As a Libertarian candidate , Gravel faced resistance to his liberal past and unorthodox positions ; nevertheless , he garnered more support than he had as a Democrat , placing second and third in two April 2008 straw polls . In the May 25 balloting at the 2008 Libertarian National Convention in Denver , Gravel finished fourth out of eight candidates on the initial ballot , with 71 votes out of a total 618 ; he trailed former Congressman and eventual winner Bob Barr , author Mary Ruwart , and businessman Wayne Allyn Root . Gravel 's position did not subsequently improve and he was eliminated on the fourth ballot . Afterwards he stated that " I just ended my political career , " but he vowed to continue promoting his positions as a writer and lecturer . In June 2008 Gravel endorsed the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative , saying the measure would create a " citizens commission rather than a government commission " with subpoena power against top U.S. officials to " make a true investigation as to what happened " regarding the September 11 , 2001 terrorist attacks . He later said , " Individuals in and out of government may certainly have participated with the obviously known perpetrators of this dastardly act . Suspicions abound over the analysis presented by government . Obviously an act that has triggered three wars , Afghan , Iraqi and the continuing War on Terror , should be extensively investigated which was not done and which the government avoids addressing . " In August 2008 Gravel was speaking to a crowd of supporters of Sami Al-Arian ( who two years earlier had pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison for a charge of conspiracy in helping Palestinian Islamic Jihad , a " specially designated terrorist " organization ) when he was caught on tape saying of Al-Arian 's prosecutor , " Find out where he lives , find out where his kids go to school , find out where his office is : picket him all the time . Call him a racist in signs if you see him . Call him an injustice . Call him whatever you want to call him , but in his face all the time . " Gravel was criticized for potentially involving the children of the prosecutor , and Al-Arian 's family disavowed the sentiments
2008 Libertarian National Convention
2008 Libertarian National Convention
Mike Gravel