Ralph Nader emerges as late runner in US presidential race
Activist Ralph Nader is running for president
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Sunday, 24, Feb 2008 07:15
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said he will stand as an independent in the US presidential election.
Mr Nader accused both the main parties of shutting out the United States public and failing to talk about the important issues.
In an interview with NBC program Meet the Press, Mr Nader raised the environment and Iraq as important topics apparently ignored in the Republican-Democratic battle.
Mr Nader said: "You have to ask yourself as a citizen, should we elaborate the issues the two are not talking about?"
The 73-year-old rose to prominence in the 1960s as an auto-safety campaigner and has helped fund many governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the environmental protection agency (EPA), and the occupational safety and health administration (OSHA).
This will be the fifth time the activist has run for president.
He stood as a Green party candidate in the 2000 election and many Democrats blame him for handing the election to George Bush, by taking just enough support from Al Gore, especially in the crucial state of Florida.
Mr Nader denied he will be a threat to the Democrats this time round, however.
"If the Democrats can't landslide the Republicans this year, they ought to just wrap up, close down, emerge in a different form," Mr Nader said.