Dear Ralph: Please Don't Run

7:13 pm PDT, Oct 14, Robert Sheahen, California
Mr. Nader: The 200,000 lives you saved by making Detroit install seatbelts have been lost in Iraq. Along with Lieberman, Bush and Cheney, you have joined a very short list of the most vilified and despised men in America. Please go away.

I am supporting Senator Obama because I was teargassed many times fighting for civil rights. I'd like to think that all the swelling in my eyes was worth it.

4:57 pm PDT, Jul 8, Michael Cryer, Colorado
When you run you take away votes from the democratic candidate. Could you please sit this one out? Thank you.

1:30 pm PDT, Jun 17, Seth Stern, New Jersey

4:12 pm PDT, May 11, Jason Williams, Utah
Obama

6:10 pm PDT, May 10, Dorothy Townsend-Tyers, Washington
This year we need to win over McCain and your candidacy will probably just take votes away from the Demos. Maybe next time?

I am supporting whoever is the Democratic nominee.... I prefer Obama but think Hilary may have some awesome skills and political insight from her time as First Lady. And it's about time for a woman or a non-caucasian

9:01 pm PDT, Apr 10, Jean Tabin, Utah
You should know why its not the time...

democrat for now

1:13 pm PDT, Apr 5, Jacalyn Engler, North Carolina
Please use your skill to work against election fraud instead- WE have endured 7+ years of misery and are in a terrible downward spiral because of election FRAUD!!!! Your running before did NOT help that's for sure.

OBAMA 08 BUT don't let a ray of hope blind US to the painful issues such as election fraud. See uncounted the movie before it is too late.

1:59 pm PDT, Apr 1, Jean Tirado, Utah
I agree with Tom Calarco of Ohio that Nader had ulterior motives and he was payed by the golden boy Karl Rove in 2004 and by other guy in 2000 and I think Nader is an egomaniac and a spoiler that had intentions to hand John McCain the presidency in a silver platter

Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama

5:48 am PDT, Mar 30, Mary Jane Levine, Pennsylvania
Please don't enter the race! We cannot afford to lose any votes for a Democratic candidate, which is where your support lies. It is crucial for our country's future, socially, environmentally, and internationally, to take back the Whit House.

Barack Obama, a leader with a vision who has the potential to bring all Americans together to work for a better future. And yes, words do matter!

4:35 pm PDT, Mar 29, Joann Santos, New York

9:22 am PDT, Mar 27, Brad King, Florida

12:20 pm PDT, Mar 24, Name not displayed, New York

2:29 am PDT, Mar 24, Shannon Sultan, Wisconsin

4:43 pm PDT, Mar 21, Dan Bristol, California
Obama

9:50 am PDT, Mar 18, Holly Roberts, California
Noone is going to vote for that pityful fool.

Barack Obama HE goes for everything I stand for and it is time that we americans can see a person of a minorty in the office.

7:35 pm PDT, Mar 17, Gayle Tuch, North Carolina
I think he is muddying the waters. He isn't going to win and the only ones that will vote for him will not be voting republican. Thus, we potentially could end up with a Reublican in the White House for another 4 or 8 years.

Probably Obama

3:17 pm PDT, Mar 17, Emma Vinciguerra, Florida

2:39 pm PDT, Mar 16, Linda Ehrisman, California
Please don't pull votes from the Democratic candidate. I watched you on TV and I know you don't feel we are represented effectively. I know it's not perfect but we have a real chance this time if Barack Obama can win. I understand your feelings about two parties running things but for now it is the best we can do to beat the ones who have been in power for the last 8 years. This election is going to be very close and we need all progressive voters. Please, for the good of the country!

Barack Obama. I feel he is a fresh new type of candidate and will be able to offer real change unlike Hillary. She's far to ingrained into the "system" and a lot of people I know say they'll vote for anyone but her. (they are Independents or Dems)

12:39 pm PDT, Mar 13, BiLL Fowlie, Maine

5:21 am PDT, Mar 12, Marilyn M, New York
Because you ran in 2000, you decreased the lead that Al Gore had in what was clearly a race he had won and caused it to be a race that was determined by the Supreme Court. As a result we have had to endure 8 disastrous years with a lying, deceitful administration that has caused tremendous damage to Americans and Iraqis. If you do this again we might end up with McCain and it will be the same old, same old for the next 4 years. You have no chance of winning. Just endorse Obama and maybe you can be Vice President.

Barack Obama because he is competent, able, intelligent and will lead this country in the direction we need to go. He will bring back the respect we had before we lost it with Bush and his Cronies at the helm.

3:24 pm PDT, Mar 11, Kathleen Oliver, New Hampshire
Dear Mr. Nader, In the 60s and 70s, you were one of my heroes and I have abiding respect for your body of work. I listened to one of your recent interviews, and I can't say that I disagreed in essence with a lot of what you had to say. I also honor each person's right to raise funds and run for office. That is a high privilege, still, in this nation. However, at this point, in this election, there is a person who is inside the system, albeit new to the system, with the values and the judgment to help the country look again to our better selves. Your candidacy can destroy his chances and worst of all, potentially cause a candidate to win who would continue to use our precious human and financial resources in a useless, unjustified war. Can you be put your personal zeal and well-intentioned ambition aside to serve the greater need? Thank you.

After a careful and thorough analysis of the candidates, I declared for Barack Obama in September. I have been actively working on behalf of his candidacy ever since. I believe he has the combination of intelligence, judgment, compassion and skill to lead by example, to suggest and support programs that lift people up and hold us accountable, to work towards the conclusion of our involvement in an unjust war, to reassing our national and international priorities, to restoroing respect for the USA globally and to work for fair trade and just policies, for our own citizens and for citizens of the world, where it is responsible for us to do so.

8:06 am PDT, Mar 11, Tara Ivanovitch, Montana
I am supporting Obama or Clinton. We need to keep Mcain out of office.

11:07 pm PDT, Mar 10, Name not displayed, California
Enough is enough!

Obama!

5:05 pm PDT, Mar 10, Carla Corazzol, Michigan
If you stay off the ballot, it will help to unify progressives- giving them a better chance to have a voice.

Hillary Clinton. She can really help. We'd be lucky to have her as president.

3:24 pm PDT, Mar 10, JIM HEAD, Michigan
What are you really tring to do?You put Bush in the White House with the Flordia vote in 2000.Do you want McCain who will keep torture.

1:04 pm PDT, Mar 10, Deborah Sharpe, California

9:03 pm PDT, Mar 9, Susan Phoenix, Washington
I don't want you to dilute the Democratic vote and give the Republicans another win.

I like both Clinton and Obama and will support either candidate.

8:46 am PDT, Mar 9, Natalie Brundred, Michigan

10:27 pm PST, Mar 8, Bonnie Bright, Oklahoma
You are an inconsiderate boob. Why are you running for president? Are you so arrogant you have to run to get your opinions in? Why don't you run earlier?

Barack Obama. He BRILLIANT, that's why!

1:33 pm PST, Mar 8, Jeannine Jacobs, California
Dear Mr. Nader, Your work has been commendable, and I support your stand on slashing corporate welfare. Due to the desperate need to knock off McCain from the race, I would request that you pull out of the race. Your 12 or so percent of following may well unseat the next Democratic nominee. Even if it is Clinton, I do believe that her influence would be a far sight better than McCain's. I can see you gaining 14%, perhaps 30%, at best, but this would leave about 41% for Obama (or 30% for Clinton), and McCain would take it with 45% (or 40% with Clinton in). In any case, we can't afford to lose this race to a hawk, and lacky for the corps. We can work on corporate welfare through a better campaign finance reform (which Obama started/with McCain) moving into publicly financed elections, and with better laws against taxpayer insurance for companies overseas, restrictions on election code proprietary policies, limits on public financing of unsustainable infrastructure and limits on scale of facilities, as pig farms. God knows you would be better, but personality types, apparently, are the big draw, and health of the candidate is a big factor. I'm surprised McCain was tapped, but then again, they owed him, didn't they. Yes, the military is run by corporations with our money, and the sell of arms and oil seems to be our nation's tragic legacy. And our adolescent borrowing from the Orient and Arabia is crippling our country. We are now allowing foreign countries to invest !0% and greater in our nuclear industry. The oil will run out in ten years, at which time, much of this madness will heal itself. Enjoy your remaining years on this beautiful planet. 2012 is upon us. Jeannine Jacobs Earth Awake

I'm supporting Obama, because I trust he will be an able compromiser. I did not approve of his vote for military funding, though. I feel he will attend to New Orleans properly. I sense he will bring better diplomacy to the Middle East, and I hope that he will hold a tight leash on the corporations. I like his environmental policies, especially the development of training and infrastructure for the transition from oil-based industry to sustainable industries.

10:54 am PST, Mar 8, Hayley Burkland, North Dakota
Nader doesn't know what issues matter to me. He needs to check himself.

Obama, because so far he seems like the only candidate I can trust.

9:46 am PST, Mar 8, Sandra Laken, Maryland
While I deeply believe that you would make the most honorable president and have supported you in the past, I very respectfully encourage you to bow out of this race and throw your support and good counsel to Barak Obama who, among all of the remaining candidates, shows the apparent backbone necessary to withstand the pressures and demands of the corporate monsters who are destroying America and the world.

I am supporting Obama because I believe he has more integrity that the others and will make an honest effort to clean up the corruption that is American politics. I am very concerned that your running might make it possible once more to split the progressive vote and ensure victory for the Republicans once again.

4:17 pm PST, Mar 7, Roxie Schliesmann, Wisconsin

1:52 pm PST, Mar 7, Mary Pryde, California
You may be the best real choice for President, but you have no chance of winning. The most you can do is drive a wedge between parties. You have to agree that having ANY Democrat is much better than the Republicans. Please help by staying out of it.

I would be happy with either Hillary or Barack. Both of them on the ticket-and I don't care who is first-would be fine. I just hope that they don't go so negative on each other that they cost the Democrats the election in November. It's much too important that we have a Democrat in the White House.

5:38 pm PST, Mar 6, Lisa Hopkins, Pennsylvania

11:52 am PST, Mar 6, John Heywood, Missouri
I know your intentions are good, but they were also good in 2004 and look what happened: You drew votes away from Al Gore, thus propelling Bush back into the White House for another 4 disastrous years. We cannot afford for that to happen again. Young people see real hope in the current Democratic candidates and are turning out to vote in record numbers. You cannot possibly win the election, but you could conceivably be a spoiler again. Idealism is great, but don't martyr the rest of us in the name of your idealism. PLEASE don't run.

I will support whoever wins the Democratic nomination.

6:56 am PST, Mar 6, Pamela Palmateer, Indiana

2:04 am PST, Mar 6, Tere Magana, Oregon
This election is crucial for the future of our country. We must reverse the disastrous course that George Bush has set us on. It is critical for progressives to come together behind a candidate who can win in November. For this reason, I respectfully ask Ralph Nader to bow out of the race for president and support the best Democratic Party nominee.

I support Sen. Barak Obama. I could write a lot to express my reasons, but the most important one is that he has principles. A person withouth principles is worthless.

11:54 pm PST, Mar 5, Cristina Ramirez, California

7:23 pm PST, Mar 5, Laura Romage, Florida
Because of the way the American system is set up, no third party candidate will ever win. It will always be either a Dem or Rep. Please, Mr. Nader, even though you have some great ideas, please don't run...don't take Mr Obama's votes away!

Barack Obama-Too many reasons to list, but he is a class act and will represent a new America with dignity. I am tired of the hee haw mentality of Bush that is an extreme embarrassment to all Americans. I am sorry to say that Hillary Clinton is whiney and obnoxious and we don't need that any longer...we have had that for 8 years already!

6:52 pm PST, Mar 5, Linda Mauri, Florida
Dear Ralph, your principles may be right, but this system is not going to change overnight. If you really want to see any attempt at change then PLEASE do not run this year. I believe that no one in power ever dreamed that Barack Obama would do so well in this election. He really has a chance at winning this, however losing democratic votes is not what we need to get him in. With all due respect, please, please, please, don't run in 2008. Thank you for all of your efforts. Sincerely, Linda Mauri

I am supporting Barack Obama because a fresh perspective, energetic attitude and positive influence is needed in our government. Change is needed. Whether it will be allowed to occur... well, you know as well as anyone the obstacles that we face in government and politics. This country needs hope and a return to it's core values.

3:40 pm PST, Mar 5, Pamela Calhoun, Wisconsin

2:58 pm PST, Mar 5, Raymond Andrews, California

12:24 pm PST, Mar 5, Marian Koral, Pennsylvania
Mr. Nader, You are indirectly responsible for the lives lost in the Iraq War. Stop now. We need a Democrat in the White House.

I will support the Democratic nominee.

11:32 am PST, Mar 5, Patricia Major, California
I am convinced that Nader is being encouraged or coerced by someone who wants the Democrats to lose. I saw what effect he had on the last presidential race, and had the same feelings then. (What are they doing to you that is forcing you to sell out, Ralph? The only thing your running can do is to fragment the party.)

I'm supporting Obama, but anyone is better than McCain, so I'll support whomever is the Democratic candidate come election time.

10:49 am PST, Mar 5, Joanna Reynolds, New York
Please Nader, give Dems a chance!

10:45 am PST, Mar 5, Ruth Bromer, North Carolina
You were the main reason that the US is in the terrible situation that it is in now. If you hadn't run then Bush would not be in office destroying our country. If you run again, you will take progressive votes away from a good candidate who can win and bring us back.

I support Obama because we need a real change and someone who can do it and win.

1:09 am PST, Mar 5, Emmi Ollila, Finland
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3:56 pm PST, Mar 4, John Quintana, New Mexico
You played the spoiler role before and it got us Bush. It is only going to hurt the country.

I don't care who wins the Democartic nomination I will support either of the two. We can't afford another four year of Republican rule.

1:45 pm PST, Mar 4, Tom Calarco, Ohio
Because all Nader is doing is helping the cause of those who most strongly disagree with him. But I think he has ulterior motives ... he's getting paid by Republicans like he was in 2000 and 2004. The guy is a dishonest hypocrite.

Hilary or the Democratic nominee.

11:41 am PST, Mar 4, Nora Petersen, California
I will support whomever the Democratic nominee is.

10:43 am PST, Mar 4, Dewey Easton, Tennessee
You ruined one election, why would you ruin another one? You must not like a democratic America!

I am supporting any Democrat who runs.

9:26 am PST, Mar 4, Robert Reynolds, New York

9:25 am PST, Mar 4, Nicky Elizabeth, Maine

8:50 am PST, Mar 4, Edna Marshall, Texas
I just don't think he would make a good president and he is not serious about this. To me, he does it just to create chaos in an already tense situation.

I think Hillary has the know how, the experience and the knowledge to be president!

3:44 am PST, Mar 4, Alan Paradis, Connecticut
Another 4 years of the disasterous Bush policies would have real consequences for real people.

Barack is a good candidate and Hillary is not bad either and who in their right mind would do anything that might help McCain get elected ?

3:41 am PST, Mar 4, Juliana Farah, Lebanon

3:40 am PST, Mar 4, Steve Klein, Canada

2:21 am PST, Mar 4, Jon Iamartino, Connecticut
please not this time we have to play with the rules we have this is not the election to try and f with the system we need everyone behind one none gop candidate ! this is no time to fool around with political statements against the two party system! this time people are going do die if we lose . for gods sake please not this time my county is not a one i recognize anymore if the gop win i will renounce my citizenship and move back to my fathers country ! i cant have another gop government pilage the world in my name in my name

the dem that wins primary any non republican this time im not very picky

10:48 pm PST, Mar 3, John Espe, Washington
It is incomprehensible that Nader can call himself an advocate of the consumer aginst the greed of corrupt corporations. His running for president in 2004 resulted in 4 more years of the worst president this county has had in it's entire history. A president and a party who is in the pockets of big corporations and appoints lobbiests and lawyers from those industries to government agencies that are supposed to regulate the very same agencies they come from. Nader does not care for the cosnumer or the the little guy as he purports but is nothing more than a megalomaniac has been that hopefully will not cause another Republican to be put into office. This country, it's economy and it's status in the world has been damaged almost beyond repair by Bush and the Republican party. If Nader cared for this country and the people in it as he pertends he would not subject us to another loosing run for the Presidency that may result in Republican's still controlling the White house.

I am supporting Barack Obama for the Presidency. This is not about the first Black President or the first Women President. It is about who can win in November. Barack has proven that he can bring out the vote of those first time voters who are incensed at what Bush and the Republican party has done to this country and want change. Unfortunately for Hillary Clinton she is to much of a lightning rod and will do just the opposite. She will turn out all the right wing conservatives to vote for John McCain even though they do not favor him because they hate what she represents more.

10:19 pm PST, Mar 3, Kathleen Stewart, New York
Please do not take any votes away from the democratic party. Pleas do not run.

Hillary....she is most prepared.

9:44 pm PST, Mar 3, Name not displayed, Texas
don't be the spoiler again. we don't want you.