Ralph Nader Promotes Book, Bill Moyers for President on Today

NBC's Meredith Vieira played the role of disappointed Democrat on this morning's Today as she repeatedly asked Ralph Nader if he's worried he'll be remembered in history as Al Gore's "spoiler." On to promote his book The Seventeen Traditions, Nader deflected Vieira with his usual spiel about the need for more "progressive" voices in the process, even going as far to push for a Bill Moyers campaign. The following are all of Vieira's questions to the former Green Party candidate on the January 30th, Today.

Meredith Vieira: "Consumer rights activist, humanitarian, election spoiler. Ralph Nader has been called a lot of things during his remarkable career but now he's out with a new book called The Seventeen Traditions, about lessons that he learned during his childhood. He's also the subject of a new documentary called An Unreasonable Man, a profile which examines the charge that his presidential campaign cost Al Gore the election in 2000."

[Begin clip from documentary]

Jimmy Carter: "Go back to examining the rear end of automobiles and don't risk costing the Democrats the White House this year as you did four years ago."

Phil Donahue: "That's the real tragedy. It's, it's gonna be the first line of his bi-, of his obit. It's really, there's a Shakespearean feature to this."

[End clip]

Vieira: "Ralph Nader good morning to you. I want to talk about the book it is terrific but first Phil Donahue, what he just said. Do you worry that when everything is said and done the first thing they say about Ralph Nader will be, 'spoiler,' instead of 'consumer crusader?'"

[Nader]

Vieira: "Well do you ever wonder, 'what if I hadn't run?'"

[Nader]

Vieira: "So you think you actually helped him."

[Nader]

Vieira: "Let's talk about this book, The Seventeen Traditions, because in it you list the 17 lessons really that your family taught you. What was your goal in writing this book?"

[Nader]

Vieira: "Yeah some of them are kind of obvious like education and discipline but others are not. You talk about the tradition of listening and solitude and simple enjoyments. Why those? What did you gain from those?"

[Nader]

Vieira: "One of the biggest problems you say that parents face today is they don't have any self-confidence? Is that right?"

[Nader]

Vieira: "You were, you were raised to care very deeply about this country. Are you thinking about running again for President?"

[Nader]

Vieira: "Too early to say? So there's a chance?"

Nader: "Well there's always a chance but I like other people. In fact there are a lot of people who think Bill Moyers should run because he's had this White House experience with Lyndon Johnson and of course is a great communicator."

Vieira: "Ralph Nader always a pleasure to see you. The book, again, The Seventeen Traditions. And An Unreasonable Man opens in theaters tomorrow."