It probably would have been political suicide. However taking on Obama was political suicide.
That being said, let's do some what if. Keyes did take Bush on in the primaries and through some strange quick managed to win the nomination. And let's say that luck was even with him further and he won the general election. (Let's not call it luck, but rather intervention whick is within the realm of possibility). What would stop him as President from issuing an executive order stopping abortion? Can executive orders be overturned by anyone except another presideint? Instead of waiting on appointing judges, as this President appears willing to do, judges that can change stripes once on a court that answers to no one, he could end the murder of the innocent with the stroke of his pen. No congressional action, no waiting on a favorable court if one ever comes along. A simple EO.
That's why I find fault with him sitting out the primary. While his chance of winning would have been slim, it could have happened. The enemy was John Kerry and the Democrats. Thank God we all stuck together to defeat them.
Taking on Obama wasn't political suicide. But it was very costly for Dr. Keyes personally. And those costs came at the hands of three groups of people:
Democrats
The liberal media establishment
Traitorous Republicans
Now, let me give you the order in which they were the most vicious and hostile:
Traitorous Republicans
The liberal media establishment
Democrats
'Course, the Dems didn't HAVE to do much of anything...traitorous Republicans and the hostile liberal media had already done the work for 'em.
Illinois is the most politically screwed up state I've ever seen...the corruption and lack of principle is in both parties.