Editor’s Note: This article has been corrected to note that the correct day for Nader’s event is Wednesday. The Daily Reveille originally reported that the event was Friday.
Independent presidential hopeful Ralph Nader is scheduled to make a campaign stop on campus Wednesday at the School of Music to rally support for the upcoming presidential elections.Nader’s campaign wants to open discussion about issues facing college students and the problems Louisiana faces after Hurricane Katrina at a news conference and rally scheduled for 7 p.m.The rally is part of the campaign’s desire to visit each of the 50 states instead of only visiting states essential to winning the election as many major presidential candidates do, Nader said. “It’s not an easy time to be in your 20s and out of university,” Nader said of his desire to discuss future job prospects for college students.Ashley Sanders, youth outreach coordinator for Nader-Gonzales 2008, said many platforms of the campaign are aimed at college students including an effort to raise minimum wage to $10 per hour, provide full coverage health care for single parents, lower the minimum voting age and provide students with information to become more aware of the political process.College students will be “affected for years and years by the consequences of this election,” Sanders said.Sanders said a major platform of the Nader campaign is to invest in the “green economy.”If elected, Nader said he wants to quickly create more public works job opportunities by cutting extra costs and freeing money from the “corporate wasteful fraud that permeates Washington, D.C.”Nader said he hopes to examine the root of the high gas prices that directly affect college students.”We have to deal with the speculation on Wall Street which treats fuel as something to be gambled on and that helps to raise prices,” Nader said.Chuck Fontenot, College Republicans president, said Nader is “a little out of touch” with America because of his stance on offshore drilling.”The majority of America supports offshore drilling right now,” Fontenot said. “Nobody’s against the environment.”John Wade, spokesman for Nader’s campaign, said Nader wants to switch to sustainable energy.”Ralph is totally opposed to offshore drilling,” Wade said. “He does not believe in that as a legitimate answer to our energy crisis.” Nader, often blamed for splitting the vote in past presidential elections resulting in a Republican victory, said each presidential candidate has equal right to run for election.”My response is I think the Democratic party is going to take more votes from me,” Nader said. Kevin Guillory, College Democrats president, said he does not foresee Nader hindering the Democratic party.”I think most students are either supporthing McCain or Obama,” Guillory said. “I don’t think it’s going to have as much of an effect this year.”Nader is also scheduled to visit Tulane University on Friday at 3 p.m.—-Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]