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Mike Gravel, a former United States Senator from Alaska, on April 17, 2006, declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election,〔(Sen. Mike Gravel Announces Run for President | Mike Gravel For President 2008 )〕 in a speech to the National Press Club. His campaign gained an Internet following and national attention due to outspoken debate appearances during 2007, but consistently showed little support in national polls. In the 2008 Democratic caucuses and primaries, he did not win any delegates. Out of the eight candidates for the Democratic nomination for president, he received the fewest votes - less than one percent.〔(Google Maps coverage of the primaries )〕 In March 2008, Gravel announced that he had joined the Libertarian Party and would seek its presidential nomination, instead of further pursuing the Democratic nomination. In May 2008, Gravel finished fourth at the 2008 Libertarian National Convention and ended both his presidential quest and his political career. ==Announcement== On April 17, 2006, Gravel became the first candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election, announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Short on campaign cash, he took public transportation to get to his announcement.〔Philip Elliot, ("Ex-Alaska Sen. Gravel Runs for President" ), Associated Press, April 17, 2006. Accessed March 10, 2007.〕 Gravel had spoken out against the war in Iraq since before the invasion of that country began in March 2003. In his announcement he called for immediate cessation of US military involvement in Iraq〔 via his own-drafted U.S. Armed Forces Withdrawal From Iraq Act, and offered a strategy he claimed would get it passed.〔(US Armed Forces Withdrawal From Iraq Act )〕 He unequivocally denounced any possible war with Iran. His announced campaign platform was centered on systemic changes to the U.S. system. Foremost among these were: * The National Initiative for Democracy, a Constitutional amendment and proposed federal statute that would recognize a fourth branch of the US federal government in addition to the judicial, executive and legislative branches, namely the people via direct democracy, enabled to directly initiate and pass legislation and to amend the Constitution of the United States on their own.〔 * A national sales tax that would replace the income tax and the Internal Revenue Service.〔 Gravel's initial campaign also emphasized his support for a single-payer national health care system,〔 term limits, nuclear disarmament, and same-sex marriage recognition. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mike Gravel presidential campaign, 2008」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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