While Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are flying across the nation and slugging it out for delegates and momentum on Super Tuesday, the third Democrat still hanging in the race is taking it a little bit easier.
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel is working the liberal San Francisco and Berkeley areas for the next few days. With John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich out of the race, the extreme leftist vote in the Democrat party is up for grabs and Gravel is hoping to pick up a little bit of a share for himself.
On election night there will be no giant rally for Gravel, but rather he and some of his supporters plan to hang out at Spud’s Pizza in Berkeley…
Join us as the results from the “Super Tuesday” primaries roll in, don’t sit home yelling at the TV! Come spend a few hours with Mike and the World Can’t Wait–Drive Out the Bush Regime! activists and many other friends. Location: Spud’s Pizza 3290 Adeline, Berkeley, CA (Spud’s is a short walk from Ashby BART / easy street parking / wheelchair accessible)
Gravel has barely registered in any of the early primary states. He’s often beaten by candidates who have already dropped out of the race. But, like Alan Keyes in the Republican race, Gravel is banking on a thinning of the field to allow him to win some protest votes and possibly even accumulate a few convention delegates.
Personally, I would love nothing better than for Gravel to win some delegates and secure himself a speaking role at the Democratic convention. The Democratic establishment has tried to distance themselves from Gravel’s fiery leftist rhetoric. But if he can win delegates and support, he’s sure to be an amusing sideshow when the Dems meet in Denver.
Gravel is hanging out in California because many of the state’s Democratic delegates are awarded proportionally by Congressional District. So Gravel’s strategy seems to be to try and pick off a couple of delegates in the extremely liberal districts on the northern coast.
In 2004, Dennis Kucinich snuck into the double-digits in Marin and San Francisco counties. Not quite enough to win delegates there, but pretty close. We’ll have to see if Gravel fares any better in California, or elsewhere, on Tuesday night. But here’s hoping the Gravel finds himself a few delegates to go along with his slice of pizza.
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:14 pm
If you are ready for a change, pass it on. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yq0tMYPDJQ
Obama 08
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Hey I gotta give it up for Mike! He’s an awesome candidate, too bad he’s not more popular.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Mike Gravel is my cousin.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:08 pm
this is a really great opportunity for the dnc to get some new blood! Gravel likes to mix things up thats a good thing for the party!!! its too bad seeing and hearing the same old same old thing I mean if obama is innovation then were in TROUBLE!!!
February 4th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Far better to have a pizza party that you can afford than a huge party with corporate & lobbyist sponsored money.
I challange the author to name one or two of Gravel’s “far left” positions.
Gravel is the only Dem left who is very clear about ending the war - something Most people support.
Gravel is in favor of ending the IRS - another popular idea with real people
February 4th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
to the obama supporter,
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vH9SbwSQCk4
Gravel 08!
February 4th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Bottom Line:
Like all of you. I know that health care is the most critical, and important issue facing the American people. Now, and in the coming elections. And like the vast majority of the American people, I want HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law NOW! “Single payer, Tax Supported, Not For Profit, True Universal Health Care” free for all as a right. Like every other developed country in the world has. See: http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm
“HR 676:
For church goers: less money to insur. companies and more to the church- lots more.
Srs on Medicare: save way over $100/wk. Because no more medigap, long term care & dental insur. needed. No more drug bills.”
But if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our current politicians to get HR 676 passed into law before the elections. We will have to identify, and replace all the politicians standing in the way of passage of HR 676. And, I think the best first place to start is with the politicians that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bills for the kids. Passed by congress twice.
But what about the President. It was Bush after all that blocked the bipartisan SCHIP bill passed by congress to assure more health coverage for Americas kids. So which of the presidential hopefuls do I think will be most supportive of implementing the demand of the majority of the American people to have HR 676 (Medicare For All) passed into law immediately!
We have some very fine presidential candidates who would make good presidents. But none of the top Presidential candidates directly support HR 676, the only true Universal Health Care plan. So I am supporting Hillary Clinton. She is the only top candidate that has ever actually fought for universal health care before.
I have enormous admiration, and respect for Hillary Clinton. She fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds back in 1993. To prevent this disastrous health care crisis that is now devastating the American people, and America. She fought so hard for the American people that she risk almost completely destroying her husbands presidency. I haven’t forgotten her heroic effort. If any Presidential hopeful for universal health care deserves my support, it’s her.
Also, if we the American people fail to bring enough pressure on our government to give us HR 676 which we all so desperately need NOW! Then we will need the most skilled politician we can get on our side to broker the best health care plan for the American people that we can get. Though it will be less than we need, and less than we deserve. The politician I think to best do this is Hillary Clinton. The Clinton’s are probably the most skilled politicians in American history.
The insurance industry, and medical industry that has been ripping you off, and killing you has given Hillary Clinton so much money because they fear her. They have also given Barack Obama so much money because they fear Hillary Clinton. They think they can manipulate Barack Obama against the best interest of the American people better than they can manipulate Hillary Clinton. There is no race issue with Hillary Clinton. The Clinton’s are the poster family for how African Americans want white people to be towards African Americans.
As always, African Americans are suffering, and dieing in this health care crisis at a much higher rate than any other group in America. The last time there was any significant drop in the African American death rate was when Bill Clinton was president.
My fellow Americans, you are dieing needlessly at an astounding rate. In higher numbers than any other people in the developed world. Rich, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies. And we the American people must stop it. And fix it NOW! Keep Fighting!!! Never! give up hope. There are millions of lives at stake. Bless you all… You are doing great!
February 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Jack Smith, exactly what is an “African American”? Don’t you just mean blacks?