Is this about the same?
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Posted on 08/07/2004 7:24:44 PM PDT by Graybeard58
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - At one point during last week's Republican leadership gathering in Chicago, the debate over conservative activist Alan Keyes grew so contentious that journalists standing outside the closed doors heard - and reported - the shouting.
The Illinois Republican State Central Committee later barred reporters from the entire floor where they were meeting to choose their party's new candidate for the U.S. Senate.
But with Keyes' candidacy likely to become official Sunday, it will be much tougher for Republican leaders to hide the internal strife in their divided party.
On Wednesday night the committee formally asked Keyes - a former United Nations ambassador and two-time presidential candidate who has never lived in Illinois - to run against Democratic candidate Barack Obama for Illinois' open Senate seat. All indications are that Keyes will accept, kicking off his campaign Sunday at a Chicago-area rally.
Keyes will replace Jack Ryan, whom Republicans nominated in the primaries for the Senate. Ryan bowed out of the race last month amid embarrassing sexual allegations.
While Keyes' candidacy solves one problem for the GOP, it generates another: His far-right views on most major issues will, once again, highlight the deep fissure in the Illinois GOP between moderates - like former Govs. Jim Edgar and James Thompson - and the more conservative wing, which has been trying for years to move the party rightward.
"The state party is divided in the same way the national party is divided. The difference in Illinois is that the more moderate branch tends to run the board," noted political scientist John S. Jackson of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. "The hard-right decided they wanted this ... but it will magnify the fault lines" with moderates.
Shouts and silence
The first rumblings of that fault line were heard through the cl
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
Neither Party is monolithic in its ideology!
Another observation, many Keyes critics say they were turned off to Keyes because he criticized President Bush.
In other words, forget whether the criticism of Bush is true ir false, just pay attention to the fact that Bush was criticized. But then the Keyes critics are caught in a contradiction and in hypocricy: They often critize Republicans they don't agree with!
As great as he was, Reagan was sometimes wrong. He was wrong in appointing O'Connor and Kennedy, and he was wrong in his "11th commandment". We should NEVER blindly follow a party at the expense of principles. Keyes has rights.
You'er right. Keyes does have rights. The right to be hypocrictical for his words about Hillary whether invited or not, the right to be egotistical, the right to be played the fool, the right to be the same type of candidate as Frank Lautenberg for filling in for Torricelli (jeez, weren't we thrilled with that one) the right to be the next Pat buchanan of our party, the right to be what Alan Keyes usually turns out to be.
And you have the right to be wrong...but please try not to make so much use of it.
Please pass that same advice along to Alan also. I think he needs it worse than me.
Like I said, please try not to make too much use of it.
If anyone harbors illusions that these folks are something more than liberal political hacks who hate conservatism, I suspect that's no longer the case.
You are sooo right!
Really good, thoughtful post, Amelia. Would you please ping me if you ever get a response worth reading? I'd like to hear one.
While I share many of Keyes' positions, and would much rather see him in the Senate than Obama, I see in him traits that could make him a right-wing John McCain.
Dan
Is this about the same?
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finally, a black candidate I can vote for! ....
Please help those of us non blacks in distant states to understand the situation. I would seem that a conservative, black or white or plaid has no chance in your state.
In your mind, are there many others who hold the same view or do the traditional bonds and chains to the Democrat party prevent consideration of a conservative.
But the whole problem with the "left leaning maverick" McCain isn't the "maverick", it's the "left leaning".
Keyes' views and principles are right on, and sorely needed (rather than a bunch of fleshly yes-men Republicans). We need more true conservatives who will not bend. If you doubt this, just remember that only 1, 2, or 3 Senators rejected judges like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
You got it, friend.
Think anyone is watching and learning?
If they are, then this fight has been worthwhile.
Bump to those observations.
In all fairness, we should follow up on the accuracy of that report, and find out if Keyes disputes some figures. Also, see if payments have been made. I have a friend who is good friends with Keyes, and I will ask him to have Keyes give a direct response.
Because they are pro-abortion themselves. Everyone who thinks Obama is the best and an unbeatable candidate hasn't explained why he is or how he is superior to Keyes.
Superior to Keyes? I don't know about that. Why is Obama unbeatable? Because he lives in Illinois. Because Illinois is a heavily Democratic state (Gore took it in 2000 55% to 42%). Because Obama's campaign has $10 million in the bank to $0 for Keyes. Because there is less than 90 days to the election. Because the media in Illinois is already coming out against Keyes as a carpet-bagger and will continue to do so. Because Obama may not be the orator that Keyes is but he's no Carol Mosley Braun, either. He's an extremely bright and very articulate man who will go toe to toe with Keyes in any debates that they have. Keyes may win, but don't think that he will win by any margins great enough to blow Obama out of the water. Given this I think that the chance of Keyes pulling it out are zero.
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