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 ...
Well, yes. But he was entertaining, and a fiery orator.
Keyes is an intellectual bulldog. The place for him in the GOP is up front, and showing teeth.
Keyes has been asked to run in Illinois.
Cause the pubbie have been totally decimated by the ryan's and the daley mob.
Dare I mention madigan's also.
It's the same ol' slant from the liberal press.
Republicans are "deeply divided" between far far extremist right wing Taliban faction and the "moderate" faction, which of course is sensible in the reporter's eyes.
Really. Reporters apparently think that all Republicans are so rigid they cannot accept a person who perhaps thinks slightly differently than themselves.
Although some Repubs may be that way (as are some Dems), I have found the vast majority of Republicans to be very accomedating.
But on the other hand, he would be better than the Blue dog I have.
OK, now this statement is pure BS!
We don't hide it!
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
That's what they used to say about tax cuts. That line of reasoning leads to defeatism. Instead, recognize that we have opportunities to educate people on solutions that public schools and mainstream media have ignored or ridiculed.
So there is going to be a rift between the REAL Republicans and RINO's.
Good.
Careless seems the great Avenger; history's page but record
One death- grapple in the darkness 'twist old system and the Word;
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne, --
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.
You're kidding, right?
I predict 92% or better of the IL black vote goes for black Democrat Obama(sp?) vs 8% for black Republican Keyes. It wouldn't change much if Obama were white as the new fallen snow as long as he has the magic "D" after his name on the ballot.
When it comes to voting, black Americans seem to have a more deeply seated habit of voting Democrat than a chain smoker has of lighting up Winstons. Both habits are very bad for you and neither one makes any sense.
Democrats have controlled almost all of the large cities where large black populations have been trapped by liberal policies...can you convince them it's about time to give some thought to trying something else?? Is it just that the word "Republican" has been so demonized that they can't imagine being affiliated with "it"?
Hang in there.
Too true.
Few things could happen in the coming election, other than seeing Bush beat Kerry of course, that would please me more than seeing Keyes win in IL.
Unfortunately it won't happen. I'm afraid IL will be painted in blue for the foreseeable future. Bringing in an out of state candidate for the U.S. Senate, even one of Keyes' stature, is an admission of desperation.
Besides that, Obama is the annointed darling of the Democrats this year. No way the machine will let him lose even if they have to register every tombstone in Chicagoland.
I hear you BackInBlack, fight the good fight. And know that you live in the finest city in the USA. I get out there quite a bit.
Ping to #7. I thought it was $7500...but it's $75k?
Ping
It's not going to happen.
Ever heard the man speak? Last time I heard him - shrill + boring, though I agree with his message and gave a bunch of $$ for his run for Pres.
Did he get a voice coach, yet?
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