I am not following the Alan Keyes versus Barack Obama battle royale because there is any doubt about the outcome. Unless the Democrat buggers the bursar in Times Square at noon on Monday, he will win the race for the senatorial seat in Illinois hands down. It holds my interest because of the unendearing oddity of Keyes. As the campaign of the interloper from Maryland heads to its inexorable conclusion, the candidate continues to describe his opponent as the embodiment of evil.
The Chicago Tribune has the story.
Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama talked politics Friday with Mayor Richard Daley over corned beef sandwiches and matzo ball soup, while Republican rival Alan Keyes slammed Obama for backing "evil" positions on abortion.
. . .Keyes, meanwhile, spent Friday pulling in small but enthusiastic crowds in southwestern Illinois, telling them that electing Obama and other Democrats would be disastrous for American society. Keyes chastised Obama for positions favoring abortion rights and more legal protections for same-sex couples. Even though the two both say they oppose gay marriage, Keyes said Obama is disingenuous, because he is against a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.
"On every issue of moral concern to the future of this country, he has taken the position that corresponds to the wrong choice instead of the right one, to the wicked choice instead of the good one, to the evil choice, instead of the choice that is compatible with American principles and American conscience," Keyes said. "And those are choices that we must reject if America is to survive. That is what is at stake in this election campaign."
Alan Keyes has no business being in Illinois. Not only is not really a resident, he has focused little attention on issues of importance to the state. Instead, his campaign is a lackluster effort to raise the profile of the anti-abortion movement nationally. Keyes suffered a blow in regard to his second big issue, also national, last month. He strongly opposes homosexuality and has described gays as hedonists. Meanwhile, his daughter, Maya, may be a lesbian. As the Chicago Reader reports, that possibility became known after snoops online traced a blog written by a gay woman with a Right Wing politician for a father to her. Ms. Keyes has been silent during the last month. But, people aware of the situation are bound to see the irony.
Article comments
1 - RJ
Keyes has managed to go from master-debater and darling of the far-right, to failed talk show host, to national joke in about 4 years.
And THAT'S quite an achievement!
2 - bhw
"Keyes has managed to go from master-debater"
Selfish hedonist! I thought the Bible frowned upon that kind of thing!
3 - RJ
Heh...
He really IS a good debater, tho...
4 - moob
Keyes is one of those people who is excellent as a commentator and debater but who as a politician has very little "sound sense" - that is, very little appreciation for how his rhetoric comes across to voters.
As a Republican, I am distressed that the GOP in Illinois felt that the most important qualification for the candidate (to replace the guy who imploded) was his race.
5 - Art Green
Anyone could have done better than Keyes. He is just horrendous. I would not bring myself to vote for him. I'd vote third party.
6 - Mac Diva
Oh, that man. I would love to be a fly on the wall so I could hear his conversations with himself.
I suspect that straight ticket Republican voters will not bother to omit Keyes, so he may get a quarter of the vote.