CNN

I love you Mike Gravel. You are my president.

Geeeesh what next will we hear on American News?

A Senator praising himself for going bankrupt and sticking Credit Card companies for $90,000. of his illustrious spending habits!

Oh, no it was for his business spending habits.

Oh no, I mean for his business necessities!

Oh no, it was for his mis-management of his own finances!

Oh well, at least he had the courage to say he has NO REMORSE for his nefarious deed! Shame On Mikey.

An Eyebrow Raiser for sure!

Just what we need a President who believes in even less personal accountability and uses such a fine example to demonstrate what he has done right in his past.

I have much more debt then you did however unlike you Mr Gravel I won't be trying to find some way to weasel out of it.

"This is classic liberal left – theres always someone else to blame and tax. Its like the universal healthcare debate – liberals are treating the symptom by tossing billions at it….more tax and spend mentality – exactly what this country doesn't need. Rudy 08 – is what we need

Posted By Chris, Middletown, CT : September 27, 2007 11:29 am "

Chris, this is not "classic liberal". This kind of attitude is not exclusive to any particular party, race, sex, religion, or any other label you might want to put on it. Crooks come in all types.

Ummm yes, I guess I agree with both sides on this one. I like seeing cc companies getting the shaft as much as the next guy, but I also believe that once a debt is incurred it should be honored.

However, more disturbing is the lack of knowledge that while Gravel speaks of doing this on the personal level our government has been doing it on the international level for a long, long, long, long time. What are the numbers since little Bushie has adopted the white house as a larger version of his mismanagement of the Rangers? 3 trillion debt per year? 8 years? 24 trillion dollars? Do you actually think this is going to be paid by our government? Heh, sure it is.

Typical Democrat , exaggerting and making wild, unsubtantiated claims. Donald Trump did NOT go "bankrupt a hundred times." How can you even have a productive debate with someone who says that ?

see i don't think mike gravel is a good example for our young people – to just blow off his debt because he hates big business. what message does he hope to convey to young people?

I assume that if he were to become President, Gravel would also "stick it to" Americans who threw away their money on Treasury Bills and Savings Bonds by not honoring those debts too! Well, that's nothing new from tax-and-spend polticians of both parties. At least Gravel is honest enough to warn us that cheating others is his style!

Did you see the way he tossed that rock in the pond?

Obviously he is presidential material.

It's quite funny how CNN cuts off the part where he said what he had been using the money for.

Working to empower the american people to make laws and take control of your country.

So, he thinks that "sticking" it to the credit card companies is okay. Look at the whole picture. This guy makes a contract with a "vendor." He turns around and asks the credit card company to trust him and loan him the money to proceed with the transaction. He then reneges on his contract with the credit card company and keeps the service for which he originally contracted with the vendor. Yep, I thinks he fills the bill for a politician! They never did know how to spend their own money.

Honesty is the best policy. Good for you Mike.

It doesn't matter which party this man belongs to – or if he is an independent. His comment about not paying his debt, and sticking it to his creditors is not good. I do not relate to those values. Perhaps he should try to explain what he was talking about (the press is not always accurate). I don't think holding public office should be viewed as a ticket to wealth – holding office should not be about making big, big, money.

Thank you Ryan. Its small wonder why this country is in the state that it is, maybe George got in twice, cause people got confused which party he represents.
Also, I have no love for the CC companies, but a presidential candidate shouldn't advertise his glee for screwing them.

Wonderful to see a person in service to his government promote a lifestyle that would allow people to go ridiculously in debt and then pass that expense onto the rest of us. Someone should tell him to take an economics class, and also look up the definition of "fraud".

Who is Mike Gravel, why should we care, and who is he going to stick with the bill when his pathetic campaign fails?

Donald Trump has been Bankrupt a hundred times? Really... 1-0-0 times? (I predict a CNN headline today: Donald Trump: Mike Gravel is a loser)

And the credit card companies DESERVED to be stuck with your bad debt?

You, sir, are the empitome of arrogant irresponsibility. You fight to string together a coherent sentence and are quickly becoming the side-show nominee.

Wow. An Republican who's honest and PROUD of his ripping off the credit card company and making the rest of us pay for his debt. Give this guy a 'wide stance' on integrity and honor…. or lack thereof.

Posted By Rurik, St. Paul, MN : September 27, 2007 11:26 am

He's a Democrat

"Gravel to credit card companies: Charge this!"

The last Gravel ticker line was "Gravel:Fatter and Dumber".

This isn't a theme show. Do you think he didn't introduce policy on stage instead of this? Absolutely give him the same coverage or levity everyone else gets.

This is classic liberal left – theres always someone else to blame and tax. Its like the universal healthcare debate – liberals are treating the symptom by tossing billions at it....more tax and spend mentality – exactly what this country doesn't need. Rudy 08 – is what we need

Wow. An Republican who's honest and PROUD of his ripping off the credit card company and making the rest of us pay for his debt. Give this guy a 'wide stance' on integrity and honor.... or lack thereof.

SB, I disagree, he's VERY entertaining!

How can you say he isn't a viable candidate. He has held elective office longer more than twice the number of years as has the frontrunner, has more tangible accomplishments while a Senator as does the frontrunner. He actually answers questions when asked, and isn't afraid to take on any of the candidates on any position. In the debate last night, he scolded the fromtrunner and called to task that day's vote on including Iranian troops as targets in the Iraq War. To which the frontrunner cackled, then brilliantly responded "I don't know where to start..."

I'll amend my opening statement, not only is he entertaining, he's refreshing. He doesn't have a chance based on what? Polls? C'mon I thought this was a democracy, not an ad campaign.

If he does drop out of the race, someone at least needs to bring him back as a moderator at one of these 'debates'.

Have a great day

I would love to see Gravel and Kucinich have their own talk show or sitcom, because they are certainly worth the humor value they bring to the democratic platform.

Amen Senator Gravel! F- 'em.

In other words, Gravel is a thief who stole money from the credit card companies. This is exactly the reason why bankrupcy laws were changed, to prevent this kind of abuse. $90,000 worth of charges "forgiven?" Sorry, I don't forgive him for it and he should pay every nickel back. People, if you wonder why credit card interest rates are so high, here's your reason.

He's not entertaining anymore with his antics. It's time for him to go. We need to get down to the business of electing a viable democratic candidate. Let's thin the field and focus on those who actually have a chance.

Mike Gravel may not have a chance in heck of being president, but man can he speak some truth and common sense. I love having him and Kucinich book-ending the Democratic candidates with their logical, rational, truthful insights.

The good news is this guy has no chance of becoming President. He says some things that make sense, but to imply he doesn't care that he couldn't pay his bills, shows a lack of integrity. If you create a debt, you should pay it, sometimes things happen where that may not be possible, but I don't think your response should be "I stuck the credit card companies with $90,000 worth of bills, and they deserved it. . . .

I wish Gravel would get more coverage. I think he is truly a "straight talker" and even better he doesn't go around saying he is for a campaign platform.

“Many of them have done very, very well in public office. I left the Senate no better than when I went in.”

That is not a good thing in this capitalistic country. Clinton, obama, and edwards were millionaires BEFORE public office. Its not a good thing to point out that you refuse to improve on your position is life. You can serve the public AND make money. Don't be bitter because you dont know how

What an idiot: "the credit card companies deserved it" ??? They
couldn't care any less...they just
stick it to all the little people
with higher interest and fees...How
pathetic to use a ploy like "see, I'm
not "as bad" as them"....that makes
his irresponsibility right, you understand....

As a former 27-year resident of Alaska, I am disappointed in Mr Gravel's remark that the credit card companies "deserved" to get stuck with $90,000 of debt.

Let me make it clear, Mr Gravel. You received $90,000 in goods and services including interest owed, and you didn't pay for it. Where I come from that is theft.

Let me get this straight. Gravel made a promise to repay what he borrowed, and then he "stuck" those that helped him out with the debt because they "deserved it"?

This is no great American nor is he a leader!

I watched him talk and his lights are on, but nobody's home. Dumber than a Republican if you can imagine that.

That sums up his ethics and honesty. I hope is disqualified now. He has been unqualified since birth.

Great man, bit of a loaded question. I thought he handled it well. Unfortunately they're pulling the old Larry Agran, only getting 4 minutes to speak in the entire debate.

CNN hasn't done much better either, hopefully one news organization will rise up and have a fair debate.

You have spent too long in the rubber room,Mike. It is not OK for politicians to always assume someone else will pick up the tab.

Have you ever noticed that the poorest people pay the highest interest rates? That credit card companies can change the rates on your card for one missed payment? People are turned into indentured servants by credit card companies.

Well, they are reaping what they sow. You can't exploit people like they do and not expect any repercussions.

At least Gravel is an honest human being that understands other human beings. He may not have made a profit from being a Senator, but he did make a difference. He would make a great president.

“Who did I bankrupt? I stuck the credit card companies with $90,000 worth of bills, and they deserved it. . . . ”

Is he frikkin' serious? What a dolt. Stuck the credit card company? The "credit card companies" don't eat the cost of this, it just ends up costing consumers (all of us) more to borrow money. That is like a shoplifter saying he isn't hurting anyone, just sticking it to those big department stores. This guy was a Senator? He talks like a common thief.

How can I vote for someone who shows that their integrity is worth $90,000? For Gravel to borrow that kind of money and then default on the loan and say that the credit card companies deserve it is ludicrous. So if he is president and I pay my taxes will he just waste that money, which I sorely need, and say I deserve it too?

Mike Gravel for President! You have to appreciate his true and utter honesty here...means a lot....

Uh, Mike, I don't think it's very admirable to brag about sticking a company with your debt. Credit card companies loan money the same way banks do; maybe the reason interest rates on cards are so high is because of irresponsible spenders like you !

The best comment that was made tonight was by Hillary Clinton when she said "well, he isn't standing here tonight," referring to former President Clinton. She clearly seperated herself from him and made it known that she has her own thoughts and policies. I think this was a sincere response. Rather than backtracking and trying to change her statement she stood by it. Good answer!

Count on The Donald to point out that he has never _personally_ declared bankruptcy, only some of his business entities, as if there's any difference. I did like Gruffel's idea that Congress repeatedly vote on cloture against an Iraq bill to wear down the Repellican resistance.