2000 United States presidential election

The 2000 United States presidential election was the 54th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 7, 2000. Progressive nominee Ralph Nader won on the second round of voting having also led on the first round.

For most of the campaign, Republican nominee and Governor of Pennsylvania Joe Biden was the front runner, however the populist campaigns of Nader and America First nominee Pat Buchanan gained a lot of support during the campaign, eventually evaporating Biden’s front runner status. Winona La Duke would become the first red Indian and second woman to serve as Vice President. La Duke would be killed in the September 11 attacks in 2001, whilst Nader would be incapacitated by them. As a result House Speaker Ron Paul, a Republican, was sworn in as President.

Progressive Candidates
Ralph Nader had been the Progressive candidate in the previous election, and had almost unseated incumbent President Ross Perot despite not polling too highly at the start of the campaign. However, an impressive debate performance and a strong populist message which allowed him to take second place preference votes from AFP voters combined in a strong showing for the Progressive Party.

Nader was confident in his abilities to win the 2000 election, provided he could show the American people that the Progressive Party was united and could be serious and trusted in government. Nader met with party bosses to make sure he was virtually unopposed for the nomination (aside from a few fringe no-hopers). Nader campaigned in the general election on a less populist message than in 1996 and attacked the AFP and Pat Buchanan relentlessly as being too extreme for America. Instead, Nader campaigned on “Hope, Change and Progress” and made sure to portray Joe Biden as a candidate that AFP voters wouldn’t want to write down as their second preference choice either.

Republican Candidates
Biden became the early front-runner, acquiring unprecedented funding and a broad base of leadership support based on his governorship of Pennsylvania and connections in American politics. Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy played an important early role in securing establishment Republican support for Biden. High profile endorsements for Biden came from George H.W. Bush, Edward Kennedy and Pat Schroeder.

Buzz Aldrin entered the race as the main candidate for the conservative wing of the party. High profile endorsements included Speaker of the House Ron Paul, Vice President Lee Iacocca, former President Bob Dole and former Vice President Edward Brookes. Aldrin was best known as the second man on the moon as a part of the Apollo 11 space programme.

The third main candidate for the nomination was Michael Crichton, who entered to represent the new and growing Perotist wing of the party. Prior to announcing his candidacy, Crichton was known as a famous author. Crichton entered the race relatively late after noting the absence of any other Perotist candidates running. Crichton set out his campaign to be a continuation of Perot’s agenda, with his only major endorsement being a low-level one from President Ross Perot himself.

Joe Biden was confirmed as the Republican candidate at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia on August 3. Both Aldrin and Crichton had withdrawn in late March after it became clear that Biden would get the necessary delegates following a strong showing in Florida. Biden selected Hollywood star Clint Eastwood, famed for staring in later-era Westerns, as his running mate.