Posted on 01/07/2002 10:57:05 AM PST by Clinton's a liar
“Alan Keyes Is Making Sense” to Air Weeknights at 10PM, ET Beginning January 21st
SECAUCUS, NJ- January 7, 2002- Former Presidential Candidate and Reagan-era U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations, Alan Keyes has joined MSNBC as host of a new one-hour commentary show, “Alan Keyes Is Making Sense,” weeknights at 10PM, ET. Erik Sorenson, president and general manager, MSNBC, made the announcement today.
“We're excited that Alan is bringing his highly-regarded grasp of global issues and his larger-than-life personality to MSNBC," said Sorenson. "This network has distinguished itself as the cable news channel for smart young viewers interested in knowing about their world. Alan's deep knowledge, incredible capacity to frame debate, and provocative views will be a great addition to an already-terrific primetime lineup.”
“Alan Keyes Is Making Sense” is a live one-hour talk show providing in-depth analysis and commentary on the issues of the day from politics, economics to the various cultural hot buttons. The program will originate from Washington, D.C.
Keyes received his Ph.D in Government Affairs in 1979 from Harvard University. He served during the Reagan Administration in the U.S. Foreign Service and on the staff of the National Security Council before being appointed Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1983. He was the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs from 1985-87.
Alan Keyes is also a two-time Republican presidential candidate and two-time Republican Senate nominee from the state of Maryland. His greatest public exposure came most recently through his dynamic and much extolled performances in the 2000 Republican Presidential Debates.
For the past 10 years, Keyes has reached a nationwide audience each day through his nationally syndicated radio program, “The Alan Keyes Show: America’s Wake-Up Call.” He is the author of two critically acclaimed books, Masters of the Dream: The Strength and Betrayal of Black America and Our Character, Our Future: Reclaiming America’s Moral Destiny, with a third to be released soon. Keyes and his wife of 19 years, Jocelyn, reside in Maryland with their three children: Francis, Maya and Andrew.
Keyes joins MSNBC’s weeknight line-up, which also includes:
 “The Abrams Report” at 6PM, ET: The latest headlines and investigation on the American strike against terrorism.
 “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7PM, ET: A provocative look at the politicians and newsmakers from the business, entertainment and media arenas that have helped shape the country’s political and social landscape.
 Emmy Award-winning “The News with Brian Williams” at 8PM, ET: The only comprehensive live hour-long nightly newscast in primetime. Using the worldwide resources of NBC News, Williams provides viewers with in-depth coverage of the day’s top news stories; interviews with the world’s newsmakers; and a first-hand look at tomorrow’s headlines from around the world.
 “A Region in Conflict with Ashleigh Banfield” at 9PM, ET: Host Ashleigh Banfield takes viewers inside various regions in conflict for a close-up look at the people and their struggle for survival, the politics, and the struggle for power.
“America at War with Lester Holt” at 11PM, ET: The only live news-hour which recaps the days headlines and the most recent developments in the war on terrorism.
Well, that certainly is exciting. Maybe I've posted a lot because people are talking to me, but, since you've made it a contest, I may as well win. I haven't even gotten around to answering everybody!
Let me ask you, though - this "closet Keyester" thing you've come up with - is that sort of like when people post on a thread about gays, people say that they are "obsessed" with the gay lifestyle, thereby implying that the "obsessed" is, in reality, attracted to the same sex himself? I mean, is your "closet Keyester" thing meant to do the same thing, like discourage people from expressing their opinion, for fear they will be suspected of obsessing about Alan Keyes? 'Cause I always thought that "You're obsessed with homosexuality!! Why??? Hmmmmmmmmm??????" thing was pretty stupid. Didn't you, Rowdee? I mean, it doesn't really make any sense at all.
P.S. Are you sure you're not beating me on this thread? You've actually posted quite a lot yourself!
OK, fair enough. Because you were addressing me, I thought you were talking about something I had said.
Your point could be made by talking about some other random college activity next time (instead of "secret societies" and "drinking") if you sincerely want to avoid the controversy. Know what I mean? Anyway - thanks.
What do you think, Daughter? She's keeping count on you and Howlin. Don't you feel important? Is that a form of stalking?
I've never seen it. Honestly! And I've read dozens of his speeches and interviews, and have watched him closely for the past two years. I even met him twice, and I even volunteered for his 2000 campaign. Alan Keyes isn't perfect, but he's one of the most remarkable people I've ever seen--intellectually, morally, and politically--and he has my respect.
I really don't see what you have against him. Maybe you could point me to it, and enlighten me?
In any case, I invite you to watch his show, and I hope you can appreciate what this good American is doing to help our country, through education centered on the Declaration of Independence. No, he's not going to kiss up to Bush on the show--that's not his style--and I wouldn't expect him to even talk about the President much. (If you look at his speeches, he rarely ever mentions Bush. I can only remember him doing so in two speeches the whole last year, and that was to critize the President's policies on things like stem cell research.) But if it turns out that he criticizes Bush's policies occasionally, who cares? What's the big deal? Aren't we free in this country to hold our governmental officials in check? Isn't that what a "republic" is--government by the people, with the leaders equal to the people?
I certainly hope we haven't be reduced to the mentality of Iraq, where one bad word against the president gets your tongue cut out.
LOL!
A parody is an exaggerated truth. If BibChr's smear had truth in it, all I ask is for him or somebody to prove it. BibChr already refused to do so, so maybe you could do it. I'd really like to see the evidence of Keyes 'dissing Bush on a personal level.
If BibChr's "parody" is meant to make fun of Keyes' staunch abortion views, and of his disagreement with Bush's statement that Jesus Christ is a philosopher, as I said before, there's nothing funny about that.
In other words, when people don't act like Alan Keyes. You may have some humor in you, after all!
Dan
Dan
...which, as Gelato reminded us above, Keyes pretty much did....
Dan (though fearing a hyperdetailed, almost pecksniffian response ["Well no, Bush didn't say the word 'Lord'..."], rather than candid acknowledgment of facts obvious to others)
I really tried to sit down and analyze my reasons for disliking Alan Keyes. This is my personal view.
Of course, as human beings we are all flawed. All the parts of us make up the whole. Keyes may??? be principled, is surely intelligent, and speaks well. He is also pride-filled, arrogant and often unkind. He is all of these things; not just the parts one chooses to see.
His negatives happen to be things that are instrumental in relating to others. They are equally important to me as what is in his mind and conscience. I can't separate and thereby ignore that which he leads with.......his personality.
All I know of Keyes is what he says about himself and his opinions. I am unaware of great accomplishments. I know that he still claims to be a Republican but does not appear to have much loyalty.
I have no problem with someone criticizing a president just because I happen to like him. I do, however, expect a fellow Republican to attempt constructive criticism for the sake of helping and not sniping and self-promotion. I don't buy the explanation that he is holding Bush's feet to the fire. From all outward appearances he seems more concerned with carving and maintaining his niche as Mr. Morality, whose match cannot be met. I truly do not see any indication of a positive influence.
Experiences on FR have only cemented my thoughts about Keyes. It may be unfair to judge him by some of his supporters here but it is hard to avoid. Not all, but a good number of them are not pleasant and quite unreasonable. They take on a Keyes-like attitude as if they are above the rest. Only a naive person doesn't understand that such behavior is not received well by most. It invites an argument and rightly so.
Lastly, I do not see a man whose manner is God-pleasing. For all his "preaching" I see little if any humility, selflessness or kindness. If that is present he has done a good job at camouflaging it. I can only judge what I see and hear. I used to admire him until I got a real full dose. It really has little to do with his treatment of Bush. It is Keyes, himself, that is abrasive, pompous and self-serving. He and he alone is responsible for that. As I said, we are the sum of all the parts and a principled stand or great knowledge does not give one a free pass on kindness and generosity. If he were gracious enough to see his flaws he would probably be in a place where he coud make a difference. I doubt that will ever happen though.
Isn't it a little hypocritical for you to bash Keyes on a personal level, on the basis that you think he bashes Bush? Don't you see the irony here?
I assert that Keyes' criticisms of the President are limited to policy. They ALWAYS are. Remember the "Keyes said Bush is evil" speech that seemed to start all this mess last August? Have you ever actually read the speech? It's not an attack on Bush! It's a commentary--with quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor in it, that was apparently lost on some in this forum, I might add--on the contradictions of Bush's stem cell research policy. Policy. We are allowed to disagree with the President of the United States on his choices that affect our nation, aren’t we?
Let me offer you this challenge: if Keyes is the personal attacker that you seem to believe he is, prove it. Show one time he criticized the President for something other than policy; one time he got personal, rather than critiquing the Bush Administration. I'm easily convinced, when the undeniable facts are laid in front of me. If I've missed something, show me.
If you want to consider your jokes political parodies, you have to be able to defend it on some basis in reality. Political parodies are exaggerated truths, but they are also social commentaries meant to poke fun at something in society that needs to be changed. You must be making a social statement. Could you be more clear about it? Are you pro-abortion?
I really don't know how you're missing my obvious, bite-you-on-the-nose point, but here it is ONE MORE TIME: Keyes acts in a manner that shows him to be a full-of-himself, implacable, unpleasable purist who CANNOT form coalitions because ANYONE who is not in 101% agreement with him MUST be criticized at GREAT LENGTH and with FIERCE PASSION. (His stupid, stupid, stupid criticism of Bush's confession of faith — which you recalled — is a perfect example.) The effect he has on those most devoted to him (observable in this thread, as in all Keyes threads) is that they become Keyes Kultists. NOBODY is pure enough for them, NO compromise is really acceptable, NOTHING that varies from their Prophet's dicta can be acceptable. And variances are NEVER honest differences of opinion -- they are heresies! (Witness Keyes and Krew's total botching and almost slanderous misrepresentation of Bush on the "stem cell research" issue, to which I devoted a lengthy essay [where were you??].)
And so, proving my point, if any Keyester comments on this posting, it will be ponderous and humorless and painfully detailed (I've touched The Lord's Anointed, after all). No Keyester can say, "You know, you have a point. The guy has great points, but ruins his own case by being way too full of himself and Unable To Play Well With Others" -- any more than a Christian can say that Christ takes Himself too seriously. The difference being, of course, that Christ really is God.
Dan
Dan
LOL......that's okay. I can think of many majorities that I want nothing to do with, so this is just one more.
I do, however, feel your opinion of Alan Keyes has little, if any, grounds, and it puzzles me that someone who has followed Keyes as much as you apparently have could reach the conclusions you do. Indeed, in all of the research I have done about this man and his ideas for over two years, I have come to the opposite conclusion on every point you make. The way you described your dislike, it seems that you simply don’t like his personality. That, to me, is not a good reason to throw away everything he has ever said. I don’t like Gary Bauer’s personality, and I found during the presidential debates that I disagree with him on a few things, but I would never use that as a reason to try to undercut his conservative message. To do so would hurt the conservative cause, and cause disunity in the GOP.
If there’s one thing Alan Keyes has contributed to society, it is that he is helping to revive the principles of the Declaration of Independence. I have a substantial collection of Keyes’ speeches, and the Declaration of Independence is mentioned in almost every one. It is his theme. Through his rhetoric, he brought these principles to the forefront at the Republican debates. In the 1996 presidential race, there was a movement in the GOP to remove the pro-life plank from the party platform. Other candidates in the race indicated they felt the abortion issue was irrelevant, and they wanted to focus solely on economics. Alan Keyes was one of the main persons who insisted upon keeping the plank, and he did so based on the Declaration. History shows which side one out. By the time the 2000 race came along, every single candidate for the GOP nomination tried to position himself as pro-life. Alan Keyes is largely responsible for that.
Anyway, I don’t see why a person would attempt to undercut Alan Keyes’ message of adherence to the Declaration, simply on the basis of some perceived personality flaw. Perhaps an analogy Keyes gave applies here. He said there are some who are willing to throw away the founding principles simply because the Founders were not perfect. The Founders did not outlaw slavery, and some of them even owned slaves--and this is often used as a reason to throw away all of their great ideas.
You and I, of course, are not like that. We accept the founding principles, and ignore the Founders’ flaws.
I invite you to do the same with Alan Keyes. If you are unfamiliar with his ideas, I’ll send you a few of his speeches--dating back to 1995. I think you'll see how much our country needs his message.
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