Gravel : "We stayed in a $55 motel. I'll hitchhike to the next debate if I have to."

[Herman Munster]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/04/28/after_debate_little_known_democrat_draws_a_crowd/

The reaction to Gravel's performance has overwhelmed his campaign. His aides said they got more requests for interviews yesterday than in the first 12 months of the campaign. Gravel's website could not handle the flood of hits after the debate, they said. Bloggers complained that they were ready to donate money but were unable to get into the website .

"He started out with less money than the cost of a John Edwards haircut," said Elliott Jacobson, Gravel's national finance director. Gravel told reporters after the debate: "We stayed in a $55 motel. I'll hitchhike to the next debate if I have to."

Earlier this month, Gravel returned home to Arlington, Va., from a campaign appearance in New York on a $25 ticket on Van Moose bus lines. He had spoken at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network candidates' forum, sharing the stage with Senator Hillary Clinton and Obama -- both of whom have already raised more than $20 million each.

Gravel said he decided to run for president because of his anger over Iraq. Friends urged him to use the campaign to also push two policy goals: direct democracy and a revamped federal tax code.

[oberliner]

1. Did Gravel really need to get in a dig on Edwards and the haircut?

Doing the Republicans job for them, it seems.

[Fridays Child]

2. Same old same old...

Nothing new, eh? :shrug:

[movonne]

3. I think he is not happy with any of our candidates..I found him refreshing

and he made the whole debate worth watching...I'm and Edwards fan and I feel the whole haircut thing is ridiculous..but it was still funny...

[Clark2008]

7. I'm with Gravel, then.

I'm not happy with any of them either (well, I like a couple of them, I just don't think they can win).

[Alexander]

9. Edwards was wrong, and he admitted it.

I see no problem with taking our candidates to task over bonehead decisions they have made.

I guess if we question the IWR votes, we're "doing the Republicans job for them"?

[oberliner]

20. I just don't think the campaign should be about haircuts

By repeating that "400 dollar haircut" line it seems like Democrats are helping the Republicans and the folks in the MSM who want to make this about inanities rather than issues.

Questioning the IWR votes is completely different, as that is a real issue that bears a direct relation to the candidate's positions.

The haircut does not.

[Alexander]

32. It does say something about fiscal responsibility.

I don't want politicians passing off their own frivolous expenses - such as haircuts - on to contributors or taxpayers.

Governor John Rowland of Connecticut was imprisoned for having work done on his house on the taxpayer's dime. Why do people feel they must make someone else pay for their own expenses?

And I'm not looking favorably at Edwards' Iraq War record either. No sale for me so far.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Hello? It's a joke, not a dig...

And it wasn't Gravel himself, it was a campaign worker. Must everyone be so unflinchingly polite to the other candidates all the time?

[oberliner]

23. Things like this have a tendency to stick

In many cases these sound bites have a lot of staying power.

I have no problem with a lack of politeness but it seems unhelpful to assist those who want to direct focus away from things that are actually relevant to a candidate's policies.

The average American, if asked to name one thing about Edwards would most likely identify him as the guy who paid 400 dollars for a haircut at this point.

That doesn't seem good for the process and I don't see why our candidates should be a party to that sort of thing.

[Blue_In_AK]

26. I see your point

but we need to be able to laugh. I agree the haircut was much ado about nothing, and my guess is that Gravel and his aide do, too.

[Jacobin]

25. Why not?

If someone wants to pretend to be a 'man of the people' and then enjoy a lifestyle like Paris Hilton, then I guess they fucking opened themselves up to it.

Besides, he's a curmudgeon, and that's what curmudgeons do....they say what is on their minds.

p.s. Gravel doesn't support Edwards, who VOTED for this goddamned war to begin with

[SOS]

30. Also slightly inaccurate

According to Gravel's FEC first quarter filing he had 130 donors and $498 cash-on-hand.

[liberalnurse]

37. He sure did.

He knew you would need fodder for your pessimistic whining one -liners at DU.

You should thank him now.O8)

[krkaufman]

40. It was Gravel's aid that said that.

And, no, he didn't need to.

"He started out with less money than the cost of a John Edwards haircut," said Elliott Jacobson, Gravel's national finance director.

[Mojorabbit]

4. He was a breath of fresh air

and made it worth watching the debate.

[Faux pas]

5. The old status quo isn't cutting it. I give the guy a B for having

a set of big ones.

[bluestateguy]

6. He's a fine candidate for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination

I think he can beat President Ford.

[krkaufman]

41. Didn't he run in 1992 as Perot's VP candidate? : )

"Who am I? Why am I here?"

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

46. That would be Stockdale.

[krkaufman]

50. Yes. Thus the smiley face in my subject line. : )

(thanks, though)

[Adelante]

8. Heh

Good for him :D

"What will make a difference in this campaign is not money, it's not celebrity, it is a person who is prepared to tell the American people the truth," he said. "The people are fed up and as president I will do a 180 and move this country in the opposite direction."

[Alexander]

10. I don't want him to win - but I hope his voice is heard loud and clear.

We need more voices on the left to deal with all the DLC echo chambers trying to drown out the message.

[frazzled]

12. I don't think you have to worry about that (him winning)

I'm a little amazed at the sudden enthusiasm for former Senator Gravel. Though I am solidly against this war, and have been vehemently opposed since the first sabers were rattled in the summer of 2002, I thought Gravel was loopier than hell--our very own Admiral Stockdale. I found him neither a breath of fresh air nor a strong voice for the left. I thought he sounded like a nutcase and was rather an embarrassment for our side--more fodder for the right wing to snigger at 'loopy lefties.' Declare the war a felony? Sounds fun, but I'm not sure it would fly in court ... nor would it be a solution to bringing our troops home in the near future.

I think it was generous (or crafty) of MSNBC to let him in the debates. I suppose it was because of his status as a former senator--but not everyone who declares themself a candidate is entitled to a seat on the podium. I mean, if I decided to run, would they let me on?

Beam me up, Scottie.

(P.S. Just my opinion; anyone is free to cheer him on, but I'd rather he'd disappear. There are enough lucid and forceful voices against the war that would better represent us. The vast majority of Americans already know the war = bad, and they want it ended. We don't need Mike Gravel blathering on to accomplish this.)

[rhett o rick]

14. I respectfully disagree. Gravel doesn't have to worry about being nominated

therefore he can say what needs to be said out loud. He has a platform that isn't often given to anyone on the left side of Hitler. He is free from the constraints of advisor's. We worry way too much about sounding kooky. Funny how conservative liberals get at election time. Go Mike.

[Alexander]

33. Why not let him in the debate?

A distinguished former Senator who released the Pentagon Papers and single-handedly ended the Vietnam draft cannot be compared with you. No offense, but you don't have even remotely close to the same credentials.

I don't mind that he's there at all - he correctly chastises those who talk tough on Iran and who voted to fund or support Iraq. His language is a bit extreme ("nuking Iran"?) and I don't like some of his ideas like the flat tax, but he does provide a refreshing break from all the double-talk and saber-rattling most of the others do.

[frazzled]

35. Well ...

How do you know who I am, or what my credentials are? "Remotely"? I could be Madeleine Albright, for all you know.

Look, if you can put aside his crackpot ideas about a right-wing flat tax and "direct democracy" (yeah, there's the ticket: besides having to throw out the entire U.S. Constitution, which is pretty impractical, it would result in a nightmare on a national scale, and I can assure you most of what the "citizen lawmakers" would pass would make your spine shiver)--not to mention what seemed to be some, um, personality issues--go ahead. Because he shouted about the war, we should forget all the rest. Sheesh. A monkey could shout about the war, but I wouldn't clap.

I don't think his presence was a positive force in that debate. Kucinich, yes. Gravel? I'm kind of dumbstruck.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

11. Yup, we need his message to humble the top tier

He needs our help to get to NH debate

http://www.nhinsider.com/press-releases/2007/3/20/gravel-dismisses-cnn-wmur-tv-and-union-leader-statement.html

[SlipperySlope]

13. K&R

[Jcrowley]

15. K&R- Here's more

Senator Gravel, same question: Other than Iraq, the three most important enemies to the United States?


GRAVEL: We have no important enemies. What we need to do is to begin to deal with the rest of the world as equals. And we don't do that.


We spend more as a nation on defense than all the rest of the world put together. Who are we afraid of?


GRAVEL: Who are you afraid of, Brian? I'm not. And Iraq has never been a threat to us. We invaded them. I mean, it is unbelievable. The military industrial complex not only controls our government, lock, stock and barrel, but they control our culture.

[faithnotgreed]

21. and a k & r for posting this

treating others as equals and calling out the military industrial culture of death?

imagine that

[scarface2004]

16. he's got my vote!

he gets it, he's right on. go get 'em mike!!

[loudsue]

17. I hope Gravel and Kucinich get enough big donations from the internet

that the fucking media laughing at them will choke on their tongues. Gravel and Kucinich are the only two candidatesin the whole line-up that truly know what WE THE PEOPLE of this country need and want. They would STOP the fucking corporate take-over of our country, and put the money back in the hands of those people who work for it. And for those who can't work, they won't be kicked to the curb.

They both understand that everyone in this country is working for the military industrial complex that is breaking all of our backs. They've spent their professional lives LIVING what they believe.

I was one of the folks trying to get on the web site to make a donation, and I plan to make one for Kucinich, as well. They'll never win the primary because they aren't "mainstream" enough. Well, I for one, am so fucking sick and tired of "mainstream" I could scream.

The more Gravel & Kucinich's voices are heard, and the more the "mainstream" candidates see the donation money going to some REAL statesmen, hopefully the more people will start to HEAR what they are saying, instead of making fun of them. They really are the best 2 DEMOCRATS in the race...., probably the ONLY 2.

:kick::kick::kick:

[faithnotgreed]

19. it is not possible for me to agree with you more loudsue - RIGHT ON

and well said

[ClayZ]

42. You are absolutely right!

Louder

[faithnotgreed]

47. and i will raise you a LOUDER clayz

ha

[Sanctified]

24. I just sent Gravel and Kucinich $25 each.

I think it would be cool to see Kucinich running as Prez with Gravel as his Vice Prez.

[loudsue]

27. Great!!! Let's keep it going!!

It's high time we had a SERIOUS change in the direction this country has been headed. The other candidates just seem to want to "tweak" the direction, more to their advantage. We need the voice of someone who will absolutely & unequivocally put the truth back on the table.

Gravel & Kucinich are doing just that, and I'm eternally grateful! :loveya:

:kick::kick::kick:

[ClayZ]

43. Kick again!

:kick:

[jmowreader]

49. I don't think it would be cool to have another Republican administration

Which is exactly what would happen if we put either one of those men on the ticket.

Look, guys, I'm sorry, but if Gravel doesn't think the United States has any enemies (oh...let me see...North Korea comes to mind REAL quick) and he wants to dump the income tax for Neil Boortz' sales tax bullshit, he's crazier than a shithouse rat. Kucinich is a good congressman, but his plan to ban all handguns will get him stomped in a national election.

[sellitman]

28. Kucinich/Gravel 2008

Has a nice ring!

[progressoid]

44. Problem is, they are on different ends of the Democratic political spectrum.

[sellitman]

45. Didn't sound like it the other night.

:shrug:

[Pastiche423]

34. loudsue, I felt your energy

clear across the country! (I'm on the left coast and just got off the phone w/my dad in N.C.)

Gravel and Kucinich are the two candidates (that have announced) that KNOW that this country needs to do a 180 and FAST.

I was not able to watch the debate, as I am cable-less, but I did read all of the comments in the debate threads. I hope Gravel will stay in the race for as long as he can.

We need national debates about the real issues that citizens face. I am sick of the DLCers and those that voted for the IWR AND those that claim they will work for the poor, yet live the elite life.

Thank you for your exhilarating post!

[knitter4democracy]

22. The media's spinning him to be a kook. He seems genuine to me.

That anger isn't fake, and his smile isn't, either. I like that. He's right, and we all know it--the war is illegal, our foreign policy is in shambles and beholden to the Military-Industrial Complex, and Dems haven't fought hard enough for civil rights in our own nation. So far, I like him. He reminds me a bit of how my dad was when I was growing up, before my stepmom helped him (along with talk radio) turn into a Republican.

[SOS]

29. He didn't mention Iraq 11 days ago

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION 4/17/07: Did this idea of running for president just occur to you when you woke up one morning and looked in the mirror?

GRAVEL: No, that gentleman sitting right there called me a year ago February--his name is Jeff Peters --and he said, Mike, the only way you're going to make the national initiative known, you're going to have to run for president. And I says you're out of your mind. In no way, shape do I want to run for president. And about five months later I came to the conclusion that it is the only way.

To find out what Gravel is promoting see www.ni4d.us

If past if prologue, it doesn't look promising:

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: Well let me ask you about your third Senate race; what happened there? Why weren't you re-elected?

GRAVEL: Well for the very simple reason that I'd slowly alienated almost all of the people who had supported me before. Secondly, I didn't really want to run, but I had no place to go.

[Rosemary2205]

52. Dude, you just yanked the lid off a big freakin can of worms.

Dang..............

[reprehensor]

31. Just made a donation.

Engage.

[liberalnurse]

36. I just got to tell ya......

I LOVE this guy!:loveya:

[Forkboy]

38. Ok...anyone riding a bus line called Van Moose has to be on my shortlist.

:D

[Virginian]

39. He's been under Iraq

With a name like Gravel... he told Tweety that he had been under a rock for the last ten years. I hope he sticks around for a while, I found some of his message refreshing and I hope he can voice it a few more times.

[ClayZ]

48. Kick

[Rosemary2205]

51. $55 a night hotel in SC is probably a nice place.

I don't mean luxury but I doubt fleabag, I'm too poor to take the bus to the next gig type place. There's a Hampton Inn in Columbia we stay at often at $59 a night AAA rate. The Red Roof Inns and Motel 6's are running in the $39 a night range around there.

I'm just sayin............