Consumer advocate Ralph Nader says he is launching a campaign for president of the United States. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports, Nader cites growing discontent in the country with both Republicans and Democrats.
Ralph Nader (File)
Ralph Nader made it official during an appearance on national television.
"I have decided to run for president," said Nader.
Nader told NBC's Meet the Press that he is entering the race because neither one of the major political parties is acting in the best interest of the American people.
This is his third run for the presidency. In 2000, Nader - as the candidate of the Green Party - won just less than three percent of the national vote. Many Democrats still blame him for Al Gore's loss that year, saying he siphoned off just enough liberal votes to cost Gore a very close election.
Nader said he will not be deterred.
"The political bigotry that is involved here is that we should not enter the electoral arena - all of us who think the country needs an infusion of freedom, democracy, choice, dissent," he said.
In 2004, Nader ran as an independent and his support slipped. But Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said the Democrats still have reason to be concerned about a Nader candidacy.
Mike Huckabee, 04 Jan 2008
"Well, I think it would always pull votes away from the Democrats, not the Republicans," said Huckabee. "So actually, Republicans would welcome his entry into the race and hope that a few more will join in."
During an appearance on CNN's Late Edition, Huckabee was asked if there might be another third-party candidate on the right of the political spectrum. He said that is not likely to happen, adding he has no intention of doing so if frontrunner John McCain becomes the Republican Party nominee.
"I think it is a suicide mission," he said. "Third-party candidates are not going to win the election. At best, they are going to take away from one of the major parties and I just do not see that happening within the conservative wing at all."
Meanwhile, top Democrats are downplaying the impact a Nader campaign might have on their prospects of taking back the White House.
Appearing on the Fox News Sunday television program, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said he is more intrigued by the possibility of an independent campaign by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"I think that would have a major impact on the outcome of the race, and I think it is unpredictable which side would hurt the most on that," said Corzine. "That is a question that is much more relevant, I think to the end game of who the next president of the United States is."
Bloomberg, who was elected mayor as a Republican, recently dropped his party affiliation. And there has been speculation that he might tap his personal fortune to one day launch a presidential campaign targeting moderate and independent voters.
Iraq War in 2007.
Political activist Ralph Nader has announced the launch of an independent campaign for President of the United States. Nader, who also ran for president in the previous three elections, made the announcement on NBC's television program ''Meet the Press''.

"Dissent is the mother of ascent, and in that context I have decided to run for president," said Nader.

"In the last few years, big money and the closing down of Washington against citizen groups prevent us from trying to improve our country. And I want everybody to have the right and opportunity to improve their country." 

In 2000, Nader ran for President as a Green Party candidate and received 2.7% of the popular vote. Many Democrats believe his campaign led to the election of Republican George W. Bush by taking away potential votes for Democrat Al Gore, especially in the state of Florida. Nader also ran in 2004 as an independent, but only garnered 0.4% of the vote.

At a press conference yesterday, Democratic candidate Barack Obama doubted that a potential Nader candidacy would have the same impact as in 2000. "I think the job of the Democratic Party is to be so compelling that a few percentage of the vote going to another candidate's not going to make any difference," he said. 

Today, however, Obama was more disapproving of Nader. "He thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George Bush and, eight years later, I think people realize that Ralph did not know what he was talking about," Obama told reporters.

Democrat Hillary Clinton seemed more concerned about Nader's bid. "Obviously it’s not helpful to whoever our Democratic nominee is," she said. "I remember when he did this before, it didn't turn out too well for anyone, especially our country." She said Nader "prevented Al Gore from being the 'greenest' president we could have had", and she hoped his bid will be "just a passing fancy that people won't take too seriously." 

Nader dismissed criticism of his entry into the race, saying, "For anybody who thinks that the third try is something that should be demeaned, it represents persistence, it represents never giving up the struggle for justice."

Meanwhile, Republican candidate Mike Huckabee welcomed Nader into the race, in the hopes that he will lessen the Democratic voter base. "I think it would always pull votes away from the Democrats, not the Republicans," he said. "So actually, Republicans would welcome his entry into the race and hope that a few more will join in."