BOULDER — Chanting “Run, Ralphie, Run,” about a thousand people came to the home campus of the CU Buffalos tonight to see a different Ralph.
This Ralph was Ralph Nader. And the five-time candidate for President made his message loud and clear.
“The Democrats take your vote for granted,” Nader said during the rally at Glenn Miller Ballroom, which lasted about an hour and a half.
The indepedent candidate talked about health care, the current economy and several Colorado ballot measures that his campaign supports, including Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57, calling them “pro-worker measures.”
Much of the night was spent in criticizing the media that he says has left him out and criticizing his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama.
“Prepare to be seriously disappointed in the election of Barack Obama,” Nader said, callingObama’s bid as “an unprecedented upward career move.”
“He, along with (John) McCain, never mentions the poor, only the ‘middle class,'” Nader said. “When is the breaking point?”
Sara Fruman, 18, is a freshman at CU, who has already cast her ballot for the elections.
The international affairs major, a registered independent, said she voted for Obama.
“He’s the better choice of the three,” Fruman said.
Fruman also said she came to the rally because she was interested to see Nader, and left early that night feeling assured she voted the right way.
“His politics are way too radical and I completely disagree with his foreign policy,” Fruman said. “I’d vote for John McCain over him,”
On campus, the Native American Law Students Association is an unofficial sponsor of the rally, due to University restrictions.
Assocation president Jay Harris, a third-year law student, said not all of the association members are on board with Nader there was interest because”he talks with substance about the need for reform.”
