“At the Green Party nominating convention, delegates were evenly split between the nomination of David Cobb and the endorsement of Ralph Nader. So-called ‘no nominee’ delegates broke in Cobb’s favor, securing him and running mate Pat LaMarche the nomination in the second round of voting. The group was swayed by Cobb’s dual goals of defeating Bush through his ‘safe states strategy’ while simultaneously fostering grassroots growth. A ‘safe states strategy’ entails prioritizing campaign activities in those states where either the Democratic or Republican nominee is the clear favorite.”
Many, like myself, are heaving a sigh of relief that the Greens, albeit by the slimmest of margins, have recognized their pivotal responsibility in defeating Bush this time around. It truly is a decision in the interests of the future of the Green Party. Going with Nader’s misguided self-centered hubris would have been the party’s last gasp of credibility with most of the progressive voting bloc, I am convinced.
