red states rule
05-29-2009, 06:36 AM
I would not be surprised if this story turns out to be true, and McAuliffe is not calling him a liar
Nader: McAuliffe Offered Money To Avoid Key States in '04 Race
RICHMOND, May 28 -- Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader went public Thursday with an allegation that Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe offered his campaign money to stay off the ballot in key states during the 2004 elections -- a disclosure timed to raise questions about McAuliffe's fitness for public office
"Terry McAuliffe is slipperier than an eel in olive oil," Nader said in an interview.
He said McAuliffe, who was the Democratic National Committee chairman at the time, had offered Nader's campaign an unspecified amount of money, believed to be party funds, to spend in 31 states in exchange for an agreement to withdraw from 19 battleground states where he could potentially hurt Democrat John Kerry.
The allegation -- which McAuliffe has not disputed -- is the latest attempt to suggest that the candidate's lengthy career as a confidant to President Bill Clinton and top party fundraiser could now be a political liability. McAuliffe's aides countered that any effort he made to thwart Nader might actually play well with party loyalists.
"It looks like Ralph Nader misses seeing his name in the press," said Elisabeth Smith, McAuliffe's spokeswoman. "Terry's focused on talking with Virginians about jobs, not feeding Ralph Nader's ego."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052803823.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Nader: McAuliffe Offered Money To Avoid Key States in '04 Race
RICHMOND, May 28 -- Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader went public Thursday with an allegation that Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe offered his campaign money to stay off the ballot in key states during the 2004 elections -- a disclosure timed to raise questions about McAuliffe's fitness for public office
"Terry McAuliffe is slipperier than an eel in olive oil," Nader said in an interview.
He said McAuliffe, who was the Democratic National Committee chairman at the time, had offered Nader's campaign an unspecified amount of money, believed to be party funds, to spend in 31 states in exchange for an agreement to withdraw from 19 battleground states where he could potentially hurt Democrat John Kerry.
The allegation -- which McAuliffe has not disputed -- is the latest attempt to suggest that the candidate's lengthy career as a confidant to President Bill Clinton and top party fundraiser could now be a political liability. McAuliffe's aides countered that any effort he made to thwart Nader might actually play well with party loyalists.
"It looks like Ralph Nader misses seeing his name in the press," said Elisabeth Smith, McAuliffe's spokeswoman. "Terry's focused on talking with Virginians about jobs, not feeding Ralph Nader's ego."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/28/AR2009052803823.html?hpid=moreheadlines