WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Republican Rep. Ron Paul of Texas called on voters to back a third-party candidate for president Wednesday , rejecting his party 's nominee and offering equally harsh words for the Democratic candidate . Paul , who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination this year , told supporters at the National Press Club in Washington that he is not endorsing GOP nominee Sen. John McCain or Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama . Instead , Paul will give his seal of approval to four candidates : Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney , Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr , independent candidate Ralph Nader and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin . Paul said he 's supporting the third-party candidates because the two major parties and media had `` colluded '' to avoid discussing issues and falsely presenting the difference between McCain and Obama as real . `` I 've come to the conclusion , after having spent many years in politics , is that our presidential elections turn out to be more of a charade than anything else , and I think that is true today . It is a charade , '' he said . Paul offered an open endorsement to the four candidates because each signed onto a policy statement that calls for `` balancing budgets , bring troops home , personal liberties and investigating the Federal Reserve , '' an aide to the congressman said . Paul said a strong showing by the third-party candidates would express the public 's frustration with the current system . `` I have no doubt that the majority is on our side , '' Paul added , citing public opinion polls . `` We represent the majority of the American people . '' Paul said that he had received a call from the McCain campaign Tuesday asking for his endorsement . Paul 's response : `` I do n't like the idea of getting 2 to 3 million people [ Paul supporters ] angry at me . '' McCain 's aides argued that the Texas Republican should endorse McCain because he would do a `` little less harm '' than Obama , Paul said , but `` we just do n't need to do that anymore . '' `` If you ever get to the point where you believe the two parties are essentially the same , if the majority is outside of the establishment , it 's not very democratic . The process is not working , '' Paul said . Paul attacked Obama , saying , `` He 's not for change , '' and the congressman argued that his efforts would help the Republican Party . `` If the Republican side realized what I 'm trying to do , they should be funding me , '' Paul said . Paul failed in his bid for the Republican nomination , but he found a large , diverse audience for his anti-war and anti-tax messages . The Texas congressman 's campaign was fueled by an on-line , grass-roots fundraising operation . Throughout the campaign , Paul supporters called on others to join the `` Ron Paul Revolution . '' At the Republican National Convention last week in St. Paul , Minnesota , Paul supporters threw their own party in Minneapolis . iReport.com : See Ron Paul signs raised high at the `` counter-convention '' Paul , who said he entered the presidential race reluctantly , told the roaring audience , `` I lost my skepticism . I hope you lost your apathy . '' `` I did not want to run people 's lives . I did not want to run the economy and I did not want to run the world . I did n't have the authority to do it , and I did n't have the Constitution behind me to do it , '' Paul said . Read more on Paul 's rally . CNN 's Mark Preston , Kristi Keck and Scott J. Anderson contributed to this report .
Rep. Ron Paul says he 's not backing Sens . John McCain or Barack Obama . Texas Republican says major parties , media have `` colluded '' to avoid issues . Paul says he instead will endorse a third-party candidate for president . Score: 6