One expects Ralph Nader to say things like, “there’s no difference between Democrats and Republicans,” which is a really crazy statement for someone to continue to say after the eight years we’ve had. One also expects Nader to say some things that a lot of liberals might agree with. But now it seems we should expect Ralph Nader to say things like this:

There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white?

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Ralph Nader officially threw his hat in the presidential campaign on Meet The Press yesterday. Most of you remember the horrific 2004 election, when Nader caught heat for sapping Democratic votes from John Kerry. Nader's certainly aware of those critiques, but insists that his candidacy should not spell doom for the Democrats. And, if it does, that's their problem: "if Democrats can't landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just wrap up, close down, emerge in a different form." Democratic front runner Barack Obama doesn't seem to agree, saying: "…His function as a perennial candidate is not putting food on the table of workers." Obama also had harsh words for Nader's 2000 comparison of George W. Bush and Al Gore: "Eight years later, people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about.” Yes, but if Nader hasn't learned his lesson, we have a feeling a lot of his historical supporters haven't either…

Ralph Nader just can't quit ruining presidential races. The politico launched an exploratory committee to test the electoral waters. He gets an 'A' for tenaciousness, but a big fat 'F' for pragmatism.