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[ontheway]

He'll never get the nomination, but 2008 is sure an interesting year:


http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/gravel-to-run-for-libertarian-nod/


March 26, 2008, 9:28 am
Gravel to Run for Libertarian Nod
By Sarah Wheaton

Fed up with being excluded from the debates and otherwise marginalized, former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska announced today that he will seek the Libertarian Party nomination for president.
That�s right, we said Mike Gravel, who had been running as a Democrat � not Representative Ron Paul, who has run on the Libertarian ticket in the past, but recently submitted his name to appear on the ballot in the remaining Republican primary contests.
Skyler McKinley, a Gravel spokesman, said that Mr. Gravel would try to pursue the Libertarian nomination at the party�s convention, which will be held in Denver on May 22-26.
�Whether or not some of our delegates will accept Mike Gravel with some of his positions, that has yet to be seen,� said Andrew Davis, a spokesman for the Libertarian National Committee, adding that Mr. Gravel�s advocacy of universal health care, paid for with a national retail sales tax, could turn off some Libertarians. Also, there are already about 15 candidates vying for the nomination.

From Mr. Gravel�s e-mail message to supporters this morning:
The fact is, the Democratic Party today is no longer the party of FDR. It is a party that continues to sustain war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism � all of which I find anathema to my views.
By and large, I have been repeatedly marginalized in both national debates and in media exposure by the Democratic leadership, which works in tandem with the corporate interests that control what we read and hear in the media.
I look forward to advancing my presidential candidacy within the Libertarian Party, which is considerably closer to my values, my foreign policy views and my domestic views.

[stillnotking]

Gravel follows his Muse. I have a soft spot for men with zero institutional loyalty; if the Democrats somehow end up picking Hillary over the preference of the primary electorate, he'll get my vote.

[Milwaukiedave]

That's interesting to say the least. Maybe he can pick Ron Paul as his vice-presidential nominee. They would be perfect together.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Gravel the only candidate running who got even fewer votes than RP... What is this 'Nobody-likes-me,-I-think-I'll-be-a-Libertarian' approach to politics?

[ontheway]

Libertarian Presidential Candidate Make Gravel on CNN March 31, 2008:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQKfjvEeLZo

[ontheway]

Some of the Ron Paul Revolution is moving to the Libertarian Party. They seem to be divided among:

Robert Barr

Mary Ruwart

Mike Gravel:

The video here is for Gravel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EtO_g573B4

[ontheway]

Gravel party-switch could mean trouble for Root
By Joseph K. Cooper
Tags: Wayne Allyn Root, Mike Gravel, Bob Barr, Libertarian Party, 2008 Election
LAS VEGAS-Las Vegas' very own presidential candidate, Wayne Allyn Root, learned last week that his race for the Libertarian Party's nod for the presidency has gotten a bit harder. Announcing his resignation from the Democratic Party, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel has cast his lot with the Libertarians and is now seeking the nomination that until recently seemed headed Root's way.

Root, reached for comment today, sounded unconcerned about Gravel's entry and even optimistic about what it could mean for the Libertarian Party.

"[Gravel]'s not a Libertarian," said Root. "There's nothing about him that is Libertarian. I don't think the Libertarian Party has any interest in a senator that was defeated twenty-five years ago who doesn't believe in anything that resembles Libertarian philosophy."

Although Root has won several Libertarian Party straw polls and non-binding primaries, the entrance of a high-profile figure like Gravel will almost certainly shake up the Libertarian field. An expected announcement by former Ga. Congressman Bob Barr may also seriously hurt Root's chances of securing the nomination.

"The biggest issue [for Libertarians] is cutting government dramatically and Mike Gravel is a big-government, liberal Democrat. He doesn't want to cut government dramatically; he spent his entire senate career trying to grow government. He's the exact wrong guy for the Libertarian Party."

Root added, "I'm flattered that he's joining our party, he must think the Libertarian Party offers him something. I want everybody in the world to think it's a good party and open up and bring more people in, give us more exposure, all good things. But he will never be the nominee of the Libertarian Party."

Skyler McKinley, national media director of Gravel's campaign, disputed that today.

"Of course Wayne Allyn Root is going to say that," said McKinley. "Root has been searching for the nomination for a long time and he has been successful in doing this because he's gotten a lot of media attention. Sen. Gravel is the biggest thing to hit the Libertarian Party in a long time."

"Wayne Allyn Root is in a difficult position because he's a pro-war Libertarian and that's not going to sell very well. Sen. Gravel is very anti-war, he's very anti-military industrial complex and there's nothing more Libertarian than that."

According to McKinley, Gravel had always intended to run for president this year as a third-party candidate, but had remained in the Democratic Party until recently so he could gain "debate time."

"The debate time has been the most valuable tool in our campaign," said McKinley.

Root and Gravel will face-off for the first time in debate at this month's Heartland Libertarian Conference Apr. 5 in Kansas City, Mo.

[crlb2006]

Mike Gravel is no Ron Paul.
...he's good on foriegn policy though.

I wouldnt say he attained near the popularity of Dr. Paul either. He raised no money (while Paul set records) and didnt get 1/10 of the votes.

I recently heard a proffesor of media studies from Cal-Berkeley on NPR. He reported that no candidate in the history of American politics raised as much money and recieved as many votes as Dr. Paul while being completely ignored by the mainstream media. He was surely no libertarian and cited statistical analysis.

[greedy_bones]

I like some of Ron Paul's ideas, but not most.

Gravel wants an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, Single payer healhcare, lower tuition rates at Universities, an end to the war on drugs, and voter involvement in legislation. Paul wants one, maybe two of those things.

I agree with Paul's foreign policy, but the idea that capitalism fixes everything domestically is laughable.

[mithridates]

[ontheway]

Gravel's evolving views.

Now that he's seeking the Libertarian Party nomination, he's found a little respect. But, will he change or at least moderate his views? Right now he is trying to emphasize his areas of agreement with the Libertarians while ignoring the differences. But, to gain any traction he'll have to make some serious changes.

His latest interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGjwBC2G3KE&feature=user

[Ya-ta Boy]

[greedy_bones]

[ontheway]

Mike Gravel campaigning for the Libertarian nomination (3 min.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYGg-IZHLQg

[citizen erased]

he's an interesting guy, i wouldnt have minded working for him.