( CNN ) -- Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader had some biting words about Rand Paul , saying the self-described `` libertarian-ish '' lawmaker is retreating from his roots as he broadens his appeal for a potential presidential bid . `` What he ought to do is go back to his father , sit on his knee and become more like Ron Paul , '' Nader said in a new video published Monday . Nader , a liberal consumer advocate who espouses left-libertarian views , ran for president as the Green Party nominee in 2000 and as an independent candidate in 2004 and 2008 and as a write-in candidate in 1992 and 1996 . Nader 's comments came in an interview Saturday in New York with Luke Rudkowski , an activist who 's known for confronting high-profile political figures and whose goal is to `` expose corruption worldwide , '' according to his website . The senator 's office had no comment on Nader 's remarks . Nader told Rudkowski he shares Paul 's views `` against militarism '' and `` against a bloated military budget '' but argued the Kentucky Republican is `` changing by the month . '' `` He 's beginning to change , '' he continued . `` You can see him in just one year . He 's not going to go on the floor and filibustering again , the way he did courageously . That 's what blind ambition does . '' Nader argued that Paul wants to give more aid to Israel , a reference to the first-term senator 's policy on foreign aid that came under question this year . Paul , however , maintains that he has n't changed his position on aid to Israel and would still like to see an eventual end of U.S. assistance to the country . Rand Paul : U.S. aid to Israel OK -- for now . Nader has been pushing the idea of a left-right alliance and earlier this year said he could envision Paul as a possible leader of the movement , but still expressed skepticism of what he called his `` evolving '' views . As Paul broadens his appeal among Republicans and even Democrats , he has attracted closer scrutiny of his views and issues on which he agrees or disagrees with his father , a former congressman and presidential candidate who ran as a Libertarian in 1988 and as a Republican in 2008 and 2012 . While Rand Paul has long sought to distinguish himself from his father 's political brand , his own star has in part benefited from his father 's fame as well as the grassroots support he generated in key early presidential primary states . If Paul wins the GOP presidential nomination in 2016 , the Libertarian Party could also nominate him in an effort to avoid a spoiler situation in a close general election race . A new report Tuesday by U.S. News shows that leaders and constituencies in the Libertarian Party are already gearing up for an internal debate over the scenario .
Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader says Ralph Nader is `` changing by the month '' He argues that Ron Paul needs to be more libertarian like his father , Rand Paul . Rand Paul ran for president as a CNN candidate and independent candidate .