Strange Bedfellows: Nader & GOP

(CBS)  If politics is war, then a basic rule of battle is emerging around Ralph Nader's campaign: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"It appears that the Republicans are supporting Ralph Nader because they know he will take votes away from John Kerry," says Larry Noble, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Republicans in Michigan circulated petitions to get Nader on the ballot there after it appeared he would have fallen short of signatures, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Axelrod. They are also working to get him on the ballot in battleground states like Wisconsin, Oregon, Florida and Arizona.

Nader has maintained there's no funny business. "We have no indication its Republicans that are trying to maneuver support for us," Nader said last month.

And on Monday, he chose not to withdraw from the Michigan ballot.

"As far as the illegitimate Republican support that's been reported, we are not out seeking that kind of support," said Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese. "In fact, we were surprised in Michigan."

Of the $1 million Nader has raised so far, $50,000 has come from people who've also donated to George W. Bush.

But while Republicans fight to get Nader on ballots, Democrats fight to keep him off: in Illinois, a dozen Democratic state workers stand accused of working on challenges to Nader petitions on state time.

"We are more concerned about the Democratic Party than the Republican Party," says Zeese, "because the Democratic Party is doing undemocratic things, because they are trying to keep the voters from having choices."

It's a two-man race that's tight and only growing tighter, yet President Bush and Sen. Kerry are awfully interested in a third name that could decide it all.

Says Noble: "The Democrats are trying to block Ralph Nader from getting on the ballot for the same reason Republicans are supporting Ralph Nader."