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 ...
She could not have won in Arkansas and be as far left as she is. Also, there was no US Senate race in Illinois in 2000. Hillary didn't want to wait till Fitzgerld's seat would come up again in 2004. It would have been unwise to run against Durban in the DemocRAT primary 2002, because that would have caused bad blood within the DemocRAT party that would have doomed any ambitions for running for President. Anyway that would have required waiting two years after the end of the Clinton administration to run for office. Due to the retirement of Senator Moynihan, New York offered an opportunity to win a senate seat in a large very liberal state without the necessity of running against an incumbent.
"I hated it when HRC did it in NY, and I won't pretend to like it just because he claims to be a Republican."
Even though I really like Alan Keyes, I have to agree with you. When I first heard the news about this, I was shocked.
I too thought surely there must be one Republican in the entire state of Illinois who would make a good candidate for this position. Why use these kinds of tactics? It's not good for the country.
Good points, all.
Obama's radical left ideology screams for exposure to the regular folks of Illinois. He is way out of step with all but a few.
And then let's talk about his real problem: foreign policy, defense, intelligence. He is a total zero...there is a reason he is being financed by that communist George Soros.
Of course, this area is Alan's greatest strength. The Bush foreign policy has been, frankly, a very Keyesian foreign policy.
Alan is a seasoned diplomat. He has the respect of leaders the world over...at least the sane ones.
Alan is in step with the majority of the citizenry on defense matters, and Obama is an extremist ANSWER stooge.
Alan is going to torch this punk leftwing state senator.
If we work hard enough, we can torch John Kerry right along with Obama.
The safety and security of the American people. Support for the war against those who would destroy us if they had the chance. Support for our brave men and women that are in the field. These are the issues this campaign will be fought over.
And we can win that fight. All we have to do is get the truth out.
Someone had posted on another thread a few days ago (and I'm not even going to try to find the link now) that Dr. Keyes receives $15,000 per speaking engagement.
I don't know if that's true or not, but according to his webpage, he apparently has quite a few speaking engagements. If it is true, just one speaking engagement would more than pay the tax lien. (The only media source I've seen put it at $7,500, so I'm wondering if quid misheard the radio report - it's the sort of thing *I* would do...)
I actually rooted for Keyes when he tried to get into the President sweepstakes.
When the Hildabeast comes a-knockin' in 2008, there had better be a black man or woman on the GOP ticket. That bitch is going to cause us no end of trouble.
I've worked closely with Dr. Keyes, and I support him 100%.
Disgruntled ex-campaign workers are hardly a source of clear thinking generally.
And he is without a doubt a brilliant man. For you to claim otherwise just makes you look foolish, and in-credible.
Precisely. Quite a lot of baggage, if the Illinois press was able to get Ryan's sealed divorce records, I wonder what they will find on Keyes.
I've worked closely with Keyes since 1995 ... also with Ward Connerly, FWIW ... and I know, in my case, that what you write is simply false.
You are nearly alone in thinking him "not brilliant." Even his enemies usually admit him to be both learned and deeply intelligent.
Richard Ferrier, President, Declaration Foundation
www.declaration.net
I never worked, strategized, or consulted for Alan Keyes. Wouldn't waste my time. I voted for him. I contributed money to his 1992 campaign (some of which ended up in his pockets, since he was paying himself $8500 per month out of his campaign fund - disgraceful), and I worked WITH him and his campaign organization in 1992 on some joint projects.
Keyes is a good memorizer and a fantastic orator. That does not qualify him as brilliant. For you to say he is "without a doubt a brilliant man" merely highlights your ignorance of the man. You're looking for a conservative icon - and Keyes ain't it.
And, hey, Eternal Vigilance: Know of what you speak before you idiotically display your lack of credentials. It'll save you some face and at least a shred of credibility and dignity
You're a funny guy.
The reason we say Alan Keyes' views are to the right is because, well, ahem, ...they are IN the right. Keyes is a true freedom fighter.
Keyes has not only never held an elected position,he has never won an election.
He has managed to turn off many of his supporters.
No matter what anyone says,his own words about Hillary are going to haunt him throughout this election cycle.
For all of the posts by rose colored glass wearers here,the simple fact is that there are not enough Conservatives,in Ill.,to give him more than 30% of the vote,at most.The Dems WILL then use his loss,to attack ALL of Conservatism,saying that Keyes is THE icon of Conservatives and his loss proves that Conservatism isn't viable and especially NOT for blacks.And NO,he will NOT make any inroads with blacks in Ill.!
Keyes has several problems,which he can not overcome.Look at the demographics and voting patterns,in Ill.,for the last ten years.
Keyes has two very bad oratory problems.First,he's a 19th century style orator/debater.Second,he talks DOWN to his audiences.Third,he often uses words that the "common man" neither knows nor understand.Fourth,he treats those who disagree with him,as though they are mental midgets/children.Fifth,he even treats those who agree with him as idiots at times.
HE IS AN OUTSIDER!
Yes,for " true believers",he delivers red meat;however,he also can and has turned even many of these people off.
There are people,staunch Conservatives,who have not forgotten how Keyes blasted President Bush AFTER he became president. Will some of them vote for Alan?Probably,but not all of them.Yes,I know,cutting off their collective noses to spit their face,but some people in California did that too,voting for Tancredo,instead of Arnold and are still trying to undercut Arnold.
Keyes decided to start at the top,by running for president,with absolutely NO kind of creditentials.He then used the RACE CARD and "victim" garbage,TWICE,and became more Sarptonesque/Jacksonesque than "principled".The hunger strike strike didn't help him any either.
His cable show was a dismal failure and due almost entirely to himself.
Now this carpetbagger run for Senator,in a state he has NO connection with.And don't hand me the canard that "he was asked to",because IF he is really so principled,he could have and should have declined the "honor"!
This run will NOT "sow seeds",will NOT "win over" people,and just may hurt President Bush's re-election figures in Ill.! THIS IS THE FINAL NAIL IN KEYES' POLITICAL COFFIN.
Well, sir, I am truly happy to hear your experiences with Alan Keyes have been far more productive than were mine and those of nearly everone I know who ever worked, or had dealings, with him. In his home state, the man is basically a pariah, to the point his help on others' campaigns is unwanted.
Since you've worked closely with Keyes, has he ever explained why he was past due on his taxes or why he's failed to pay off his campaign debts?
Alan Keyes has to win this seat - for the good of the state, the good of the nation, and the future of non-RINO Republicans within the party.
The question is, what can we do to make it happen?
I'm going to have a break in September. I live in Iowa and will volunteer to travel to Illinois to help work on the campaign. If you have vacation coming up, see if you can do the same.
I'm going to contribute financially to his campaign, even though he's not in my state. I urge everyone here to do the same.
It's critical that every single adult Christian in the state of Illinois register to vote, actually get out to the polls and pull the lever for Mr. Keyes. No excuses.
Yes.
And those who opposed Arnold aren't.
Go figure.
Does he owe back taxes and campaign debts?
You're a breath of fresh air in the midst of the dung and defeatism being thrown by some.
You're asking the right question: "What can we do to win?"
FReepmail me, and over the course of coming days we'll talk about positive steps you can take.
Regards.
Nothing that will prevent him from winning this seat.
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