Some conservative leaders say Keyes campaign is unfocused

The State ^ | 10-3-04 | CHRISTOPHER WILLS

[k2blader]

A pro-life, pro-gun ethical (by anything I've ever seen) Democrat or a corrupt pro-choice gunngrapper Republican. Who do you choose? If I can figure it out, it should be a no brainer for Keyes supporters.

If it's as you laid it out, I'd probably vote for Poshard. Liberal (R)'s are worse than liberals in general, IMNSHO.

Not a criticism of you, I realize you don't live here or have pretensions of understanding the Illinois political climate.

Yep, no pretensions in that regard here. I just like Keyes, and I think he'd be a great conservative addition to the Senate. In a similar vein, if I saw a post on the South Dakota race, why would I not strongly support Thune over Balderdaschle?

And seeing as there are a goodly number of anti-Keyes FReepers *not* from IL who show up on these threads, I figure I should at least wade in to balance out their liberal rhetoric.

Maybe you can 'splain some other things to me as well. What is the state of the IL GOP, in your opinion? From what little I can gather, IL seems to tilt left; otherwise, Obama wouldn't be so popular. Is that a fair statement?

Who has more pull in the party--the liberal (R)'s or the conservo (R)'s? Why did they ask Keyes to run against Obama if they weren't serious about getting out the vote for him?

And what is it *specifically* about Keyes that might prevent you from voting for him?

Keyes, Obama, or 3rd party. That's the no-brainer.

[k2blader]

Well, some folks seem to hate Keyes just for existing. It's similar to how they react towards Jerry Falwell or Joseph Farah, whose comments often hit a little too close to home for comfort for the morally comatose.

Earlier on this thread a few anti-Keyes FReepers were clapping each other on the back for supporting abortion. If that doesn't give conservatives pause when evaluating their attitudes towards Keyes, nothing will.

[k2blader]

Why do you hate Keyes so much anyway?

[lara]

I agree. And I do believe it's the abortion issue. Jim Robinson says over & over that this is a site for conservatives, but so many freepers seem to enjoy mocking the pro-life people. They're no better than the trolls that try to disrupt threads.

[k2blader]

I'm still trying to figure out why some people attempt to mock pro-Lifers as being "morally superior".

Of course being against the deliberate murder of babies is morally superior! What do they think this place is--DU?

BTW, it's always nice to see you on these threads. :-)

[SJackson]

If Lara's position is that Ryan was essentially neutral on the issue, or his flip wasn't clear to her till after the election, or simply practical thus ignored the issue and let Poshard defeat himself on it, I suppose that could be supported. If this this a pro-life candidate, so be it, I'm not sure it's worth any more time.

...............

Ryan is also an abortion opponent. As a legislator, he once voted to require women to obtain their husband's consent before having an abortion and sponsored legislation declaring that "human life commences at conception of pregnancy and this human life is a person within the meaning of the 14th Amendment." But that was a long time ago in a different political and legal climate, and Ryan says he understands that Roe v. Wade is now the law of the land. As governor, he says, he would "carefully weigh any abortion legislation to ensure that it does not run counter to existing constitutional law."

Ryan expects to hear a lot about women in the coming campaign.

"[Democrats] are going to need some issue to come at me on, and it's probably going to be that one," he concedes.

To fortify himself, Ryan has tried to load up the Republican ballot with women, tapping unknown state Rep. Corinne Wood as his running mate, persuading Comptroller Loleta Didrickson to try for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate and recruiting Cook County Circuit Clerk Aurelia Pucinski to switch parties and tackle County Board President John Stroger.

Ryan, though, says he expects the forthcoming campaign to be decided on other issues, and toward that end he's polishing up his positions.

On recently passed school funding legislation: 24 / February 1998 Illinois Issues

...............

Chidago Reporter ...Poshard thinks he could have done even better if it weren't for his stance against abortion, which turned off potential Democratic support. "Once that became an issue, everything else was wiped off the table," he said.

..............

Tribune on Keyes

Conservatives, who have chafed under decades of moderate leadership of the state Republican Party, have viewed the implosion caused by the scandal surrounding George Ryan's tenure in public office and Jack Ryan's withdrawal from the Senate race as an opportunity to seize control of the GOP leadership.

Conservatives complain that during their tenure, Republican Govs. Thompson and Edgar did not embrace core conservative principles such as opposition to abortion rights and gun control.

Those complaints grew even louder with Ryan's 1998 election to the governor's office in a race where the Republican ran to the left of his socially conservative Democratic opponent, Glenn Poshard. Then, once in office, Ryan took socially moderate stands on abortion and gay rights, normalizing relations with Cuba and, as a last act, commuting the sentences of inmates on Death Row.

[malakhi]

So what are you going to be doing in the meantime? Complaining? Criticizing?

As I've previously posted, I'm a volunteer for the Tim Michels for Senate campaign in Wisconsin.

[EternalVigilance]

Congratulations. Good luck.

[malakhi]

Why do you hate Keyes so much anyway?

I don't "hate" Keyes. I am unhappy with the way he is running his campaign, because a blowout is likely to hurt other Republican candidates in Illinois. We presently hold a slim lead in the House of Representatives, and we can't afford to lose any Illinois Republican congressional seats.

[EternalVigilance]

I don't "hate" Keyes. I am unhappy with the way he is running his campaign, because a blowout is likely to hurt other Republican candidates in Illinois. We presently hold a slim lead in the House of Representatives, and we can't afford to lose any Illinois Republican congressional seats.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

-- Theodore Roosevelt

[Dengar01]

When you say the word 'divisive', look in the mirror, because you epitomize it, friend.

Let's be a civil here. Just because we think Alan Keyes is nuts doesn't mean we are bad people. Yes, Obama is horrible. But what good is Alan Keyes?

Here is my conspiracy theory spin on the whole Alan Keyes Senate race:

We all know Judy Baar Topinka is a RINO, she wants to see the Illinois GOP move far to the left, that's why the Democrats love her. The Corrine Wood segment of the party in my opinion is behind Alan Keyes being nominated, here is why.

In the 2002 Primary for Governor Corrine Wood finished third behind Jim Ryan and conservative Pat O'Malley. Now Corrine Wood and her other liberal friends hate the conservative wing, but we are such a huge segment of the IGOP they couldn't silence us.

Jack Ryan was a good all around candidate even though most of us supported Raushenberger, but after the sex scandal he was toast.

Now we as Illinois Republicans had absolutely no say so in who to select as a replacement, the RINOs did. Now by selecting conservative Keyes, they are showcasing everything they claim about us conservatives (basically we are crazy). Here Alan Keyes the conservative candidate is absolutely embarassing the conservative wing of the party infront of the entire country. After Keyes loses by 70% of the vote we are going to be holding our heads down in shame and the RINOs will say "see I told you so, a conservative will never be elected". Thus the RINOs will put their own Judy Baar Topinka like politicans in to run for state wide office.

The Illinois GOP will be tarnished for years, trust me. The only way we can get our acts back together is to live through this embarassment and stick together. I will not vote for Alan Keyes, I have no respect for him at all. But in no way does that make me a bad conservative. I think Alan Keyes is nothing more than a pawn of the RINOs and I know I'm not alone in this thought.

[EternalVigilance]

You're the one who's nuts, not Keyes.

It's because of people like you that the party in Illinois is in the shape it's in.

[stanley windrush]

I voted for Poshard against that bastard Ryan and that was the only time I remembered voting Democrat.
He reminds me of the late pro-life democrat governor of Pennsylvania, Carey.

[Dengar01]

You're the one who's nuts, not Keyes.

Once again instead of arguing a position you resort to personal attacks. I think that says enough about your position and credibility.

[EternalVigilance]

You called Keyes nuts first, and then have the nerve to blast me for calling you the same?

Alan Keyes has been a prominent supporter of FR for years, and is one of the best communicators of the principles this site stands for.

It is offensive to me when folks like you use this space, provided by Jim Robinson, a Keyes supporter, to tear down Keyes and empower socialists like Obama.

[Dengar01]

It is offensive to me when folks like you use this space, provided by Jim Robinson, a Keyes supporter, to tear down Keyes and empower socialists like Obama.

Wow, you just don't quit do you?
You shouldn't get worked up about me.
Maybe you should ask the leaders of the Republican headquarters in DuPage county as to why they think that Keyes is running a lousy campaign.

Why isn't anyone motivated to vote for Alan Keyes besides yourself.
What has Keyes done in this race to motivate voters? He's made conservatives as myself want to vote for Mike Ditka.

And quit with the fear mongering. I'm empowering Osama Obama because I won't vote for Keyes? If Keyes gets above 20% I will be utterly surprised. Free Republic is not a socialist website, as FReepers we have freedom of choice. I'm not voting for Obama, so quit throwing that around.

I won't vote for Alan Keyes and as a conservative I have the right to say that. Just because Alan Keyes is a conservative doesn't mean that I should vote for him without any questions. If someone offends me through their words or actions then I have no respect for them and they won't get my vote, simple as that. I think it was absolutely ridiculous for the Illinois GOP to choose Keyes, they knew very well it would be a self-destructive move.

In the primary I voted for Steve Rauschenberger and he is the one that the Judy Baar Topinka committee should have chosen as the replacement for Jack Ryan.

Now can you respond to this without personally attacking me?
That is yet to be seen.

[EternalVigilance]

Wow, you just don't quit do you?

Never.

You shouldn't get worked up about me.

I'm not 'worked up' about you. I'm simply applying the antidote to the negative disease you and others are spreading throughout the body politic in this State.

Maybe you should ask the leaders of the Republican headquarters in DuPage county as to why they think that Keyes is running a lousy campaign.

Why don't you? They're a big part of the problem.

Why isn't anyone motivated to vote for Alan Keyes besides yourself.

About a million Illinoisans share my support for Alan Keyes. We now need a million more Illinoisans to get over their personal little problems and help us defeat the socialist Obama.

What has Keyes done in this race to motivate voters?

Let's see...he's talked every day about the deeper aspects of the conservative principles that we know are the answer to Illinois' problems. What more do you want? I suppose you want more of the same corrupt mealy-mouthed political pap you're used to...

He's made conservatives as myself want to vote for Mike Ditka. Uhmmmm....Mike Ditka isn't on the ballot.

And quit with the fear mongering. I'm empowering Osama Obama because I won't vote for Keyes?

Uh, yeah.

If Keyes gets above 20% I will be utterly surprised.

Prepare to be surprised.

[EternalVigilance]

Wow, you just don't quit do you?

Never.

You shouldn't get worked up about me.

I'm not 'worked up' about you. I'm simply applying the antidote to the negative disease you and others are spreading throughout the body politic in this State.

Maybe you should ask the leaders of the Republican headquarters in DuPage county as to why they think that Keyes is running a lousy campaign.

Why don't you? They're a big part of the problem.

Why isn't anyone motivated to vote for Alan Keyes besides yourself.

About a million Illinoisans share my support for Alan Keyes. We now need a million more Illinoisans to get over their personal little problems and help us defeat the socialist Obama.

What has Keyes done in this race to motivate voters?

Let's see...he's talked every day about the deeper aspects of the conservative principles that we know are the answer to Illinois' problems. What more do you want? I suppose you want more of the same corrupt mealy-mouthed political pap you're used to...

He's made conservatives as myself want to vote for Mike Ditka. Uhmmmm....Mike Ditka isn't on the ballot.

And quit with the fear mongering. I'm empowering Osama Obama because I won't vote for Keyes?

Uh, yeah.

If Keyes gets above 20% I will be utterly surprised.

Prepare to be surprised.

[k2blader]

I am unhappy with the way he is running his campaign, because a blowout is likely to hurt other Republican candidates in Illinois.

I don't think it's that simple.

Apparently, President Bush has a decent shot at IL according to this article, this one too, and this one as well.

Keyes isn't hurting him.

What makes no sense to me is how some IL "conservatives" would rather have Obama in Congress.

[k2blader]

That you can't answer these questions is pretty telling.

I think the reason is you've already decided Obama will be your next Senator.