Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader had strong words for Vermont's congressional delegation at an appearance at the University of Vermont Sunday night.

Nader, who unsuccessfully ran for president as a Green Party member in 2000, started by questioning the leadership Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Nader supports a single-payer health care system.  A bill was introduced in the House of Representatives, but no such bill exists in the Senate.  He said Sanders hasn't introduced the bill "because he thinks there's not much support for it in the U.S. Senate." 

"That's not a leader," Nader said.

Reached for comment, Michael Briggs, a member of Sanders' staff, would not directly respond to the leadership claim.  However, Briggs said Sanders sponsored a bill a few months ago that would expand nationwide a system of federally supported community health care facilities.  The program already successfully exists in rural and inner-city communities, Briggs said.

Nader also criticized Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch for voting in favor of Congress' $700 billion bailout of troubled Wall Street firms.  He said the bill does not act to prevent a repeat of the situation.

"I think the taxpayers of Vermont should summon Sen. Leahy to public auditorium so he can explain himself," Nader said.  "Washington had wall street over the barrel. They would've had to agree to anything in return for what they wanted."

Welch voted against the first version of the House bill before switching his vote in favor of the bill passed by the Senate.

Messages left with staff members of Leahy and Welch have not yet been returned.

Nader touched on state politics as well, throwing his support behind independent candidate for governor Anthony Pollina.

He also said the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission should not extend the operating license of Vermont Yankee - the nuclear power plant in Vernon, Vermont - past 2012.  

"And if it does then the state government authorities [should] block [the relicensing], which they can do," Nader said.

About 2,000 people attended Nader's appearance at UVM's Ira Allen Chapel.  Nader spent about 30 minutes speaking with and answering questions from the media before addressing the crowd. 

Earlier Sunday, Nader appeared in Waitsfield, Vermont.  He is scheduled to appear at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Monday at noon.

Running mate Matt Gonzalez did not join Nader in Vermont.  A staffer said Gonzalez was campaigning in California.