WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Ron Paul said Wednesday that he rejected an appeal to endorse John McCain’s presidential bid. Paul said the request came from Phil Gramm, the former McCain adviser.
“The idea was that he (McCain)would do less harm than the other candidate,” Paul said.
Paul appeared at a news conference with three third-party candidates: independent Ralph Nader; former Georgia Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party candidate; and Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party candidate. Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate, said later he didn’t attend because Paul didn’t endorse one candidate.
Nader derided media focus on what he called “lipstickgate,” referring to the bickering between the McCain and Barack Obama campaigns over whether a phrase used by Obama was a sexist comment against Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.
Nader, a consumer protection advocate, acknowledged differences among the third-party candidates such as government regulation of health and safety standards. But he added that he shares Paul’s support for more opportunity in the political process for third-party candidates.
