastructure, and organized local and state relationships. Showing up every four years to sway the sands of time is an old game that smacks of delight in the entrenched role of the outsider, and it does not actually work to confront those individuals who need to hear that message of reform the most.

   erik
   09/25/08 at 12:37 am
   

10. Ha! I think he would love it if he were elected!! I know I sure would!

    Please open up the debates!

    I called this number for AT& T 1-800-283-6407 . It is the corporate number or something like that. I spoke to a very nice woman who said she is taking names of everone who calls in to ask that the debates be opened up to the 3rd parties.(Kind of like a poll) And if they get enough people call in they will seriously consider opening up the debates!!! AT&T is the big money Corporation that controls both the parties and they control and sponsor the debates. They make the rules on who can debate.

    So please help our constitutional right to freedom of choice, voice and information and call, Saying you want them to open up the debates to qualifying 3rd party candidates.

    No matter who you are voting for, this is a very important step in taking back America and making it for the people!!!!

    -Melissa

    Melissa Bonnette
    09/25/08 at 7:15 pm
    

11. Opens the old eye balls, to see the lights, before the truck runs us over. Great food for thought, we need to open the debates. Gravel was able to start with the Dems, when he called out the abuses of the Military complex. Hell, I will drop my AT&T phone line if it would help.

    Sound bite politics is getting quite stale.

    Leefeller
    09/30/08 at 10:48 am
    
12. 

    I’m all for open debates and I think Nader would compel the other candidates to address the problems being discussed here in this blog. However, if you don’t think there is any difference between Obama and McCain then I think you are wearing Nader-clouded glasses and can’t see beyond the end of the rims.
    Sorry but I think you Naderites are way off base. Every vote is crucial to taking the White House away from the party that has put this nation in the craphouse. Nader’s campaign may not be about winning but Obama’s and McCain’s are. So get a grip. One of those two are going to win. Make no mistake about it. I’ll call Melissa’s number. How about everybody else?

    Shenonymous
    09/30/08 at 2:24 pm
    

13. Barack John
    Left and rights of passage
    Black and whites of youth
    Who can face the knowledge
    that the truth is not the truth?
    Obsolete Absolute

    Ron Ralph
    Cruising under your radar
    Watching from the satellites
    Take a page from the red book
    and keep them in your sights
    Red alert Red alert

    paul nader vets united
    10/4/08 at 3:28 pm
    

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