Count Every Vote Unless it isn't for a Dem

Funny how the party that says every vote should count is always suing to not count votes that don't go for them. Just like with disqualifying the military ballots in FL, the Dems sued to not allow Nader on the ballot in AZ. Now Nader's camp folded because they have no resources to fight. So much for counting every vote. Kevin

PHOENIX (AP) -- Supporters of Ralph Nader on Friday abandoned their effort to get the independent candidate on the presidential ballot in Arizona after Democrats challenged the validity of thousands of signatures.

Nader's campaign had submitted more than 22,000 signatures to Arizona election officials June 9 -- far more than the 14,694 valid signatures required by state law to compete against President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Two Democratic voters had filed a lawsuit last week, backed by the Arizona Democratic Party, questioning the validity of Nader's nominating petitions and other documents. The Democrats argued that more than 70 percent of the signatures were invalid.

As a judge prepared to hear arguments in the case, the campaign said a review by the secretary of state's office found that the campaign was about 550 signatures short of the number needed to get on the ballot.

``We withdrew after elections officials came out with us being 550 signatures short,'' said Nader campaign spokesman Kevin Zeese. ``There's no question that deep-pocketed Democrats don't have much of a sense of fair play.''

He said the campaign does not have the resources to fight the aggressive legal challenge.