2004

Speaking of Media Whores

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 No Comments

Larry Sabato’s most recent take on Keyes:

September 7, 2004 Update:

It is no longer worth pretending that this is even a competitive contest. Alan Keyes’s recent attack on Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter as a “selfish hedonist” has made Keyes persona non grata, even among many Republicans. We are changing the outlook on this Senate seat to solid Democratic, and we would not be surprised to see Barak Obama hit 70 percent of the vote. The Illinois GOP made a terrible mistake in plucking Keyes from Maryland for this contest, and it has set the party back years.

He’s Certainly Not Helping Republicans

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 No Comments

Watching Schillestrom is like watching paint dry, but this is probably the most animated I’ve ever seen him (which isn’t very animated). A great lecture on the median voter theorem too.

The fascinating portion is at the end where he talks about reinvigorating the GOP–as if this year is going to be a disaster.

The Electronic Media Is Fumbling over Themselves to Get a Kass reaction

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 1 Comment

Kass is in this clip, but what is hysterical is how the TV guys jump in trying to take the attention.

Thompson has the best bit though. (Hollinger? What’s that?)

Party For the President Speech

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 1 Comment

For the Record: 1 mention of Bush

Is Madigan Smiling?

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 2 Comments

Only insofar as the Keyes meltdown will help Democratic downballot races, but the emergence of Barack Obama as a power base unto himself is not good news to Madigan who likes to run the show. It gives Emil more influence over the state operation as a close ally of Obama and movement candidates are always dangerous to the machine. In the short term, it is very, very good for him as he can go to business and use his stand against The Blagorgeous to feed at the corporate trough along with the Governor and he’s probably pretty safe in maintaining seats (sorry Cross guys, but it’s a tough year)

The Peoria Journal Star:

“Somewhere, Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Madigan must be smiling.”

roam as far and wide as he wants to

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 No Comments

So much for the Keyes will keep him home theory…in fact, staying out of the news is serving Barack quite well. While he needs to cement his support through standard travels and big media events that showcase his talents, Keyes provides a giant distraction when Obama is out of the news.

Daley’s Plant is at it again

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 1 Comment

Kass puts the issue into a rather good perspective:

I am willing, though, to condemn him for something–he’s a selfish loon.

And he’s foolishly played right into the hands of the Illinois Republican Party establishment, in a desperate political fight over the future of the GOP between conservatives and the combine Republicans who’ve been in bed (not literally) with Chicago Democrats for years.

For those not realizing the likely outcome, Keyes is first choice of Democrats everywhere. I thought, along with many others, that the floating of his name was a joke because we are standing exactly where I figured we’d be after he became a nominee. And I thought the Illinois GOP would see that too. When Syverson, or Jack Roeser, or Rauschenberger say they didn’t expect this, they are either stupid or lying. There could be nothing in his Keyes background that wouldn’t cause one to expect the disaster that he has brought.

One can make reasonable arguments for many (not all) of the general positions he argues for, but he doesn’t do that–he turns up the volume and makes himself a caricature.

It’s the Media’s Fault

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 No Comments

That Alan Keyes can’t control himself. Read the frothing in the first half and then notice the bit at the end.

Little Tent Party

ArchPundit September 7, 2004 No Comments

LaBarbera pushing for the little tent in attacking Topinka