Posted on 11/05/2004 5:06:59 PM PST by Ahriman
Republican Alan Keyes blamed the media and ''Republicans in name only'' Thursday for his lopsided loss to Democrat Barack Obama in Illinois' U.S. Senate race.
Keyes also said he didn't congratulate Obama after the race was called, a tradition among politicians, because doing so would have been a ''false gesture'' because he believes Obama's views on issues like abortion are wicked.
The former diplomat and two-time presidential candidate, who lost to Obama by 43 percentage points Tuesday, gave his first post-election interview Thursday afternoon to Christian talk show host Scott Thomas of WYLL-AM.
Keyes said that despite the loss, he thought he did a good job spreading his message of moral values in the short time he had to campaign. Illinois Republicans drafted Keyes from Maryland in August after primary winner Jack Ryan dropped out over sex club allegations in his divorce files.
''A lot of people came forward, they campaigned very intensely, proving, I think, that there is a deep core of committed people in Illinois who are not part of any coalition of selfish interests but really were working for what they deeply believed to be right for the state and for its families and its people,'' Keyes said.
Keyes noted that 1.3 million people voted for him.
He said he was disappointed in what he called the number of ''Republicans in name only'' in Illinois. An Associated Press exit poll showed that four in 10 Republicans voted for Obama, a liberal state senator from Chicago.
''I had counted on the fact that Republicans would come back home on Election Day rather than vote a socialist into office who stands against everything they profess to believe as Republicans,'' Keyes said.
He can blame his own pompous ass for his defeat.
Keyes blamed Republicans in Maryland after he lost here, too. The truth is that we went twice to events where he was scheduled to appear, just to support him, and he never came. It is not ALL the Republicans' fault.
As much as I love Alan Keyes, the reparations thing killed his chance, probably forever.
Sad to say --- yes.
(I used to be a big Keyes supporter. Sigh...)
Ah yes, always somebody else's fault.
I've never seen him, but I've heard him, and I also thought he was pretty pompous I agree that his late entry and media bias helped him lose, but I think he would have lost no matter what, and in fact, it's a wonder he did so well. People liked the message, perhaps, but were not thrilled with the messenger.
Please, Alan, never run for office again. Do what you do best, but here's a hint: IT AIN'T POLITICS.
Getting him to run in Illinois may have been a strategic move by Karl Rove. There was almost no way he could win that race. If he did, the Republicans were lucky, if not, they had moved him out of the way.
Keyes has always been a bit of a loose cannon. His antics while running and after loosing will make it very difficult for him to seek any other political office.
W got, what, 45% of the vote in Illinois? Anything Keyes got less than that is his own fault.
and he wonders why he lost??? BUFFOON alert!
It would appear that the Dems don't have a monopoly on
"not getting it".
Keyes is to the Republicans like Kerry is to the Democrats. Both lunatics
"Sorry HOSS there ain't NO reason for a GOP type to vote for a socialist PERIOD"
Amen.
I met Keyes in '88 in Maryland and, to put it mildly, I am not a fan. However, I voted for him in '88 and '92 - and, had I lived in Illinois, would have in '04 as well because, as you stated, a "GOP type" should NEVER vote for a socialist.
Bingo.
That was the day he lost me. Such a waste of a very good brain.
No, he's the McAulliffe of the GOP.
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