He's the Keyes to George W.'s victory

By Matthew Alexander

Now that George W. Bush, DC '68, has secured the Republican presi dential nomination, the primary topic of political speculation is about his running mate. No sooner had Bush locked up the magic number of delegates than the morning papers ran lists of the hot vice presidential prospects. A good running mate helps shore up a candidate's base, woos swing voters, and appeals to members of the opponent's traditional coalition. Moreover, the vice president is the man groomed to succeed the president and carry on his legacy when his eight years are up.

The Washington cognoscenti have identified several potential Bush running mates, but they have overlooked the one who would do the most to help Bush win the election, and indeed, to revitalize the Republican Party: Alan Keyes. Only Keyes satisfies the criteria for a good running mate in such a potentially groundbreaking manner.

In terms of personal attributes, Keyes is more erudite than most politicians and is the finest orator in American politics today. These qualities, combined with his straightforward confidence in his beliefs, will make him a valuable presence on the stump and a formidable opponent in the debates (as he has been in the primaries).

Keyes solidifies Bush's standing with his party's conservative base. This is more critical than it might seem, because Pat Buchanan will siphon off conservative voters if he becomes the Reform Party nominee. Alan Keyes would neutralize such a threat because he shares Buchanan's nationalism and social conservatism on issues such as trade, global governance, and abortion. A more attractive advocate of these positions than Buchanan, Keyes would appeal to nationalist but centrist Perot voters also.

Keyes' broad cultural critique would connect with swing voters as well. Although the economy continues to boom and Americans are materially prosperous, many voters look at school shootings, the high incidence of divorce, and pornography on the Internet, and conclude that American culture has gone awry. Keyes' call for an holistic restoration of a well-ordered society would resonate very well with these citizens.

Catholics comprise a crucial group of swing voters that Bush will need to carry to win the election. Even though their values are much more in line with the Republican platform than with the Democratic, Catholics have historically voted for Democrats. This consideration, along with recent Republican missteps over the appointment of a new House chaplain and over appearances at Bob Jones University, have led many to believe that Bush must choose a Catholic running mate. As a prominent Catholic, Keyes would help integrate these voters permanently into the Republican coalition.

Keyes could also make a significant dent in the Democrats' base. While labor unions are historically Democratic core constituents, Keyes' trade nationalism could prove more appealing than Al Gore's globalism and environmental extremism. James Hoffa Jr., the president of the Teamsters, is a Catholic and is known to be more conservative than his predecessors were. He is a good friend of Pat Buchanan's and an admirer of Bush, and in a race among Bush, Buchanan, and Gore, the Teamsters are far from certain to endorse the Democrat. With Keyes on the Republican ticket, Hoffa and his union might very well support Bush.

Keyes would also appeal to black voters. Although blacks in general vote overwhelmingly Democratic—and, indeed, the Democrats take their votes for granted—they tend to be socially conservative. The most ardently pro-life segment of the electorate, for example, is middle-aged black women. With Alan Keyes, a former president of the historically black Alabama A&M University, as their vice presidential nominee, the Repub-licans would show black voters that voting Republican is a viable option and that the Democrats need not be their default choice. A Bush-Keyes ticket would also curtail Al Gore's ability to pander and Al Sharpton's attempts to race-bait in his behalf.

Political embarrassment and cultural decadence have marked the Clinton-Gore era, and now the American people have the chance to reverse the decline. Ronald Reagan assembled a broad-based coalition with his message of renewal, and with Keyes as his running mate, George W. Bush can do the same.

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