The Alan Keyes project

Thursday, August 5th, 2004
Filed Under: Politics/ Add Comment


I read today in the newspaper that the Republican leadership in Illinois wants to bring in Alan Keyes to run against Barack Obama for the U.S. Senate. Yes, that Alan Keyes. The one who lives in Maryland. The one who ran for the Senate from that state a few years ago. The one who has never lived in Illinois.

Apparently Obama’s keynote speech at the DNC electrified more than just the Democratic base. Somehow it managed to turn the Illinois senate race into a national affair. And if that’s the case, why choose a candidate from among the 12.6 million people actually living in Illinois? Instead, jump a few states over and select a fairly well known conservative talking head that just happens to be black.

Yes, what a coincidence. The Chicago tribune reported:

A former GOP presidential candidate and conservative radio talk-show host, Keyes was pushed in recent days by Republicans who felt his stands on the issues sharply contrast to those of Obama, who the party has attempted to portray as too liberal for most of the state’s voters.

Who are they kidding? Alan Keyes is the only candidate whose stand on the issues sharply contrasted to Obama? And they had to go to Maryland to find him? Adding insult to injury, the Republican State Central Committee has apparently said that race wasn’t an important factor. Uh-huh. Sell crazy somewhere else.

I’ve never been a supporter of carpetbaggers who choose to run where the votes are. As much as I like her (and I do), I didn’t support Hillary moving to New York to run. It’s more difficult to gain residency status for tuition than to run for a Senate seat from a state you don’t live in. In a move that fits perfectly with the traditional Republican hypocrisy, Keyes is reported to have taken Hillary to task for making the same move he is now considering.

The truth is, I don’t think it’s going to make a difference. Obama is too good a candidate, and has too much of a head start. This last ditch effort by state Republicans is sad desperation, and in my mind, the damage done by their maneuvering will compound the damage done when they lose the seat.

So basically I’m saying, go Alan go!