"He wasn't born in Illinois; that much we know."
True, and he is a current resident of Maryland & has never lived in Illinois. Can you say 'carpetbagger'? Why can't the GOP in Ill. find a candidate from their own state - aren't they any politicians looking to end their career in a blaze of glory?
Anyone who gives money to this phoney campaign is pouring money down a rathole. I knew that the Illinois GOP was stupid, but I never geussed that they were completely brain dead.
I can, but that term wouldn't apply here. Keyes is being drafted by a desperate state Republican Party to do something they think he will do better than anyone else. To have a shot at winning at this late hour, they likely just believe that they need someone with national support and can convince others of the wisdom of his convictions. They tried the national support thing with Ditka, who probably would have been exposed as the inexperienced candidate he would have been, but he--wisely, I think--turned them down. I don't have one clue about Ditka's political or social beliefs, so he probably does not have a whole lot of experience defending them. He would have had a rough time against Obama, IMO, given the media's fascination with his "rising star" status.
If you have an alternative better than this one, by all means make your suggestions known.
One thing I was thinking about that another poster here brought up...I thought it was a good point. If Keyes decides to do this, he should commit himself to Illinois for the next few years--win or lose. Given the nature in which he was drafted, I would probably forgive him if he did not, but I believe that "buying in" to the state will go a long way to understanding and representing it.