Posted on 08/05/2004 7:50:40 PM PDT by gopwinsin04
Let the debates begin.
Former Presidential hopeful Dr. Alan Keyes has told Illinois Republicans that he would accept their request to take on Democrat Barack Obama in the US Senate race.
Members of the Republican State Central Committee insisted that the former radio and television commentator make the promise to run before they would give him the nod Wednesday night, sources told the Chicago Sun Times on Thursday.
The Republicans were leery of voting to give Keyes the nomination without some guarantees.
So he went back into the room and bascially said, 'If you offer, than I will accept.'
Another GOP source said that Keyes had agreed to accept the nomination but told the committee that he wanted to wait until he could publicly announce it at a 'campaign style' rally on Sunday.
'He told them that he would do it,' the source said. 'he just wanted to take a few days to put things together and make his announcement.'
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Keyes is the best possible choice given the circumstances. He will help put forth an important conservative message and draw a lot of media attention.
No Names from Illinois would do NOTHING to help the party.
Few who can reason efficiently object to this move by the party and Keyes is infinitely preferrable to the absurd alternative the party was considering. An alternative laughable and infuriating at the same time to anyone who "understands the actual situation on the ground..."
I would never advocate Barthwell. But if the party had been willing to come up with even one million dollars, we would have had a competent home grown candidate running for weeks now, instead of an imported East Coaster who will likely get only about 35% of the vote, and who will then leave the state, putting the state party in an even worse situation than it's in now.
Forgive me if this has already been asked and answered but I'd LOVE to see some links to some actual PROOF of any of this...complain about the delicate digestion of the media all you want but it's a lead pipe cinch that if all this happened there ARE sources on the INTERNET about it.
However, having googled "Alan Keyes" just a few days ago the only bad news I turned up on him was the Maryland campaign pay stories.
Perhaps you can make up for my ineptitude?
“The Keyes campaign has pledged support for George W. Bush, and we're all wishing him the best"
-- Alan Keyes email, 10/22/2000
"A vote for Al Gore by a Christian is indefensible."
-- Alan Keyes, 11/04/2000
“Alan Keyes is a living, breathing example of how this nation can grow and change”
– Ronald Reagan, 1987
“Thou shalt not speak ill of thy fellow Republican”
--Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment, 1981
Luis, here’s a news flash for you. The Illinois Republican Party has OFFICIALLY picked Keyes as their candidate. THERE ARE NO OTHER REPUBLICANS LEFT IN THE RACE. The Senate is currently divided 51-49. You either support Keyes or you support Obama. If you want to cast your lot with the crack-smoking socialist from Hawaii, please stop posting on FR and instead visit www.obamaforillinois.com , I’m sure he’ll be happy to have your “crossover” support to knock off another Republican seat in the Senate.
If you’re going to continue giving ammo to Obama though, please stop lying about yourself and claiming to be a “broken glass Republican”. No sane Republican wants to give the Chicago DEMOCRAT machine any MORE control over Illinois.
The most amazing thing about you anti-Keyes people is way you refuse to accept the candidate because he was choosen by the party committee after the original candidate dropped out, though all you “moderates” had NO problem when the California RINO Party “officially” got behind the Austrian liberal when there were STILL other Republicans on the ballot. Who picked Arnold in the PRIMARY? No one! I guess it’s OKAY for the RINO Party of California to dictate who every Republican should vote for, but the Illinois Republican Party isn’t ALLOWED to find a replacement candidate if the original candidate DROPS OUT, eh?
It’s also pretty laughable that you question Keyes credentials because he has critized the President from time to time and doesn’t agree with him on 100% of the adminstration’s agenda. Keyes endorsed Bush in 2000 and has had many favorable things to say about aspects of the Bush adminstration over the years. The Bush adminstration won’t give Keyes the time of day and didn’t even let him have a speaking spot in 2000, though RINO McCain got one. I would hope they reconsider, but I will vote for Bush regardless.
Besides, in YOUR state, you’re backing the Johnny-come-lately RINO who whole-heartily campaigned and donated to Dukakis in 1988, so we know how much value you put behind whether a candidate has always been “loyal” to the GOP. Now, as you know, I don’t like your RINO candidate in Florida one bit, but IF the party nominates him, I will hold my nose and support him like any sane Republican would do. Doing otherwise is called “cutting off one’s nose to spit in their face”.
Finally, we Illinoisans don’t need non-Illinoisans to lecture us on Keyes being a “carpetbagger”. You see, Keyes’ primary vote in OUR state was one of the HIGHEST in the nation, and he actually won MORE votes in Illinois than four of the “also-rans” in Illinois from this year’s Senate primary. A guy who actually won primaries, as held political office, and received over 66,000 votes from Illinoisans has more of a “mandate” to represent our values than a guy who lost primaries, never held political office, received 19,000 votes, and happens to live here.
One again, it’s Keyes or Obama. Pick one. If you cast your lot with a candidate who ran to the LEFT of Black Panther Bobby Rush, it’s your choice. The DNC will be happy to send you a membership card soon.
I recently heard Mr. Keyes speak and it was the best speach I have ever heard. He is smart. He is intelligent. He is a communicator. This is what we need in congress. Send him to congress and let him change our nation!
What part of Keyes is a liar and does not follow his own principles appeals to you most?
Question:
If a group of men come to you and say "Tator, please go to Washington and tell Congress we said not to raise our taxes." and you accept - have YOU "pretended to represent" these men's interest?
I despise all this back and forth between Keyes-Bashers and Basher-bashers but this one thing I want to know - despite your obvious, perhaps justified, low opinion of Keyes character, do you mean to argue that there is NO difference between Hillery manipulating a race which could have done perfectly well without her to insert herself into a seat that had no need of her presence in the race and a situation where people from a state go hat-in-hand to a person and say "PLEASE come and enter the race on our behalf."?
It's not necessary for you to agree that they did the right thing, or that they made the right choice - it's not even necessary to endorse Keyes acceptance of the invitation as the right move, politically or morally - in order to display the intellectual honesty which can admit that the two situations are materially different and that Keyes, or anyone else, CAN say what he did about Hillary and see this situation as so significantly different as to not make himself a liar by choosing to run. Go ahead and bash Keyes as a man of low character if it gives you some sort of satisfaction; Go ahead and say that Illinois made a bonehead play by recruiting him; Go ahead and point out he'll get pasted and that that quote will be used against him; But just between us - you DO see a difference in the two situations --- Don't you?
No problem, tame.
When you are on the floor it is impossible to go any lower. There is not ONE person who would run who would have gotten more media coverage than Dr. Keyes. There is not ONE who can deliver a comprehensible conservative message than Dr. Keyes. There is not one who can mobilize volunteers or attract money better than he.
Nor is there ONE who could gather more votes. I have no idea what party you are thinking about but it isn't the one I see. After years of watching the GOP in Illinois essentially sell Senate seats to rich dilletants you are complaining about Keyes? We are in this situation precisely because Fitzgerald bought it and decided he didn't like the toy anymore. We need no more of that.
I've read much of what Ambassador Keyes has written over the last several years, and I've seen him speak on many occasions. He's pretty consistently pro-Consitution. And I think any such voice would be helpful in the Senate. I'm not so worried about getting another "team player" in the Upper Chamber; we've got plenty of those. What's needed are men of principle. I think he'll fire up conservatives, and will probably attract more black Democratic votes than any other Republican US Senate candidate in recent memory. Will he win? Dunno - but God Bless him.
He is NOT "principled" at all.
He will NOT get any blacks to vote for him,who would otherwise NOT have voted for a white GOP candidate.
He will LOSE more GOP votes than you can imagine and won't help President Bush one whit.
There aren't enough Conservatives in Ill.,to get "fired up",nor make a dime's worth of difference.
If he gets 30% of the vote,it'll be a miracle.
What hes IS going to manages to do,is make Obama's rising star,rise more quickly and higher...as he puts the final nail into his own coffin.
you say, 'It doesn't matter how Keyes got the nod. What's important is that he is a constitutionalist running for the U.S. Senate with the backing of the Illinois GOP instead of some RINO. Although Obama is certainly a rising star, he doesn't have it locked up yet. He went from being basically unopposed (since Ryan shot himself in the foot and Ditka wouldn't make the run), to facing a brilliant, passionate and articulate foe. This is a golden opportunity for the Land of Lincoln, and a great chance to add a real conservative to the Senate.'
Well put. Keyes is pro-life and pro-gun, too. Go Alan Keyes! Woohoo!
Hastert was on MTP today. He helped pick Keyes to run. I respect and support Hastert.
We disagree on this issue. I think the presence of Keyes will force Obama off script. That can only be a good thing. My first reaction (and believe me, some folks on this thread may recall me locking horns with them as I took Keyes to task in the past) was a thrill that Barack would be challenged.
When Hastert stated today he was in on Keyes' selection, that completely got me on board. I think Keyes will get more support than some think.
We'll see. But the GOP picked him and I say we back him.
This will be good. Two "black bros" going at it. Keyes will kick Obama Osama's ass. I'll move to Chi-Town just to vote for Keyes.
"This will be good. Two "black bros" going at it. Keyes will kick Obama Osama's ass."
Wonder when they'll pull out the "uncle tom" card on ol' Allan?
I swear to god the MSM is the biggest propaganda dissemination machine--all I ever hear is 'rising star' in describing the person he's running against.
Keyes is in town.....your star is falling Obama!
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