[Mb-civic] A washingtonpost.com article from: michael@intrafi.com

[michael at intrafi.com]

You have been sent this message from michael at intrafi.com as a courtesy of washingtonpost.com 
 
 Mr. Keyes the Carpetbagger
 
   WHEN PRESIDENT Bush went before the National Urban League conference two weeks ago, after blowing off the NAACP convention, he told the largely African American audience: "I know, I know, I know. Listen, the Republican Party has got a lot of work to do. I understand that." The truth of the statement has  been brought home dramatically by the unfolding spectacle of the U.S. Senate race in Illinois. Facing popular Democratic state Sen. Barack Obama  on the November ballot,    the Illinois Republican Party -- after its candidate dropped out because of some sex-related allegations -- has gone out of state in search of a party member to pick up the GOP flag. That, alone, ought to be humiliating for a major party in a big state. But then Republicans in the Land of Lincoln -- and this is the political party that preaches world without end that it is race-blind and wedded only to merit -- actively sought out African American candidates to run against Mr. Obama, also an African American. Cynical you say? Yes, and tokenism, too. But then they settled on erstwhile senatorial and presidential candidate and talk show host Alan Keyes of Montgomery County, Maryland. Illinois Republican machinations, once amusing, are now absurd.
 
 To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50885-2004Aug8.html?referrer=emailarticle
 
 
 Would you like to send this article to a friend? Go to 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/admin/emailfriend?contentId=A50885-2004Aug8&sent=no&referrer=emailarticle
 
 

Visit washingtonpost.com today for the latest in:

News - http://www.washingtonpost.com/?referrer=emailarticle

Politics - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/politics/?referrer=emailarticle

Sports - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/sports/?referrer=emailarticle

Entertainment - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/eg/section/main/index.html?referrer=emailarticle

Travel - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/travel/?referrer=emailarticle

Technology - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/technology/?referrer=emailarticle




Want the latest news in your inbox? Check out washingtonpost.com's e-mail newsletters:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=admin/email&referrer=emailarticle



© 2004 The Washington Post Company