NY Times Covers Nader Campaign

James Dao of the Grey Lady gives a pretty even-handed report.

Mr. Nader intends to remain a thorn in Mr. Gore's side by promoting causes that many liberals, large numbers of whom chose Bill Bradley in the Democratic primaries, say the Clinton administration has lacked the will to see through: universal health care, the environment, campaign finance reform and an attack on urban poverty.

And unlike Mr. Bradley, Mr. Nader is a fierce opponent of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, endearing him to traditionally Democratic union members who feel that the administration's free-trade policies have hurt American workers.

As evidence that this year will be different from 1996, Mr. Nader says he has hired 15 full-time campaign workers in Washington and will soon dispatch 10 others, perhaps former Bradley campaign organizers among them, to get the Green Party on the ballot in every state. (The party is already on the ballot in 13 states, including New York and California.)

He has also vowed to raise $5 million, and says he may get help from celebrities like Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Susan Sarandon, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and the Indigo Girls. His first major fund-raising event, in Washington tonight, drew 300 people, who paid $25 to $1,000 each, adding to the $210,000 or so that the candidate's aides said they had already raised.