So, have to give it to Keyes, when he says something most people would find embarrassing and over the top and is called on it, he doesn’t shrink from it. This morning on CNN when called on the Slaveholder line they showed him saying it and then they showed Obama responding. Obama responded slowly, surprised it was this wacky this quickly, and actually twitched and then said the bit about Keyes needing to look to Republican Party leaders about whether such language is appropriate.
Keyes then defended the quote and in effect reiterated it saying he doesn’t have to look to his party because he (Keyes), knows his heritage. He didn’t just embrace the quote, he grabbed on it and wrestled it to the ground.
KJSL was a bit more interesting, and foreshadowing of what is to come. When asked if he would ever campaign for another Republican who was pro-choice or endorse them, he unequivocally said no and said such Republicans were morally inferior.
The implications of this are clear–if he doesn’t want to work for pro-choice Republicans, why the hell should they work for him? Social conservatives who are backing Keyes now face a situation where they want others to work for this guy, but this guy is unwilling to work for others in his own Party.
Did he really say morally inferior?
Not quite the exact phrase, but it was some sort of strange phrase. It was enough that I looked up and went, huh?