(Posted September 9, 2002)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Ralph Nader, famed consumer advocate and infamous third-party presidential candidate, will speak at Juniata College on presidential politics and community at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17 in Oller Hall on the Juniata campus.
The lecture is free and open to the public.

Although Nader built a celebrated career as a consumer advocate and activist, he is perhaps better known today as the third-party candidate in the 2000 presidential campaign, Some national writers and quite a few Democratic insiders felt Nader's quixotic quest for elective office played a major role in Democratic candidate Al Gore's failure to carry the nation's electoral college in the election.

Nader ran for office as candidate for the Green Party, essentially on the platform that the platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties are so ideologically similar that a third party was needed to provide voters with a distinctive choice. He has been quoted as saying he hopes to build a political party that will rally "around issues rather than empty slogans and figureheads."
Nader details his views in his most recent best-seller, "Crashing the Party: How to Tell the Truth and Still Run for President."

Ralph Nader first came to the nation's attention in 1965 as a consumer advocate against the United States auto industry with the publication of his book. "Unsafe at Any Speed." The book exposed the lax attitude displayed toward safety by U.S. automakers. The book is perhaps most famous for is condemnation of safety record of the Chevrolet Corvair. General Motors, the manufacturer of the car, eventually stopped production of the vehicle.

Since the publication of that book Nader has worked tirelessly in the consumer advocacy area. His worked helped establish the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. His legislative efforts have helped politicians enact the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Meat and Poultry Inspection standards and the Freedom of Information Act.

Nader also is the author of several other best-sellers, including "Winning the Insurance Game: Why Women Pay More," "Getting the Best From Your Doctor," "Children First: A Parents Guide to Fighting Corporate Predators," "No Contest: Corporate Lawyers and the Perversion of Justice in America" and "The Ralph Nader Reader."

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.