The fact that the Illinois GOP is shipping in Alan Keyes via UPS from Maryland is still settling in with me. Did they not want to seem......um, racist....by putting up the traditional "old white candidate," up against Obama? Check out this Keyes
quote for your observation.
Keyes said he felt he should leave Maryland to ``defend the land of my spirit and my conscience and my heart.''
``If indeed that land is the state of Illinois, then I have lived in the Land of Lincoln all my life.'' he said.
Dude, you got to move to Illinois first. Oh, and you might want to pay your $7,000 in Maryland state taxes before you start packing your U-haul.
The simple fact is, the national GOP is scared. Why? Because they don't have an African American candidate that possesses the charisma and skill that Obama has. Face it. Most African Americans do not like Condolezza Rice or Colon Powell. The GOP basically has not fronted any viable African American for a national office in years. There seems to be a little jealousy coming out of GOP headquarters after Obama spoke at the DNC Convention.
They want to try to damage some of the luster of an "African American Senate Candidate," by putting up their own. They didn't put Keyes up to court the Black vote. Nah, they gave up on that in 2000. They're mainly trying to show white moderate Republican voters (especially in the South and Northeast) that they are a party of inclusion. Especially since Obama's messages have crossed racial lines.
Oh, and the Illinois GOP is in such a mess that the national party had to pull some strings for a third-tier presidential candidate has been from out of state to get on the ballot.
It's pretty sad. But you never know what lengths the Rethugs will go to make things go their way.
Sad indeed.