what were the Illinois GOP thinking? "Lone student supports Keyes when...

[salin]

Bwahahahaha (is this a sign of other future stupid moves by the radical religious right... as they take over the GOP... state by state... as if his Maryland senate campaign didn't give them a preview...)

Lone student supports Keyes when others won't

College Republicans 'not enthused' by party's choice for U.S. Senate seat
By Corrie Driebusch
September 30, 2004

If Weinberg freshman Ryan Morton wants help in his effort to elect the Republican candidate for Illinois' U.S. Senate seat, Alan Keyes, he's not going to receive any from the leaders and members of Northwestern's College Republicans.

They're so disappointed in Keyes' campaign that the club isn't even putting up his sign in their booth, said group President Henry Bowles.

But Morton is not disappointed. A "Keyes for U.S. Senate" sign hangs on his door in Public Affairs Residential College. He said although he admits Keyes is in a tough spot, he is excited by Keyes and his experience in politics.

"He stands for what the people of Illinois stand for," said Keyes' press secretary Connie Hair. "He represents a type of politics we have gotten away from -- a politics of principle."

http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/09/30/415bac79ea74a

And for more salt in the wounds for Keyes.... last Monday:

Obama raises money in Keyes' home state

GRETCHEN PARKER

Associated Press


BALTIMORE - Illinois state Sen. Barack Obama's fund-raising efforts brought him to his opponent's home state Monday, where he was welcomed by fellow Democrats familiar with running campaigns against Alan Keyes.

"We've had experience in the past with your opponent," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley told Obama before the breakfast fund-raiser. "So we felt an obligation to do something here."

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, invited Obama to the state from which Keyes ran two failed campaigns for U.S. Senate. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who defeated Keyes in 1988, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who beat Keyes in 1992, also welcomed Obama to the event at a hotel conference room high above Baltimore's waterfront.

more (required registration): http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/9772175.htm

[JohnKleeb]

1. So Alan, you really think Barrack is afraid of you still lol

Now this kid Morton is one kid I wouldn't hang out with lol, I can tolerate republicans mind you even have some as friends but I dont think they're puritans. That was very classy what the Marylanders did, good for them.

[skylarmae]

2. OBAMA - OBAMA - OBAMA!

[napi21]

3. They needed someone to oppose Obama, and nobody wanted to.

I have no idea what they promised Keys, but remember all the different people they approached that all said no! I'm sure he's getting something out of all this grief.

[salin]

5. Increased exposure...

and publicity ... and he does seem impervious to ridicule that follows embarassing defeats... I can see why HE is doing it... but still can't figure out why the Illinois GOP didn't just pluck out some unknown local figure. They would lose either way - but now they have created an even larger rift within their own party and look completely ridiculous and ineffectual. Of course looks often reflect reality :shrug:

[Bucky]

7. Actually there were perfectly qualified and capable GOPers ready to run

They lacked blackness, however. The Illinois Republicans who picked Keyes picked him because he was black. It's really that simple There were several ambitious and capable pols ready to pick up their party's mantle, but "group of folks" who run the state party chose to (1) prize appearances over qualifications and (2) try ineptly to appeal to the lowest common denominator--in this case, the candidate's race.

News flash, my GOP friends. Barack Obama isn't the best qualified Negro to represent Illinois in the US Senate. He's the best qualified person. He's not running because he's black. He's running because he's a leader.

[UTUSN]

4. What Thinking? They're Burned Out with Their Cynical B.F.E.E.

game of attempting to trap Dems by finding minority wingnut/puppets to occupy political slots. The game Poppy invented with Clarence THOMAS. Even they, true racist wingnuts, cannot stand their own hypocrisy at times.

Hilarious that OBAMA is raising money in KEYES's home state.

[No2W2004]

6. The Illinois GOP had no choice in the matter,

Rove and hassert forced Keyes on them because no one was gonna beat Obama this year. The state GOP isn't spending any money on the campaign, and they publicly come out against Keyes every time he makes one of his outrageous statements. They're letting the national GOP handle Keyes.