Alan Keyes to announce break with GOP in Hazleton, PA

April 13, 2008

HAZLETON, Penn. - Former Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes has
chosen April 15 to make a major announcement of his intentions, following
indications he has broken with the GOP.

A life-long Republican who has increasingly cited the party's failure to
match conservative rhetoric with actual performance in the political arena,
Keyes said he will reveal his reasons for departing the GOP at a press
conference scheduled for 8:30 pm ET, at the Best Western Genetti Inn in
Hazleton, PA.

The event will be video-streamed live at Keyes' website, www.AlanKeyes. com.

Keyes added that he is looking to the Constitution Party as a possible home
for his future efforts in politics, including a potential run for president
in the 2008 general election.

"No other 'third party' is as well-established as the Constitution Party,"
said Keyes. "They've been around since 1992, and have built a significant
grassroots presence among patriotic, Constitution- minded citizens - with a
registered membership of over 350,000. Conservatives have a home in the CP
that they can find nowhere else, given the decline in the Republican Party's
credibility as a voice and vehicle for conservatism. "

Regarding his potential third-party candidacy for president in the fall,
Keyes said, "I believe people deserve a choice. They certainly deserve a
conservative choice - something neither John McCain, Hillary Clinton, nor
Barack Obama can offer voters. All they can offer is empty promises based on
liberal track records."

Symbolic of Keyes' break with the Republican Party is a caricature of the
GOP logo - upside down - on the front page of his website.

The Constitution Party will hold its nominating convention April 23-26 in
Kansas City.

According to Dan Smeriglio, a Keyes supporter who is helping to arrange the
event, the former Reagan administration diplomat chose to make his
announcement in Hazleton because of the town's strong stance on illegal
immigration.

"I understand a good portion of his speech next week will center on illegal
immigration, " Smeriglio said. Smeriglio and a group he represents, Voice of
the People USA, have been vocal in opposing illegal immigration since
Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta introduced the Illegal Immigration Relief Act in
2006 - thrusting Hazleton into national prominence in the movement to stem
illegal immigration.

Keyes - who has a Ph.D. in government from Harvard and wrote his
dissertation on constitutional theory - served as Reagan's Assistant
Secretary of State for International Organizations, as well as Ambassador to
the United Nations Economic and Social Council, where he represented U.S.
interests in the UN General Assembly.


I really like and Respect Alan

Unsuprisingly I'm not a big fan of him.

I like Alan until his carpet bagging tip to Illionois.
Though if he'd won we wouldn't be subject to the evil of the one man sleeper cell, Barack Hussein Obama.

'Beer, are you supporting Bob Barr for the Libertarians this year? Silly question really, you obviously are. Take me through it, pros & cons.

Pros:
He's pro liberty and obeying the Constitution. Period. End of Sentence.

Cons: Needs a lot of cash to beat the statists the dems and repubs are running.

He also appears to have a reasonably conservative record, which some seem to think is at odds with Libertarian values. However I watched him on Hannity & Colmes (which I hate btw, but Fox gets such good access to right-wingers) and he seemed to acquit himself well, making the point that the people should decide what they want. I wouldn't vote for him in a 1000 years, but he didn't seem like a nut.