From a transcript of a Sam Donaldson interview of then-presidential candidate Ralph Nader back on October 29, 2000 (via randomly Google’d source CommonDreams.org.)

DONALDSON: ...in our latest ABCNEWS tracking poll, or one we took last Thursday, we found that you had about 3 percent overall. It may be 4 percent by this weekend. But if Nader wasn’t running, 56 percent of your supporters say they would go for Gore; only 23 percent would go for Bush. So he’s right, you’re wrong, if our poll is correct.

NADER: Why do you think I should be worried about that? If I was worried about whether Gore or Bush were going to be elected, would I be running for president to establish a progressive political reform movement before and after November 7, which is what we’re trying to do? You know, do you think Gore is entitled to any votes? Do you think Bush is entitled—am I entitled to any votes? We have to earn them. If Gore cannot beat the bumbling Texas governor with that horrific record, what good is he?

What good is he? Good heavens. I mean, this should be a slam dunk.

DONALDSON: Well, all right. If it’s not important to you, then let’s see whether it’s important to the people who are, at the moment, saying they’re going to vote for you. Let’s start with abortion. Here’s the ad that the National Abortion Rights League, NARAL, is running against you, a portion of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NARRATOR: If you’re thinking of voting for Ralph Nader, please consider: This year, a five-to-four Supreme Court decision narrowly protected Roe v. Wade. A single vote saved a woman’s right to choose. Before voting Nader, consider the risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DONALDSON: Consider the risk.

NADER: Consider it. Justice Souter, Justice O’Connor, they could’ve overturned Roe v. Wade three times in the last ten years. They didn’t do it. This is a scare tactic that’s going on here. When George W. Bush was asked by Tim Russert, is he going to push to reverse Roe v. Wade, George Bush said, well, not unless a lot of people in this country change their mind. Even if Roe v. Wade is reversed that doesn’t end it; it just reverts it back to the states.

The rest of the interview appears here.

I’m just saying that pseudo-innocence in politics ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Call me a goof if you like, or maybe even a sore loser, but I’m pretty sure that if Ralph Nader had a little more perspective back then, President Gore would not have spent nearly eight years brown-nosing appointed Justices Alito and Roberts, and former Governor Bush would not have received the Nobel Peace Prize this morning.