Seeing things like that are refreshing, and it makes you wonder why more politicians can’t see the human element in the equation as well. I’ve never really taken a big interest in politics, mainly because I find it so tiring filtering through all the bullshit on a daily basis. I have however been pleasantly surprised by the odd thing a politician says or does over the years.

One such instance was shortly after September 11th in a televised interview with Jean Chretien. I remember him saying that while all those deaths were tragic, it was important for everyone to take a step back and analyze what it was that we, as members of the western world, might have done to contribute to what ultimately happened in New York City that day. I thought it was a view that took some guts to openly say.

Even Putin has surprised me with some of the things he has said this last year, especially when contrasted against things Bush has said or done. I totally agree that sanctions don’t do anything really, and most times do far more harm than good. I visited Havana, Cuba a few years ago and spent some time with the locals, and all the trade embargo with the US has done (at least in the eyes of a few people I talked to) is make it more difficult and expensive for Cubans to acquire goods, many of which are imported from Canada at a higher cost.

It’s so sad that a “true” democratic process is not part of the United States presidential election

Quoting Roy El Saghir:

Mike Gravel enjoys the freedom of not being beholden to scum… unfortunately, in our “just” political system this also means he is not a viable candidate for the presidency…
go figure…

I am really “fresh meat” as it were at this, having just registered this morning, so please forgive me if I make mistakes.
As I read Matt’s entry and the comments after, this one stuck out more than the others for some reason, perhaps the use of the word unfortunately. I found all had a common theme, that being a sense of defeat, like ok, that’s nice but let’s just roll over, shall we? I myself prefer not to close my eyes and shut my mouth any longer.To borrow Matt’s own words (if that’s okay…new…remember?) “me I like to cast my death on yesterday, cause what doesn’t kill us now just makes us better whores”. Now, I can’t say what motivated Matt to write those words or what they mean to him or anyone else for that matter, but for me it says, if I continue the way I have been, content, for the most part, to go along with the flow, then I become that “better whore”. I don’t want to be that person and obviously I am not alone in this thinking.
I am not well educated, not very familiar with all the human atrocities going on in the world and don’t know where we are all headed. All I do know is that I feel an overwhelming desire to change what I can. Don’t quite know how to start or what to do but I know it will come to me somehow. I believe this is a great place to start.
Thanks all, for being here and wish us luck.

I’ve always supported Gravel over any of the other candidates (with the exception of Gore and Nader, who aren’t running) and if I were a US citizen and not just a resident I would absolutely vote for him.

Take this quiz at http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/page?id=3623346 . just a series of questions to see what political candidate has the same political views as you. I had
1. Mike Gravel
2. Joe Biden
3. Hillary Clinton

It is refreshing to have someone like Mike Gravel, and I think it is great that he was praised by Noam Chomsky, that in itself should be enough to give him a good push. But as always people like Gravel and Kucinich are swept under the rug and labeled as nothing but idealists.

Matt, what do you think about them kicking Kucinich out of the debates in Nevada?? It amazes me how NBC even has the balls to fight Kucinich on this issue, an obvious disregard to democratic process (what else is new). I can’t lie though, I’m obviously just complaining because I want to see more of his hot hot wife….have they shown up on hot chicks with douchebags yet??

ha! nice one STING!
i would love to see this guy become president, but not likely to happen because not even the democrats are ready for this kind of honesty.

Mike Gravel is a wonderful breath of fresh air. I have followed him a bit since i 1st saw him speak during the democratic debates last year. He says it like it is, and he takes no money from corporations or interest groups, only private individuals like u & i . That, unfortunately, means he can’t have much of a campaign. How democratic indeed.

Matt and anyone else, go on youtube and find some of the clips of Gravel during the recent democratic debates. He may not seem like a man of great intellectual fortitude like Obama or Clinton, but he is good-hearted, brutally honest (to the public & to his fellow democrats during debates), and wise.