Against all odds — upstart candidates and their rabid devotees

Seattle Times ^ | Sunday, July 29, 2007 | Tomas Alex Tizon

[indcons]

One is a Democrat, the other a Republican. They've never met but have much in common: Both wear dark suits and sneakers, for one. Neither has a lot of money. Both are running for president.

Mike Gravel and Ron Paul. Mike and Ron. Their names, sharing space at the bottom of the polls, seem increasingly linked. Each came out swinging in the debates and scored points for candor and quirkiness and, in Gravel's case, crankiness. The oldest of the declared candidates, Gravel, 77, and Paul, 71, have become the campaign's upstarts. They have helped draw an audience that otherwise might not have tuned in to the earliest-starting primary season in U.S. history.

So who are these guys? Can two old men in rubber shoes win their parties' nomination to be leader of the free world?

[Issaquahking]

Mike Gravel is a whack job formerly from Alaska. Do a little poking around on the web. People will understand a little why everyone in Alaska rally's around Senator Steven's, when they realize what a nut job he replaced!

I actually appreciate the man. He inured anyone with a brain, will never, under any circumstance, consider a dimowit, for Alaska again!

[ari-freedom]

Gravel actually supports the fair tax
http://www.gravel2008.us/?q=fair_tax

I have a feeling though that even its biggest supporters would rather not have it than elect a pro abortion, pro gay marriage prez who wants to cut and run from iraq.

[jmyrlefuller]

Gravel is a nut who supports overthrowing the Constitution with his “national initiative” proposal.

And why is Ron Paul the only non-mainstream GOP candidate being covered? Where’s the Hunter or Tancredo coverage, heck, I wouldn’t mind seeing ANY of the other candidates covered. But no...