Random Thoughts, Notes, & Incidents

Did I mention that I'm a footnote in history? A few weeks ago I received an email from a Canadian college student who was doing research on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, and the role that Ralph Nader played in it. She had read some of my articles (here and here), and wanted permission to quote me.

Well, of course I gave her permission to quote me - if properly cited. I also sent her some data that's not currently posted on the site regarding what would have happened if Nader had not been in the race. Based on exit polls it shows that Nader actually helped Gore by bringing out more progressive and liberal voters. Had Nader not been in the race, Gore would have still lost, but there would have been no question about it.

Anyway, she used that data, and some of the stuff from this site, and recently sent me her finished paper. It was a very good analysis of the election and the role that the Green party played in it. And there I was, in several of the footnotes and the bibliography, right along side such luminaries as Theodore Lowi and Ralph Nader himself.

I haven't heard back from her yet to find out what grade the professor gave her, or if he had her remove all of my quotes and only stick with more academically acceptable sources. Meanwhile, I got a kick out of it. It's the first time (that I know of) that my ramblings have been used as a footnoted source in a college course.