A Man For Alaska - Mike Gravel and Poll-Driven Media Politics

Interesting stuff on Mike Gravel's early campaign strategy and techniques.  Gravel was way ahead of the curve in supporting renewable energy and dissing nuclear power even if he was on ethically shaky ground with his campaigning.  Not only did he put the Pentagon Papers in the Congressional Record, he put interesting renewable energy stuff in there too. 

"Obviously, there is a puzzling contradiction between the utilities' advertisements which claim radioactive power plants are wonderfully safe, and the utilities' testimony to Congress that they would not build them unless Congress relieved them of almost all financial responsibility for accidents. If 'nukes' are as safe as they claim, why do they worry about financial responsibility for accidents?   If the utilities won't even risk their dollars on the safety of nuclear power plants, why should the people have to risk their lives?  We should not wait for the Price-Anderson Act to expire in 1977.  Repeal now is a minimum objective."

"Since the energy problem is so urgent, we ought to push for bills this session to get initial funding for solar energy and geothermal energy, plus more for fusion than is now in the AEC's budget. If we wait for a perfect new agency to come into existence, we'll lose more time. We can get started this year by pushing for programs under existing agencies."

- Senator Mike Gravel (February 15, 1971)  in Nuclear Power and Alternatives (from "Poisoned Power" )

Gravel Pioneered Poll-Driven Ads and Videos - NPR - 30 Sept 07

"Gravel also pioneered the polling-driven, media-style campaign. Chancy Croft, a former Democratic state legislator, says in 1968, Gravel didn't bother with the fusty old gimmicks like campaign buttons and bumper stickers. 'They just weren't spending their money on that. It was a media campaign,' Croft said. 'It was the era of image — appearance is reality.'

The issue of the day was Vietnam. And Gruening was one of very few senators who opposed the war at that time.

In the shorthand of the '60s, Gruening was a "dove," but Alaska voters tended to be more hawkish.  So Gravel ran TV spots that criticized proposals to leave Vietnam as unsound and immature.  However, even as Gravel was making these ads, he privately shared Gruening's dovish position on Vietnam.  Now, decades later, Gravel said he was simply telling Alaska voters what they wanted to hear.  'I said what I said back in 1968 because it was to advance my career,' Gravel said."

A Man for Alaska (Part One of Three) - YouTube
A Man for Alaska (Part Two of Three) - YouTube
A Man for Alaska (Part Three of Three) - YouTube

A Man For Alaska - Mike Gravel and Poll-Driven Media Politics

Interesting stuff on Mike Gravel's early campaign strategy and techniques.  Gravel was way ahead of the curve in supporting renewable energy and dissing nuclear power even if he was on ethically shaky ground with his campaigning.  Not only did he put the Pentagon Papers in the Congressional Record, he put interesting renewable energy stuff in there too. 

"Obviously, there is a puzzling contradiction between the utilities' advertisements which claim radioactive power plants are wonderfully safe, and the utilities' testimony to Congress that they would not build them unless Congress relieved them of almost all financial responsibility for accidents. If 'nukes' are as safe as they claim, why do they worry about financial responsibility for accidents?   If the utilities won't even risk their dollars on the safety of nuclear power plants, why should the people have to risk their lives?  We should not wait for the Price-Anderson Act to expire in 1977.  Repeal now is a minimum objective."

"Since the energy problem is so urgent, we ought to push for bills this session to get initial funding for solar energy and geothermal energy, plus more for fusion than is now in the AEC's budget. If we wait for a perfect new agency to come into existence, we'll lose more time. We can get started this year by pushing for programs under existing agencies."

- Senator Mike Gravel (February 15, 1971)  in Nuclear Power and Alternatives (from "Poisoned Power" )

Gravel Pioneered Poll-Driven Ads and Videos - NPR - 30 Sept 07

"Gravel also pioneered the polling-driven, media-style campaign. Chancy Croft, a former Democratic state legislator, says in 1968, Gravel didn't bother with the fusty old gimmicks like campaign buttons and bumper stickers. 'They just weren't spending their money on that. It was a media campaign,' Croft said. 'It was the era of image — appearance is reality.'

The issue of the day was Vietnam. And Gruening was one of very few senators who opposed the war at that time.

In the shorthand of the '60s, Gruening was a "dove," but Alaska voters tended to be more hawkish.  So Gravel ran TV spots that criticized proposals to leave Vietnam as unsound and immature.  However, even as Gravel was making these ads, he privately shared Gruening's dovish position on Vietnam.  Now, decades later, Gravel said he was simply telling Alaska voters what they wanted to hear.  'I said what I said back in 1968 because it was to advance my career,' Gravel said."

A Man for Alaska (Part One of Three) - YouTube
A Man for Alaska (Part Two of Three) - YouTube
A Man for Alaska (Part Three of Three) - YouTube