ALAN KEYES, MR. RADIOACTIVE

Realclearpolitics.com ^ | 10-11-04

[SJackson]

Monday, October 11 2004
ALAN KEYES, MR. RADIOACTIVE: Just how bad is Alan Keyes doing in the Illinois Senate race? Let's just say it's hard to imagine him doing any worse. In the three latest polls taken during the past week, Keyes is drawing between 20-24% of the vote while Obama is pushing close to 70%.

To be fair, this was never really about Alan Keyes beating Barack Obama. The minute Jack Ryan dropped out of the race the GOP strategy shifted from winning to trying to field a credible challenger who could do two things: 1) keep Obama occupied and 2) run strong throughout the state to protect down-ballot Republicans from getting swamped. Keyes is failing miserably at both.

Today's Washington Post reports that Obama is so unconcerned with the threat being posed by Alan Keyes that he's now touring the country raising money and campaigning on behalf of John Kerry and other Democrats:

In the past week, Obama has mailed checks totaling $260,000 to Senate candidates in 13 states, including $53,000 to the do-or-die campaign of Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.). He donated $100,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $150,000 to party organizations in key states, including Florida, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Carrying his verbal assault on President Bush beyond state lines, Obama will fly to Los Angeles this week for a Democratic fundraiser and address rallies in Colorado and Nevada for John F. Kerry. In a close presidential race where turnout could prove decisive, Obama said in an interview that he is talking with Kerry advisers about where he can be most effective in the campaign's final days.

"Turnout is huge," Obama said after a Saturday morning rally in the hard-fought presidential battleground of Wisconsin. "If there are selective things that we can do that can be helpful, then we want to do them. The Kerry people are still making determinations as to what states remain in play. Safe to say we will probably have a couple more travel days this month."

Back in Illinois, Keyes is operating in complete isolation. He's alienated almost all of the Republican party operatives throughout the state, starting with his wild-eyed rhetoric about Barack Obama's pro-abortion stance (the "slaveholders'" position, similar to a terrorist, etc) and his attack on Dick Cheney's gay daughter (Keyes called Mary Cheney a "selfish hedonist").

Many members of the Illinois delegation, including the Chairperson of the Party, Judy Baar Topinka, condemned Keyes remarks as "idiotic" and called on him to apologize. (To make matters worse, rumors have been swirling about the sexual preference of Keyes' own daughter for a couple of weeks now. Keyes has refused to comment)

This is how bad it has become: the other night at a GOP fund raising dinner Keyes caused a stir by showing up unannounced - but more importantly, I was told, uninvited. At the dinner a sitting member Congress, speaking semi-privately to the guests at one of the tables, jokingly referred to Keyes as a "lunatic." Everyone at the table laughed and shook their heads in agreement.

The damage Keyes is doing to the GOP in Illinois, however, is no laughing matter. He will be lucky to win 25% of the vote in November and he's become not only a drag on the ballot for Republicans but a weapon for Democrats.

I'll give you a quick example. Beth Coulson is the State Senator from my district. She's a moderate Republican in a moderate to left-leaning district and always a top target of the Democrats. Here's a copy of the latest flier from the Illinois Democratic Party:

Keyes may very well cost Beth Coulson her seat, and perhaps a few others as well. And on November 3rd Alan Keyes will be sitting comfortably on a plane back to Maryland and the Illinois GOP will be in a bigger hole than they were in before Keyes arrived to help dig.

MOTHER TERESA: Can't resist this blurb on Teresa Heinz Kerry from Friday's Tucson Citizen:

In the middle of her [Heinz Kerry's] speech, Bush supporters chimed in with a chant of "four more years." Kerry supporters countered with "four more weeks."

Heinz Kerry told the Bush supporters, "I respect your positions, but you must have manners."

Adele Conover, 54, a science writer and Kerry supporter who had backed Howard Dean, described Heinz Kerry's talk as "sensational."

"She treated them like they were children," she said of how Heinz Kerry talked to the Bush supporters.

Those Bush supporters are just so uncouth, aren't they Teresa?

[ScottM1968]

The Republican party in Illinois didn't exist prior to Keyes (President Bush didn't have a campaign effort here until the past month). Our state's party was decimated from within by RINO's over the past 30+ years.

Ironically, the most fiscally conservative governor we've had in that period is our current Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich who even had the balls to take back previously allocated monies from colleges and others after the fiscal year was half over!

There wasn't a program Thompson, Edgar, or Ryan didn't think should be funded. And don't forget the Republican-directed works projects in Springfield, including the Lincoln library.

Keyes is a solid conservative whose approach is controversial. On a small budget, and without support from the current leader of the party, he's created a lot of publicity. Remember, even supposedly bad publicity is still good. At least he has a head on his shoulders and sticks to convictions. Both Republicans and Democrats could learn something from that.

One final point--for a state that virtually never votes Republican for president, Illinois recently has shifted to a state that is "in play". If Keyes was as bad a liability as is stated, President Bush couldn't be that close to Kerry in this state.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I have disagreed with Dr. Keyes openly on FR, including in posts directly to Jim Robinson when he posted a thread supporting Keyes. I haven't been banned, time-outed, or had any posts pulled, and in fact JimRob posted a respectful response to me. Word your opposition intelligently and respectfully and it will be welcome on FR.

[OHelix]

"What? Keyes won the nomination? I must have missed him in the primary then. My bad."

What are you talking about?

[Chad Fairbanks]

"I don't understand it. It is not logical to demonize your own candidate after he's won the nomination..."

[beckett]

Keyes has destroyed what little was left of his reputation by entering into this disastrous campaign, where we learned he wants slave reparations, the final nail in his coffin.

He is an egomaniac who only serves to embarrass the Republican Party. The sooner he sinks over the horizon into oblivion, the better.

[Artemis Webb]

I can't help but think that Illinois being in play for the President is a totally separate issue in most voters minds than the Senate race. I do not know but I doubt that the President has campaigned for Keyes at all, lest he cast his pearls before swine.

[PAR35]

Correct link for flyer

And if the Keyes campaign was being well run, they would put out a flyer with pictures of Obama and Bin Laden with a slogan "Osama and Obama don't share our values."

[Artemis Webb]

Keyes didn't win the nomination.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I don't understand what the dynamic is, but there is SOMETHING that is motivating a small LOUD group to visiously demonize Keyes, and repeat all of the talking dem talking points from within the Republican party, as well as here on FR.

I try to be intelligently vociferous, not vicious. And I think vocal opposition to Keyes and his sorry excuse for a campaign is a legitimate position for people who would like to see sane and stable Republican candidates get elected, instead of being swept out to sea in the tidal wave of Keyes' obnoxious rants. Keyes' behavior has been so appalling that he's freed up Obama's time to run around the country drumming up money and votes for Kerry/Edwards, while Keyes stays "home" and does further damage to other Republican candidates who are actually electable. Why shouldn't I be opposed to Keyes?

[OHelix]

I understand what statement of mine you replied to... It just seems that your intent was mocking me for saying he won the nomination... Am I mistaken that Keyes is currently the Republican Nominee for a Senate seat in Illinois? Am I mistaken in assuming that he obtained that position by some process of nomination by his party?

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Does Obama favor reparations? I just do not see why that is a deal breaker for Keyes. The reparations idea Keyes put forth will never pass Congress. It will be irrelevant to his Senate seat. More likely, if any kind of reparations is ever going to become a reality, it will be because the courts decide the issue for us. If you fear reparations, fear the courts.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Who gets to define "sane and stable"? You?

[SJackson]

Could it be that both Rinos and Dimwits want Obama to win?

More likely that Keyes has run a poor campaign.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

That was my understanding as well. Therefore, since I don't want to be banned, I am "officially" noticing that this thread exists, but I have nothing else to say about it.

Ditto here. My lips are sealed, but my thoughts go on. ; *)

[MadIvan]

I am a fan of Dr. Keyes, as he was an added breath of inspiration during Impeachment. He was possibly the most articulate and forceful opponent Bill Clinton had. Had he remained at his post on his radio programme, "America's Wake Up Call", he would have remained beloved of all Freepers, I dare say.

That all being said, I am disappointed with this run. I do not see why he thought he had a chance in a state as liberal as Illinois. I do not see why he thought it necessary to inflame matters - his mentor, Ronald Reagan, knew much better. Had President Reagan been asked to comment about Cheney's daughter, with a smile and a wink, he would have said something along the lines of "Shouldn't that really be a question for her dad?".

I honestly don't know what Dr. Keyes is going to do after this. I suggest he moves to Australia and teaches American Government there.

Regards, Ivan

[OHelix]

I've heard at least one good explanation of why someone was opposed to him. I can understand that. But I'm aware that there is agressive demonization that goes beyond a reasonable dislike of a candidate. To the point that I'm convinced there is a hidden grudge that is hidden behind the illogical claims that "he is doing too much harm to the republicans so lets elect Obama to the Senate to keep him from doing more harm."

It's one think to argue he isn't the best candidate. It's another thing to absolutly trash the man and anyone who supports him when he IS in fact the nominee. I'm not from Illinois, and I don't know all that much about what's going on right now. But I've been watching people is the entertainment industry trash republicans long enough to know "hidden agenda demonizaion" when I see it.

[asgardshill]

You you you ... thoughtist.

[asgardshill]

(And mods, please note that was a personal attack against another Freeper, not a slam on Dr. Keyes) ;)

[Joe Republc]

"..Keyes was always going to be Keyes. The Republican party in Illinois knew this and that is exactly why they selected him."

Could you explain this a bit? That is, why did they choose Keyes, as opposed to running a lesser-known, local poliitician, who still would lose but not generate this controversy?

-- Joe

[Tamar1973]

What do you think Keyes is doing the Republican Party of Illionis? He's nailing in the last nail in the coffin.

And who holds the greater part of the blame for that? The Illinois GOP themselves. The Illinois GOP only have themselves to blame for allowing Mr. Keyes to carpet-bag into their campaign. They should have kept Jack Ryan on the ballot and defended him against the Democratic smear campaign.