Russert's UFO and other Debate Mysteries

A few thoughts on last night's debate:

* "Where's Mike?" Isn't it amazing that GE and NBC could suddenly drop me from the debates and none of my opponents would even comment on it? It's like Stalin's Russia when someone would just stop showing up for work but no one in the office dared to ask; "Hey, what ever happened to Ivan?" What does it say about the state of American politics and the Democratic Party when our presidential candidates don't have the guts to question a TV network?

* Sticks and Carrots? Great to see Edwards and Obama finally challenge Clinton for supporting the march toward war with Iran. For months I've been educating the public about this phony crisis. My many Huffington posts and my "I'm ashamed of you, Hillary" moment in the last debate got me in big trouble with the power elite. But last night's Hillary-bashing rang false. Was it based on genuine disagreement or just political calculation? Obama, after all, refused to vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment. And last night I still heard a lot of tough talk from almost all the candidates about never allowing Iran to go nuclear, keeping all options on the table and "sticks and carrots." Sticks and carrots? Maybe a good way to start diplomacy would be to show the Iranians some respect and stop referring to them as donkeys that must be bribed or beaten into compliance.

* Tim Russert's UFO. Once again Russert assumed his role as the establishment's Hatchetman. Last debate, he sandbagged me with the bankruptcy question. This time he clocked Dennis with the UFO. When is Russert going to ask Hillary about the billing records or the cattle futures during a debate? Russert is America's most overrated journalist (Wolf Blitzer's a close second). Russert failed to challenge administration flacks in the lead up to Iraq (remember, he was one of Scooter Libby's go-to journalists) and now he's joined the drum beat for war with Iran. Last night he repeatedly pestered the candidates: "Will you pledge that when you're president, Iran will not develop nukes?" Was that a question? A twisted mantra? Or was it a demand for a profession of faith that we need to bomb Iran? Talk about trying to undermine diplomacy. Enough of Tim Russert!

Last night's debate showed that my campaign has reshaped the national debate about Iran. This is exactly what the warmongers and profiteers feared -- an aggressive opposition with a national platform. And this is why I wasn't invited last night.

But I'm still the race and I've been invited to other debates. I hope that if another network suddenly decides to exclude me, maybe I'll get some support from the candidates who are now following my lead.

Comments

[joe2012]

I agree with Mike's obvious observation -- why did the other demo candidates willingly participate in GE's censuring of the only Presidential Candidate asking serious questions? For sure Tim Russert is the most overrated American "journalist" -- his asking candidates to take the pledge to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons was indeed shockingly and pathetically inappropriate for any so-called journalist. I was equally amazed and disgusted when he asked Fred Thompson on Meet the Press whether Iran should be allowed to develop nuclear power -- and even good old pro-torture Fred just looked at Russert in amazement at the imperial arrogance of the question -- and answered that Iran was a soveriegn nation -- and as such it was not a matter of whether the US would allow or not allow Iran to do anything.

[benjaminj23]

I want to know from the Huffington Post why this wasn't featured! Go Mike!

[PeaceCzar]

The full scoop on Gravel's alternate debate:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-kraus/gravel-turns-debate-exclu_b_70811.html

[Minden]

Honesty, integrity, experience. A history of accomplishments and patriotism that puts the other candidates to shame. A true love for his country and her people. The guts to speak the truth and stand up for what"s right. Working to empower the people, not special interest groups, corporations and the military industrial complex. Wants peace, not war. All qualities a great president should have - and all the qualities of Sen. Mike Gravel.
www.gravel2008.us
Free America - Gravel "08!

[Aerostotle]

Anyone else notice that Mike Gravel's posts stopped becoming featured posts, yet Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd get to be at the top of the featured posts when they post a new blog? I have to search for Gravel's name to read a blog by him. If I didn't sign up as a fan of this blogger, then I would have never known Gravel posted a blog.

[Doofus]

NYT - October 23, 2007 - The Colbert Juggernaut

Chris Suellentrop

-In the Democratic debates, is it time to replace Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich with Stephen Colbert? Not only is Colbert funnier, but he"s also polling better. Chris Cillizza, who writes the political blog "The Fix" for The Washington Post, has the scoop:

Public Opinion Strategies, a Republican polling firm, recently completed a national poll of 1,000 likely 2008 voters that included Colbert"s name in both the GOP and Democratic primaries. (He has announced his plans to run in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.) In the field from Oct. 18-21, the survey has a 5 percent margin of error.

In the Democratic primary, Colbert takes 2.3 percent of the vote " good for fifth place behind Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (40 percent), Sen. Barack Obama (19 percent), former Sen. John Edwards (12 percent) and Sen. Joe Biden (2.7 percent. Colbert finished ahead of Gov. Bill Richardson (2.1 percent), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (2.1 percent) and former Sen. Mike Gravel (less than 1 percent). ...

[AusRob72]

Thanks for sticking with your morals Senator Gravel. I can see the big corporate media are going to do everything in their power to put a cease to your campaign, but I and your other many supporters will continue to back you. This country really needs politicians such as yourself and Dennis Kucinich. Keep the movement going !

[tomsthumb]

Has our society been reduced to the point of only understanding bribery or beating into compliance? I believe this is the undermining effect of the war on drugs; punishment and prejudice with no compassion or respect. Every issue is reduced to Warrior mentality.
Tim Russert has been posturing for Hillary in '08 since 2003 when he dismissed all Democratic candidates for '04

[fariqabdulaziz]

Senator Gravel, you are the most honest and moral candidate this country has seen in years, which is why the corporate "elite" are so afraid of your populist voice. I joined the letter writing campaign to get you allowed into the 30Oct07 debate, and received in reply only a tired letter from Drexel University Vice President Terranova stating that his college was proud to go along with the corporate censorship because they could show students the "political process" firsthand. Apparently Drexel actually wants their students to see that voices of integrity and character and truth such as yours will not be allowed in America under corporate domination. Sickens my heart. I have taken the small step of deleting the channels NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC from my television (too bad I'm not a Nielsen family) and look forward to caucusing for you on January 3rd in Iowa. Keep up the fight!

[Biddy]

Go Mike! I like Tim Russert, but what he did to Dennis Kucinich and you I agree was "over the line."

If he is to ask questions like this, he must ask it of ALL the candidates. Not just exclude the top tier candidates.

The media is not doing their job by purposely excluding candidates. It just shows that the networks still want to shape public opinion. Has the media learned nothing since from this administration?

The media's job should be to report the news...not create it.

[Mike__M]

Another great post, Senator.

"...Candidates don't have the guts..."
That sounds like politics as usual. HC and BO were doubtless relieved to have you off that stage; the others must have fallen for the hope that your 4 minutes would be generously donated to them. Did anyone notice a more equitable distribution of time with seven participants instead of eight?

"...Show the Iranians some respect ..."
Call me naive, but I can't get over the fact that none of them would say that Iran is not obliged to obey a U.S. President. I can't believe they all refuse to connect the dots between Anglo-American Oil (BP) and Iran's suspected nukes, you know, the line that runs through Kermit Roosevelt, Mossadegh, the Shah, Khomeini, Ahmadinejad, and Cheney -- the line that ran straight through the embassy in Tehran.

"...Clocked Dennis with the UFO."
Kucinich would have been better off if he had been with you on your stage; when you criticize him (and the others), you do so in the context of legitimate issues. "Where's Dennis?" may be the next question that no one asks.

"...my campaign has reshaped the national debate..."
Right on! And you've got to continue reshaping it; keep it from settling back into its muddled me-too-mediocrity.

[MikeBoyScout]

1. Mike, to sharpen the point a bit.... is it not strange that those who stand to benefit the most from the MONEY "primary" - MSM TV/Radio outlets like GE - are the ones using money as a criteria for in...er uh EXclusion from the PUBLIC airwaves?

2. The Stalin reference is apropos. Remember, it was not so much Stalin's terror as it was the USSR's apathy (top to bottom) towards the terror.

3. Carrots and Sticks..... Maybe it is time for a guy like you Mike to raise the issue of language (not so much against our own) regarding the Republican field. All of them profess to be more Holy than Christ himself, but the New Testament is replete with direction regarding respect. Time for a Truth teller like yourself to once again set the example and take the STICK to the Repub hypocrites.

[siddartha999]

There are NO journalists left on American Television; well possibly Keith O. - on the same network as Tim the Pumpkin Head.

Precious few journalistas left in America period, now that Hunter has hopped on the Big Black Train but we can only hope that outlets like this web log can function to inform at least a few of what is transpiring.

Go Mike Go - another donation coming up.

[WHATEVER7]

Who elected "give me another Guiness" Russert? I can't figure out what the enamoration is with this guy. A fat guy without a clue living off his daddy's legacy...whatever that's worth. We certainly can do better than this! Sorry Timmy, I ain't buying.

[fritzers]

BRAVO MIKE!!

Mr. Mike Gravel you are just a great man.

Please stay in the race and keep delivering your rare wisdom calmly and confidently until they get it.

Thank you Mike for telling the truth and helping We The People.

We like Mike!

[tejasgole]

Mike, great job with the debate. Its sad the MSM and other candidates are completely blocking you out.

Sadder still that even this site does not seem to be giving you much time on the front page.

[brettday]

Keep on speaking truth, Mike, we're with you!

[Zal Moxis]

As usual, Sen. Gravel is right on! It's hard to add to his cogent comments, last night during the "debate," or in his remarks today. Thank you, Mike.

[toddpw]

Well, if Ron Paul can get on Leno (good clip, btw, I recommend it) then there's still hope for a non-establishment message as long as it brings in the contributions. GOP voters are finally waking up to what their party has become, and voting with their dollars.

The Dem voters have yet to wake up to the truth-- all rhetoric aside, their front-runners are in the pocket of big money and won't fix what truly needs fixing. Blogs like DailyKos are running out of simple excuses since Reid and Pelosi keep throwing fight after fight that by all rights Congress should win.

We need more people like Mike, Dennis, and Ron sticking up for the truth and forcing real issues out into the media, in spite of the "censorship of starvation" that is the true hallmark of state-controlled media.

Except in our case, the State extends out through the military-industrial-financial complex into the rest of our society. Mike was right when he said they "own our culture". It's literally true! And scary.

[dailyrev]

Bravo, and bravo again, Mike! People, I've been around as a voter since the days of Nixon, and I have not seen an abler, saner, clearer-speaking, more bullshit-free candidate for this office than Mike Gravel. As I said at the blog today, there's a year to go, and those front 3 of the Dems could hack one another to pieces or (worse yet) try and back their way softly into the Oval Office, and that would open the door wide for Mike. I refuse to give up on this man, and I would suggest that if he strikes a chord with you, you shouldn't give up on him either. Go Mike!!!

[horhay]

Thank you Senator Gravel. Keep bringing important issues into the presidential race. The MSM and corporatocracy may be trying to force you out of the race, but here in the blogosphere we hear your message loud and clear. Please stay in until the primaries (or however long you can stand it).

[HeevenSteven]

I completely agree with you; Russert is an overrated pumpkin head.

[Qbear]

I missed you at the debate and wanted to thank you for your post on Queerty lambasting Obama's callous use of hate-spewing closet case Donnie McClurkin.

[Dantheman99]

Give 'em Hell, Mike!!!

Keep telling the truth! And, the better let you speak at the Convention!

[Marlyn]

Yes Mike, you have been a leader, and thank you for speaking out so forcefully.

I enjoyed your discussion of the debate online last night. That is a great format, being able to freeze the action to make a point.