In a wide ranging interview with the Rocky Mountain News Independent presidential candidate accused Barack Obama of downplaying poverty issues, trying to “talk white” and appealing to “white guilt” during his presidential run.

Nader was asked if Obama is any different than Democrats he has criticized in the past, considering Obama’s pledge to reject campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.

“There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American,” Nader said. “Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn’t want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We’ll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards.”

Asked to clarify whether he thought Obama does try to “talk white,” Nader said: “Of course.

“I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law,” Nader said. “Haven’t heard a thing.”

Nader was widely credited with siphoning enough votes in Florida during the 2000 presidential election to tip the state to George Bush sending him to the White House.  Since then Nader has seen his popularity fall but it hasn’t stopped him from being a pain in the rear end to the Democratic party and this latest attack is no different.  Even though Nader isn’t a credible threat to Obama, he is a distraction and one that the campaign would rather not have.

 

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