Nader claims Guinness speech record

SHEFFIELD, Conn., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Ralph Nader may not make it into the history books as U.S. president, but he is in the Guinness World Records book, his campaign says.

The independent presidential hopeful claimed Sunday to have broken the Guinness record for most speeches delivered in a 24-hour period, giving addresses on 21 topics in 21 municipal jurisdictions in his home state of Connecticut.

The Guinness book required that at least 15 separate spontaneous speeches of at least 10 minutes in duration with at least 10 people in attendance would be needed to break the record, and Nader bested the mark handily, wrapping up his effort at 1 a.m. Sunday in Sheffield, Conn., campaign officials said in a news release.

They added Nader raised thousands of dollars in small contributions, distributed thousands of pieces of campaign merchandise and spoke directly to well over 1,000 people, or an average of more than 50 people at every stop.