Bad Penny: Alan, Call Home!

“I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton’s willingness to go into a state she doesn’t even live in and pretend to represent people there. So, I certainly wouldn’t imitate it.” –Alan Keyes, on Fox News, 2000.

With the Republican Convention coming up, I assume we will see a number of old, familiar figures emerge that one otherwise wished would remain anonymous. In their honor, I am launching a new series called: “Bad Penny.” The phrase has various interpretations. The one I’m thinking about, however, refers to someone or something unwanted that you find very difficult to get rid of. Using the penny icon, I will highlight various conservative or right wing figures that make sudden reappearances.

My first commemorative honors Alan Keyes, who has suddenly emerged from obscurity to take on Barak Obama for Senate. It’s easy to tag him with carpetbagger status, since he lives in Maryland, and is suddenly running in Illinois. Why, you ask, would someone want to take on a candidate that seems like a shoo-in? Could it have anything to do with Keyes putting a little geographic distance between himself and his state tax problems?

(By the way, I’d be deeply indebted to the person/s who sent me a link to a video clip of Keys’ Hilary Clinton comments AND/OR Key’s awkward defense of the comments on August 8th Hannity & Combs.)