[Aquinasfan]

And how do you predict his reparations scheme will play downstate, among those who won't benefit from it? I'm sure they'll be watching.

Don't know. I pretty much write it off as a quirky idea that's going nowhere.

Obviously, the remarks have disturbed a lot of conservatives. But once the conservative voters compare Alan to the competition, I think they'll overcome their reservations about reparations.

Serious, activist, pro-life conservatives, like myself, already know a lot about Alan Keyes. He's the most articulate defender of the unborn in America today. This is the paramount political issue for me and for most politically active conservatives, so I expect that to buy Alan a lot of slack.

[Non-Sequitur]

Obviously, the remarks have disturbed a lot of conservatives. But once the conservative voters compare Alan to the competition, I think they'll overcome their reservations about reparations.

It's not the bulk of his base I'm concerned with. It's conservative white Democrats or Independents and yes, even some Republicans who he'll alienate with schemes like this, and that is the support he will lose. The support he needs to make a decent showing much less win.

[Catspaw]

He's the most articulate defender of the unborn in America today. This is the paramount political issue for me and for most politically active conservatives, so I expect that to buy Alan a lot of slack.

So where's THAT message? It's being drowned out by this reparations proposal.

Keyes does not have a lot of time in this senate race and voters in Illinois don't know him. He cannot presume that everyone in Illinois who knows about his pro-life credentials will vote for him simply that reason. This reparations scheme is all they know. He's not getting his pro-life message out, and with a little over two months left, he may not be able to do so.