What's the Real Politik in this? the liberal Obama opposes reparations and looks like a statemsan; the "conservative" Keyes supports reparations and looks like a race-baiting nutcase. This will not create one net vote for Alan Keyes -- for every black who falls for this nonsense, there will be plenty of white swing voters and even Republicans who are turned off by it.
I was speaking of the issue in general as opposed to Keyes campaign specifically. That said, if anyone thinks Obama is preferable to Keyes because of this, they will get the gov't they deserve. Unfortunately, I get it too.
In real politik terms, Keyes absolutely has to crack into the 90% D vote among blacks to make this race competitive. That is what he is trying to do. That is the real politik.