Is Mike Gravel paying homage to New Hampshire’s Lisa Crystal Carver? Or is he the only candidate with the intestinal fortitude to step into a room of students too young to vote and give their drug use a qualified thumbs-up? From the Swamp’s Rick Pearson.

No longer invited to debates, Gravel on Sunday night appeared at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter to speak to its high school students and showed no sign his campaign had gone up in smoke. Indeed, in a contest of booze versus pot, Gravel said light ’em up.

“I’m sure a lot of you have tripped out on alcohol,” Gravel told the students. “It’s a lot safer to do it on marijuana.”

As if that wasn’t enough, according to a tape of the appearance shown by WMUR-TV in New Hampshire, Gravel advised, “And with respect to other drugs, if you’ve got a problem with coke, go to a doctor, get a prescription and get it filled at a drug store.

According to WMUR, Gravel told the high school students that buying drugs legally will help them stay away from becoming a criminal.

He’s right. They don’t want to end up like this guy.

Much as I can appreciate the sentiments expressed in the above video, I really don’t think the country is ready for a Chief Executive who sounds exactly like Joey Welz.