Mike Gravel gets some ink

For those wondering what makes Mike Gravel tick (and it's hard to imagine not occasionally musing about that while watching him rant and rave during Democratic presidential debates), a one-stop shopping source has arrived.

The Washington Post's Sunday magazine devoted its cover story to the one-time senator from Alaska and, if nothing else, it paints a vivid picture of what it's like to run for the White House on a miniscule budget (and with the help of a devoted, bagel-chomping aide).

The lengthy piece offers biographical details (born in Massachusetts to French-speaking parents from Canada, Gravel didn't speak English until he was 7) and a quick review of the niche he carved for himself in the early 1970s as one of the most audacious public officials opposing the Vietnam War.

It also spotlights the idea that animates his presidential run: his dream of dramatically rejiggering the U.S. political system through the "National Initiative." As the article explains it, Gravel "envisions American citizens bypassing Congress altogether and passing their own legislation after the creation of a federal initiative process."

His aim, Gravel says, is nothing less than "to change the paradigm of human governance as we know it ..."

And, even as he takes pains to avoid the cost of a parking garage while heading to a speaking engagement, Gravel believes the voters giving generously to others will see the light.

"Next year at this time, the American people will be with us," he tells writer Michael Leahy. "It will have happened. And I will remind you that I predicted it."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Shawn]

Mike Gravel is a great American. I think it's great they devoted a cover story to him, and I hope some more people learn about him. He is pretty much the only candidate with thought out plans to defeat Washington corruption, make the tax and health care systems fair, compete globally, and uphold America's image around the world. He's not a nanny-state liberal, he's a freedom and the American Dream liberal who believes in competition. Pretty much everyone I've talked to about Mike has decided to vote for him.

Catch some of his more serious videos on youtube. Like his PBS or CSPAN interviews, or this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7O7cYprEjuM He also had a great panel appearance on Realtime with Bill Maher.

I swear to you, once you actually watch him speak in depth, you will know he is the most intelligent man running, and that he alone speaks straight from the heart. His becoming president would rank right up there with Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy.

[Ross]

Why leave out Gravel's impressive accomplishment? They might be enough to convince countless people to, if not vote for him, at least consider him. So, here goes:

-In the 1970s, he carried out a one man, five month filibuster to singlehandedly end the draft.
-In the 1970s, he also singlehandedly released the Pentagon Papers, by reading them out loud into the Senate record. By the end of the 4200 page document, the dyslexic man's voice was cracking and his eyes were tearing.

And the National Initiative doesn't bypass Congress... it's more like another branch of Congress. It gives the American people the ability to introduce legislation, then vote on, and that gets added into the normal checks and balances of the American government. But don't worry. It won't be some MySpacer sending legislation to Congress like, "l3t m3 a$k 0ut dis cewt boi." There will be checks and balances, such as the people voting on legislation before Congress even sees it.