Mike Gravel: I love my country, and I love the human race

By Mary MacElveen

October 5, 2007

With Washington and the mainstream media all abuzz with Congressman Ron Paul raising a little over $5 million dollars in the fourth quarter, which is a little under what Senator John McCain raised, I do feel there is meat within what the lower-tier candidates are saying. In raising this amount, the MSM is somehow forced to recon with this and give candidates like Paul more air time and that is a good thing for the American electorate.

Through both the Democratic and Republican debates more time is focused on the top-tier candidates in which the time given them to answer any number of questions is boiled down to one minute or thirty second sound bites. What substantive value can be gained within those time-slots? Not much if you ask me.

I am not one of those people that approves of kicking any one candidate off of these debates. To me, it goes against what democracy truly means. Democracy to me means hearing from all voices and not just some. If anything, these debates would serve ‘we the people’ better if they gave the lower-tier candidates more time. Who knows it can change the course of our shared destiny.

Thankfully through the Internet any void left by the mainstream media and these debates is being filled by this medium. The Internet is the very tool that did help Ron Paul raise those funds. I have advocated in the past for all voters to do their own research and stop relying on what is being reported by the mainstream media.

Through sites such as YouTube.com, the candidate’s own websites and others, you can clearly hear what the candidate stands for without them being interrupted or some pundit editorializing what they are relaying. Some can even be downright rude and that is uncalled for. We the people are owed more than that.

Last night on one political Yahoo group, a list member posted an interview in which Ray Suarez interviewed former Senator, Mike Gravel. The site that affords Gravel a podium is called Information Clearing House and they titled it, “I’m ashamed of this”

This interview lasts approximately 17 minutes. Most likely that time allotted for this interview far exceeded what Gravel was given in all of the debates combined. Through this interview, you could see a relaxed, Mike Gravel. Some have called him excitable, but that stands to reason when he is not able to get his message across through these past debates. In fact as I listened to this interview, I felt relaxed and was able to really hear what he had to offer ‘we the people’ and I did like what I was hearing.

From the beginning of this campaign cycle, I have been thirsting and craving for new ideas. What I have been seeking is for a candidate to both stimulate me and excite me and I have not been getting that from the top-tier candidates of either party.

Candidates such as Paul and Gravel are barely a blip on any major poll taken, but I do feel that if more became acquainted with their ideas in which voters could hear what they have to add, an upset could occur. In fact, I am hoping it does.

Through such interviews and messages getting out via the Internet, those that control the message would find themselves scratching their heads. Who is to say if voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are tending to lean towards the top-tier candidates? Americans for the most part like to comparison shop and perhaps through presentations such as Gravel’s and Paul’s, it may seal the deal.

Through this piece, I have chosen not to opine on the answers given by former Senator, Mike Gravel, but allow for his words to stand as is. But, I did come away feeling, he has something. He gets it. I came away only to say, “YES!”, finally someone is telling it like it is. I am not one to gush, but in this case I did so. If you are a Democrat charged with helping to select who represents your party going into this race, please take time, sit down and really listen to what Gravel has to say. Please look around at what has transpired in these past seven years and see he does offer alternatives. You owe it to yourselves and more importantly, the American electorate.

Back in January of 2006, I wrote a piece for LiberalPatriot.org, We Deserve More Than the Lesser of Who Cares. I do feel many are craving for a candidate who gives us something to care for. In this article, I did quote former Vice President Al Gore when he said in the third presidential debate in 2000 these inspirational words: