CLC Report- The Keyes to Reno

Publius' Forum ^ | 10/13/07 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

Ambassador Alan Keyes addressed several hundred attendees of the Conservative Leadership Conference being held in Reno, Nevada on Friday night, October 12th. He was there ostensibly to explain why he was running for president of the United States but it became obvious that he was there far more for a cause separate from a run for the White House. Ambassador Keyes was there to rejuvenate the Republic and if mere passion could turn back the tide of anti-Constitutionalism, Alan Keyes would be the dynamo powering that effort.

Instead of simply desiring the national spotlight to take the Oval office, Keyes is seeking the pulpit, for his oratory was not just your average meet-and-greet, me simple canned speech. Keyes’ presentation was more sermon than stump speech, and as powerful as that description assumes.

A he mounted the stage, the setting seemed a tad incongruous. As Ambassador Keyes took the microphone form those who introduced him, there he stood with a 12-foot-high Duncan Hunter for president banner looming behind him, dominating the view of the audience before him. That somewhat odd juxtaposition of the monumental face of Hunter peering down at the seemingly diminutive Keyes didn’t dissipate with Ambassador Keyes’ initial comments, either. For Alan Keyes admitted he was about to break Ronald Reagan’s famed 11th commandment; “thou shalt not speak badly of other Republicans.”

But that incongruity vanished for the audience as Dr. Keyes warmed to his theme, the Hunter for president banner that initially seemed to loom so large vanished to the mind as Keyes’ oratory captivated, compelled, cajoled and cavorted across that stage. All eyes and ears were on Keyes and, as always, he held that audience in the palm of his hand.

Not interested in applause lines but steaming full speed ahead, Keyes hit hard at the top three presidential candidates. Rudy Giuliani was, according to Keyes, completely unable to represent traditional, real GOP principles. Keyes wondered how Rudy could call himself a Republican in the first place since he seemed to neither respect nor uphold few of the party’s most dearly held principles.

Romney just could not be believed as far as Keyes was concerned. Romney’s claims to have “always been pro-life” made Alan wonder about veracity. After all, as Keyes reasoned, in Romney we have a candidate who said he was not being truthful all those years while he was voting for pro-choice issues in Massachusetts, and is claiming that he is now telling the truth. But, regardless whether he is being truthful now or was then, we have a man who has proven he will change a personal principle to facilitate his ambitions. This is a man that we cannot trust.

I am in full support of Ambassador Keyes’ points on Giuliani and Romney, his logic is nearly inescapable. As to Fred Thompson, though, I feel that Keyes argument against the man was the weakest of his thoughts on the so-called top tier candidates.

It seemed that only detrimental thing that Keyes could muster against Thompson was the Fred had never been out in the streets as an activist for the pro-life movement. Keyes praised Hunter, Brownback and Huckabee for their part in their activism for the pro-life movement but denigrated Thompson because Keyes had never seen his face among that crowd.

This was the substance of Dr. Keyes’ violation of the 11th commandment with the addition of a hint that the rest of the field of candidates does not address the true issues of the day (Even as Duncan Hunter was in the room listening, interestingly enough.). Yes, Keyes pummeled the other candidates. He did not do so, however, in a vulgar way or on anything other than a true reading of American first principles as bestowed upon us by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both documents that Keys said the rest haven’t the first clue about.

The other candidates, though, weren’t the only subject of Dr. Keyes’ speech. He also, and more importantly, expounded on the loss to the country of American first principles, a reverence for God the creator, and a respect for life. And these subject were what Keyes is really passionate about -- and rightly so. These are his soapbox issues, the ones that are far more important to him than any election for president and it is these issues that he is using the spotlight of running for president to bring to a national debate.

We are at a crossroads for the health and safety of our Nation and force may be soon enough our last choice to bring back our Republic. I spoke to Ambassador Keyes for a while before diner and he is fast coming to a point past feeling that we are still at a time when talking will solve the problem. Action is now required and not the action of delicacy. Keyes may be absolutely correct, even as he was a tad forceful in saying so.

A reverence for God the creator featured heavily in Keyes’ remarks. Reflecting the truth of the Declaration of Independence that without the creator we have no liberty, Keyes found that we could have no nation without God. But it was his finding of anti-abortion language in the Constitution that was most interesting to me. He found this language in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States.

(My bold for emphasis)

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

The word “Posterity” explains that abortion is anti-American, anti-Constitutional as far as Keyes sees it. After all, our posterity is our progeny, our children. And if the Founders wanted to assure that our posterity had their liberties protected by that document, then abortion must be illegal under the Constitution. After all, how can we bestow liberty on our posterity if we have aborted them in the womb? (It should also be remembered that abortion was certainly illegal during the Founder’s days)

After Keyes appearance Ed Morrissey of Captain’s Quarters Blog, who was also in the audience for the speech with me, worried that Keyes was “dangerous” and a “demagogue.” Ed found that he was “impressed with and dismayed by Keyes in equal measures” over Keyes dangerous talk.

Here is where I disagree with Ed Morrissey and agree with Keyes. Words, it turns out, mean things. And words were the very tools of creation that the Founders used to assure that very liberty that Ambassador Keyes is talking about. They worried about punctuation, they worried about structure, they debated for months over many of those words. I believe that the Founders would see the logic in Ambassador Keyes’ position and would commend him for the interpretation.

Morrissey is right, though, that Keyes might be a tad “dangerous” in his thinking. But, we may be approaching a day when a bit of danger is the right prescription for what ills are infecting the US.

And, if Morrissey were to go back to the days of the American Revolution, I’d suspect that he condemn each and every one of our Founders for their equally demagogic speech… no for their even more dangerous speech than Keyes’. Compared to the Founders rhetoric, Alan Keyes is practically a pussycat.

So, where Ed sees "danger" -- and dangerous it is to call for a virtual uprising of concerned citizens -- I see what is fast becoming a last option. Keyes wasn't advocating for armed rebellion, to be sure, but for a concerned citizenry to take back what is ours. And to that I agree 100%.

Finally, I am going to come right out and say it and I may be taking a bit of a liberty; Alan Keyes does not care a whit whether he becomes president of the United States or not. His cause if far larger than just sitting in the White House, no, his cause is no less than to give our American Republic a rebirth. Keyes wishes to sweep away all the FDR socialism, all the nanny state, big governmentism, all the obviation of our American first principles and renew America. (And it’s no surprise that his website is renewamerica.us, by the way)

If that is "dangerous" then so be it.

[Mobile Vulgus]

Some think Alan a nut, but he IS a great speaker. And his heart is in the right place. And, after all, don't we need polemicists like him on our side?

[CounterCounterCulture]

Proud to have voted for Alan Keyes in 1996 and 2000.

[IronJack]

I’m with you. An an orator, he is second to none. It is truly inspiring to see a master craftsman at work. I don’t believe he has a snowball’s chance at the White House, but man, is he fun to listen to!

[basil]

This man is one of the great orators of our time—and he’s spot on in his thinking, IMHO.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

I truly hope that all ten of the GOP Presidential candidates are in several future debates. Keyes directly debating Romney, Giuliani, Thompson, McCain, and all of the other candidates is well worth it. Keyes adds to the entire debate even if he truly has no serious chance for victory.

[Elsiejay]

Our nation and its political direction have come to a condition that convinces me that voting for anyone other than Alan Keyes is equally as pointless as voting for him. FDR shattered for all time the structure of federalism, our borders and culture are undefended, and socialism is thundering in on claims of humanitarian concern for “uninsured” children.

[Mad Dawg]

Keyes thinks and speaks very well. He doesn't campaign effectively, and as a candidate he hurts us and himself.

Let him think and speak. Let him not run, please.

[Jim Robinson]

Keyes is a great orator and debater. He’d make a great senator.

[wizr]

“His cause if far larger than just sitting in the White House, no, his cause is no less than to give our American Republic a rebirth. Keyes wishes to sweep away all the FDR socialism, all the nanny state, big governmentism, all the obviation of our American first principles and renew America.”

This is exactly what we need in our next President, someone that cares more about us, and our future as Americans, than the position held.

We do need to reclaim God, not only as our creator, but as the driving force behind this Nation. As Israel found out, many times, when you forget about God, you get what you deserve.

We are on the brink of learning that very lesson.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Why are many conservatives still for Mike Huckabee when he believes in “nanny politics” and has raised taxes often while he was Governor of Arkansas?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Keyes should have never attempted elective office. He’s fine where he is as a conservative activist and speaker. But by running for President twice and running for Senate 3 times all he’s doing is marginalizing himself.

[JSDude1]

Indeed; maybe we should recruit him for U.S. Senate; Virginia?

[Paul Ross]

Keyes is a great orator and debater. He’d make a great senator.

No question. It was so disappointing he could not take out Barak Obama. Think of the ramifications if that race had gone differently. Barak would not be running for Prez right now. Keyes would be standing tall against the cut-and-run RINOs, and the administration's sell-outs to global agendas that undercut our sovereignty...and weaken our national security.

I have often thought that if we can get a true conservative administration, one not afraid of Democrats nay-saying...that Alan would be our ideal (and potentially LAST ) representative at the U.N. before we ditch it all together. Working for John Bolton as Sec. of State... Two men who will feel no loyalty compromise to the current administraion, and hence will be overly constrained in the house cleaning of both staffs that absolutely has to happen if they are to be any good at all for America...

[EternalVigilance]

It was a truly great speech.

But, the best part of the night was watching Grover Norquist squirm in his seat at all that talk of the sovereignty of our borders and of our people.

Yes, Alan is the greatest orator of our day.

But folks make a mistake if they fail to realize the sources of such power to speak the truth. It springs like water from an artesian well, because more than anyone else I know of, he has done the hard work of internalizing all of the principles that matter for America.

They make a big mistake if they think of him only as a great speaker. He’s so much more than that. He has experience, depth, breadth, and vision. And it reveals itself through his powers of communication.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

The man has a great heart, and it shows.

[Mobile Vulgus]

You are right, Keyes has the deepest knowledge of the Constitution that I know of.

[DMZFrank]

I have his senatorial debates with Obama. He mopped the floor with him. The RINO Illinois GOP, already riven by scandal and disarray; headed by uber-RINO State Party chairman Judas Baar Too-Pinka refused to support him. the MSM pilloried him and the fix was in from day one. The guy has an absolutely perfect understanding of the constitution and NO ONE can out debate him. He makes a better statesman than politician though, because he won’t dumb himself down for mass appeal.

[EternalVigilance]

God forbid we should elect any statesmen...

/s

[DMZFrank]

Yeah. Statesmen don’t fit well on OPRAH with the soccer moms!!!!!

[EternalVigilance]

Even demons appear as “angels of light.” And the gullible buy it...

[EternalVigilance]

Speaking of Ophrah, of course.