I like Keyes and would vote for him in an instant. There's just one small problem. I live in Madison, WI, a fairly liberal town. People here don't see Alan Keyes as just another Republican. They see him as, how do you say?, crazy, wacked out, out of his gourd, just plain nuts.
The problem is Illinois is a state that is considered just left of center. People are not going to be persuaded to vote for him when most see him as nuts.
Another problem is the existance of years of recordings from his conservative radio talk show. I'm sure there are many things he said on his show, that he would not say when running for office in Illinois as a politician. Although I am aware that Keyes like to speak his mind even when running for office. I fondly remember a moment in the 2000 debates when he called for repealing the 14th amendment.
I also remember how much Hitlery was chastized for being a carpetbagger when she ran in NY. Are we prepared to take the same flak when Keyes runs in IL?
I hope he wins. If I lived in IL, I would vote for him for sure. I'm not getting my hopes up though.
It is not the same thing in two respects: First, he was drafted by the Illinois GOP. He did not impose himself. Second, a carpetbagger is one who goes to run for office in a state in order to loot it...to steal its wealth and carry it back to his home state in carpetbags. Keyes will undoubtedly do just the opposite.
That said, I accept this as the exception, not the rule. These are extenuating circumstances, and I think Keyes will have the conservatives of the state behind him. I also believe that he will be able to win a few converts, if he is able to procure enough air time. Hastert came down on the side of Keyes, and that can only be good news.
See Post #390.