The Illinois GOP is continuing their fervent search for a competitor to Barack Obama. At post time, they have not yet considered my suggestion that they consider Chitown institution Bozo, but give them time.

Meanwhile, the latest desperate plan from the Illinois GOP is to convince one-time presidential candidate and two-time senatorial candidate Alan Keyes to move from Maryland to Illinois and run against Barack Obama: "GOP wooing Keyes to take on Obama". Not a bad plan, but wouldn't the second place finisher in the primary be a more natural choice? He does, after all, already live in Illinois and the GOP would be spared relocation expenses. Oh, I forgot. Jim Oberweis is against illegal immigration, and that just won't do.

Just in case, this is what Alan Keyes said back in 1996:

We should enforce the immigration laws. I support Prop 187 style legislation to enforce the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. I also support revamping the immigration laws to put more emphasis on allowing people in who have economic skills and are committed to eventual citizenship. I do not support a ban on immigration however, and in this I disagree with people like Pat Buchanan. America represents a hope for people all over the world, and we should not slam the door of that hope in the face of people today. Regulate the flow of immigrants to protect our quality of life and cultural cohesion, but don't ban it, which I believe is against the tradition of the country.

Not that bad of a position, as long as he still holds it and is able to fit that position in with the cheap-labor-lobby-supporting GOP "leadership."

However, for a cautionary tale, try to guess who said the following quote from 2000:

"America is a nation of immigrants; legal immigration is good for America and for those who come here seeking freedom and opportunity. As Governor of a border state, I know firsthand the great richness and benefits that legal immigrants with different cultures, history and traditions bring to America. I support increasing the number of H-1B visas to help meet America's need for more high-tech workers, and I support expanding the H-2A temporary agricultural workers program so that willing workers can help meet America's labor needs. I oppose illegal immigration. The federal government must improve its enforcement of our borders."

That quote isn't from Keyes. It's from George W. Bush, and we know how that worked out.

So, Keyes wouldn't be that bad as long as he holds the same position as before and he's able to avoid being corrupted by the GOP "leadership."

UPDATE: "Illinois GOP Asks Keyes To Run For Senate". He won't decide until Sunday, August 9th. And, there's that little matter of getting money out of the GOP.