Gravel Stole Lichtman's Thunder

Our Best and Worst Campaigns of the 21st Century lists provide the chance to look back at some of the most interesting candidates and races from the last few years.

One candidate not included was Professor Allan Lichtman, who went up against tremendous odds in his 2006 bid for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. Dr. Lichtman is well-known for predicting the outcome of presidential campaigns, but he may never have guessed his 2006 campaign would have such an impact on 2008.

You see, before former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel was making you feel uncomfortable and throwing a rock into a lake in odd campaign spot, there was Allan Lichtman. Throwing a rock into a lake in an odd campaign spot. Followed by his entire body.The Lichtman Leap: Allan Lichtman jumps into a lake in a 2006 U.S. Senate campaign commercial.

Not since Alan Keyes dove into The Awful Truth's mosh pit had a candidate made such a splash.

And before Mike Gravel was protesting his exclusion from Democratic debates and holding mock press events, there was Allan Lichtman. Getting arrested outside a Democratic debate he was literally locked out of.

A few months ago, NPR reported that Mike Gravel has always been something of a trendsetter in political multimedia.

Clearly, they're overlooking someone.