Corporate Front Group Supporting Ralph Nader

Citizens for a Sound Economy, a right-wing corporate front group opposed to everything Ralph Nader has struggled for, is working hard to help his 2004 presidential campaign in an effort to defeat John Kerry. "'Ralph Nader is undoubtedly going to pull some very crucial votes from John Kerry, and that could mean the difference in a razor-thin presidential election,' reads a script used by Citizens for a Sound Economy in its phone calls [to Republicans in the state of Oregon]. 'Can we count on you to come out on Saturday night and sign the petition to nominate Ralph Nader?' Russ Walker, state director of Citizens for a Sound Economy ... said the idea of helping Nader has been widely discussed among conservative groups and activists in Oregon. 'It's definitely an interesting scenario,' Walker said. 'We don't agree with Ralph Nader's positions on the issues - he's socialistic and we're free marketers. ... We think he'll take some of the more extreme votes from the other side.'"