The story: Consumer advocate Ralph Nader, infamous for his long shot third-party presidential candidacy in 2000 and 2004, announced his plan to enter the 2008 presidential race this week. Many Democrats blame Nader’s 2000 candidacy for taking votes that would otherwise have been cast for Al Gore, and helping hand the office of president to George W. Bush.

The response: In a ridiculous and unsurprising development in the 2008 election, Ralph Nader has announced his candidacy for president! On NBC’s “”Meet The Press”” Sunday, he excoriated both major political parties for their stances on foreign and domestic issues, railing in particular against Democrats for their “”complicity … in not stopping (Bush) on the war, (or) stopping (Bush) on the tax cuts.”” The only problem? Nobody cares! Thanks to candidates like Nader, who run unsuccessful, anachronistic campaigns year after year, third-party candidates continue to be vaguely amusing distractions instead of viable alternatives to either establishment nominee. Instead of spending the next four years after he loses this year re-rehearsing the same speech he gave eight years ago, perhaps Nader should spend that time thinking about the message he sends by running the same campaign over and over again when voters clearly aren’t buying what he’s selling. Nader should bow out and set some time aside in 2012 for a different hobby.