Senator Mike Gravel gives exclusive interview to Pravda.Ru

Senator Gravel's spokesperson, Shawn Alexander Colvin, responded to PRAVDA.RU questions.

Photo: Senator Mike Gravel gives exclusive interview to Pravda.Ru

PRAVDA.RU: Can you specify the basic directions of US-Russian relations in case you are elected US President?

COLVIN: It is crucial that the US and Russia increase diplomatic communication. As President, Senator Gravel will see that no missile defense is established on European soil and that the U.S. moves towards nuclear deescalation in an effort to encourage Russia to do the same.

PRAVDA.RU: How do you estimate the current situation with democracy in Russia?

COLVIN: Senator Gravel would like to see a direct democracy established where the citizens of Russia become lawmakers alongside their democratically elected officials.

PRAVDA.RU: President of the United States George W. Bush cut the federal funding of US non-governmental foundations supporting the development of the Russian democracy by 52 percent in 2008. What do you intend to do at this point?

COLVIN: As President, Senator Gravel would work with the Russian government and ask how the United States can help them financially to better aid the transition to democracy.

PRAVDA.RU: If you take the office, are you going to welcome street demonstrations of political organizations which have absolutely no registration and their goals and number of followers are unknown?

COLVIN: Yes. The Senator's position is that street demonstrations and civil initiative is one of the cornerstones of the American democracy. The Civil Rights Movement, the Labor Movement, the Woman's Suffrage Movement were all successful as a result of street demonstrations and public displays of unity.

PRAVDA.RU: If you become the US president what are you going to do if the Russian government starts active funding of public and human rights organizations in the USA so that they could launch massive protests against your home and foreign policies as the president?

COLVIN: Senator Gravel encourages citizens of the world communicating and working together to improve government and society as a whole. Democracies were meant to be 'of the people, by the people'. Rather than just protest, the people should have the same lawmaking rights as elected officials.

PRAVDA.RU: Would you as the United States president approve the opening of a public radio station or a TV channel in the USA, if their activities werebased on the funding from the state budget of the Russian Federation?

COLVIN: Yes. The Senator encourages multiculturalism in an effort to bring our countries closer together.

PRAVDA.RU: Can you imagine the former chess champion Bobby Fisher as the leader of an opposition movement in the USA? Please substantiate your answer.

COLVIN: Bobby Fischer would be pardoned. He deserves an apology for the way he has been treated by the Bush administration.

PRAVDA.RU: Do you think that street demonstrations that gather not more than 200 people can truly express the public opinion in a national scale?

COLVIN: Margaret Mead, a professor from Senator Gravel's alma mater Columbia said, a handful of people can change the world, in fact, it is the only thing that ever has.