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I'm watching the Iowa Republican debate and noticed there is a new guy, Alan Keyes. I was really suprised to see him, I haven't seen him before. What do people know about this guy? He seems to speak pretty well.
Alan Keyes: Who Is He & What Do We Know?
- Context: News
- Thread starter Greg Bernhardt
- Start date
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around Alan Keyes, a political figure and conservative commentator, focusing on his background, political views, and public perception. Participants share their impressions from a recent debate and reflect on his past political campaigns and statements.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Exploratory
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants note Keyes' history as a UN ambassador and his multiple Senate campaigns, highlighting his conservative stance, particularly on social issues.
- Others express concern about his extreme views, with one participant mentioning that they find his rhetoric troubling despite being a moderate to conservative Republican.
- There are comments on his speaking style, with some participants acknowledging that he speaks well but expressing discomfort with his religious rhetoric, such as calls to "get God back into schools."
- One participant humorously critiques the idea of needing to bring God back to school, questioning the necessity given God's omniscience.
- Several participants describe Keyes as "nutty" or a "highly intelligent nutcase," comparing him to other political figures like Ron Paul.
- Keyes' notoriety from his campaign against Barack Obama is mentioned, with some participants dismissing that campaign as a joke.
- There are references to his appearances in popular culture, such as a mention of him in "Borat," indicating a broader public awareness of his persona.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a mix of admiration and criticism towards Keyes, with no clear consensus on his political views or effectiveness. Some find him impressive while others label him as extreme or "nutty." The discussion reflects a range of opinions without resolution on his overall impact or character.
Contextual Notes
Participants' views are influenced by their personal political beliefs and experiences, leading to varied interpretations of Keyes' statements and actions. The discussion includes humor and sarcasm, which may affect the seriousness of the claims made.
- #2
PhysicsDilettante
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He was a UN ambassador under Reagan, but I remember him most from when he ran for the Senate in Maryland a couple of times (88 and 92), losing both times. He also ran against Obama for the Senate seat in Illinois that Obama won. He is a pretty conservative Republican, especially on the social issues. My impression of him, going back to those Maryland Senate races (I'm a Maryland resident) is that he is impressive at first but he eventually displays some fairly extreme views on things that even I -- as a moderate to conservative Republican -- find very troubling (and I did not vote for him either time in Maryland).
- #3
chemisttree
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He lost against Obama in IL last go round. I believe his day job is as a conservative radio host in Maryland. He does seem to speak pretty well but some of the things he says kind of scare me. Too much "In God We Trust" and "We are endowed by our Creator..." talk for me. I think our problems are much more serious than his tagline "We need to get God back into schools" mentality.
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Gokul43201
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Keyes became famous during his so-called run against Obama in Illinois. That was a joke!
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mgb_phys
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Surely if god is omniscient then he is the last person that needs to go back to school?chemisttree said:
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chemisttree
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mgb_phys said:
Or, if you prefer, If God is omniscient then he(she, it?) doesn't need Alan Keyes' help in any way.
BTW You should capitalize 'God' in your references to the supreme being. God could be watching! (omnipresent?)
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after watching the whole debate it is clear Alan is a bit nutty lol
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chemisttree
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A little bit nutty? He's a pecan tree!
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mgb_phys
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I hoped she was case sensitive and would ignore me!chemisttree said:BTW You should capitalize 'God' in your references to the supreme being. God could be watching! (omnipresent?)
- #10
russ_watters
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He's been around for quite a while, occasionally running for President when he gets bored. He's a highly intelligent nutcase (kinda like Ron Paul).Greg Bernhardt said:
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pheidippides
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the first time I heard of alan keyes was when he was in borat...
- #13
Pelt
russ_watters said:
If Keyes is a nutcase, then so was Reagan. The man's novelty is the same as Clarence Thomas, he's as high profile a Black conservative Republican you can find.
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Astronuc
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QEDPelt said:
Actually, Reagan was just dishonest. And it's been downhill ever since.
Keyes's campaigns:
Maryland Senate campaign 1988 and 1992
U.S. Presidential election campaign 1996
U.S. Presidential election campaign 2000
Illinois Senate campaign 2004
U.S. Presidential election campaign 2008
He get's around.
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