Ralph Nader is one of the most influential progressive activists in American history. He fought for seat belts in your cars and unpolluted water in your rivers. But he’s been relatively sidelined on the national stage after an unsuccessful run for president in 2000.
Now, he apparently wants to be back in the public eye and is hoping to piggyback off the popularity of today’s biggest progressive: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
Only problem? Bro can’t get a text back.
“I sent @AOC the following letter suggesting ways she can broaden her progressive impact and help many people now that she is in the media spotlight. She has not replied, despite repeated requests. Can anybody help us get AOC to respond?” Nader wrote on Twitter, adding a signature to show the tweet actually came from him.
In the letter, Nader asks AOC to make a continued point of calling out President Donald Trump’s history of sexual assault, support a “rebate tax” on Wall Street, and criticize Trump over his handling of fellow “Squad” members Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) trip to Israel and Palestine.
(In a classic example of a man speaking for something a woman’s already stood for, AOC has been vocal about the first and third issue. )
But Nader jumping on Twitter to ask for help getting a call back from AOC on a relatively trifling letter creeped a number of women out.
Still others used the moment to vent their frustration at Nader’s 2000 run for president, which many feel siphoned enough left-wing voters to give the U.S. President George Bush and the subsequent Iraq War.
Supporters of Nader noted his numerous accomplishments and reminded people that just because Al Gore lost in 2000, that doesn’t make Nader the face of Americans’ subsequent policy failures.
But that also doesn’t mean AOC owes him a callback.