He says he does not know enough about Mayor Daley, Mike Ditka orOprah Winfrey to offer an opinion. But he sees Democratic rivalBarack Obama as akin to the wizard in the "Wizard of Oz."
And Republican U.S. Senate nominee Alan Keyes insists he can beatObama. The former United Nations ambassador sat down with the ChicagoSun-Times on Monday. Below are excerpts from the half-hour interview.
And don't worry. Keyes said he will get a read on Oprah and therest before this thing is over.
"I'm going to be forming those conclusions," Keyes said. "Youbet."
You spoke Sunday about an uphill battle against Obama. Do youthink you can beat him?
You know what I feel like when people talk about this whole hypeabout the convention speech and all this? Do you remember the "Wizardof Oz?" There was that scene in the "Wizard of Oz" that the Wizard ofOz was this big golden face and he was so impressive and so forth andso on. And then when Dorothy came to find out what was really goingon, there was just this little guy who was pretending to be big.
I think we have to make sure that before we are drawingconclusions based on all this hype, we get a chance to look behindthe wizard's projection to see what's really there.
But do you think you can you beat him?
I certainly do. . . . When the Republican base is consolidated, ithas always been competitive in Illinois. . . . That consolidation isthen going to draw on that conservative Democratic sentiment that'sthere, people who are in the blue-collar areas and so forth, who arestrong on Second Amendment rights. . . . And finally, I think thatthere are going to be folks in every community, including the blackcommunity, who will answer the challenge of moral principle. There isa deep difference between Barack Obama and Alan Keyes on importantissues like abortion and traditional family and support for marriage.And that extends across racial lines.
Some people worry how little you know about Illinois. Can you namethe last six governors?
No. I've made no bones about the fact that ---
Can you name four U.S. senators from Illinois from the past whoyou admire.
Well that I might be able to do. I can name four U.S. senatorsfrom Illinois, not all of them do I admire though -- Paul Simon,Adlai Stevenson, Douglas, Percy. But let me, before you go into thisstuff, make a clear point because I think it's important. I have notpretended to know the state of Illinois. And I'm not going to pretendto know it. I know a lot about the issues that confront people andaffect the lives of people all over this country and also, of course,in Illinois. I have worked with people in Illinois on a lot of thoseissues. But when it comes to those things that are specific to thestate in terms of background and personality and experience and allof that -- that's something I'm going to have to rely on others. I'mgoing to be learning --
How many counties in Illinois?
There is an advantage -- there are 102 counties. There are 85township counties, 17 non-township counties. And so forth.
What is your take on Chicagoans such as Mayor Daley, Oprah Winfreyand Mike Ditka?
I don't make snap judgments about people and I generally don'tmake judgments at a distance on the basis of what I could only havelearned from the media and newspapers and so on and so forth. . . . Ihaven't sat down and talked to them the way I'm talking to you now.
Do you expect a speaking role at the Republican NationalConvention?
I don't know. We'll see. I think it would be a really good idea,but . . .
Where will you live in Illinois?
We're kind of looking at south suburbs at the moment. That wouldbe for the immediate. But over the long-term, I can't say. . . . Mywife and I will consult about this and then she'll tell me myopinion.
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