And I was disposed to say, "OK. On that basis, I will look at the record," and they sent me information--because, I'll confess. Like most Americans, I didn't know much about Barack Obama more than what I saw on the Democratic convention. And though he looked to me like a pretty standard liberal with whom I do not agree on most everything, I have to say . . . .
[laughter, cheering]
I have to tell you that from the way he came across at the convention, no, he didn't seem to me to be some rabid threat to the future of the country, and so forth and so on. He looked like a pretty likable guy. Certainly intelligent and articulate. And I saw no particular reason to believe that I should abandon the home of my family and my heritage in order to go and oppose him in this race.
And then I looked at his record, and what did I find?
[laughter]
I found, wait, I found somebody who, as we would expect from the kind of liberalism he professes, has never seen a spending bill he couldn't find some excuse for, and has never seen a tax increase he didn't like.
We find somebody who, in the tradition of a lot of the liberals, would rather that our children were educated in schools controlled by impersonal bureaucracy than in schools under the influence and control of the parents who love them and care about their future.
[cheering, applause]
I found someone who appears to believe that even when a criminal has entered into the sacred precinct of your home with intentions you couldn't possibly fathom, you don't have the right to defend your life and the lives of the people in your family!
[cheering, applause]
And as you might expect in someone who won't defend the right of citizens under the Second Amendment to defend themselves, he doesn't seem to understand the necessity that when terrorists and others come against the people of this country, the President of the United States does not have the right to neglect intelligence that suggests there are threats and dangers to the American people!
[cheering, applause]
And I'll tell you clearly and unequivocally. By the time I got through those parts of his record, I was absolutely convinced that SOMEBODY had to run against Barack Obama!
[cheering, applause]
But I'll also tell you quite clearly and unequivocally that if those had been the only points of difference between us, it would not have been me!
[laughter]
What finally caught my eye, however, and what we have to spend some time thinking through so that we will understand, not just the significance of the decision I have taken, but the significance of this election overall, what we have to look at is what finally arrested my attention and forced me to consider whether I not only had the opportunity to oppose him, but the obligation.
And that was when I learned that he had actually, in April 2002, apparently cast a vote that would continue to allow live birth abortions in the state of Illinois.
[crowd: "Boo!"]
Now, wait a minute. And we have to understand. I hope everyone here will understand what I'm talking about. We are talking about a situation in which, in the course of an abortion procedure, a child has been born alive--is out of the womb, breathing and living on its own--and he cast a vote against the idea that we should not stand by and let that child die!
obamasama and his cheerleaders cringe and tremble when they hear real conservative power like this. No apology, no spin. Keyes will stomp obama and help flush the johns.
Keyes throws a mean Straight Right.
Earlier in the speech: "First, as I will talk to you about, because I actually have a clear, and serious objection in principle to the notion that people of national reputation have the right to go around this country, cherry-picking the states as platforms for their ambition. I do. I have said it repeatedly; it’s not a good thing to be done."
Keyes has sold down his principles for expedience.