In a banquet room full of “keyed up” Keyes volunteers in the Chicago Renaissance Hotel, adjacent to the broadcast studios where Debate #2 was televised, the evidence on the big screen was overwhelming — with question after question, Alan’s substantive responses dominated the hour, and thrilled those watching. Alan was concise, sharp, and courageous in his presentation of our core convictions. He was also totally disciplined in his delivery, even in the face of some of the most biased, personally derogatory, dishonest, and distorted “questioning” that Alan has endured by the mainstream media in what has been a notably vicious and hostile media environment.
Alan stayed on message, took every opportunity possible to contrast his agenda with Obama’s, he was very well modulated for cool television projection, and he drove home with devastating effectiveness the duplicity of his opponent’s campaign rhetoric as compared to Obama’s record. You can hear and see the debate online at www.keyes2004.com – but PLEASE be sure to click here and help us get the message out in television and radio advertising that ALAN CAN WIN THIS ELECTION if enough people “get to know him” without the media’s distortions.
Keyes 2004 campaign manager Bill Pascoe, reacting to Alan’s clear win in Thursday night’s first televised debate against Barack Obama, released the following statement:
“The first televised debate is history, and the result is as clear as it was after last week’s radio debate: Alan Keyes won this debate hands down. He drew clear and cogent contrasts with Barack Obama on issue after issue, making one thing perfectly clear: Alan Keyes is in the mainstream of Illinois’ heartland values, and Mr. Obama is outside the mainstream.
“For instance, Alan demonstrated that Barack Obama is an extreme liberal, who cares not for protecting Illinois citizens but instead for protecting entrenched political interests.
“Keyes exposed Barack Obama as to the left of the ACLU on issues like crime control during a vigorous discussion of Obama’s votes in the State Senate against the death penalty for gang bangers who kill police officers; against allowing police to enter fortified drug houses without knocking; and against allowing Illinois citizens to defend themselves and their families from an intruder in their own home.
“Keyes also blew a hole in Obama’s erstwhile ‘doing it for the children’ rhetoric when he questioned Obama about his vote for ‘age appropriate’ sex education in public schools starting with kindergartners and his vote against Internet filters on publicly accessible computers in our schools.
“While emphasizing his independence and willingness to speak the truth regardless of partisan political considerations, Keyes distinguished himself from Obama as he reminded the viewing audience that Obama was the number one recipient of trial lawyer campaign money in the nation. Keyes properly questioned Obama’s allegiance to this special interest group at a time when the Illinois health care system has been described as ‘in crisis’ by the American Medical Association (AMA), due to skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance rates that are driving medical professionals from Illinois in droves.
“Later in the debate, a visibly angry Obama lashed out after being challenged by Keyes on the contradictions between Obama’s professed faith and his extreme liberal positions in support of unregulated abortion-on-demand and in opposition to defense of traditional marriage.
“So shaken was Obama by the end of the debate that he incorrectly accused Keyes of challenging Obama’s heritage on a final question about the importance of race in this campaign-a charge Keyes never made.
“It was obvious that Obama had little to offer in defense of his record, his positions on the issues, and the reasoning behind them except canned talking points prepared by handlers from the very Chicago machine of which he claims to be independent.”
Reporters in Chicago seem stunned that Alan continues to “just tell the truth” and trust the voters to listen to their own conscience and convictions. He refuses to play “fool the voter” with all the other guys who run the political/media industry nexus in the Windy City, even while they will keep working to make this campaign an anointment for their “BaRack Star.”
But Alan is laying the groundwork for the Illinois GOP to lift itself out of unprincipled corruption and compromise — and become again a party worthy of legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We have planted the flag again for moral conservatives in Illinois — please rally to us with your generous donations by going here to help.
Alan and his U.S. Senate campaign can win if we can expand our last 10-day ad blitz! Click here and let us broaden our advertising strategy with a donation online TODAY! There is still time to combat the Democrat machine of Cook County, but Illinois is the third most-expensive media market in the country — and the costs of campaigning here have greatly contributed to the big money influence peddling that has tainted BOTH political parties in the state.
Illinois deserves better than Barack Obama — it needs integrity, reform, and honest competition restored in its politics. Please join with us at Keyes 2004 as we do all in our power — with Alan — to answer the call.
Keep the Faith.
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