If Nader is able to siphon away even a small percentage of the liberal/progressive vote, the presidential prospects of Democrat Al Gore '69 may suffer.
The most recent national polls, including one released yesterday by CBS News and the New York Times, show Texas Gov. George W. Bush beating Gore by more than seven points. Still, the Times/CBS poll shows that while voters favor Bush's personality, they are more comfortable with Gore's policy proposals.
Nader, who ran his 1996 bid out of California, admitted on NBC's Meet the Press that his candidacy may help to depress Gore's progressive base, particularly in Western states.
Marc Stad '01, the president of the Harvard and Massachusetts College Democrats, said that every vote counts for Gore, even in Massachusetts.
"I would prefer if Ralph Nader was not running," the Gore supporter said. "A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush."