Frankly, I hate posting for the sole purpose of bashing a political candidate, but after hearing an interview with Illinois GOP Senate candidate Alan Keyes on Chicago Public Radio last night, I really must vent. But with all due respect, I think Keyes did a fine job digging his own hole and calling it dancing. NPR's Michele Norris spoke with Keyes, and here's a portion of the broadcast I transcribed:

Michele Norris: In 2000, you said something about Hillary Clinton, and her move to New York to represent the people there...you said, and this is a quotation, "I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in a pretend to represent people there. So I certainly wouldn't imitate it."

Alan Keyes: That's right. I don't, and I haven't imitated it.

MN: What's the difference?

AK: She made use of the state of New York, and as a matter of it was a...if I understand it, a quite calculated move. She looked at other states, she worked on this, and others did for months - they then planned what they were going to do to get enough support in New York to serve her personal ambition and agenda. I'm serving no personal ambition or agenda in this...it hasn't even occurred to me. Until people in Illinois approached me and said they had a need.

MN: Barack Obama is an African-American, as are you, Sir. Do you think race had something with the GOP calling you to come into the state to face Barack Obama in the Senate race?

AK: Uh, I'm sure it did. Uh, I think in fact they have acknowleged that, uh, this was an effort to make sure that race would not be a faction in the election. They have stated this. It took race off the table, and I actually think that that's true.

MN: How did it take race off the table if that was a factor in actually calling you in?

AK: [interrupts] Excuse me, Ma'am. It's quite clear how it take race off the table. If what you've got is a choice between to Americans of color, uh, then it's quite clear that if you're a racist, you don't have a choice in this election. So race isn't going to be a question here. The question is going to be, 'What do we stand for? What do we offer the people of Illinois?' The whole consideration of race is gone!

MN: Mr. Keyes, you have on the record spoken quite a bit about affirmative action, preferential affirmative action programs, and you have said that it patronizes American Blacks and women and others by presuming that they can not succeed on their own, and you prefer programs that are based strictly on merit. If race was a factor in calling you in to Illinois, how do you square that - are you are all uncomfortable...

AK: [interrupts again] ...race is not the factor that resulted in -my- being called in, but the fact that resulted in my being called in was ability and the fact that I am someone of national stature and reputation who can go toe to toe with Barack Obama in spite of the effort made by the Democrats to build him up into some national figure whose waltzing in to the Senate was inevitable. It's not going to happen. So in point of fact the choice of Alan Keyes was not based upon race, it was based upon assessment of the unique capabilities that I bring to this race.

Seeing the words dryly laid out on the screen doesn't quite convey the sarcasm and arrogant doublespeak I heard in Keyes' tone, but you can hear it for yourself [Realplayer or Windows Media Player required]. Of course Obama shouldn't have to run unopposed, but despite Keyes' protestations ("Personal ambition? Moi?") I don't see what's so substantially different between Keyes' move from Maryland and Hillary Clinton's move to New York.

Perhaps her choice was more self-motivated, but puh-lease, don't try to tell me Keyes' decision was driven purely by selfless devotion to the GOP and the people of Illinois: like any pol worth their salt, he saw an opportunity and took it. Daily Kos has a good comment thread going on the topic. Hmmm...doesn't it strike you that if the Illinois GOP had to reach as far as the East Coast for a suitable Senate candidate, they must be a little...how shall I put this...desperate? Is there not another Republican soul from the Land O' Lincoln that could go "toe to toe" with Obama?

I won't even start on Keyes' pretzel logic on whether his race was indeed an issue...er, non-issue in his selection by the GOP. Can he please make up his mind? Pretending that race magically becomes a non-issue if both candidates are African-American is simplistic and disingenuous. Note to self: beware of a political candidate - or anyone - who likes to refer to themselves in the third person.

More: The Chicago Tribune's Dawn Turner Trice on the Keyes GOP nod, and today's reader reactions [registration required].

---