I just caught this video of former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AL) and it’s simply stunning. I admittedly didn’t catch the DNC debate, I think it’s way too early to think about the emerging presidential campaign, but now I wish I had.

[youtube]1gMlHv2lDqA[/youtube]

He’s saying everything we’ve all been saying on the left. All of those things that bloggers and pundits have been screaming but Democratic politicians have been too scared to say publicly, Gravel says. The war was lost from the moment Bush started it. The War on Terror is doomed to the same failure as the War on Drugs. I’m not afraid of any nations from a war standpoint, though I’m terrified of potential economic disasters.

Sadly, we’ll never see this man in the White House. He’s speaking too candidly, too honestly. He’s going to get trounced by a John Edwards or Barack Obama. I like both of those guys a lot but they really are worried about image, while I don’t see Sen. Gravel having that problem at all. A beautiful speech, right there.