If it is important to have an "intelligent black" on the ticket, it would then be doubly important to have an ILLINOIS "intelligent black" there, otherwise you are saying there is no such person in the state.
So who do you propose? This says nothing about there not being other intelligent people, good republicans, black conservatives, whatever, in Illinois. This is about the Illinois Republican party saying this is the best candidate.
It's a choice for Illinois.
Look, the play's been made, the call has gone out. your complaints are a day late and dollar short.
There is nothing inherently wrong with Illinois GOP choosing Keyes. The question is one of representation:
Can he represent the people of Illinois.
Fact is that he can do it better than Obama, but will
have to make that case.
residency is a small issue compared with the larger question of political philosophy etc.