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Gov. Frank Keating and retired Army Gen. Colin Powell wouldn't seem to have a lot in common, in background or ideology.
But to Marc Nuttle, who has been working on Republican political campaigns all over the country for nearly 25 years, there is one key similarity: They are the two men who could help Texas Gov. George W. Bush win the presidency.
Nuttle of Norman said Keating meets all of his criteria for an ideal GOP vice presidential candidate, from his crime- fighting experience and religion to his reputation with the national media.
"There's not one component of the Republican base that he offends," said Nuttle, who ran Pat Robertson's presidential campaign in 1988 and whose Internet company, My e-Community, recently launched a Web site for Republicans.
Despite his national experience, Nuttle is an Oklahoman, and so might appear a bit biased toward Keating. But there are many non-Oklahomans who believe not only that Keating would be a good choice, but that he will be the person Bush chooses.
"There are some people in this town who are absolutely convinced it's going to be him -- well-placed, astute observers," one Washington insider said.
Even well-placed observers, however, are trafficking only in speculation right now. Bush has chosen former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney to help screen prospective running mates. A decision isn't expected to be announced until late next month.
Keating's office has confirmed that the governor filled out a lengthy questionnaire for the Bush campaign, but Keating is not commenting.
Anti-abortion appeal Much of Keating's appeal to conservatives is that he is anti- abortion. There are some Republicans who feel strongly that Bush should not pick a running mate who favors abortion rights; Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is among the abortion rights candidates said to be under consideration by Bush.
Colleen Parro, director of the Republican National Coalition for Life, said that if Bush "picks a pro-choice presidential running mate, he will lose the election. I think that's clearly shown in the polls."
Keating, she said, "would be acceptable to everybody; and certainly someone of the caliber of Frank Keating, who is considered to be a pro-life governor, would ensure that Bush would have a ticket that Republicans would support and would forgo any rush to (Pat) Buchanan."
Former U.S. Rep. Steve Gunderson, a moderate Republican from Wisconsin who is a leader in groups such as the Republican Main Street Partnership, said he didn't think abortion would decide the election.
"It is one of those issues where the people who feel strongly feel very strongly about it on both sides," he said.
Senate Majority Whip Don Nickles, R-Ponca City, who made the short list in 1996 when Bob Dole was looking for a running mate, said it would be better for Bush to choose someone who is anti-abortion.
If Bush were to put an abortion rights running mate on the ballot with him, media questions about the conflicting views on the issue "would never end," Nickles said.
"It would just be exploited more than it's worth."
The abortion issue aside, Keating's name raises questions about what he adds to a ticket that has a governor from the Southwest on the top.
Oklahoma has few electoral votes and, if history is any guide, it will likely be won by Bush whether Keating is on the ticket or not. Ridge, however, comes from a key state, as do Sen. Connie Mack of Florida, New York Gov. George Pataki and Reps. Chris Cox of California and John Kasich of Ohio.
Home state not a plus Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Norman, said he had been told by Bush campaign aides that geography wouldn't matter. Nickles said Keating's home state wasn't a disqualification, "it's just not a plus."
Gunderson, a moderate said, "What (President) Clinton proved by choosing Al Gore is that choosing a vice president that is geographically close is not necessarily a negative thing. All of this is part of a broader equation, but it is not the only issue."
Keating, he said, "has clearly been someone in the eyes of the rest of the nation that has handled some very difficult challenges with both grace and with, I think, professionalism -- the bombing and other things like that. I think the second thing is that if Governor Bush chooses a governor, he is in essence then sending the signal that the vice president will be much more the voice on behalf of domestic issues, where his issues will be on national security and foreign policy."
David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, said, "I think Keating has a number of things to add to the ticket. The sort of daily wisdom would be the fact that he's Catholic. But I don't think that's a big deal."
Keating is one of the Republican governors who will "sell well" out of his home state, Keene said.
"That gives him a leg up. Among the governors, the two most attractive are Keating and Jim Gilmore of Virginia because, in both instances, the core of the party would like them and they have sufficient experience and are smooth enough and articulate enough."
Keating's advantage Ron Peters, chairman of the political science department at the University of Oklahoma and director of the Carl Albert Center there, said Keating would help reinforce a key message of Bush's campaign -- that his experience comes from running a state, not from Washington.
Peters and Keene said another key advantage for Keating is that Bush would feel comfortable with him.
But Peters said Keating wouldn't do much to enlarge Bush's base of support.
Gary Copeland, associate director of the Carl Albert Center, said, "I would suspect in the end, while Keating makes sense, Bush will extend his base by bringing someone different on board.
"In that case, Keating is a strong contender for a cabinet position," Copeland said. "But then again, there is the Clinton- Gore model and that obviously succeeded, and so it would not be without precedent."
Nickles said Keating, who is 56, would be "a great asset" to the Republican ticket.
"He's young and articulate, he's got a beautiful family," Nickles said. "He would offer a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
"There's been some speculation that he might be selected as attorney general (if Bush wins the presidency). I'm not sure which position I'd rather have him in."
Don Hoover, a Democratic campaign consultant in Oklahoma, is among those in the state who would be surprised if Keating were chosen.
"I really can't imagine it," Hoover said, but added that "if Dan Quayle can be vice president, anybody can."
Hoover said Keating "has developed a reputation for being a loose cannon in terms of some of his comments. If he were asked to be the vice presidential candidate, the spotlight would shine on him like never before, and I'm not sure he could withstand that."
But Nuttle said the national spotlight did shine on Keating after the Oklahoma City bombing, and that Keating and his wife, Cathy, helped the country deal with the tragedy.
"He was almost a Churchillian leader during that time," Nuttle said.
Key quality Keating showed himself to be a "compassionate conservative" after the bombing, Nuttle said, a key quality in a running mate for the man who coined the phrase. He also impressed the media, Nuttle said, and gave himself some name identification, however latent that might be now.
Nuttle has done an extensive analysis of what qualities Bush's running mate should have, and he has shared some of his thoughts with top Bush advisers he knows.
Of those being mentioned frequently as prospects, there are some who would hurt Bush, some whose impact would be neutral, and only two who would help: Colin Powell and Keating, Nuttle said.
Though conservatives disagree with Powell on a number of issues, Powell is one of the most admired people in America and would undoubtedly draw votes, Nuttle said.
Powell has indicated no interest in the job, but he hasn't been totally ruled out by Republicans who think the election would be a walk if he could be persuaded to run with Bush.
Nuttle said Keating could help draw votes from Catholics, from women concerned about crime (because of his background with the FBI), from small-business people since he's from a small-business state, from people opposed to abortion and from voters who want education reform.
Nuttle dismissed Keating's verbal lapses as a minor detriment, saying that Keating's performance during the bombing would override them.
I posted this on 6/26/00 and if you want to look at the original FR post go to Experts say Keating good for Bush ticket
I also posted this comment on the post:
"I heard from a guy that knows a lot in the Bush campaign and he says they are leaning towards Keating. Seems like a good pick. I still think it is anyone's guess but I do believe he will pick a pro-life candidate."
1 Posted on 06/26/2000 10:11:57 PDT by truthandlife
Apparently Drudge agrees.
Thanks for the repost. It certainly qualifies for "Breaking News" status now...and is a good read that can use the traffic.
Check out this bio. Keating would be dynamite replacement for Janet Reno at DOJ.And remember, you read it here first!
"Governor Frank Keating
25th Governor of the State of Oklahoma
Governor Frank Keating was sworn-in for his second term as Oklahoma's 25th chief executive on January 11, 1999. His administration is nationally recognized for historic achievements, steady economic growth, tax cuts and wide-ranging reform.
Governor Keating has succeeded in setting a reform and growth agenda for Oklahoma. He is the first governor in 50 years to propose, advocate and achieve a cut in the state income tax rate. That reduction, during the 1998 legislative session, together with reductions in the sales tax, estate tax and unemployment tax formed the single largest broad-based tax cut in the state's history. In five years of his term, nearly 150,000 new jobs were created.
Governor Keating has been a leading advocate of education reform in Oklahoma. He negotiated a significant education reform bill passed during the final hours of the 1999 legislative session. It includes charter schools, school choice and increased graduation requirements for Oklahoma high school students. The reform measure provides Oklahoma with one of the 15 toughest high school curriculums in the nation. The Governor has also signed record appropriations for common and higher education during his terms. In February of 2000, he signed the largest teacher pay raise in Oklahoma history.
Governor Keating has been at the forefront of seeking tougher regulations on the state's growing hog and poultry industries. His Animal Waste and Water Quality Protection Task Force studied the problem and its recommendations led to passage of historic hog and poultry regulation bills in 1998. Oklahoma and Governor Keating are serving as an example nationwide of the effort to properly balance environmental and economic concerns.
During his six legislative sessions, the Governor also led the way with major reforms in the areas of workers' compensation, central purchasing and privatization of the state's University Hospitals complex. He was instrumental in gaining a record investment in Oklahoma's Higher Education system in 1998, more than $100 million. He also was a key player in the effort to bring top quality higher education to Tulsa. He has advocated sweeping reform of the state's mental health care system. The legislature approved many of his recommendations, including a transition from inpatient services at large treatment centers to community based mental health care.
The Keating road program, a three billion dollar investment over the next five years, includes major highway and turnpike construction. He proposed, and was successful in achieving a substantial increase in salary for Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers which brought them from the lowest paid in the nation to 24th. Through his record number of vetoes, Governor Keating repeatedly resisted irresponsible spending proposals.
In his Inaugural and State of the State addresses in 1999, the Governor outlined a series of goals for Oklahoma: including raising Oklahoma's ACT scores to the national average by 2005, cutting the divorce rate in half by 2010, striving to make sure one in three Oklahomans has a college degree by 2010 and by the year 2025 the Governor wants the state's per capita income to reach the national average. He and his wife Cathy launched a major marriage initiative to help curb the divorce problem.
Governor Keating made history in March, 2000 by appointing the highest ranking African-American judge in Oklahoma history. He named Tom Colbert to the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. In 1999 the Governor became the first governor in 30 years to name an African-American judge to the state district court bench.
Born in St. Louis on February 10, 1944, Frank Keating moved with his family to Tulsa before he was six months old. He received his BA in history from Georgetown University and completed his law degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1969. Keating began his career in law enforcement as a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he was assigned to investigate new left terrorist incidents on the West Coast. He later returned to Tulsa as an assistant district attorney, and in 1972 he was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Two years later he won a seat in the Oklahoma State Senate, where he rose to the position of minority leader. In 1981, Keating was named U. S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma by President Ronald Reagan.
As a federal prosecutor, Keating served as chairman of all United States Attorneys. In 1985 he accepted appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and later served as Associate Attorney General. In those two capacities, Keating was responsible for oversight of the U. S. Customs Service, the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U. S. Marshals Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, all 94 U. S. Attorneys and America's role in Interpol. In 1990, he joined Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp as General Counsel and Acting Deputy HUD Secretary, where he supervised the cleanup of that troubled agency. During his service in Washington, Keating was the highest ranking Oklahoman in the Reagan and Bush administrations. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Bush, but that appointment was derailed by the incoming Clinton administration.
In 1994, Keating won the Republican nomination for Governor of Oklahoma, and in November he won a three-way race by an impressive margin of 17 points. Less than three months after Governor Keating assumed office, the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Office Building in downtown Oklahoma City claimed 168 lives. The Governor worked to mobilize relief and rescue efforts and represented his state with dignity. He and his wife Cathy were recognized nationally for their compassionate efforts on behalf of victims, including the creation of a $6 million fund to assist victims and provide college scholarships for children who lost parents in the bombing. The Governor and the First Lady have also been very active in raising funds to help those impacted by the May, 1999 tornadoes.
In 1997, Governor Keating served as chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission where he consistently pushed for a national energy policy. In 1999, he served as Chairman of the Republican Governors' Association and sat on the Executive Committee of the National Governors' Association. On November 3, 1998, Governor Keating won reelection and became only the second governor in Oklahoma history to win a second consecutive term. He is the first Republican governor in state history to win reelection.
The Keatings have three children -- daughters Carrie and Kelly and son Chip."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 19, 2000
CONTACT Dan Mahoney 405-523-4219
Oklahoma City- Governor Frank Keating today issued the following statement regarding the United States Supreme Court ruling against student-led prayer before high school events:
"I am disappointed in the court’s ruling. It chills the First Amendment rights of young people who want to voluntarily pray in a school or after-school setting. Under the Constitution, the government shall not establish religion in schools, but it also must not interfere with the free exercise of an individual’s right to pray. If there was ever reason to vote for George W. Bush, this is it. More Clinton-Gore appointees to the high court will only further erode the rights guaranteed all Americans by the Constitution."
truthandlife Scoopes Drudge By 96 Hours!
:-? Peace(pipe)
Keating has also done an outstanding job dealing with our firmly Democrat dominated state legislature.
I don't really want to loose him, but he would make an excellent VP.
Besides, if Keating goes to Washington, Largent will almost certainly run for Governor of Oklahoma. We'd still be in pretty good shape.
And that is just a small sample of what he said! Keating would be an excellent choice for pro-life, law and order, school accountability and keep right on going! I just didn't figure he would be chosen since we are already in Bush column and are right next to Texas! Having lived in both states I really can't tell much difference except on OU/Texas weekend.
Him and his wife Kathy would be great campaigners. His wife is a lovely lady who would display grace and dignity as the wife of Vice President as she has as our first lady. I could certainly support a BUSH/KEATING ticket! It would be good for America!
Remember a VP pick never wins a presidency. It can only hinder. I think the only think that could have hurt Bush is if he would have picked a pro-abort like Ridge or a nutcase like McCain.
Keating did a great job helping to cover up the Oklahoma bombing conspiracy (and it was a "conspiracy" inasmuch as we know that a minimum of two, McVeigh and John Doe 2 were involved}. His selection as VP would ensure that my 2% chance of voting for Bush woulld become 0 %.
The published date on this article should have said June 26, 2000 instead of June 29, 2000. My mistake.
Bush probably could have picked Jesus as his VP and you still wouldn't vote for him. You're the type of person who I don't think Bush is too concerned with winning your approval. Who are you voting for anyway?
Go along with that scenario. There are some that would not help as much -- Ridge and McCain as you mentioned and anyone associated with McCain as a supporter or someone that didn't vote for both articles of Impeachment against Clinton (Thompson)! I just think the VP can only add to Gov Bush who IMHO is hands down the best person we could have chosen as our nominee. I have been touting him here in Oklahoma since we moved here from Texas in Jan 97 to anyone who would listen when they would say the GOP doesn't really have anyone. I would then go into why Gov Bush would be the best choice for President in 2000!
What did Keating have to say about impeachment and when did he say it?
Don't know when he said it, but Keating was the first governor to say that Clinton should resign from office.
Actually, I think that honor went to Christine Todd Whitman.
Keating would be a natural, for sure. He was key in the cover-up of the real story behind the tragic 1995 bombing in OKC. One more reason not to vote for Bush.
I don't know who you are voting for but whatever candidate you are going with, it is a sinking ship. The Buchannan brigade and the AlBortion constituency are very disappointed in this decision for Bush to go with a PRO-LIFE candidate because they know that was there only way that they could compete in this race. So keep bringing up the false conspiracy theories and try to put doubt into the Bush constituencies mind but it is not working and you are not helping your own cause.
"There are some that would not help as much -- Ridge and McCain as you mentioned and anyone associated with McCain as a supporter or someone that didn't vote for both articles of Impeachment against Clinton (Thompson)!
Do you have any information on what statements Keating made about impeachment and when he made them?
Thanks for the pic, I was wondering what he looked like. He has a nice smile and friendly eyes.
LINK TO NEW THREAD BELOW:
BUSH to choose Keating -Drudge [ THREAD # 2 ]
This is his wife. She is very nice looking also.
.jpg)
I agree with you that GWB was dead meat if he went with a pro-abortion candidate, and he knew it. He will likely win, now. Gore, fortunately, is so bizarre and annoying that I don't think he could ever be elected. But I will never make a firm prediction again about who can and can't be elected, after Clinton. Also, Keating has skeletons, and serious ones, I have no doubt. Whether they will come out or not I don't know.
As for "conspiracy theories" - I am an explosives expert. I saw the evidence against the government's version of the OKC bombing, and so did Keating. It is not hard to grasp the evidence - it is plainly and clearly presented. I can excuse you for not having the time to examine it, and to buy the government's line, but Keating was given the opportunity to see it, and has, in effect, said that numerous reputible experts, including the inventor of the neutron bomb, were lying, and that various military technical manuals were actually lying to the users of the manuals. Go figure. Maybe it's because he is an ex-FBI agent, and he just doesn't want to believe the FBI is that corrupt, or it's loyalty, or what I don't know. But I know what he knows, I saw what he saw, and I would never cast a vote for him.
As to sinking boats - I think all of us are in one - it's called the USA. Can we go down to the hull and patch it??
I have to go work now, but I know you won't take my word for my unsourced statements, and probably won't find the info. yourself, so I'll try to come back tomorrow and add some sourced information.
Please, I would love to see the evidence.
We do agree on one thing that this USA ship is sinking fast. I know that GW Bush is not going to be a savior but at least if we elect Bush we can at least slow down the fall of a great nation where if we elect Gore, the United States will be no more in 4 years. We are in a free fall and it is amazing to me to see such a great nation crumble before our eyes.
Should W. Bush Pick Keating? Let him know via this ONLINE POLL!
yes!
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