Meet him tomorrow. Anywhere anytime. See how ready Keyes is to talk about Illinois.
Serious, Obama’s team is agreeing to 3 or 4 debates as it is–It’s the middle of August and this guy just flew into the state. I’m not sure why the 2-3 debates are sacrosanct. Kass seems a bit over the top given Obama is willing to debate at least 3 times.
That’s because Kass is a Republican shill. No surprise there.
And Kass is an idiot, too. He may fill Royko’s space in the Trib, but he’ll never come close to filling Royko’s shoes.
“Keyes said he believes the best way to expand Chicago’s regional airports may be to create a regional air authority to take politics out of the way that airport contracts are awarded.”
Two days in state and Keyes wants to foist socialism on us.
Where’s your respect for our sovereign state and its citizenry’s reverence for the logic of our nation’s Declaration of principles, Mr Keyes? Support for the regulation of air travel, the rejection of the untrammeled freedom that is our moral compass–a freedom bestowed upon us by the Almighty, represents nothing short of the logic of the slaveholder, sir, and Illinois will have no part of it
Keyes is just a pitbull sent in to mess up Obama any and every way he can in a short amount of time. He is whineing about debates even before he’s gone anywhere in the state but Chicago. He sure is lapping up the coverage he’s getting in Chicago, but there’s a whole lot of Illinois he’s missing(VFW halls, picnics, fairs, etc.) and probably isn’t interested in since he won’t get the kind of slavish media attention he gets in Chicago.
Kass seems to write with a permanent smirk, as if he’s saying “obviously I know what I write full of shit, but whatever.” Do I think Kass is really as homophobic as his columns would suggest? Not really. But he doesn’t care. It’s a living. As proof: Kass is fine ignoring the massive insult that the state GOP has foisted on Obama and Illinoisians in general. (Honestly, Jack Ryan was enough of an insult, I suppose. As would Ditka have been.) It’s one thing to have an out-of-touch ideologue and frightening homophobe running; it’s one thing to have a man with absolutely NO experience in seemingly ANY line of work (much less the work of government) running; it’s one thing to have 19 people appoint someone in part because he’s a “name” and in part because of his race; it’s one thing for this appointed person to not have ever lived in the state; it’s one thing that this out-of-stater has previously lambasted ON MORAL PRINCIPAL the act of running in a state in which you don’t live (because you’re a “spiritual” resident of that state). But it’s absolutely criminal to pretend that that person has any kind of moral high ground on this (or, honestly, any) issue within 3 days of coming to the state.
Kass is also perpetrating a lie – that Obama has represented himself as some kind of perfect man, a golden savior for Illinois. No, he hasn’t. He’s represented himself as a smart, capable, effective legislator who is fueled by optimism rather than power for its own sake. Kass (and the rest of the media) would do well to judge him by those standards alone.
As far as the debate question, umm, Obama is doing what EVERY FRONT RUNNER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD has ever done, which is limit the number of debates. Fine, John, pretend that this is a real race. Dignify Keyes’ assault on your state. But when you give him that many column inches and suggest that Obama is a hypocrite for not indulging in your little fantasy game, and then take a paycheck for such drivel … I’m pretty sure that just makes you a whore.
Did you see the Tribune’s headline on its Metro section? The whole friggin editorial department is giving Keyes a free ride.
i’m beginning to think Obama should just agree to the 6 to put an end to Keyes posturing on this- to end the story. “when you’re dealing with a nut, put him away early”
the debates can’t hurt Obama- show up, be sane and pick up the pieces when Keyes has his nightly meltdown.
besides, it spares us the possibility of Keyes staging any “empty chair” debates.
Only 5. I want to see the empty chair debate.
Obama could just say “You want six debates, okay: one Thursday on ag policy, one Friday on job creation and one Saturday on health care.”
BEZ could/would give up an hour of 848 for the debates (and they would archive them on the internet) and WTTW should be able to get its act together by Saturday for the third debate.
Keyes would HATE the topics, but would either have to put up and reveal that he is painfully ignorant of Illinois and its problems or — much less likely — shut up.
“Kass seems a bit over the top”
I try to explain the profound “disappointment” of both Kass and Mark Brown over on my blog.