Crashing the Party

Crashing the Party is a 2002 book by Ralph Nader, detailing his experiences running in the 2000 U.S. presidential election.<ref name="Consumer review">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Summary

Much of the book focuses on critiquing the modern Democratic Party, with Nader arguing that the party has become too much beholden to donors and drifted from the tradition of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; at one point, he remarks that "the Democrats might as well be Republicans" for their similar positions on many economic issues.<ref name="CNN review">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nader also criticizes the national media, accusing them of corruption and noting that "I can't overemphasize the influence of The New York Times and Washington Post in setting the scene for the rest of the media".<ref name="PW review">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The book concludes with a list of ten "First Stage Goals for a Better America."<ref name="PW review" />

Publication

The book was published by St. Martin's Press in January 2002.<ref name="P2000">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The subtitle "How to Tell the Truth and Still Run for President" was considered significant because, according to critic Jonathan Chait, an "aura" honesty and trustworthiness had been central to Nader's work, both as an attorney and as a political candidate.<ref name="TAP review">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Publishers Weekly predicted that the book would find its most success in the areas where Nader had won the most votes in the election.<ref name="PW review" />

External links

• Booknotes interview with Nader on Crashing the Party, February 3, 2002.
• OnTheIssues.org's book review and excerpts