He's
made it official. After going ballistic over Hillary's NY Senate run, Keyes couldn't resist the siren song of another political race, even if halfway across the country from his Maryland home.
At a press conference, Keyes, who is from Maryland, took a significant amount of time explaining why he was deciding to parachute into Illinois to run. One of the biggest reasons, he said, was because of Obama's support for abortion rights, especially so-called partial-birth abortions.
"Barack Obama abandons the principles of our Declaration (of Independence) and destroys the foundation of our national union," Keyes said.
Keyes admitted his lack of knowledge of Illinois and spoke a great deal about his love of Maryland, where his father is from.
"I might not know the streets yet and the neighborhoods and all the things that go to make up the everyday life of the people," Keyes said. "But if in fact, the people of Illinois still stand together on the American creed, still assert their right of self-government, still have the sense of responsible citizenship, then I believe I know their spirit and their conscience and their heart."
Ask Keyes the name of our state bird (I'm always going to be a Chicagoan, even if I have settled in the Bay Area), ask him for an intelligent discussion of Peotone, ask him which football team he roots for. Which basketball team. Ask him which baseball teams Illinois residents root for (hint: it's more than two).
Ask him what part of "I wouldn't imitate it" wasn't a flip flop?
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.
The big question is whether Keyes' cynical run (and race) will depress GOP turnout in a state Bush has no chance of winning. Because if so, we may be looking at two or three stronger pickup opportunities in congressional races in the state.