Monday June 26 8:22 AM ET

Green Party Nominates Ralph Nader for President

By Judith Crosson

DENVER (Reuters) - The U.S. Green Party overwhelmingly nominated consumer advocate Ralph Nader as their presidential candidate on a platform of protecting the environment and giving more power to working people.

``The plight of labor in this country has to become a front-burner issue,'' Nader told about 800
people in a crowded hotel room in an acceptance speech that lasted 1-3/4 hours.

He joked with reporters later that without the applause the speech was really an hour Sunday.

While given no realistic chance of making it to the White House, he is seen as potentially luring Democrats away from Vice President Al Gore's bid for the presidency. But in his acceptance speech Nader suggested Green Party values might play well across the political spectrum.

``Let us not in this campaign prejudge any voters, for Green values are majoritarian values,'' he said.

In a later interview with reporters, Nader argued his campaign offers much to conservatives.

``They get upset about corruption and waste. They certainly don't like loss of sovereignty with WTO (World Trade Organization), for example, and NAFTA (North American Free Trade
Agreement),'' he said.

As president, he would give notice that trade pacts such as NAFTA would be renegotiated so that environmental, labor or consumer issues were under separate treaties, he said.

Drug Use A Health Issue

Nader said illegal drug use should be viewed in terms of health, noting that calls for decriminalizing drugs come from the left and the right.

Nader's acceptance speech was a laundry list of what he called corporate abuses. He railed against big banks, the weapons industry, timber companies, the coal industry and corporations
that are turning children into television ``gazers and spectators.''

Nader easily clinched the nomination, winning 320 delegate votes against a handful for his opponents who included punk rocker Jello Biafra, lead singer for The Dead Kennedys.

He plans to campaign hard in California, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, New England and in Texas, where he predicted he would give the Democratic Party ``a jolt.''

He is running at about 4 percent in national polls, but said his support in California is much higher. He described his biggest challenge as finding non-voters and said the party's Web page will dedicate a section to them.

He has a war chest of $900,000, expects another $300,000 soon and aims for $5 million. The 66-year-old bachelor, known for his frugal lifestyle, said the money he spends will go far.

Demand For Third-Party Debate Participation

Nader, a long-time consumer advocate who cut his teeth fighting the automobile industry for improved safety, called on Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the presumptive Republican nominee, and Gore to issue a joint demand to the Commission on Presidential Debates to let third-party candidates take part.

``Why are these two men afraid? They should overcome their fear of facing new ideas and alternative voices, and open the process for the American people,'' Nader said.

The Green Party has sued the commission to be able to take part in the upcoming presidential debates before the November election.

Not shy about addressing the gap between rich and poor, Nader said it is time to reverse ``the upward redistribution of wealth'' that he said has left the top 1 percent of the nation holding as much wealth as the ``bottom 95 percent.''

The Green Party on Saturday adopted a platform advocating greater protection for the environment, an end to child poverty and health care reform.