Dear Friend,

At this point, I have become accustomed to many trying to silence my message to the American people -- the plain, simple, uncompromising truth. Nor does it come as any great surprise that the mainstream media is now putting words in my mouth. Not kind words, but bold-faced lies. Thursday evening at New Hampshire headquarters, on the most frigid night yet this winter, my campaign staff was dumbfounded to watch MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann announce I had dropped out of the race.

With only days left to go until the New Hampshire Primary, Olbermann's report was news to me!

Fortunately, there is nothing further from the truth. I have no intentions of leaving this race, and will continue to bring my message to the American people. I brought this to the attention of Mr. Olbermann, and you can see video of him retracting his statement posted on my site, gravel2008.us.

My schedule here in New Hampshire is full through primary day, and I will soon after be traveling to many other primary states. Nevada. Michigan. Florida. And beyond.

What message will I continue to share? It will include: Ending our corrupt, oppressive tax system. Making quality healthcare and education a basic, fundamental right for citizens. Ending our feverish addiction to oil and imperialist wars. Protecting our environment and precious ecosystems against short-sighted interests. Dismantling the military-industrial complex and our culture of fear. Not allowing those in power to exploit our fears and insecurities to their own gain, but building a society based on love and courage. Finally, I will continue to press for empowering the American people by enacting the National Initiative for Democracy.

I'm asking you today to help us turn the tables. New Hampshire is an opportunity for me to send a very pointed message to the media and those that might silence my message.

If you're in New Hampshire, please canvas for the day, hold signs at a busy traffic spot, or call up your friends and family who are still on the fence about who to support. If you're in New England, give our New Hampshire office a call, or join up with fellow supporters in the Granite State. The weather dipped to -15 degrees recently, but that has not chilled our spirit here.

Real change is not popular at first. It is not a soundbite you can digest in 30 seconds. It's gritty and raw and is going to upset some people. I have never shied away from a fight! Two decades ago Nixon wanted to throw me in jail for telling the American people the truth about Vietnam. Today I have been the first candidate to speak out against the dangers of war with Iran, and will continue to be the fiercest critic of our destructive foreign policy.

It doesn't matter whether the media deems my views as "unpopular" or "dangerous." It's time to tell the truth, and it's time for America to wake up.  Some might lament or opine that my candidacy won't be appreciated in its own time. I say, the year is now 2008, and this is the time to make it resonate.

I hope to see everyone in New Hampshire at the polls on Tuesday.

And for those of you who live in other parts of the country, please make your most generous donation today.

I know you believe in this fight. Please help today.

Mike Gravel

Dear friend,

As 2007 winds to an end I'd like to take a moment to extend my appreciation and admiration to all of you who worked so hard to make the Mike Gravel for President campaign what it is today. We knew from the very beginning that this campaign would not make it through the year without your help. Nobody in Washington, D.C. gave us a fighting chance against the powerful political/corporate machines that we are up against. They thought that "politics as usual" would dominate. They thought we would have capitulated long ago. They thought that there was no room in this race for a candidate who dared to speak "truth to power."

They thought wrong.

With your help, we have exceeded everyone's expectations and have fought our way to the first primary of the election season.

Some special thanks are in order.

Thank you all for getting us into the June 3 CNN debate after they decided that we were not invited. You showed the world that a determined group of people will not let the corporate media tell us who our candidate will be.

Thank you for doing the same thing in August with the Human Rights Campaign debate.

Thank you for the hundreds of emails and phone calls of support that we receive each day that keep us going and for never letting us forget that you are standing with us.

And finally, thank you for the donations that have kept us going this year.

However, our work is not yet done. We are determined not to limp across that finish line. Let us end on a high note. Call your friends and remind them to turn out in their primaries and caucuses to vote for Mike Gravel.

Please make your most generous donation today -- no matter how small.

Wear your Gravel for President tee shirt with pride.

Have a safe holiday season, and keep fighting the good fight!

Sincerely,
Alex Colvin
Press Secretary
Mike Gravel for President 2008