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But really, doesn’t this just show the IL GOP’s deep commitment to Illinois tourism?
The Weakly Joyce
The Leader’s wacky columnist this week proclaims
There is one annual conference where you won?t find a lot of elitist Pharisees discussing philosophy at the Happy Hour Bar.
Instead, you?ll find farmers, timber cutters, miners, and fishermen discussing serious issues with attorneys, authors, congressmen, and attendees with degrees ranging from PhD and MD to MR and MRS.
She then proceeds to list off a set of wingnuts one could only expect to find in the bar on Tatooine
Let Me Remind All Republicans of These Articles on November 3rd
When the purges come, oh, and they will, remember who thought this was a good idea:
Dan Proft, co-founder of IllinoisLeader.com, and Bill Pascoe, ace hired political gun, reached out to former Ambassador and presidential candidate Alan Keyes. After days of burning up the phone lines, courageous and creative members of the state central committee like state Senator Dave Syverson provided the necessary leadership where it was desperately needed.
The Leader Editorial
Alan Keyes is perhaps the most gifted spokesman for core Republican party principles in this nation. He happens to be black, but that is not what defines him. Like Mr. Obama, Keyes transcends his race. With Keyes in, Illinois citizens will have a U.S. Senate race worthy of their deliberation about who will best represent them in this high office.
I’ll be reminding you all on November 3rd
Keyes, the New York Libertarian
Keyes’ asked for the Libertarian nomination for US Senator from New York. NEW YORK PEOPLE!
And they turned him down.
Let me repeat:
Kevin Roy: When Pat Buchanan suggested on fox news channel in march of 2000 that he run for senate in New York, Keyes responded “I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton?s willingness go into a state she doesn’t even live in and pretend to represent people there, so I certainly wouldn’t imitate it.” That is from Alan Keyes three years ago. Now, he is scheduled to meet with the republican central committee at 2:00 this afternoon. They are expected to announce the final decision sometime later today.
I’m speechless.
UPDATE: Jeff’s still confirming the story is completely accurate, but someone put Keyes name up. More later I’m sure over at Random Acts of Kindness.
UPDATE 2: Another bit of information on the 1998 New York Libertarian Convention:
Then came the “race” for US senator (D’Amato’s seat). Alan Keyes didn’t show up at the convention; a spokesman for him did, although he didn’t impart much information of use to us. There was doubt expressed as to how libertarian Keyes is, but in general attendees thought there was little info by which to judge. So someone nominated me. I thought for a few seconds and said I’d accept; again it looked like we had nobody else. Then someone nominated Bill McMillen. He similarly thought a few seconds and accepted. The choice then became a decision over the possibility of Alan Keyes. When asked, I said we’d have to find out more about him, but that if Alan Keyes was considered seriously by our committee to fill vacancies, I’d consider my judgement about of equal weight to any of them, and decline my nomination in favor of Keyes’s if we thought it best. Bill said he’d not decline the nomination. He then won the nomination fairly handily.
Just Plain Wrong
Rich Miller chimes in over at the Capitol Fax
The whole thing is great, but this is the most important point
Keyes’ candidacy is just plain wrong on many levels, but the worst could be the self-delusion [by some Illinois Republicans] that he could help with down-ballot races.
Miller than covers the Senate races in detail in the weekly column
I’ll go a step further, Keyes may endanger people not in danger now–the disgust from moderate Republicans may lead them to stay home.
Some of the Best Reporting is Out in the Burbs
Wow.
Rauschenberger has jumped on the bandwagon with Syverson.
Rauschenberger helped state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, push the Illinois Republican State Central Committee to select Keyes, who has run twice for the presidency and twice for U.S. Senate in Maryland and lost on all four occasions. Rauschenberger denied playing more than a supporting role in the days leading up to the central committee’s decision, however. “I think it’s a little bit of a reach to say I engineered it,” said Rauschenberger, who handed most of the credit to Syverson, the committee’s top vote holder. “I certainly support (Keyes), but I never have spoken to him.” Rauschenberger said he actually held back from mounting a full-on lobbying blitz out of concern that it might do more harm than good.
Rauschenberger must have taken two lessons from the Senate race–get conservative money if you aren’t rich and get conservative money by being a little crazy.
Jack Roeser is pushing this deal on top of others. And here is where it gets confusing to me. Jack Roeser (not the grump Tom Roeser (unrelated) who writes in the Sun-Times) just started Renew Illinois with Pat O’Malley. O’Malley is already running for the 2006 Gubernatorial nomination. Where does this leave Rauschenberger? Who is Roeser going to back? Hmmm…..
Everyone’s a Comedian
The Obama Communications Director gets into the act:
Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs brushed aside news that Keyes was expected to accept the nomination at a rally Sunday.
“Are they busing people in from Maryland?” he asked.
In His Home State
Keyes got
38% of the vote
29% of the vote
Maryland is roughly the same politically as Illinois. I’m guessing around 20 % though worse if Jerry Kohn makes a strong showing. If I were Jeff Trigg I’d be sending the Republican Central Committee a nice fruit basket as thanks.
From the Inbox
Of course, it’s a core belief not to release his private financial records,
On WMAQ last night:
Dick Kay: Keyes refused a request to turn over his income tax records. In a 92 MD Senate campaign, Keyes took 100,000 dollars a year in salary from campaign funds. When asked about it, keyes allegedly said ?that money was for working 8 to 12 hour days, it was not a welfare check.? Campaign disclose records from Keyes? 2000 presidential campaign in 2000 filed only last month show his campaign still owes more than 337 thousand dollars. But Illinois Republicans offered him the nomination without a look at his finances
Syverson: I think he has a core belief that he has written about in the past that people?s private financial records shouldn?t be made public.
I have this bridge for sale, Mr. Syverson, you may have heard of it….
Posting May Be Slow
Because I’m laughing too hard….
Let me make one correction–this isn’t rent a Senator, this is rent a candidate.
Alan Keyes, the prospective GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate, arrived 13 minutes late for his bizarre little rally on Wednesday–and by little we mean about 12 supporters and 24 media hounds–outside the Union League Club in downtown Chicago. Perhaps the Maryland resident, a two-time loser for president and two-time loser for the U.S. Senate in that state, had trouble finding the Loop on his map.