Transcript of Alan Keyes CPAC Interview

Free Republic Network ^ | Mar. 11, 2002 | Free Republic Network

[Keyes For President]

Keyes certainly has been very supportive of Bush on his Television show, "Alan Keyes Is Making Sense."

But I'm sure if Bush signs the CFR bill for instance, Keyes will not hesitate to be critical of the decision not to veto the bill. Keyes first loyalties are to the Constitution and the Declaration Principles, in other words to the good of the nation rather than to any particular administration or person.

[Keyes For President]

I just got an update that tonight on "Alan Keyes Is Making Sense" (3/12/02), they will debate the partial amnesty measure for illegal immigrants that's scheduled for floor debate and a vote tonight in the U.S. House of Representatives. This amnesty initiative was put forth by the Bush Administration, and the measure is expected to pass. If Keyes is not critical of Bush on this, I will be disappointed.

[humbletheFiend]

I see from your Profile Page that you have been in this neighborhood for quite some time. And, given your screen name, I'd be willing to bet that you used to be a paleo-Keyesian. I hope that you're still one of Alan's supporters and that you will continue to stick with him after tonight's show.

As regards both the CFR and immigration bills, Keyes has made his views known. As I've said before elsewhere, one of Alan's most important functions is to provide policymakers with the moral headlights needed to assist them in staying on the right path.

But once the President makes a decision, I am confident that Alan and all neo-Keyseians will remain supportive of his presidency and of his reelection in 2004.

[Gelato]

To tell you the truth, Keyes' opinion of Bush seems about the same now as it always has been. You don't see him lionizing the President nor tearing him down. He praises Bush when praise is due, but he clearly feels free to criticize him when appropriate. If it seems he praises him more than usual these days, well, maybe that's because Bush deserves it more now than he did last summer, when he went squishy on stem cell research.

All things considered, I think it's still true that Alan Keyes is "not a Bush Republican," since it is clear he still disagrees with Bush's tendency to be soft on many conservative issues. Keyes is, and always will be, a "Reagan Republican": someone who is stalwart in speaking the truth and standing for what's right, regardless of what's popular or partisan.

My hope is that Bush will become a "Reagan Republican," too. His veto of CFR would be a big step in that direction. It would take a lot of courage to stand against this politically-correct, unconstitutional legislation.

[Gelato]

This amnesty initiative was put forth by the Bush Administration, and the measure is expected to pass. If Keyes is not critical of Bush on this, I will be disappointed.

Tonight's show was a good example of Keyes' support of Bush: he seemed to agree with the administration's nuclear strategy, or at least much of it, but he disagreed with Bush on the amnesty thing. He essentially said it was bad political maneuver meant to please Mexico.

I think this illustrates that it can't be said that Keyes has "changed his tune" about Bush, and neither can it be said that Keyes is a "Bush-basher."

It's not who you support, it's what you support that counts. That's obviously the rule Keyes lives by.

[Keyes For President]

Tonight's show was a good example of Keyes' support of Bush: he seemed to agree with the administration's nuclear strategy, or at least much of it, but he disagreed with Bush on the amnesty thing. He essentially said it was bad political maneuver meant to please Mexico.

Yes, and even though he criticized the amnesty policy, he avoided mentioning Bush's name in relation to it. He may be a critic on policies in which he disagrees with President Bush, but by no means is he a "Bush-basher."