Peter Miguel Camejo, running mate of Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, spoke to a packed crowd in the basement of the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute Tuesday night about what he called the “quandary” the American electorate faces in this year’s election.
Camejo, who also ran for governor of California from the Green Party in last year’s recall election, said his and Nader’s candidacy offeres an alternative from the “glaring similarities of corporate influence” between the Democrats and Republicans.
“This election is amazing because the overwhelming majority of the people who plan to vote for [democratic nominee John F.] Kerry don’t even agree with him,” said Camejo, who supports a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, universal health care and a $10 minimum wage. “For the first time, a majority of the electorate is hoping the candidate is lying about what he will do in office.”
Not all in the room were in agreement, however, as a number of the ever-present, often ignored democratic candidate Lyndon LaRouche supporters heckled Camejo on a number of occasions. At least three of the protesters were ejected and the police were called, though no arrests were made.
Always vocal on street corners, LaRouche’s followers were Kerry supporters on this night, claiming Nader’s candidacy only helped Bush. They compared the election to the fall of Athens, which fell victim to a divide and conquer strategy.
“If you’re doing something to help George W. Bush, you must have something wrong with you,” said senior political science major Alex Gerchu, who helped form a small demonstration outside the African-American Institute.
Camejo appeared visibly upset after the second heckler was led off.
“It’s enough they fight to take us off the ballot, enough they make up lies about how we are funded by Republicans,” he said, referring to ongoing democratic lawsuits arguing against Nader’s placement on the ballot.
Despite the suits, Nader is on the ballot in 37 states, but will not appear in Massachusetts. Nader has called for a write-in campaign among the dozen states in which he is not on the ballot.
Their candidacy is also being hit with criticism from many Democrats for allegedly taking campaign money from Republicans.
Camejo said they had received 4 percent of their funds from Republicans. A quarter of the votes Nader drew in 2000, he said, were Republican.
“The real problem is that Republicans aren’t funding a candidate they’re voting for,” he said, laughing to himself. “It’s amazing Democrats can level these claims considering all the campaign money they have taken from corporations, who are Republicans.”
Camejo’s claims that many Kerry supporters agreed with Nader on most issues appeared to hold up, judging from several of those in attendance at the speech. James Sargent, a first-year transfer student, said he agreed with Nader’s beliefs in changing the political direction of the country, but disagreed with Nader and Camejo’s methods.
“I think there’s a different way to accomplish a lot of the ideas [Camejo] talked about tonight,” said Sargent, a poltical science major. “Electing John Kerry will create an environment that will lead to a more liberal president next time.”
Camejo, who is also the first Latino vice presidential candidate, showed no patience with such arguments.
“The ‘Anybody But Bush’ people are ridiculous. You can’t even argue with these people. If Kerry gets elected and bombs six countries, they’d say Bush would bomb seven,” he said. “The real question is when we are going to reach the threshold – when we get a candidate like Ralph Nader – we know they don’t support bombing at all.”
