The real Slim Shady: Nader's back

Perhaps people wanted to believe this was just April foolishness, but last week, on April 1, the New Mexico Independent Party submitted 6,000-plus signatures to get Ralph Nader and his running mate Matt Gonzalez on the November presidential ballot. The campaign is trying to get Nader on the ballot in all 50 states, and if New Mexico is any indication, it's targeting states where he could affect the outcome.

Nader is predictably making noise about the two-party lockdown and the lack of differences between Republicans and Democrats. Among the issues that both parties ignore public opinion on, according to Nader: single-payer healthcare, ending the war in Iraq, climate-change policy and impeachment proceedings for Bush and Cheney.

So far, it seems like the Democrats are doing everything possible to ignore him, which isn't too surprising. But Nader's profile will probably rise and fall (and rise) over the next few months, depending on who the Democrats pick as a nominee, and how. I imagine if superdelegates are mostly responsible for a Hillary nomination, there will be some mighty disenchanted Obama supporters who will jump ship.