ALAN KEYES, MR. RADIOACTIVE

Realclearpolitics.com ^ | 10-11-04

[SJackson]

Monday, October 11 2004
ALAN KEYES, MR. RADIOACTIVE: Just how bad is Alan Keyes doing in the Illinois Senate race? Let's just say it's hard to imagine him doing any worse. In the three latest polls taken during the past week, Keyes is drawing between 20-24% of the vote while Obama is pushing close to 70%.

To be fair, this was never really about Alan Keyes beating Barack Obama. The minute Jack Ryan dropped out of the race the GOP strategy shifted from winning to trying to field a credible challenger who could do two things: 1) keep Obama occupied and 2) run strong throughout the state to protect down-ballot Republicans from getting swamped. Keyes is failing miserably at both.

Today's Washington Post reports that Obama is so unconcerned with the threat being posed by Alan Keyes that he's now touring the country raising money and campaigning on behalf of John Kerry and other Democrats:

In the past week, Obama has mailed checks totaling $260,000 to Senate candidates in 13 states, including $53,000 to the do-or-die campaign of Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.). He donated $100,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $150,000 to party organizations in key states, including Florida, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Carrying his verbal assault on President Bush beyond state lines, Obama will fly to Los Angeles this week for a Democratic fundraiser and address rallies in Colorado and Nevada for John F. Kerry. In a close presidential race where turnout could prove decisive, Obama said in an interview that he is talking with Kerry advisers about where he can be most effective in the campaign's final days.

"Turnout is huge," Obama said after a Saturday morning rally in the hard-fought presidential battleground of Wisconsin. "If there are selective things that we can do that can be helpful, then we want to do them. The Kerry people are still making determinations as to what states remain in play. Safe to say we will probably have a couple more travel days this month."

Back in Illinois, Keyes is operating in complete isolation. He's alienated almost all of the Republican party operatives throughout the state, starting with his wild-eyed rhetoric about Barack Obama's pro-abortion stance (the "slaveholders'" position, similar to a terrorist, etc) and his attack on Dick Cheney's gay daughter (Keyes called Mary Cheney a "selfish hedonist").

Many members of the Illinois delegation, including the Chairperson of the Party, Judy Baar Topinka, condemned Keyes remarks as "idiotic" and called on him to apologize. (To make matters worse, rumors have been swirling about the sexual preference of Keyes' own daughter for a couple of weeks now. Keyes has refused to comment)

This is how bad it has become: the other night at a GOP fund raising dinner Keyes caused a stir by showing up unannounced - but more importantly, I was told, uninvited. At the dinner a sitting member Congress, speaking semi-privately to the guests at one of the tables, jokingly referred to Keyes as a "lunatic." Everyone at the table laughed and shook their heads in agreement.

The damage Keyes is doing to the GOP in Illinois, however, is no laughing matter. He will be lucky to win 25% of the vote in November and he's become not only a drag on the ballot for Republicans but a weapon for Democrats.

I'll give you a quick example. Beth Coulson is the State Senator from my district. She's a moderate Republican in a moderate to left-leaning district and always a top target of the Democrats. Here's a copy of the latest flier from the Illinois Democratic Party:

Keyes may very well cost Beth Coulson her seat, and perhaps a few others as well. And on November 3rd Alan Keyes will be sitting comfortably on a plane back to Maryland and the Illinois GOP will be in a bigger hole than they were in before Keyes arrived to help dig.

MOTHER TERESA: Can't resist this blurb on Teresa Heinz Kerry from Friday's Tucson Citizen:

In the middle of her [Heinz Kerry's] speech, Bush supporters chimed in with a chant of "four more years." Kerry supporters countered with "four more weeks."

Heinz Kerry told the Bush supporters, "I respect your positions, but you must have manners."

Adele Conover, 54, a science writer and Kerry supporter who had backed Howard Dean, described Heinz Kerry's talk as "sensational."

"She treated them like they were children," she said of how Heinz Kerry talked to the Bush supporters.

Those Bush supporters are just so uncouth, aren't they Teresa?

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Voters have nothing under control. Even when they can get a candidate to openly tell them where he stands, and if they can get him elected, their represntative will likely be overruled by the all-powerful courts. Voters only THINK they have control.

[unspun]

I really do suggest you do your research, before spouting off libel.

[unspun]

MrLiberty's profile, for those looking in:

"Just a libertarian disillusioned with the political process. I share the economic views of conservative Republicans and the social views of Harry Browne. Well, I guess I share his economic views too, then, since he is for small government, as am I."

"I am also a huge opponent of the WoD and I work tirelessly for an end to it."

[EternalVigilance]

Lies.

[MrLiberty]

Keyes can sue me if he wants. Unfortunately, he's a public figure, so he'll have an uphill battle. In addition, I thought Keyes was supposed to be against frivolous lawsuits. That would certainly be one.

[EternalVigilance]

Your misrepresentation of Alan Keyes' character and mental state is a damnable lie.

[EternalVigilance]

Troll begone...

[MrLiberty]

It's been proven.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/20/opinion/meyer/main541396.shtml

"Alan Keyes is actually an important footnote to the history of American political campaigns. In 1992, Keyes ran for the Senate in Maryland and paid himself, from donated campaign funds, a salary -- $8,483 a month."

If he was too poor to run then he shouldn't have. It's wrong to take money from your campaign donations and use it to enrich yourself.

It was very unChristian of Mr. Keyes.

But don't call me a liar when I just cited my proof.

[MrLiberty]

Sorry to disappoint you, but not a troll.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

He was asked a general question about gay marriage. In his explanation he used the term "selfish hedonist." The questioner then asked him if it applied to Mary, and Keyes said "by definition, yes." Something like that. He did not "attack" Mary Cheney. He used an intellectual term which he did not invent to describe the idea of marriage being only about sex, as opposed to procreation. Hedonism is the doctrine that pleasure is the chief good in life. Most of the people in shock over his statement probably don't even understand the term. They just read the headlines that say "Keyes attacks Mary Cheney" and draw conclusions from that.

If marriage is about love then what about others kinds of love that are non-sexual? If it is about sex then what about casual or group sex? The point in state-recognized marriage was to encourage stable relationships between mothers and fathers. There is no state interest in seeing homosexuals stay together. The only possible interest would be about STDs, but then that could be used to outlaw sodomy altogether. The state's interest in marriage is not about pleasure or even love. It is about the raising and nurturing of future generations. The marriage laws apply equally to all people. To say they discriminate would be the same as saying Social Security is age discrimination. All programs discriminate of sorts. The question is whether or not they apply equally to all.

[Keyes2000mt]

Woo hoo! Rich oligarchs should be the only people to run for office.

[EternalVigilance]

Sorry to disappoint you, but not a troll.

You spoke in the present tense, which made your post a lie.

You just signed up today. Why don't you go on over to DU? They'll love you.

[MrLiberty]

As opposed to people like Keyes who have lived off the govt dole for years, first as a UN ambassador. He's worked in government for the vast majority of his professional career.

What a failure he is as a candidate. He got crushed in both Maryland campaigns and he is going to be destroyed this time around. I said above that we would have been a lot better off had we nominated any state rep in Illinois. At least they would have been able to get 40%. Keyes is looking to go down hard and it almost seems like he wants to. He's just a terrible candidate and while he is a good public speaker, he's obviously not a very good communicator.

[EternalVigilance]

'Lived off the government dole'? Sheesh...

I suppose you think the President has been living off the dole for the last four years, eh? What with that big paycheck, private jumbo jet and pretty nice digs in DC...?

You're silly.

[k2blader]

Good post.

I've been trying to understand the anti-Keyes folks' motivation for a while now, but it always ends up pointing in such an illogical, even crazy direction that it seems almost impossible such thought systems would exist, especially within the "conservative circle" of FR.

[AlbionGirl]

Keyes is a great speaker, but he blew his chance for greatness with this campaign. And I think because of his tremendous speaking skill, had a chance at high office. But he's never going to be able to distance himself from some of his more intemperate remarks now. He's the Pat Buchanan of whatever portion of the political spectrum he occupies.

[OHelix]

I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner. I wasn't trying to ignore you...

You said, "I try to be intelligently vociferous, not vicious. And I think vocal opposition to Keyes and his sorry excuse for a campaign is a legitimate position for people who would like to see sane and stable Republican candidates get elected...

I think up to that point, I could almost be persuaded to agree with you. But then you continued:

"...instead of being swept out to sea in the tidal wave of Keyes' obnoxious rants. Keyes' behavior has been so appalling that he's freed up Obama's time to run around the country drumming up money and votes for Kerry/Edwards, while Keyes stays "home" and does further damage to other Republican candidates who are actually electable."

I've heard Keyes on many occaisions, even on topics I disagreed with him on, but have ALWAYS been impressed with his ablity to concisely express both his views and the reasons for them. He may be extreme. He may have uncommon opinions. He may be too confident of extreme conservative opinions to be electable. But he is concise, and articulate, and extremely gifted in terms of expressing the reasons for his views. To characterize Keyes' speech as "obnoxious rants" is an extreme mischaracterization of Keyes' ability to speak, and strongly suggests prejudicial malice.

I don't know EVERYTHING that has transpired in his campaign, but what I have looked into has CONSISTENTLY revealed, that his words and actions are AGRESSIVELY distorted by the press, and that a component of Republicans and freepers seem to be AGGRESSIVELY spreading the same distortions. You acuse him of freeing up Obama's time "to run around the country drumming up money and votes for Kerry/Edwards". From my point of view it's obvious that those who repeat the oponent's talking points, and attack Keyes from his own ranks are responsible for freeing up Obama's time. And then they use his sabotaged campaign to justify their attacks. I don't know what your real motivation is, but it's clearly not the circular reasoning you suggest.

Someone, probably EV, mentioned giving aid and confort to the enemy. Fonda and Kerry both tried to undermine our war efforts in Vietam by making illogical arguments, malicious defamation, and expressing contempt for our troops... spreading KGB propoganda from inside our own country. The analogy is unmistakeable:

"At least Ryan had good tastes in women. Except for sanctimonious crowd that support Keyes now, most Republicans would have voted for Ryan despite the scandal."

"Guts? LOL. The guy is a loon. He shows no fear because he is crazy. And he certainly did not come to Illinois to help anyone but KEYES. WIth KEYES, its always about Keyes."

"For defaming the vice president's daughter and being a general nuisance to the entire country. I can't mask my disgust of Keyes."

[MrLiberty]

Hardly.

President Bush has a JOB.

Keyes doesn't. Campaigning is not a job. He takes money for running his mouth at a campaign event. That's most unimpressive.

[Endeavor]

You mean Fitzgerald actually visited the State? Really??? He's been a non-entity here as far as I'm concerned.

Judy Barr=Topinka was exactly right in forcing Ryan off the ticket. I know for a fact, from one of Andy McKenna's operatives, that the stuff about Jack Ryan was known way before it came out. He lied to all of the Republican leadership in Illinois.

Alan Keyes is a HORRIBLE candidate. The only thing I blame Judy for is not running, herself. Our party in Illinois should be called the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight, but that isn't because of Barr-Topinka.

PS: Andy McKenna was my candidate. I'm a conservative Republican, but I'd rather see Barr-Topinka in the Senate over the socialist Obama. At least we'd have fiscal discipline w/Judy and a vote for the president!

[Melas]

Shhhhhhhh.