Mike Gravel: Why I Wasn’t Invited to the Debate on Gay Issues
July 13, 2007
Mike Gravel: Why I Wasn’t Invited to the Debate on Gay Issues
Yesterday the Human Rights Campaign announced that it will not invite me to the first-ever presidential debate on gay issues because I didn’t raise enough money. To say that I’m shocked is an understatement. I can confidently say, of all presidential candidates, I’ve been the most outspoken advocate for gay rights.
Mike Gravel, though an underdog, is clearly far more progressive with regards to gay issues than any of the “big 3” Democratic candidates. Minor candidates are a welcome sight in presidential debates because they keep the big guys honest—just see what Gravel has done in every debate thus far. It’s not hard to imagine that, as Gravel suggests, HRC shut him out of the debate for just this reason.
Also not hard for me to imagine: the campaigns of one or more of the “top tier” candidates lobbying HRC to keep Gravel out of the debate. Lets hope HRC does the right thing and extends an invitation to the senator.
UPDATE: It’s already happened. HRC, “due to enthusiastic support,” has invited Gravel to the debate. Good call.