Dec 13, 2007 7:27pm
What was Alan Keyes doing on that stage?
EmailI confess, I had forgotten Alan Keyes was running for president, given that I never see him on the campaign trail actually, well, campaigning.
Turns out our friend Byron York of the National Review couldn’t even get a straight answer from Keyes (LINK) when it came to when he last campaigned in Iowa.
And in his own inimitable style, Ambassador Keyes was angry that the question was even being asked.
Ahhh…..Memories of Iowa Caucus, 2000…where Keyes came in third (beating Gary Bauer, Orrin Hatch, and John McCain)…after his bronze showing, he strutted around Des Moines’s fabled 801 Steak House (LINK) as if he were Sinatra at the Sands.
– jpt
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
Well, Keyes just isn’t Keyes without the feigned and overly-theatrical indignance, is he?
It was relieving to learn that his 2008 “candidacy” was news to you, because I had NO clue he would be on the stage in Des Moines until the morning of Wednesday’s debate. And, until I read your post, I’d been beating myself up for being unobservant. Phew.
And, that 801 anecdote captures the smug self-satisfaction that radiated from Keyes like heat off a desert highway during that 2000 primary.
In fact, if by any chance you covered the October ’99 NH primary debates at your alma mater during your Salon days, you may recall his post-debate explosion in Hanover (my first spin-room experience, I had just moved here), and how I’ll always remember the man: quickly working himself into a lather at the lectern in the filing center until screaming at an obscene volume (yet, still maintaining the Marvin Martian diction), coming to a crescendo as he posited a cause for his meager coverage in the media (and I quote), “Why? Because I’m BLACK!”
Then, he bounded off the riser, smiling and glad-handing as if he had been talking about something completely innocuous for the previous five minutes, and that he hadn’t just told the assembled press corps that they were racist.
Honestly though, the last time I saw him on a screen before Wednesday was his appearance in Borat.
– Sean in NH
P.S. How about Billy Shaheen resigning his campaign post with Hillary? We’re not talking about some precinct captain or volunteer that forwarded a negative e-mail. There’s some pretty serious damage control going on here in the Granite State…
Posted by: Sean | December 14, 2007, 10:30 am 10:30 am
when I saw the clip of Keyes berating the moderator for not giving him the same consideration, I wanted her to say, “Why am I not giving you the same consideration? Well, let’s see…you haven’t been to any of the other umpteen debates, you haven’t been campaiging, you haven’t done any interviews…”
Posted by: phillygirl64 | December 14, 2007, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Sean – see the previous post
Posted by: phillygirl64 | December 14, 2007, 11:36 am 11:36 am
Had Alan Keyes been allowed to the previous debates, his appearance in this one would not have come as such a surprise.
The media failed to make mention of Keyes’ official entry into the race. They did not report that he was denied participation in previous debates.
Now you mention him in disparaging ways that reflect only your opinion!
Why not bring into discussion some of the SUBSTANCE of what he had to say? Why not enter into DIALOGUE??
I venture a guess: You do not enter into discussion because you do not like what he stands for. Have you considered that by dismissing candidates you deem unimportant, you are in effect denying me my right to make up my own mind?
Sir, I challenge you, and the media in general, to give ALL candidates EQUAL and respectful consideration and exposure, without bias, and allow the people of this nation to make the decision as to whom they wish this country to be presented by.
Martina
Posted by: Martina Webley | December 14, 2007, 11:49 am 11:49 am
phillygirl64, you obviously get your news from mainstream media. You are wholly ignorant of Keyes position:
“you haven’t been to any of the other umpteen debates,”
–He wasn’t allowed to–couldn’t raise enough money, etc. He wanted to go and was at the PBS broadcast African American debate the other main candidates skipped!
“you haven’t been campaiging, you haven’t done any interviews…”
–Wrong again. I’ve heard him on the radio a few times being interviewed but the mainstream media ignores him. He can’t go on there if they won’t let him or ask him!! It’s not convenient for the mainstream liberal media to have a black guy who is conservative/christian and been a Prez. candidate long before Obama!
Posted by: den | December 14, 2007, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm