Alan Keyes during the Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate, Dec. 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
by Frank James
It's fair to say Alan Keyes, a former Reagan-era State Department official, is a little different. Okay, he's a lot different.
It now appears that he's so different from not just most people, but much of the Republican Party, that Keyes will be announcing tonight that he is bolting the GOP for the Constitution Party.
Keyes, as you'll recall, was the speed bump Democrat Sen. Barack Obama ran over before winning in 2004 the seat vacated by former Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald.
Keyes was also the guy at Republican debates, looking slightly "off," if you catch my meaning, whose forceful micro-speeches would make everyone else on the stage seem way centrist, no matter how conservative they truly were.
Anyway, Keyes apparently believes his old party has abandoned its conservative principles. So he's abandoning it.
As a statement of his disapproval with the GOP, on his presidential website (yes, he's still running) he has the Republican elephant logo inverted with an "x" where its eye should be. Take that, John McCain.
This is from a press release from the Keyes campaign, such as it is:
"No other ‘third party' is as well-established as the Constitution Party," said Keyes. "They've been around since 1992, and have built a significant grassroots presence among patriotic, Constitution-minded citizens--with a registered membership of over 350,000. Conservatives have a home in the CP that they can find nowhere else, given the decline in the Republican Party's credibility as a voice and vehicle for conservatism."
Regarding his potential third-party candidacy for president in the fall, Keyes said, "I believe people deserve a choice. They certainly deserve a conservative choice--something neither John McCain, Hillary Clinton, nor Barack Obama can offer voters. All they can offer is empty promises based on liberal track records."
Keyes will be live-streaming his announcement at 8:30 pm from Hazleton, Pa., a city that's made the headlines in recent years for cracking down on illegal immigration.
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Comments
More gibberish from perhaps the Tribune's biggest "journalistic" embarrassment: Frank James (though Tim Oliphant tries his best too).
No matter how conservative they truly were? Sorry to inform you, Frankie, but Rudy, McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Ron Paul are/were not the beacons of conservative thought.
Posted by: John D | April 15, 2008 11:59 AM
I heard Senator McCain and Senator Clinton were heartbroken, to see their mentor leaving the mainstream!! What the heck, maybe they will join him!!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 15, 2008 11:59 AM
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Posted by: Jeff | April 15, 2008 12:03 PM
This must be stultifying news for the Republicans who can ill afford to lose such a profound person of color. I'm sure they must convening all of the upper echelon of their party to find a way to convince him not to quit lest people think that all the rats are jumping ship.
On the other hand the Constitution party surely is planning the red carpet for him.
Posted by: GW | April 15, 2008 12:35 PM
Like him or dislike him, you have to respect his academic intellect. He is no different then all of the business professors who teach at universities, and have never made a dollar at business. You have to take him for what he is, an academic, not a solution.
Posted by: B. Hoff | April 15, 2008 12:52 PM
Good Assessment B. Hoff. Keyes is radical, but I respect him.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | April 15, 2008 1:23 PM
Alan Keyes had the guts to do what other conservatives are afraid to do and that's leave the diluted party to venture out on their own. Dr Keyes is articulate and (if you've seen the mosh pit story) has a great sense of humor.
Pat Buchanan said it best when he said (and I'm paraphrasing), The Republican and Democrats are two wings of the same bird.
It's not just the democrats that spend freely or wield power the Federal Gov't shouldn't (and is some cases don't) have.
I'll check out the Constitution Party to see what it is about them that made a Regan Staffer and life long Republican leave.
Posted by: John S. | April 15, 2008 1:29 PM
Alan Keyes is such a whacko that I was almost tempted to vote for him in the last election just for the entertainment he would provide in office. Then I came to my senses......
Posted by: Beth | April 15, 2008 1:30 PM
Good riddance.
Posted by: vince | April 15, 2008 1:44 PM
Im guessing that Keyes' paid speaking engagements are dwindling , so he decided to rebrand himself and get back in the news. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Posted by: billyjoe | April 15, 2008 1:49 PM
Another black man gets chased out of the Republic Party. How come you guys aren't clamoring for McCain to select Gov. Steele as a running mate? Is it because you know you can't attract the rural folk with a rich black man?
Posted by: john | April 15, 2008 1:53 PM
I've voted for Alan Keyes before and I'll vote for him again. I think Mr. Keyes is a less insane Ron Paul, only blacker!
Posted by: American Citizen | April 15, 2008 1:55 PM
The question come November will be, if Keyes name is on the ballot, how many "hard core" conservatives will he drive away from McCain. Leaving the door open for Obama (and yes he is getting the nomination).
Had Nader not run in '00, Gore would have been President. I realize Nader is running again, but the votes he gets will hardly make a dent this time.
Posted by: syj | April 15, 2008 2:04 PM
...but Rudy, McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Ron Paul are/were not the beacons of conservative thought....
Interesting. I could have sworn Rush was more then a bit disapointed when more then one of those candidates dropped out.
Ever see a driver with an Alan Keyes bumper sticker? Talk about scary looking individuals. Who knew there were "350k" of these jerry white wacko's. I'd sooner have a wild couger running around in my yard then having them as a neighbor.
Posted by: RomanB | April 15, 2008 2:13 PM
My lasting memory of Alan Keyes will be as the symbol that the Illinois GOP had finally given up.
So was the Constitution Party unable to draft Mike Ditka to run too?
Posted by: Charlie | April 15, 2008 2:19 PM
Roman, sorry to break the news to you but Limbaugh was not a fan of any of the Republicans running, save for Fred Thompson.
Posted by: John D | April 15, 2008 2:46 PM
"BUSH LEGACY SPEAKS"
YOUR'RE NO JOHN YOO
YOUR'RE NO RICK RE NZI RE NZI!
YOUR'RE NO J.D. HAYWORTH
YOUR'RE NO DAVID VITTER
YOUR'RE NO LARRY FOLEY
YOU MIGHT BE LARRY CRAIG!
BUT YOU'RE NO LAW BREAKING, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW CIRCUMVENTOR. SO TAKE YO STUFF AND GO.
YOU'RE NO SENATOR DAVIS, JUST BE A MAN, AND SAY WHAT YOU FEEL.
TELL THAT "BOY" WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND.
NEXT!
NEXT!
YOU WOULDN'T OF "PARDON" US ANYWAYS!
NEXT!
NEXT!
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN MY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, LESS ANY "PRESIDENTIAL ARCHIVES" BECAUSE WE DESTROYED THEM.
JUST LEAVE YOUR "SERVER" AND YOUR "PALM PILOT" AND YOUR "BLACKBERRY" ON THE WAY OUT OF "DICK CHENEY'S AT&T EAVESDROPPING ROOM!
WE HEARD EVERYTHING!
NOW GO YONDER, MR. "SLIGHTLY OFF"
GO YOUNDER! GO!
Posted by: Roger Morris | April 15, 2008 3:03 PM
That was embarrassing that the best the GOP could come up with against Obama in 2004 was Keyes. This guy is a joke.
Posted by: Herbie H. | April 15, 2008 3:14 PM
Bob Barr, now Alan Keyes, pretty soon Lou Dobbs, boy there are going to be a lot of guys siphoning off McCain votes from the right come November.
Posted by: Luke | April 15, 2008 3:38 PM
Roman, sorry to break the news to you but no true conservatives will vote for Keyes. He's long been looked at as idiot in this party. Ron Paul might siphon off some hardcore conservatives but I don't see either being anywhere near as effective as Nader was.
Posted by: Jeff | April 15, 2008 3:45 PM