Ralph Nader, Green Party candidate for president, crashed the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia as Dick Cheney, the running mate of George W Bush, was making his speech to the delegates.  Nader was smuggled in on a Democracy Now! journalists pass to provide political commentary. Dozens of bored journalists mobbed Nader as he spoke with delegates from Arkansas to New York and even Governor Ryan of Illinois. Watch The Exclusive Video Online Now! or Listen To The Real Audio at democracynow.org  

Transcript of Democracy Now Ralph Nader RNC Convention Hall Tour Segment 

Crowd: go bush go go bush go go bush go Delegate1: Are you running for office here, Ralph Nader? Ralph Nader: How are you doing? Delegate1: Paul Greenberg is my name, from Arkansas, are you going to campaign in Arkansas? You already have campaigned in Arkansas.  Ralph: Yeah, I've been in Arkansas.  I've been to all fifty states. Delegate1:   I hear you're very strong in the west. Delegate2: Mr. Nader, good luck to you, happy to hear your messages. Ralph: Well thank you. Delegate3: Most people are gonna see you on prime time on the network coverage.  What impression are they going to walk away with from the conventions, or are they gonna buy the Republican line, all the diversity economically and racially? Ralph: I think a lot of people look at it as political entertainment, a lot of mutual backslapping, a lot of corporate promotion, a lot of hot air politicians.  And that's unfortunate, because that leads to a cynicism.  When they see someone like Senator John McCain who stood for political reform in the primaries, suddenly morph himself into George W. Bush.  The man he thought stood directly contrary to his views on campaign finance reform?  That's what leads people to be cynical to drop out and to not vote.  And we're trying to bring them back into the political process, with the new green party and our candidacy. Delegate4: Do you know we're from New Jersey and you're going to lose big time.  But good luck to you pal. Ralph: Hey, wait a minute, you wouldn't want that, would you?  Delegate4: We would love it.  We would want it with a passion. Ralph: What party do you think i represent? Delegate4: You represent the party of your own twisted ideas. Delegate5: I read your book on tort reform. Amy Goodman: Are you a delegate? Delegate5:   I am. Amy: From where? Delegate5:   Syracuse, New York.  John D. Francis, I'm a state senator. Amy: What do you think of Ralph Nader? John: I think he's adding some perspective to this convention, I think you should read some of his books, I'm still a die-hard Republican for Bush but there's some thoughts that should be out there. Amy: Why do you support Bush? John: Because I think Bush is gonna win and I think he's gonna bring some integrity to the national picture.  I just think the little guy's at a disadvantage, as far as bringing a lawsuit. The large companies have the advantage of large dollars to fund lawsuits to defeat legitimate claims. Amy: Ralph Nader, what about GW's approach to tort reform? Ralph: Well, he's contrary to this delegate state senator from New York, he wants to make it more difficult to erect more barriers for wrongfully injured Americans to have their full day in court against the companies whose dangerous or defective products harm them.  And I think that's one of the few differences between the Republicans and the Democrats. Amy: Do you want to go into one of the hospitality suites?  This is the Eagles Majority Fund Hospitality Suite Hosted by US Airways. Ralph: I'm a customer of U.S. Airways. Guard: This is a private party, press is not allowed. Ralph: I'm a regular flyer of U.S. Airways. Guard: This is a private party, no comment, no comment. Ralph: That's not a good way to treat their frequent flyer customers.  Would you feed that back to them? Amy: Years ago Congress passed a law that allows that the money that is poured into these conventions does not have to be revealed for a number of months afterwards, when people don't care anymore. Ralph: Well that's another collusive practice by Congress by refuting the people's right to know in a timely fashion.  It's bad enough that these conventions are funded with thirteen-and-a-half million dollars each with taxpayer's money.  The reason why Congress provided that in one of it's better moments is that it wanted political conventions to be civic activities.  Not to be activities reliant on oil, insurance, banking, drug, tobacco and other money.  And what the two parties have done, both, Republican and Democrat, they're taking thirteen-and-a-half million dollars of taxpayer money, they're turning around and literally selling these conventions and almost every square foot to corporate contributors and corporate logos and corporate promotions.  That I think is a betrayal of the spirit if not the letter of the law that was passed almost 25 years ago. Amy: The biggest contributors to the Republican party Phillip Morris, other major contributors, Enron, Microsoft, can you talk about these companies?  Can you talk about these companies? Ralph: Well, they want something in return . They want non-enforcement of the laws, lax enforcement of the antitrust laws.  And no law and order for the polluters.  I mean, that's what they're buying.  The big business wants three things from Washington: they want government contracts, lax enforcement of the
laws, regulatory laws, and they want huge gobs of corporate subsidies, handouts, giveaways, and bailouts.  And they're willing to pay for that.  They pay one hundred dollars down and they get thousands of dollars in return. Amy: I spoke with the R.N.C. chair and asked him about this money, and he said businesses have a right to advertise. Ralph: Well, they don't have a right to corrupt.  And this is about as close as combination of a politician shaking down business interests and business interests paying off politicians.  And in private they both grumble about it, but they both say that's the way the system works and they're not gonna unilaterally disarm.   That's not good enough for the American people.  They've got to clean up politics show self-restraint, and go forward as if people matter, because the people are sovereign over the corporations, the corporations are not sovereign over the people. Suit:  Free speech Mr. Nader, free speech for corporations. Ralph: Really? Suit:  Yes, are we not entitled to that? Ralph: I'm not aware that Congress provided all these rights to corporations. Delegate1: What do you hope to accomplish coming in here? Ralph: Well, I wanted to observe the thing in action.  It's hard to believe when you see it recorded.  You have to see it to believe it.  I mean, this is the most spectacular display of political cash register politics with corporate fat cats in the history of the country.  And it's always good to see the state of the art, shamelessly paraded on national TV. Amy: What's your message for the delegates here? Ralph: My message is to go home and rethink what they're doing to the country when they sell politics to corporate fat cats in return for political favors.  And that's what I say to the Democrats as well.  My democracy's being hijacked by large commercial interests against the interests of everyday people.  And we've got to have political reform in this country.  I'm very sorry to see John McCain who had millions of supporters, standing for political reform, more himself than to G.W. Bush today. Delegate2: Sir, some stations are saying seven or eight percent, would you be the spoiler if this race is close? Ralph: You can't spoil a political system that's spoiled to the core. We need a new political reform movement in this country and it's not gonna come from the Democratic or Republican parties. Amy: What about the political debates, Ralph Nader?  Are you gonna be included and what are you going to do about that? Ralph: Public opinion is burgeoning in favor of a four-way debate with me, Buchanan, Bush and Gore.  I think that's what the American people want.  They want more choice, they want exciting debates, they don't want to fall asleep in front of the TV set watching the drab debate the dreary. Delegate3: What role are you playing tonight?  What are you doing? Ralph: Well, Wall Street is closed tonight. Amy: Mr. Nader, this is a delegate from Florida. Delegate3: Yes I am.  Well I am for Bush, but I have to tell you that my brother that lives in New York City is going to vote for you. Ralph:     Well you have a very smart brother.  Thank you. Delegate3: Oh!  He has a smart sister, too, but it's wonderful seeing, wait till I tell him I saw you. Ralph:     Well a lot of people here agree with some of my positions.  Ending corporate subsidies, opposing the commercialization of childhood, exploiting commercially little children.  And I think they'd like to see a government that's accountable. Crowd: Go bush go Go bush go Go bush go [cheers] Amy:   And what do you think of these reactions clearly designed to drown you out? Ralph: I think they're having a good time.  They get a little bored after a while.  And when they see someone come in from, shall we say, outside they get a little excited.  They're having a good time. Security: How did you get on the floor? Ralph: I was invited by members of the press. Security: You're more than welcome to stay in the building, they just don't want you on the floor without a floor credential. Ralph: Are you with the RNC?  What's your name? Security: I'm just giving you my message. Ralph: Are you sure that you're authorized to do this?  Well how can I refer to you?  If I'm challenged. Security: Because you have my word on it. Ralph: I have to say somebody.  He prefers anonymity Delegate4: It's a free country, but this is a Republican convention, he's invading it.  He's not a Republican, he's not a part of the convention.  I'm sure he's not officially credentialed. Amy: So Ralph, you were just on the floor of the Republican National Convention, Cheney is going to be speaking, George Bush is being nominated tonight.  What are your comments on George W. Bush of Texas? Ralph: I think he's a conglomerate corporation, running for President, disguised as a person.  I don't think there's ever been a candidate since McKinley who represents big business so faithfully, and tries to manipulate images in order to appear like he's for the people. Amy:   Ralph Nader tonight you have gone onto the convention floor, Dick Cheney is now speaking, the vice presidential nominee, and C.E.O. of Halburton, the largest oil services company in the world, also former Secretary of the Defense.  What about that combination of military and corporation? Ralph: I think he's going to represent big business, he comes from big business, he's just displayed some of the forked tongue rhetoric of the republicans by saying, "no more shirking our duties to the elderly."  Does that mean he's going to have tough government Medicare negotiations to bring down drug prices?  Is he going to protect social security?  Or is he going to turn the billions in Social Security over to Wall Street and the big supporters of the Republican Party to invest in, and destabilize Social Security?  And is he going to protect the elderly from all these consumer scams?  So you see, it's just rhetoric, you know, they're telling people what they want to hear, but they're not giving people what people want them to deliver.  And that's a forked-tongued politics based on cash register symbiosis with big business interests.  And that's why people are so cynical and that's why over half the people don't even bother voting, because it's a pox on both your houses. Amy:   What about investing Social Security in the stock market? Ralph: No. Social Security should remain Social Security.  It should not be destabilized, it should not be Social in Security, it should not have huge commission and brokerage costs.  If the government wants to set an independent retirement security fund, it should be set up outside of Social Security. There has to be one thing that's certain, safe, and inflation indexed when people retire, and that's Social Security, as it has been since then 1930s. Amy:   Are you concerned that the top two people on the Republican ticket are both oilmen, we're talking about George Bush and Dick Cheney. Ralph: Well, that certainly doesn't spell good news for millions of motorists who want reasonable prices at the gas pumps, because the oil companies make more money when the prices go up, and they've got their two men heading for the White House unless some of the voters get together to stop them and support a new progressive political movement.