Posted on 08/09/2004 7:43:52 AM PDT by churchillbuff
Alan Keyes strode onto the Illinois stage Sunday and began one of the speeches of a lifetime with two little words: "Thank you."
"Thank YOU!" the crowd roared with gratitude at finally having a GOP candidate for U.S. Senate.
Keyes, a Maryland resident, doesn't even have a home here yet, but he boomed dramatically: "I have confidence because the victory is for God."
With the fire of a general ordering his troops into the valley of death, Keyes promised "a battle like this nation has never seen," and an ongoing debate unequalled since Lincoln vs. Douglas.
Keyes stirred the crowd of party faithful, anti-abortion activists and homeschoolers with a speech that started with media-bashing and hit strong on the issues where he considers Democratic challenger Barack Obama vulnerable: gun rights and abortion.
Keyes said he was initially reluctant to enter the race, but "what finally arrested my attention and forced me to consider . . . was when I learned that [Obama] had actually in April 2002 apparently cast a vote that would continue to allow live-birth abortions in the state of Illinois."
Keyes was tapped by state Republican leaders after GOP candidate Jack Ryan folded his campaign amid allegations he once took his wife to sex clubs. Keyes' entrance sets up a contest between two candidates at opposite ends of the political spectrum. It also marks the first time in the nation's history that both parties have fielded an African-American candidate for a major statewide office.
But before Keyes took the stage Sunday to accept the challenge, he had a quick meeting with some of the state's top Republican leaders.
"What do I need to know?'' he asked the group, according to a top Republican source. "I'm the outsider. You tell me. I want to hear -- what do people of this state care about?''
Keyes, a conservative talk show host who has made two failed attempts at the presidency, has just over two months to figure that out -- something he is vowing to do.
He flew into Chicago Saturday night -- his 54th birthday. Over the weekend Keyes met both with white voters in the suburbs and African Americans on the city's South Side. Keyes spent the night at the South Side home of Hiram Crawford Jr., a second-generation activist in the movement opposing abortion and gay rights.
A Roman Catholic, Keyes attended mass at Holy Name Cathedral Sunday morning before visiting St. Mark's Missionary Baptist Church in Harvey. He also ate a Denver omelette at one of Chicago's quintessential breakfast spots -- Lou Mitchell's in the Loop.
Obama, a state senator who was in Toronto visiting a sister with a newborn, welcomed Keyes to the race by issuing a prepared statement inviting him to engage in a race free from attacks. But the Keyes candidacy was strongly criticized by Democratic leaders, who questioned his understanding and loyalty to Illinois.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) accused the Illinois Republican Party of allowing itself to be "hijacked'' by an extreme base after it foundered to find someone to challenge an impressive Obama, who charged out of the primary with 53 percent of the vote and whose popularity spiked after his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.
"I think they were desperate,'' Durbin said at a news conference. "I think they were overtaken by a faction of the party. . . . Alan Keyes doesn't represent the Republican wing, he represents the right wing of the right wing of the party.''
But his message Sunday was well-received by a crowd of about 375 people at an old-time political rally at the Wellington Restaurant in Arlington Heights. Keyes spoke in a packed, sweltering room filled with adulation and the circus-like atmosphere of a bumptious political race. One elderly woman even collapsed after his speech -- and was attended to by losing primary candidate Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria.
"It's like [Keyes] was reading from the National Republican platform," said Raymond True, chair of the Republican Assembly of Lake County. Keyes, he said, "hit all the ideological high points."
In fact, Republican Jim Oberweis, who flanked Keyes onstage along with other GOP candidates who lost in the primary to Ryan, called the race with Obama no less than "a debate between good on the right and evil on the left."
Durbin, however, criticized this "divisive'' approach to politics, saying Obama instead has the ability to talk to residents about jobs, health care and other local and regional challenges.
"Alan Keyes is in the dark,'' he said. "It would be very difficult to serve in the Senate with someone who couldn't find the counties of the state with a road map.''
Keyes answered the drumbeat of criticism about his residency by repeatedly invoking Illinois' embrace of Kentuckian and fellow Republican Abraham Lincoln.
By principles alone, he said, "I've lived in the Land of Lincoln all my life, and I will be proud to call Illinois my home.''
Meanwhile, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) launched an attack against Obama, his strongest to date, during an interview Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." He accused Obama of voting against stiffer penalties for drug use, drug dealing and for people who kill emergency workers in the line of duty.
Unfortunately, I dont think Keyes has a shot. But lets see what happens.
Unfortunately, I dont think Keyes has a shot. But lets see what happens.
Those who claim not to vote for a carpetbagger must realize that to downstaters, everyone out of Chicago is from another planet. Keyes will get much downstate support.
Will this do for a start on answering the carpetbagging issue?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1187692/posts
I thought it was.
I'm not up on IL voting trends or patterns... I have no doubt that the big city vs the rural/small communites patterns exist. I also assume that a statewide race requires some crossover votes plus independents and the retention of a large portion of the GOP party. I hope the campaign can approach the race trying to secure the votes from the different and diverse sectors. It has to be an inclusive campaign and not exclusive, imo.
Good luck and work at it no matter how small your efforts may seem.
There should be an outcry about the press release that appears in most newspapers today, identifying Alan Keyes as a "conservative," but Obama as the Democrats' rising star.
Absolutely no mention of Obama as a "liberal."
There are three things I have to say about this.
1) This is the first time in that state that both candidates are black. It is a state that has had it's share of racism in the past. This may lead to a strong third party bid for some racist candidate. That would be a VERY bad thing. This race is not about race, but about principles. I fear some of those more reluctant Freepers out there might be of the same mind, whether hidden or not.
2) Freepers are going to have to be very careful about what is said with regards to Dr. Keys run. The reason? His candidacy resembles another senate race that Freepers slammed the candidate for being a carpetbagger. That would be in New York. Hitlary. Most of us objected to her because she is a spawn of the Devil himself, but others objected on the grounds that she wasn't from there.
3) Good luck to Dr. Keys and I hope he finds the votes and support he needs to actually do two things, turn around the state of Illinois and get it solidly in the R column for years to come and have an elective position that he finally deserves. He needs to have a voice in public. He has too many ideas and principles to not be out there.
Paul
If the Cubbies win, will you believe that Dr. Keyes could win too?
Many people have already pointed it out, but I guess it needs to be said again:
"There is a huge difference between Keyes and HRC. HRC spent months planning her New York takeover. In contrast Alan was called in at the 11th hour to fill an unexpected void."
I can't believe some of you find fault with him accepting the challenge. I applaud him.
Second point... this campaign may be the most interesting in the country... a real liberal and a real conservative.
I don't find fault with him accepting it. I'm just saying we need to be careful as Freepers with the discussions on this. I just paid our adversaries a visit to DU and found that their front page had a whole bunch of articles, but probably 5-6 directly from FR. So, that leads to the question of hypocricy. And we have to make sure we don't have cause to be considered such.
I, frankly see no problem with anyone moving anywhere to run for office there so long as the law allows it. What I do have problems with is people voting for a Socialist/Communist masquerading as a Democrat.
I really agree with the concept of a Pure Liberal/Pure Conservative debate. Allan Keyes is where the Republican Party should be at. Not this squishy, near-left party that only differentiates itself from the D's by a few Keyes. That's why I'm in a conservative 3rd party, and won't return until the R's straighten up and fly Right. Or, we can combined destroy the D's, let the R's take over the left, and a new, 3rd party rise up to take over the right.
I do support Dr. Keyes candidacy and am going to ask that my fellow Patriot Party members endorse his candidacy.
Paul
Scary.
"I have this gut feeling he may just win."
Alan Keyes will not win unless God Himself intervenes and parts the red sea for him.
I am hoping you have a track record on this? Please tell me yes.....
Good post. Thanks.
See you at the Headquarters. We got alot of work to do!!
Negative, if you do not live in Illinois and do not understand Illinois Politics, why do you not give me the benifit of the doubt. I still disagree that Hastert is supporting Keyes FULLY.
So the article was wrong where it said Hastert was luke warm, I was wrong, and I live in Chicago and am very active in Politics.
If you do not comprehend that the Illinois Republican party is in disarray then YES, you do not know what you are speaking of.
Hastert is out for Hastert.
politics ain't beanbag...one more senate seat is worth a bending
First of all, it's not an additional seat, it's a seat held by Pubs. Secondly, Keyes has no chance, so why compromise your ideals in a losing cause? Keyes will be lucky to crack 40%
Just saw him on Hannity and Colmes. Brilliant man and I'd LOVE to see him win. A true debater and a great image for the Republican party. Compare this guy to Maxine Watters or anyone else in the Black Caucus and I'm glad to have him on our side!
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