VOA常速英语2008年-Nader Enters US Presidential Race

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 Democrats¹.

Ralph Nader made it official during an appearance on national television.

"I have decided² 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 acting³ in the best interest of the American people.

This is his third run for the presidency⁴. 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 Gore⁵'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 deterred⁶.

"The political bigotry⁷ that is involved here is that we should not enter the electoral arena⁸ - all of us who think the country needs an infusion⁹ 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.

"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 spectrum¹⁰. He said that is not likely to happen, adding he has no intention of doing so if frontrunner John McCain becomes the Republican Party nominee¹¹.

"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 prospects¹² of taking back the White House.

Appearing on the Fox News Sunday television program, New Jersey¹³ Governor Jon Corzine said he is more intrigued¹⁴ 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 affiliation¹⁵. And there has been speculation¹⁶ that he might tap his personal fortune to one day launch a presidential campaign targeting moderate and independent voters.