Posted on 08/06/2004 2:57:01 AM PDT by kattracks
CHICAGO - Former presidential hopeful and talk-show host Alan Keyes (news - web sites) has agreed to become Illinois Republicans' U.S. Senate candidate, according to a newspaper report.Keyes planned to announce his decision to accept the GOP nomination at a public launch on Sunday, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times reported in Friday editions, citing unnamed Republican sources.
Bill Pascoe, a political adviser and Keyes friend, said Thursday he could not confirm that Keyes had accepted the nomination. "He thinks he owes it to them to take the time to deliberate," Pascoe said.
The committee asked Keyes to make the run late Wednesday after spending weeks searching for a replacement for primary winner Jack Ryan.
Keyes would face Barack Obama in the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (news, bio, voting record), a Republican. Obama, a state senator making his first run for national office, gained prominence as a keynote speaker at last month's Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Keyes, a two-time presidential hopeful who also ran two failed U.S. Senate campaigns from his home state of Maryland, opposes abortion and gay rights, wants to replace the income tax with a national sales tax and calls affirmative action a "government patronage program."
The race would be the first U.S. Senate election with two black candidates representing the major parties and almost assure Illinois would produce the fifth black senator in history.
Keyes will have to establish residency in Illinois by Election Day, according to federal law.
Keyes has his work cut out for him... personally I don't think he can win this one.... but you never know.
Why can't he win? Well I don't know what Bore(tz) reasonings are, but for me I see his problems as primarily the following.
A) Late to the game.
B) Party Support (or lack there of) The party wants someone on the ballot vs no one, but will they truly back Keyes? History seems to indicate likely not. He calls Reps to the carpet just as much as Dems... and this doesn't leave party leaders very happy.
C) He has to overcome the carpet bagging issue, funding, etc etc etc...
I definately believe Keyes is a great man, and would make an amazing Senator.. it would be nice to see a senator in my lifetime that commands the english language and the skill of intellectual discussion and oration at the level Keyes has.
I don't know if he can overcome the hurdles in front of him in this race.... but I definately look forward to the debates. How Keyes comes out of debate #1 in the polls will be the indicator of if he has a true chance of winning or not. When is the first one scheduled?
I think almost anyone we could come up with at this point would quite likely get routed. I just hope Keyes can pull at least 30%.
Bump for Keyes..
I wish he was here in NY
I hadn't thought that now he is a canidate would they give him speaking time at the convention.... personally, I tend to doubt it.... the national RNC has always been cool at best to Keyes.
However if they decide that he has a chance in IL... and IL is in play for the presidential race... then it would be possible that Keyes could get a speaking role at the convention.
However, as of today August 6, 2004... I don't see that happening. Wish it would... particularly in a prime time slot that is aired (which I don't believe would ever happen)... Keyes is someone every american should listen to at least once in their lifetimes.... for him to have an unedited speech in prime time to the nation would be a watershed moment.
I hope Dr Keyes has the good sense to see this for what it is and politely decline, He has zero chance against Obama. Zero.
Say I'm an un-informed voter and I go to the polls. I see Alan Keyes vs. Obama Barrack. I'm pulling the lever for Alan.....just because of his name.
What? Another coffee break?(!) That's it buddy, you're off "The Apprentice."
Just ground it myself.....hot, fresh coffee.
Tell the donald I don't need his damn job!
:>)
I mean, his selection is a bit of a slap in the face if you really start to think about it.
Basically, he was picked because there was no chance that the GOP was going to pick up this seat and they figured that Keyes was their best bet to, at the very least, energize the Republican base in Illinois, spurring higher turnout for races down-ballot.
That being said, I still think that this is the best choice that the Republicans could have made given the alternative, which was to nominate someone who would have been just as handily defeated, but who would have depressed GOP turnout in a crucial presidential election year.
But I must tell you, he doesn't seem to be in a particularly good mood today.
His beautiful model wife, Melania Knauss-I think that's how you spell it-has just bought some Tiffany diamond earrings, using "The Donald's" expense account.
So I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.
Count me among those who agree to disagree with you. If Keyes was all that, he wouldn't have lost every single election he's ever been in.
Moreover, he has just ensured that Republicans cannot ever use the "carpetbagger" tag against Hillary.
I think this is damaging for Keyes. I don't think he can win, and that'll mean that two states rejected him as their Senator. How does that increase his credibility?
I agree with him on many issues, and I like the man, but that doesn't mean that I have to think hsi running for Senate in Illinois is anything other than dumb ego.
Ummm... Peter Fitzgerald is a Republican. He's not running for re-election (I don't know why.) This apparently Keyes-Obama race is for his seat.
Tell him to invest in Barista coffee grinders and coffee pots instead of wives. I got mine at Starbucks and have no complaints.
Can he say the same about the wives?
Prophets tend to be unpopular with a lot of people. At least the biblical prophets were.
Look on the bright side, when Jesse JackASSon sticks his head up and tries to push the Poor Black Gimme Agenda in the Campaign Keyes will hand him his ass.
This ought to be fun to watch. Popcorn Please.
Bush got about 42% of the vote in 2000. It's heavily Democrat and Republicans who win state wide tend to be moderate rather than conservative.
However, I actually think that this marriage has a decent chance of outliving Robert Byrd.
Think about it. She's not a status and fortune-seeking woman like Ivana and she appears to be-at the very least-more intelligent than his second wife, Marla Maples.
I know, that's not saying much for her, but I still think these two crazy kids have a shot at making it work.
Can anything outlive Robert Byrd? The man is a walking corpse.
The RNC needs to let Keyes speak at the convention.
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