Jesse Jackson to Bush: "Back up Keyes"

[Epitome22]

Jackson tells Bush to support Alan Keyes

Friday, August 13, 2004

By Mike Robinson
The Associated Press
Jesse Jackson, responding to a suggestion from President Bush that Democrats take black voters for granted, said Thursday that Republicans should prove they don't do the same thing by giving full support to GOP Senate hopeful Alan Keyes.

The civil rights leader, a staunch supporter of Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama, recalled a July speech in which Bush suggested to the National Urban League convention in Detroit that Democrats are complacent about the black vote.

"Obama was allowed to be a prime-time speaker for the Democrats" at their national convention in Boston last month, "so this should mean Alan Keyes should be a prime-time speaker for Republicans," Jackson said.

He said Bush and Cheney should campaign for Keyes, who moved into his Calumet City home Thursday night to establish residency in Illinois.

And Jackson said the national Republican Party and Illinois Republicans should raise as much money for Keyes as they did for former Gov. James Thompson and former Sen. Charles H. Percy.
-snip-

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/135nd1.h...

Wes Clark's life is simply an American story, but he will make an extraordinary

[Dooby]

Originally posted by: Epitome22
Jackson tells Bush to support Alan Keyes

Friday, August 13, 2004

By Mike Robinson
The Associated Press
Jesse Jackson, responding to a suggestion from President Bush that Democrats take black voters for granted, said Thursday that Republicans should prove they don't do the same thing by giving full support to GOP Senate hopeful Alan Keyes.

The civil rights leader, a staunch supporter of Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama, recalled a July speech in which Bush suggested to the National Urban League convention in Detroit that Democrats are complacent about the black vote.

"Obama was allowed to be a prime-time speaker for the Democrats" at their national convention in Boston last month, "so this should mean Alan Keyes should be a prime-time speaker for Republicans," Jackson said.

He said Bush and Cheney should campaign for Keyes, who moved into his Calumet City home Thursday night to establish residency in Illinois.

And Jackson said the national Republican Party and Illinois Republicans should raise as much money for Keyes as they did for former Gov. James Thompson and former Sen. Charles H. Percy.
-snip-

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsnews/135nd1.h...

Wes Clark's life is simply an American story, but he will make an extraordinary

OK. Hats off to Jesse. That is a pretty clever political jab. He'll bring it up again in September.

[LRB]

This is actually a smart move by Jackson. Although I have my doubts that he's only saying this because Obama is such a heavy favorite and unlikely to lose no matter what support is given to Keyes, I still applaud Jackson for making the right statement whether his motive are pure or not.

The Republicans made a mistake bringing Keyes in though IMO. I like Keyes and if it had been the state where he was living before they chose him, he would have made a wonderful candidate. However bringing in an out of stater to run does not exactly place the Repbulicans on the moral high road. If they support Keyes this makes it worse. However if they don't give full support to Keyes as Jackson commented it makes the Republicans look like they are discriminating against Keyes because of his race. A real bad move politically for the Republicans IMO.