In an unusual letter, Nader urges Sanders to fulfill his 'unfulfilled potential.' Nader jabs Sanders in letter

Ralph Nader is offering some advice for Sen. Bernie Sanders as he weighs a presidential bid: Stop going it alone.

In an unusual Wednesday letter, former long-shot presidential candidate Nader urged potential future long-shot presidential candidate Sanders to change the way he does business in the Senate and fulfill his “unfulfilled potential.”


“You are a Lone Ranger, unable even to form a core progressive force within the Senate,” Nader wrote the Vermont independent. “Without internal and external networking, there are no strategies to deploy, beyond speechifying, putting forward amendments that go nowhere and an occasional hearing where you incisively question witnesses.”

A Nader aide confirmed the veracity of the letter, which was sent to the senator as he informed The Nation that he is “prepared to run for president of the United States” in the form of a “very unconventional campaign.” An independent to the left of most Senate Democrats that he caucuses with, Sanders said he’s wary of running for president as an independent because it could help Republicans. In fact, he called it “the Nader dilemma.”

It sounds like Nader, a former Green Party and independent candidate for president, would like to discuss that very issue with Sanders but has been unable to reach him despite years of trying. So Nader wrote Sanders to get his attention and warn him that in Nader’s view, Sanders can have greater impact in the Senate — and perhaps beyond.

“Consider the unfilled potential of a Senator with broad ranging corporate reform and enforcement proposals that need an ongoing constituency with chapters and supporters through the country,” Nader wrote. “They might help you get a sponsor or two for your single-payer, full Medicare for all legislation.”

A Sanders spokesman said the senator is proud of the work he’s done on issues like Social Security, financial regulations and veterans affairs and that while Nader once played an “important role” in protecting consumers’ interests, his influence has waned.

“It is sad that many decades later he’s shadowboxing with someone that’s one of the leading progressive voices today. The personal attack on Bernie is unfortunately how he operates and why he no longer has much influence on Capitol Hill,” the spokesman said of Nader.