Green Party convention: a complicated scenario

By Graeme Zielinski
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

David Cobb is considered Ralph Nader's chief rival.

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In Boston in late July, a native son will be the toast at the Democratic National Convention, bathed in the reflected glow of the city's rich history.

Milwaukee will play host to a much more modest political meeting this week, minus the publicity and pomp and protests and pageantry and production values. But the Green Party's national convention Wednesday through Sunday will have something sure to be lacking at its big-party counterparts: suspense.

The complicated scenario that will unfold for the nation's largest third party will involve voting, debating and, significantly, the political trajectory of Ralph Nader, the alleged spoiler of elections who has the Democratic establishment vexed this time, too.

"The Green Party convention is the only one where there's going to be actual politicking on the ground," said David Cobb, a California-based lawyer who is considered Nader's chief rival.

"It's not going to be a three-day commercial like the Republican or Democratic conventions, that's for sure," said Pete Karas, a Green serving his first term on the Racine, Wis., Common Council.

With a crowd expected to exceed 2,000, the Greens come to Milwaukee at another pivotal moment, having grown by several exponents in the past few federal electoral cycles and with a progressive political profile raised both by almost two decades of toil at the grass roots and, importantly, by the disputed 2000 election.

Nader, who bore the party banner then and who received more than 2.8 million votes, was blamed or celebrated for sapping support that otherwise might have gone for then-Vice President Al Gore, denying the Democrat electoral votes and giving George W. Bush the presidency.

Nader has chosen to run again, not as a Green, but merely as a friend of the Greens, eschewing the nomination but seeking an endorsement. He's not even expected to show up. Confusing?

"Very confusing," said Ben Manski, co-chairman of the national party.

Cobb, a Texas native who helped Nader get access to the ballot there in 2000, has emerged as the chief alternative during the nominating process. He has the most delegates, but not a majority, and is championed by party activists who want a homegrown figure who will promote the success of local candidates.
 
Indeed, Nader's noncommittal air has created a breach that could force the party to consider a bewildering series of electoral scenarios from state to state.

The prize of the Green Party nomination is ballot access to 22 states, including Oregon and Alaska, plus the District of Columbia. But Nader also has sought the ballot access of the Reform Party.

If he wins only an endorsement and not a nomination, individual state parties could be left with the choice of placing Nader on the ballot or going with Cobb.

Cobb is pushing a so-called "safe-state" strategy, where he will advocate voting Green in the 40 or so that are considered locks for Sen. John Kerry or Bush and will tread more ambivalently in contested states where a strong Green vote could siphon votes from Kerry.

"My primary goal is to grow and build the Green Party, but my secondary goal is to have George Bush out of the White House," Cobb said.