MyDD :: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party

Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party

by DaveOinSF, Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:04:43 AM EST

Bumped from the diaries.

..And he becomes a (capital L) Libertarian. I guess this also means he's finally officially dropping out of the Democratic primary race?

Long-shot presidential candidate Mike Gravel told supporters Wednesday he is leaving the Democratic Party to join the Libertarian Party.

Gravel, a former Democratic senator from Alaska, said in an e-mail that the Democratic Party "no longer represents my vision for our great country."

Source: Yahoo.

Looks like he's going to try to make a push for the Libertarian nomination too.... Paul/Gravel? Gravel/Paul?

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Permalink :: 30 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (2.00 / 1)

I enjoyed his senile rants during the debates.

He does have some similarities with the Libertarian Party (Iraq and drugs, especially), but his healthcare and Social Security proposals, pretty big issues, are way out of line with Libertarian principles.

Not really a good fit, across the board.

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by freedom78 on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 03:22:30 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

Maybe he can join Ralph Nader in the Doesn't Know When To Leave A Party.

If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.

by vcalzone on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:17:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

With that kind of attitude, is it any wonder why third party candidates actually steal votes from the Democratic party?

People do not want the Naders and Kuciniches and the Gravels to run third party but then they are marginalized when they try to work within the party parameters.

by Pravin on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 02:16:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ya' gotta' admit... (none / 0)

...this story has some humourous options to it. I'm just sayin'...

by bobswern on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 03:49:04 AM EST

Paul's ruled out a 3d Party run. (2.00 / 1)

Bob Barr's toying with running as Libertarian.

Democratic Candidate, US Senate, Wisconsin 2012

by benmasel on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 05:53:37 AM EST

Re: Paul's ruled out a 3d Party run. (none / 0)

That would be correct.

Not going to happen: Paul/Gravel.

I even made sure to buy paulgravel2008.com and gravelpaul2008.com just in case.

But I can speak with quiet authority Ron Paul will not be running as a 3rd party.

"I hope the two wings of the Democratic Party may flap together." - William Jennings Bryan

by pinche tejano on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:44:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

PREPARE FOR THE GRAVELANCHE!!! (none / 0)

Gravel hid under a rock, but only so he could start the dreaded LIBERTARIAN GRAVELANCHE!

Bill Foster would agree, Barack Obama has coat tails.

by Walt Starr on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:46:10 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

Who's Mike Gravel?

</snark>

by Grady on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 08:59:55 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (2.00 / 2)

I think it stinks that you guys think it's a joke that a life long democrat is leaving the party. Gravel may be an odd bird, but that's no reason to rejoice in his leaving.

by Dave B on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 09:27:35 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (2.00 / 1)

Joe Lieberman was a lifelong Democrat, too.

If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.

by vcalzone on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 09:42:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (1.00 / 1)

Not to compare the two politically, but when you leave the party, you've left the party behind.

If you're being chased by an angry bull and then you notice you're also being chased by a swarm of bees, it doesn't really change things. Just keep on running.

by vcalzone on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 09:43:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (1.00 / 1)

Including the famous one over at dkos.

We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.

by fairleft on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 10:40:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. The Democratic party could split in two. Ha ha ha ha hah. Dailykos types, well-educated liberals, and African American voters could bail the Democratic party for good. Ha ha ha. Sure if funny. It gives ME warm fuzzy feelings.

In case the sarcasm is missed, please stop demonizing other Democrats, even if Dailykos users do say mean things about myDD. People on both of these sites need to take a step back. Our party is pretty close to tearing in two.

by nrioq on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 10:56:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

Maybe another time or place, we can talk. It's fundamental ideological divide within our party, and I don't think libertarianism fits with the FDR, JFK, LBJ Democratic Party I still believe in. And anyway, libertarians already more or less have a mainstrem party, the Republicans.

We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.

by fairleft on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 11:41:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

It would be nice if the libertarians were the dominant faction in the Republican parting, instead of the bloody fascist-leaning theocons. I don't agree with libertarians on a lot of issues, but at least it's possible to reason with (most of) them, because they believe in reason, instead of believing that it's trumped by blind faith.

Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for President! Beat McCain!

by Alex on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 11:36:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

And, as a strategic matter, the Dems need to distinguish themselves fundamentally from the Republicans and the most 'Dem' way to do that is as the party not reflexively and default-position anti-government. Making that a bottom line mark of a Democrat, and making it not just words but substance, will pull back to the party the huge numbers of alienated voters who need help but don't think it makes much difference which party they vote for.

We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.

by fairleft on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 11:45:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (2.00 / 2)

You are right, Libertarian philosophy does conflict with a lot of progressive values. Oddly enough, there still is a small wing of Libertarian leaning Democrats. They are more incidental Democrats than anything, more socially liberal that economically conservative. But, I'd rather have them with us than with the Republicans.

by nrioq on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:08:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

If you haven't noticed, the DKos game is all about resentments and the Obama coalition being the opposite in character to what they claim.

I'd like to see the many black middle class Internet activists for Obama who really are "post-race". Or find the "well-educated liberals" who are not dogmatic about having been 'right' on Iraq, let alone willing to see or call Obama on his Iraq revisionism. And live in denial of what a ball of fluff this Constitutional scholar is on 14th Amendment issues. Finally there are the selfidentifying "moderate Democrats" who advocate everyone else in the Party getting out of their way, because It's Our Turn.

I'm all for both sides being good Democrats, but you might see why we don't regard each other as abiding by necessary common elements of the Party.

by killjoy on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 02:11:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Libertarians _should_ leave the Dem Party (none / 0)

Libertarians did not support the Iraq war. Let's see who else other than the Republicans did. hmmm. never mind!

by Pravin on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 02:19:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

The Party has and accepts people from about 70% of the political spectrum. If that's too narrow for someone, it's time to leave. Personally, I think it's a bit too wide.

by killjoy on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 01:45:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's is right (and 'right') for him. (none / 0)

Posing as a 'left Democrat' with his libertarian tax proposal was always absurd and the chump leftists who followed him only embarrassed themselves.

Now Mike can let his libertarian run free. Only wish he'd done it a lot sooner, like in 2007.

We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. Martin Luther King Jr.

by fairleft on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 10:39:46 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

"Just crazy enough to work" http://www.defectiveyeti.com/images/paul gravel.gif

This idea has floated around before. Personally, I like him since I like a gadfly that doesn't fit within neat boundaries. That and I have a slight libertarian bent myself. I wouldn't mind if Libertarians became a competitive third party one bit. That being said, I'm voting Democrat.

So long Gravel, we hardly knew you.

by nrioq on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 10:51:13 AM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (2.00 / 2)

I hate the idea that he is leaving the party. I thought he made a lot of sense in the debates. We need more crazy truthtellers than kumbaya people in this country. He was like a Frank Capra character.

by maxstar on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:37:10 PM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (none / 0)

Paul has already indicated that he is running for reelection to congress, so I don't think he will be on the Libertarian ticket. It's interesting that Gravel, like a few other candidates dem candidates was always giving us this holier then thou line, but didn't find it to hard to defect to a party that is republican on steroids with respect to a lot of issues. The message, here, is for everyone to be careful in choosing leaders who are long on rhetoric and short on substance.

Definition of a republican moderate---someone who want's only 50 years in Iraq.

by pollbuster on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:52:24 PM EST

Re: Mike Gravel quits the Democratic Party (2.00 / 2)

It's going to be tough but my guess is that we Dems may survive this....

by McSnarky on Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:56:22 PM EST