Ralph Nader insists he won't be an election spoiler in 2004. Yet straight off the heels of the Naderites' Arizona antics, the Associated Press reports that in Oregon, the conservative groups Citizens for a Sound Economy and Oregon Family Council have been phoning supporters and encouraging them to show up to a Nader rally this Saturday intended to get Nader on the ballot. You can see the script CSE's phonebankers used here. Nader needs 1,000 signatures of registered voters to qualify for the November ballot, and Oregon's right appears mobilized to assist him. Oregon Republicans aren't even pretending what their motives are: "'We aren't bashful about doing it,' said Mike White, [the Oregon Family Council's] director. 'We are a conservative, pro-family organization, and Bush is our guy on virtually every issue.'"
Reaction from the Nader campaign? "The head of Nader's Oregon campaign, Greg Kafoury, said he's had no contact with the two conservative groups that have been calling people this week. But he said he's not bothered by their actions, either." But there's talk that Nader made an appearance on Lars Larson's right-wing talk show today asking Oregonians to attend the rally and sign the petition. Guest host Victor Bok apparently also asked Oregon conservatives to help get Nader on the ballot to take liberal votes from Kerry in November. Go team.
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