Posted on 08/07/2004 5:52:47 AM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
Warming to the state GOP's apparent U.S. Senate candidate, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Friday he would work to get Alan Keyes elected, even lobbying President Bush to make Illinois a campaign destination.
"When I am here, I am going to do what I can," Hastert told the Daily Herald editorial board in St. Charles. "I think it is part of my responsibility to help Keyes. … I think it's an important thing to do in Illinois."
The Plano Republican stopped short of saying he would personally launch a statewide blitz for Keyes, who is expected to accept the Senate nomination at a 2 p.m. rally Sunday in Arlington Heights. But Hastert did predict the uphill race would be part of the political itinerary for himself and GOP leaders in Washington.
"I think there will be people in here for him," Hastert said, speaking directly about GOP Senate campaign chairman Sen. George Allen of Virginia and Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.
With a candidate named --after weeks of false alarms which included rejections from Elgin state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, Mike Ditka and even former Bear Gary Fencik -- Hastert began to soften on his Thursday refusal to commit resources to the U.S. Senate race.
During his editorial board interview, Hastert continued to stress that much of his time on the stump will be spent trying to win House seats, but at the same time, said the top of Illinois' ticket remains one of his chief duties.
Hastert spokesman John McGovern said any change in perspective or position could be attributed to a candidate finally being named. But that fails to explain why Hastert was so non-committal to helping Keyes during a Thursday taping of WBBM 780-AM's "At Issue."
The rally for Keyes, the former presidential candidate and talk-show host from Maryland, is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wellington, 2121 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Sunday's announcement will formally end six weeks of searching high and low by the state Republican Central Committee to find a replacement for Jack Ryan, the winner of the Senate primary who dropped out of the race after allegations surfaced that he asked his then-wife to have sex with him in front of others at a sex club. Keyes will face Democratic nominee Barack Obama, a state senator from Chicago.
As the U.S. Senate contest becomes a race, Hastert said Illinois can become a factor again in the presidential race and promised to work hard to put the state in the president's column. Hastert said a key piece of his efforts will be lobbying President Bush to campaign in Illinois. "I think it's important to do that," he said.
Bush lost Illinois to former Vice President Al Gore by 569,000 votes in the 2000 election out of about 4.6 million cast.
Despite polls that suggest Obama has a commanding lead, Hastert believes Keyes has the name recognition to counter Obama's new political "rock star" image.
From an ideological perspective, Hastert says this race gives voters a stark choice -- between a liberal Obama and a conservative Keyes.
"Illinois is not far left and we are not far right," Hastert said. "We are best with somebody who can go across the aisle and get things done back and forth.
"I think Keyes is going to have to moderate himself a little bit, but quite frankly, I think Obama is too far left for this state," he added. "Let's have that debate and let the voters make a choice."
Two Republican moderates indicated their displeasure over Keyes' selection Friday. State Reps. Carolyn Krause of Mount Prospect and Rosemary Mulligan of Des Plaines said they're drafting legislation to require political parties to name the runner-up from the primary in the case of a vacancy.
Keyes also will have to establish residency in Illinois before the Nov. 2 election, a reality that is sure to become an issue during the short campaign. He's also likely to be asked about a nearly $7,500 lien for back income taxes that Maryland officials slapped on him in 2001.
kewl
I regret I cannot vote for Keyes for Senator because I don't live in Illinois. I did vote for him in a past presidential primary. He is one of the most articulate people in America and a man of passionate faith.
Alan Keyes is even more wonderful in person! He is truly a good and decent guy. I hope he makes the ballot, and I hope he is elected. GO ALAN!
Instead of those moaning about Keyes being a "sacrificial lamb" to the rising "rock star" Obama, I would like to offer a more hopeful note. Keyes is one of the best conservative voices out there, and he can articulate the conservative message in a way that could possibly turn the tide in Illinois. (Look at how the Republicans triumphed in California with about 70% of the vote). My prayers are with him and with all our Pubbie candidates trying to shape America to be true to the founding fathers' intent. My further prayer for the voters of Illinois: Open your ears to hear the truth!
That would be nice, but I don't think it's really possible. Keyes' strident delivery may be very effective at delivering his message to those who listen, but it is also prone to make the people who need to hear it tune out instead.
Even just looking at the abortion issue (on which Keyes comes across as too much of a single-issue candidate), Keyes needs to acknowledge that a very large portion of voters either have had an abortion, or have a friend or relative who has done so. Calling voters, their friends, or their relatives murderers is not a good way to win their vote.
That's not to say the holocaust should be allowed to continue, but I think there needs to be a message of atonement. Make clear that if someone has done something evil but didn't realize it at the time, it is better for them to acknowledge the evil of what they did and educate others of it, than to pretend that it was really 'okay'.
This site has links to many recent Keyes speeches!
http://www.renewamerica.us/archives/
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