Gravel steals show as candidates talk amongst themselves

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo
Collegian Editor
October 31, 2007

Hillary Clinton? Barack Obama? John Edwards?

The man whose name was on everyone’s lips was not a participant in the Democratic candidates’ debate Oct. 30 at Drexel University. Capturing the gossip of the city and the nation was former Alaska senator Mike Gravel.

After debate host MSNBC banned Gravel from participating for failing to meet specific polling and fundraising requirements, the former senator started gaining more attention.

In 12 national papers Tuesday, family hedge funds trader and Gravel supporter Gregory V. Chase took advertisements out chastising MSNBC. The ads appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Daily Pennsylvanian, The New York Times, The Washington Post as well as Drexel’s student newspaper The Triangle.

Talking on NPR’s All Things Considered, Chase stated that he didn’t have a wife or kids and this was an issue he thought was important enough to invest his money in.

Even without Gravel, though, the debate still waged on.

Candidates included in the debate were Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Sen. Joe Biden (Del.), Sen. Christopher Dodd (CT), Gov. Bill Richardson (NM) and Representative Dennis Kucinich (Ohio).

At the introduction, Clinton and Obama indeed got the largest ovations. The two were clearly the frontrunners coming into this, the seventh Democratic presidential debate.

According to the most recent poll conducted Oct. 22 by The Los Angeles Times, Clinton led Obama 48 percent to 17 percent. Edwards placed third, polling 13 percent.

As the debate, NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert opened with a barrage of questions aimed at Clinton.

Williams questioned Obama about his recent statements likening Clinton to the slate of hopefuls for the Republican nomination. Obama responded by linking his rival to Washington politics-as-usual and touting his own dedication to fighting special interests.

Clinton remained on the defensive all night, a clear indication of her dominance among the field. She continually projected strength, citing her own experience and drawing sharp contrasts between herself and President George W. Bush. Richardson eventually came to her defense, insisting that the others on the stage “save the ammunition for the Republicans.”

There was relatively little mention of Bush compared to previous debates. When the debaters brought up his name, it was to criticize the execution of the War in Iraq. Biden garnered laughs by deriding both Bush and former New York City mayor and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani has no grounds to question Clinton’s experience, Biden joked, considering that the former mayor is the least qualified White House hopeful since the current president.

Each speaker in turn emphasized his or her own experience, promoting the relative merits of years spent in legislation, diplomacy and activism.

The candidates presented opposing plans on dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, reducing dependence on foreign oil, reforming public education and providing health coverage for all Americans. They all agreed that, policy nuances notwithstanding, it is imperative that a Democrat win the White House next year.

Kucinich, an acknowledged long-shot, lambasted the other candidates and the Democratic leadership in Congress for failing to stand up to Bush and called repeatedly for a shift in America’s approach to foreign policy, focusing on peace. The congressman also demurred on a potentially embarrassing question about recent claims that he believes that he has communicated with extra-terrestrials.

In addition to the Democratic candidates, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic State Chairman T.J. Rooney, Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean and Gov. Ed Rendell spoke prior to the debate. Rooney noted that Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street was ill and unable to be in attendance.

The debate was organized by Drexel administrators Dr. Mark Greenberg, dean of the Pennoni Honors College, Jane Bryan, director of the Drexel University Libraries and President Constantine Papadakis, in coordination with MSNBC, the mayor’s office and the governor’s office.

Outside the debate, the ostracized Gravel’s influence was felt.

“Let Gravel Speak” flyers were posted on telephone poles near the debate location at 32nd and Chestnut streets. Outside Main Building – the site of the debate – Gravel supporters made their voices heard.

Freshman Drexel student Brian Cohen spoke in favor of Gravel.

“Gravel runs on ideas, not money,” the physics major said. “This was not democratic in any way.”

Although not a Gravel supporter, Kelly Thomas, a senior communication major from Marymount Manhattan College in New York, agreed with Cohen.

“I feel bad. He’s the low man on the totem poll,” Thomas said, wearing a shirt with Biden’s name emblazed. “It’s all about the money.”

Gravel held a special debate at the World Café where he spoke to anyone who would listen. This debate consisted of the former senator responding to TiVo-ed questions posed by Williams and Russert to the other candidates.

Less than 100 people attended the forum. Gravel made the most of his event, though, calling MSNBC owner’s General Electric out, saying: “They picked the wrong presidential candidate to mess with.”

The debate also saw a large number of supporters for most candidates. Clinton and Obama had the most vocal supporters, but Biden – representing neighboring Delaware – brought the most in. The University of Delaware Young Democrats made the trip up for the debate.

Also outside were various protest groups, including two girls riding a bicycle of same-sex marriages, a man dressed up as a giant pot leaf and Students for a Democratic Society vocalizing about the Iraq War.

scavuzzos1@lasalle.edu