As I am sure you know, I am accused on a daily basis of being a BushBot and of making excuses for everything Bush does, a charge I probably deserve.
That being said, I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed watching THIS issue progress; the parsing and spinning done by Keyes' defenders on this issue has been such a joy to watch.
Keyes' statement about Hillary wasn't a rhetorical question; it was a declarative statement. He needs to cop to his change of policy and move on.
It greatly lowers my estimation of Keyes. Previously I have argued that he would never run for any position he could actually WIN, because that would force him to ACT---to vote, and, more important, to make compromises (as every politician has to do). This would destroy his "sainted" image in the minds of many people. Hence, for him, this is a completely safe move. He doesn't need to worry about winning.