Mike Gravel presidential campaign, 2008
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Mike Gravel, a former United States Senator from Alaska, on April 17, 2006 became a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election,[1] announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club.
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[edit] Campaign development
Gravel's campaign is based primarily on his ardent support for direct democracy (the National Initiative), but also emphasizes his support for a national sales tax and abolition of the IRS, immediate withdrawal from the war in Iraq, a single-payer national health care system, and term limits during his campaign.
Although Gravel's campaign was little-noticed by the national media at its outset he campaigned almost full time in New Hampshire, the first primary state, proceeding after his announcement. He has garnered broader awareness and interest through his occasional television appearances, netroots campaigning, and participation in Party forums (such as the Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum and DNC Winter Conference).
He has become known, chiefly among Democrats and independent voters, for his statements of radical commitment to issues ranging from nuclear disarmament, citizen-initiated lawmaking, gay marriage recognition, and the lifting of discrimination against gays in the military - to the reorganisation of the tax and social security systems in the United States and the immediate cessation of US military involvement in Iraq.
In a February 25, 2007 Washington Post/ABC News nationwide poll of voters who lean Democratic, 0% supported Gravel for the Democratic presidential nomination.[2] Indeed, through February 2007, such opinion polls of contenders for the Democratic nomination have all shown Gravel with a 1% or less support level.
[edit] Endorsements
Senator Gravel has won the endorsement of campaign finance reform activist (and New Hampshire resident and former Alaska resident) Granny D.[3]
[edit] Media releases
An 23 August 2006 media release draws attention to the candidate's public opposition to the prospect of war in Iraq expressed as long ago as the early months of 2002.[4]
A short statement of 13 February 2007 outlined the Senator's views on the possibility of impeachment proceedings against President Bush, regarding it as 'not sufficient' and favouring a congressional inquiry which may ultimately lead to the laying of criminal charges against the President. (see Stance on Impeachment)
A release of 26 February 2007 spelt out his support for the recognition of same-sex marriages and other aspects of the gay civil rights agenda. It said:
"Senator Gravel:
* Unequivocally supports same-sex marriage and opposes the Defense of Marriage Act.
* Supports expanding hate-crime legislation and opposes laws that allow discrimination against sexual orientation, as well as discrimination on the basis of one's gender identity or expression.
* In the absence of full marriage rights, supports domestic partner benefits for all Americans.
* Will repeal the military's 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' legislation on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, as it restricts the rights of gay Americans.
* Opposes any state or national constitutional amendment that restricts the rights of the LGBT community."[5]
A 1 March 2007 release called upon Congress to use its 'constitutional authority' to outlaw the practice of torture against captured enemy combatants.[6] The release referred to Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11 of the U.S. Constitution, which reads, 'The Congress shall have power to..declare war..and make rules concerning captures on land and water.' It also criticised the CIA's practice of not providing the information of certain of its prisoners in overseas jails to the International Red Cross.
[edit] Campaign features
[edit] Campaign activities
As a candidate, Senator Gravel was interviewed for the Blue State Observer weblog on 27 June 2006.[7] On that occasion he expressed his support for constitutional change in aid of citizen-initiated legislation, he declaimed the existence of limitations upon the conduct of stem cell research, and stated he was against the widespread deportation of illegal immigrants.
Senator Gravel delivered an address before the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in November 2006 which has been recorded and published on video.[8]
The Senator has addressed the Jefferson County Presidents Day Dinner Sunday on February 11 2007 in Watertown, Wisconsin.[9]
His address before the DNC National Winter Conference in February 2007 was enthusiastically received and has been broadcast on C-Span.[10] In speaking he authored harsh judgements against President Bush and the Senate Democratic leadership, necessarily involving his Presidential rivals Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards:
"The decision to invade Iraq, without provocation, was fraudulently sold to the American people by a President consumed with messianic purpose. The Democrats controlled the Senate on October 11 2002 and provided political cover for the President to invade Iraq [so that] political calculations trumped morality. Given the extreme importance of any decision to go to war, anyone who voted for the war on October 11 based upon what President Bush presented to them is not qualified to hold the office of President of the United States. ... We must bring our troops home NOW, not six months from now. ... The Democrats in control of Congress need to act resolutely, and i'm not talking about some mealy-mouthed non-binding resolutions. They need to precipitate a constitutional confrontation [with the President]."
[edit] Internet campaign
The Gravel campaign has its own Youtube channel featuring some videos of the candidate's past speeches and campaign appearances.
The candidate maintains his own weblog covering from October 2006 to the present.
The campaign website includes participation forums. A video section of the campaign website links to videos of some media appearances, his address to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, a September 2006 appearance at the 'Camp Democracy' activist forum in Washington DC, as well as the introductory video from his successful 1968 Senate campaign.
[edit] Nevada presidential candidates forum, February 2007
Senator Gravel participated in the AFSCME Democratic Presidential Forum on 21 February 2007 in Carson City, Nevada, at the Carson City Community Center. He appears toward the end of this video of the broadcast of the event.
In the Carson City Forum, he roundly condemned President Bush's policy of military involvement in Iraq and reminded those present of his statements warning of lies and distortions about Iraq's supposed unlawful weapons of mass destruction as far back as early 2002 (the time of the occurrence of the first signs of the Bush Administration's formulation of an agenda for military action against Iraq). He decried the overall level of military spending as against the resourcing of education and what he regarded as poor educational outcomes achieved.
Senator Gravel incited Congressional Democrats to force a 'constitutional crisis' by denying all further budgetary appropriations in aid of continued American military involvement in Iraq. He further argued that the income tax should be 'wiped out' in favour of the FairTax proposal - which imposes a progressive sales tax on newly manufactured items varying from 19% to 23% while providing 'prebates' to untax families up to poverty level spending. He stated his view that experience showed income taxes were in general successfully 'gamed' by the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle income earners. He finally voiced his support for the constitutional and legal reform to effect the National Initiative as a means of enabling citizen-initiated national lawmaking.
Senator Gravel also spoke in favor of public financial assistance for campaigning Presidential candidates.
The complete forum transcripts have been made available.
[edit] Media appearances
The Senator has appeared on C-Span (date unspecified) during his campaign speaking about the prospects of war between the United States and Iran.[11]
Senator Gravel was interviewed on Toniq TV in February 2007 where he forthrightly expressed views supporting the lifting of restrictions against the service of identified gays and lesbians in the US military.[12] Calling comparison to President Harry S. Truman's racial desegregation of the US military in 1948 he criticised former President Bill Clinton as 'dead wrong' and 'mousy' for his innovation of the don't ask don't tell policy covering homosexual conduct by military members:
"If you have any knowledge of history, ancient history, in Sparta they encouraged homosexuality because they fight for the people they love and if its your partner and you love him then you're prepared to die for him. It's the same ethic in the military today. It's not [about] the country, it's [about] my partner who's sharing my foxhole with me."
Also in early February 2007 he was interviewed on MSNBC in conjunction with his appearance at the Democratic National Convention Annual Winter Meeting.[13] He reiterated his ideas and campaign themes including speedy withdrawal of the US military from Iraq, and expressed hia relish to be participating in four debates in the ensuing 30 days.
At the time of the DNC Winter Conference he has also appeared as a guest of a video weblog directed from New Jersey answering questions about netroots and the blogosphere.[14]
Senator Gravel was interviewed about his campaign on the American C-Span network's Washington Journal program on 26 February 2007.[15]
[edit] Exclusion from New Hampshire debates
On 17 March 2007, CNN, the Manchester Union Leader and WMUR-TV formally decided to exclude former Senator Gravel from debates they would be sponsoring in New Hampshire.[16]
The Gravel campaign decried the decision as 'censorship, unbecoming a free society'.[17]
[edit] Political views
[edit] Key dates for Campaigning
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.gravel2008.us/?q=node/92
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_022607.htm
- ^ http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/12092006/nhnews-ph-nh-gravel.granny.html 'Granny D ' Endorses Longshot Hopeful, Associated Press, 9 December 2006
- ^ http://www.gravel08.us/?q=node/85
- ^ http://www.gravel2008.com/?q=node/396
- ^ http://www.gravel2008.com/?q=node/448
- ^ http://www.bluestateobserver.com/2006/07/scones-with-senator.html
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCkgFr7CACY
- ^ http://www.gravel08.us/?q=node/381
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fAmhXMHIk8&mode=related&search=
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRuVkSDRZ_M
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8-0nmEbMV8&mode=related&search=
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtH7ZR-jyrI
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJepo2pXiuw&mode=related&search=
- ^ http://www.gravel2008.com/?q=node/440
- ^ http://www.gravel2008.us/?q=node/471
- ^ ibid.
[edit] External links
- Gravel for President
- Gravel2008 Youtube Channel
- Announcement of Candidacy. National Press Club, 17 April 2006
- First Interview following Announcement. National Press Club, 17 April 2006
- Blue State Observer - Interview
- Blue State Observer - Scones with the Senator
- Foreign Policy Speech, October 2006
- 'Constitutional Confrontation' To Stop The Iraq War, Candidate's Press Release of 19 February 2007
- Congressional Biography
- National Initiative for Democracy
- Gravel2008 on MySpace.com
- Campaign Promotional Materials
- Gravel2008 Blogspot (independent)
- Know Your Candidate: Mike Gravel (Strategery '08)
- Mike Gravel Presidential Campaign at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
