Buzz

I got my snazzy Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker yesterday and promptly put it on my bumper sticker free car. Made me feel pretty big kid. Politics has become much more important in my life. 9/11 and W’s track record obviously contributed the most to the increase in importance, but I’m sure part of it is simply because I am older. My friend are older, and therefore generally more apt to care about and be involved in politics. BUT, I have never heard genuine buzz about someone’s speech at a National Convention. Everyone was talking about Barak Obama the next day. Critics on the news, and co-workers at the water cooler were all talking about this new star that absolutely nailed his speech, has a limitless future, and even in the age of the Terminator as the Governor of California, he intimidated Mike Ditka (Mike Ditka!) into not running against him.

What are we gonna do? Our GOP candidate that was going to run against Obama dropped out. We have to find a replacement. But who? We need someone strong, and decisive. Someone who represents us well and can give Obama a run for his money. Hmmm… I know! Alan Keyes!

<sigh>
That’s right. The Alan Keyes you know and love. The doormat of presidential elections. The man who owes $524,169 from his two wildly campaigns for president, and even owes $7,481 in state income tax. State Income Tax!

But to be honest, none of that came into my mind when I heard he was running. My first thought?

Crap. He’s black.

Yes, I know this will be the first time that there are two black candidates running against each other for a Senate seat, but let’s not start patting each other on the back just yet. Race wasn’t an issue until Keyes joined the race.

The Republicans have no chance in this election. Keyes or not, Obama is going to run away with it. So their choice to replace Ryan? Let’s bring in someone who is ultraconservative, who criticized Hillary Clinton for carpetbagging in New York, but is running in a state he doesn’t live in, and can take away as much momentum from this rock star of a politician as possible by slinging mud. Running against Ryan, Obama was just an up and coming politician, that no one really knew about. Him being black was an afterthough. Now, running against Keyes, the story is about the first two black candidates running against each other for a Senate seat.

What are we gonna do? Our GOP candidate that was going to run against Obama just got blown up by a sex scandal. We have to find a replacement. But who? We need someone weak, and divisive, cause if we’re going to lose, we might as well make it messy. If he owes back taxes, that would be a bonus. Hmmm… I know! Alan Keyes!

But then I try and catch myself. Not even the GOP can be that evil can they? I’m overreacting. I’m sure with the lead that Obama has so far, that they’ll be forced to run a tight ship and a clean election just to have a chance, right? They won’t try and make this a messy mud-slinging affair, or make this a race issue would they? Would they?

CHICAGO (Talon News) — Wasting no time, newly-announced U.S. Senate candidate for Illinois Alan Keyes went after his Democratic opponent Barack Obama on Monday, saying Obama’s views on abortion deny an unborn child equal rights and are “the slaveholder’s position.”

“I would still be picking cotton if the country’s moral principles had not been shaped by the Declaration of Independence,” Keyes said.

This is gonna be fun.