DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIKE GRAVEL TO SPEAK AT MPAC CONVENTION ON DEC. 15 (Los Angeles - 11/30/07) -- The Muslim Public Affairs Council today announced that Democratic Presidential candidate Mike Gravel will be a keynote speaker at its seventh annual convention on December 15 in Long Beach, CA. A two-term U.S. Senator from Alaska, Gravel is best known for his blunt, no-nonsense approach in the Democratic Presidential debates where he's known to rail against the war in Iraq with the same outrage he used to condemn the one in Vietnam. In 1971, Gravel ordered the top-secret "Pentagon Papers" - a series of secret government reports that chronicled United States failures in Vietnam - into the Congressional Record and then went on to lead a one-man filibuster in the Senate that led to the end the military draft in 1973. SEE: Mike Gravel's Comments During the 3rd Democratic Presidential Debate   SEE: "Mike Gravel, An Anti-War Crusader for Two Generations" (Kansas City Star, 11/21/07)   Gravel has been written off by media commentators as unelectable and has little money to finance his White House bid, but he has been able to keep his hopes alive through YouTube and the Internet. Low in the polls, he was blocked from the two most recent Democratic debates in October and November. His primary reason for running for the presidency is to advance his agenda for direct national elections on issues, called the "National Initiative."   SEE ALSO: Interview with Mike Gravel on "This is America with Dennis Wholey"   "The whole reason I am running is to empower the people," Gravel told AFP. "What the people need to be able to do is to be put in position so they can vote on the policies issues that affect their lives."   MPAC invited all of the Presidential candidates from both parties to address the Muslim American community at the annual convention. To date, Gravel is the only candidate who has accepted.    Other confirmed speakers for MPAC's 7th annual convention include (in alphabetical order): Shahed Amanullah Founder, AltMuslim.com Malka Fenyvesi Co-Director of NewGround: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change Dr. Fawaz Gerges Author, "The Far Enemy: Why Jihad Went Global" & ABCnews analyst Dr. Gwynne Guibord Co-Founder, Christian Muslim Consultative Group Dr. Maher Hathout Author, "In Pursuit of Justice: The Jurisprudence of Human Rights in Islam" David Hiller CEO & Publisher, Los Angeles Times Dr. Ingrid Mattson President, Islamic Society of North America Dr. Eboo Patel Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Core and Author, "Acts of Faith" Stephen Rohde ACLU - Southern California Omar Sarwar Columbia University Steve Simon Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations Shakeel Syed Executive Director, Islamic Shura Council of Southern California Ahmed Younis Senior Analyst, Gallup Organization Center for Muslim Studies Shaarik Zafar Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Department of Homeland Security Click here to find out more about the three simultaneous programs which will be featured during the convention: the main program, the full-day youth program and the children's program!   Click here to purchase your tickets online today for or call (213) 383-3443. Adult tickets are available for $35/convention, $45/banquet or $70/both. Student tickets are available for $20/convention, $20/banquet or $40/both.   Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of Muslim Americans. [CONTACT: Edina Lekovic, 213-383-3443, communications@mpac.org]