We've always liked Mike Gravel's wild-eyed ways and his insistence on giving the finger to the powers that be whenever possible. So we're pleased to report that the scrappy septuagenarian is embarking today on a new phase of his campaign to capture, apparently, presidential nominations from several different political parties at once. "The Senator would like to become the 'fusion' candidate in this election," a Gravel aide tells Radar.

Gravel kicked-off his latest caper this morning by announcing that he's running for the Libertarian Party nomination, a decision he attributed to his growing disgust with a Democratic Party that "continues to sustain war, the military industrial complex, and imperialism." Gravel's campaign advises us that the Libertarian Party bid "does not preclude his current Democratic campaign, nor does it make a run for the Green Party impossible." What's more, Team Gravel assures us that we needn't be concerned that the significant challenges of a multi-party campaign might somehow distract Gravel from his top priorities: "No matter what happens, however, I can assure you that Mike will still be trying to feel up Obama Girl's balloons."