Jesus wouldn't vote for Obama, Keyes says
By Liam Ford and David Mendell
Tribune staff reporters
Published September 8, 2004
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes declared Tuesday that Jesus, if he were able to vote in Illinois this year, would oppose Democrat Barack Obama because of votes Obama has cast in the state Senate against anti-abortion legislation.
"Christ would not vote for Barack Obama because Barack Obama has voted to behave in a way that it is inconceivable for Christ to have behaved," Keyes said.
The comments were the latest in a series of controversial remarks made by Keyes, a conservative former talk show host and presidential candidate imported from Maryland by the state GOP after primary winner Jack Ryan dropped out of the race.
Keyes made his remarks in a news conference that he called to focus attention on a Downstate campaign speech Obama gave recently in which, according to a Carbondale newspaper, he said he didn't want to just beat the Republican in November but give him "a spanking."
"The reason I do is because he exemplifies the kind of scorched earth, slash and burn negative campaign that has become the custom in Washington, and it is the reason why we can't get anything done," Obama said, according to the Southern Illinoisan of Carbondale.
Keyes said Obama's use of the term "spanking" could evoke strong images of black adults being treated like children in the eras of slavery and Jim Crow. He declined to say whether he thought that was Obama's intent, but added, "I think it's possible that Barack Obama meant many things."
Both Keyes and Obama are African-Americans.
Keyes has sought to make opposition to abortion a central tenet of his campaign. He has repeatedly said that one reason he agreed to take on Obama was because of the Chicago Democrat's votes against a package of proposals that would have required doctors to give medical care to fetuses if they were born alive during an abortion.
The legislation, which did not pass, was targeted at a rare type of abortion procedure in which doctors induce premature labor. Obama and other opponents argued that it would have had the effect of creating restrictions on all abortions.
Keyes' assessment of Jesus' voting intent was only partial. He declined to say whether he thought Jesus would vote for him or some third party candidate if he had the chance.
"People will have to make that judgment for themselves," Keyes said.
Meanwhile, Obama on Tuesday began a two-day trip around the state to unveil a plan to give small businesses tax credits if they band together to buy health insurance for their employees.
"We need to use the power of the marketplace to give small businesses more leverage with the insurance companies to help them lower their health-care costs," Obama said.
