Gravel calls on fellow Democratic candidates to denounce Baker-Hamilton report

Longshot Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel will hold a press conference Wednesday where he will characterize the Baker-Hamilton report on Iraq (also due out the same day) as a “hoax” that does nothing more than prolong the war.

Gravel, the former US Senator from Alaska, called former Secretary of State James A. Baker 3d the “oracle from Houston” who is duping Democrats and the media by acting like he is “the reasonable one” but will not suggest anything different from the Bush agenda.

“Baker’s task was to make people feel like he will advance a reasonable option,” Gravel said in an interview previewing his press conference. “The truth is he will just have American troops there for another 18 months, which will turn out to be two years. Why is that? Because they want the oil.”

Gravel said his fellow Democrats are “rolling over” for the commission report instead of challenging its premise. He specifically said Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts was playing into the hands of the Baker-Bush agenda.

The former Senator also said he has rented a house in Manchester where he plans to spend one or two weeks out of every month.

New Hampshire is the most critical state in getting any momentum, he said, because he can talk to voters who really care about politics and issues.

“Everywhere else the level and intensity of discussion about the issues would only occur in October 2008. Here it is everyday,” said Gravel.