"The popularity of Ralph Nader's candidacy during the 2000 campaigns is the legacy of social semi-responsibility.... Naively thinking that Bush's stupidity would result in a shoo-in Gore victory (didn't anyone remember Reagan? or Forrest Gump?), aging Xers' political consciousness was awakened by an 'alternative' candidate in the same way their ambition had been sparked by an 'alternative' career path with the Internet. As if they were choosing Sleater-Kinney over Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera; as if they were choosing an outsider like Daniel Johnston over a couple of president's/senator's sons like Jakob Dylan and Sean Lennon; as if the next logical step from a rock and roll president is a punk rock president; as if they had the luxury of assuaging their fauxhemian guilt over creating the new economy by committing to an anti-corporate left wing candidate with no commercial potential (I'm surprised no one made a CORPORATE CANDIDATES STILL SUCK t-shirt). I'll bet playing his guitar at a Nader rally or two made Eddie Vedder feel less like a corporate rocker. A Nader vote was like a magic wand to make you punk rock again. It was my generation's Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac."

--both from alan licht's 'an emotional memoir of martha quinn,' short and hilarious.