Kerry, Nader meet for talk about ‘human race’

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kerry met privately Wednesday afternoon with Ralph Nader, whose independent bid for the White House threatens to peel crucial liberal votes away from the Democratic presidential candidate in November.

The two men met for 70 minutes in Kerry’s campaign headquarters in Washington. Nader left through a basement exit without addressing a throng of reporters. A spokesman said the consumer activist was concerned about a lack of security. In a statement his campaign issued after the two men huddled, Nader said “the purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues of interest to the daily lives of the American public – to put the focus on the human race, not the presidential horse race.”

Nader and Kerry discussed three issues: ending corporate welfare, supporting trade unions and cracking down on corporate crime, the statement said. They did not discuss the Iraq war.

Nader’s statement said that they “agreed that it would be useful to continue to stay in communication and stay in touch.”

Nader emphasizes a speedy withdrawal from Iraq, and Kerry strategists worry that message could catch on as Iraq descends into chaos and President Bush’s approval ratings fall. Kerry advocates getting more international help into Iraq, but he also has said that he would support sending more U.S. troops if needed to stabilize the country, a position that is disappointing to antiwar Democrats.

A senior Kerry aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the meeting was cordial and that the Massachusetts senator did not ask Nader to quit the race.

“Nader basically made the same argument that you have heard him make publicly many times, that he believes he is helping John Kerry by doing this, that he can provide a sharper counterpoint for Bush, and that the Democratic Party over the last 10 years has been too corporatist,” said the Kerry aide. “And John Kerry said, ‘Don’t judge me by the people who preceded me.’ ”

Democrats have clamored for Nader to drop out of the race, convinced that his presence risks re-electing Bush. Many in the party hold the gadfly consumer activist responsible for the defeat of former Vice President Al Gore in 2000. Nader won more than the Republican’s margin of victory, likely tipping the election to Bush, in important states such as New Hampshire and Florida.