Any native-born American over the age of 35 can run for president. Period.

That doesn’t make it a good idea.

Politico reported the other day that Ralph Nader is contemplating another run at the White House.

Sure, he can do it, but why would he? I defended Ralph back in 2000. It wasn’t his fault Al Gore couldn’t carry his home state of Tennessee (which would have given him the White House) and it wasn’t Ralph who picked a loser like Joe Liberman to be Mr. Gore’s running mate. Also, Ralph’s message in 2000 that there wasn’t much difference between the party’s was on target.

That was then. Ralph has now run for president four times, beginning in 1992. His argument has always been that he runs to inject issues that would otherwise not be part of the debate and that was true the first three times. Since 2004, it’s only been about hubris, as far as I can see.

In the process, he’s destroyed his reputation (not that he cares) and diminished his influence (and he should care about that).

If, instead of this perennial presidential campaign, Ralph had decided in 1992 to spend election years stumping for candidates whose views he supported – for the House and Senate and White House – he might now be the kingmaker of the Democratic Party and the party might be a good deal more progressive and less beholden to special interests than it is now.

Sad to think what might have been.