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Ripe for Leftist Challenge, Nader Describes Clinton as 'Poster Child for Military-Industrial Complex'
Nader says Democrats are weak because their most powerful, progressive voices are afraid to challenge the corporate-dominated centrists of the party
Jul 30, 2013
In an interview for MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown" on Monday, Ralph Nader urged progressive Democrats to break ranks and challenge Hillary Clinton in the upcoming presidential race of 2016--lamenting that the former Secretary of State is once again emerging as the "inevitable" candidate because the left in the country has lost its "movement sensibilities."
"Somebody must challenge from the left, because, I mean, Hillary Clinton, who started out as a progressive out of Yale Law School and Wellesley, she's become almost the poster child for the military-industrial complex," Nader stated.
"She hugs Kissinger. She hobnobs with Bob Rubin and the Wall Street crowd," Nader told host Chuck Todd. "I mean it's almost a caricature. But you know on social issues, like pro-choice, children's issues, you know she keeps that liberal sheen."
Nader warned that elected officials on the left have lost their bargaining power because they have failed to challenge establishment Democrat practices.
"The problem with progressives in the Democratic Party is--they're hanging on. There is Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders--but they're fairly marginalized. They're not in the center because they don't threaten to break. The right wing does threaten to break sometimes," Nader explained.
More progressive members of Congress and more liberally-minded Democrats, said Nader, "are very skittish about challenging the dominant players in their party."
Nader was also critical of President Obama, who he says has done little to help average workers or lift up organized labor.
"[Obama] doesn't like to associate with organized labor," Nader said. "He walked across Lafayette Park over a year ago to pay homage to the Chamber of Commerce. He didn't go around the corner to meet with representatives of 13 million workers. Isn't that strange for a Democratic president?" Nader said.
With Obama leading and Clinton waiting in the wings, the Democratic party, says Nader, has failed to challenge the nature of the dangerous relationship between powerful military contractor and elected officials while forgoing its obligation to address the serious problems plaguing the country, including a devastated working class and an economy dominated by elite interests over the needs of the poor.
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msnbcralph naderhillary clintonmilitary-industrial complexelizabeth warrenelection 2016sherrod brownbernie sanders
In an interview for MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown" on Monday, Ralph Nader urged progressive Democrats to break ranks and challenge Hillary Clinton in the upcoming presidential race of 2016--lamenting that the former Secretary of State is once again emerging as the "inevitable" candidate because the left in the country has lost its "movement sensibilities."
"Somebody must challenge from the left, because, I mean, Hillary Clinton, who started out as a progressive out of Yale Law School and Wellesley, she's become almost the poster child for the military-industrial complex," Nader stated.
"She hugs Kissinger. She hobnobs with Bob Rubin and the Wall Street crowd," Nader told host Chuck Todd. "I mean it's almost a caricature. But you know on social issues, like pro-choice, children's issues, you know she keeps that liberal sheen."
Nader warned that elected officials on the left have lost their bargaining power because they have failed to challenge establishment Democrat practices.
"The problem with progressives in the Democratic Party is--they're hanging on. There is Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders--but they're fairly marginalized. They're not in the center because they don't threaten to break. The right wing does threaten to break sometimes," Nader explained.
More progressive members of Congress and more liberally-minded Democrats, said Nader, "are very skittish about challenging the dominant players in their party."
Nader was also critical of President Obama, who he says has done little to help average workers or lift up organized labor.
"[Obama] doesn't like to associate with organized labor," Nader said. "He walked across Lafayette Park over a year ago to pay homage to the Chamber of Commerce. He didn't go around the corner to meet with representatives of 13 million workers. Isn't that strange for a Democratic president?" Nader said.
With Obama leading and Clinton waiting in the wings, the Democratic party, says Nader, has failed to challenge the nature of the dangerous relationship between powerful military contractor and elected officials while forgoing its obligation to address the serious problems plaguing the country, including a devastated working class and an economy dominated by elite interests over the needs of the poor.
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. He is the author of Migrant Justice in the Age of Removal. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
In an interview for MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown" on Monday, Ralph Nader urged progressive Democrats to break ranks and challenge Hillary Clinton in the upcoming presidential race of 2016--lamenting that the former Secretary of State is once again emerging as the "inevitable" candidate because the left in the country has lost its "movement sensibilities."
"Somebody must challenge from the left, because, I mean, Hillary Clinton, who started out as a progressive out of Yale Law School and Wellesley, she's become almost the poster child for the military-industrial complex," Nader stated.
"She hugs Kissinger. She hobnobs with Bob Rubin and the Wall Street crowd," Nader told host Chuck Todd. "I mean it's almost a caricature. But you know on social issues, like pro-choice, children's issues, you know she keeps that liberal sheen."
Nader warned that elected officials on the left have lost their bargaining power because they have failed to challenge establishment Democrat practices.
"The problem with progressives in the Democratic Party is--they're hanging on. There is Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Bernie Sanders--but they're fairly marginalized. They're not in the center because they don't threaten to break. The right wing does threaten to break sometimes," Nader explained.
More progressive members of Congress and more liberally-minded Democrats, said Nader, "are very skittish about challenging the dominant players in their party."
Nader was also critical of President Obama, who he says has done little to help average workers or lift up organized labor.
"[Obama] doesn't like to associate with organized labor," Nader said. "He walked across Lafayette Park over a year ago to pay homage to the Chamber of Commerce. He didn't go around the corner to meet with representatives of 13 million workers. Isn't that strange for a Democratic president?" Nader said.
With Obama leading and Clinton waiting in the wings, the Democratic party, says Nader, has failed to challenge the nature of the dangerous relationship between powerful military contractor and elected officials while forgoing its obligation to address the serious problems plaguing the country, including a devastated working class and an economy dominated by elite interests over the needs of the poor.
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