Aims to inspire grassroots support for moral conservative leader
Contact: Stephen Stone, President, RenewAmerica, 801-494-1412, editor@renewamerica.us
PHILADELPHIA, June 5 /Christian Newswire/ -- An organization calling itself "We Need Alan Keyes for President" has launched a website to press the former Reagan administration diplomat to enter the field of Republican presidential contenders.
According to a statement at the website -- AlanKeyes.com -- the organization's purpose is to "determine and rally support for a presidential candidacy by Dr. Keyes."
The statement adds, "We Need Alan Keyes for President, Inc., is a political action committee . . . not managed by Alan Keyes."
The effort is spearheaded by several individuals at RenewAmerica, a grassroots organization affiliated with Keyes.
Stephen Stone, president of RenewAmerica, said, "At this point, Alan has not indicated that he will run. In fact, he has said that he would run only if enough people at the grassroots come forward to say they want him to run. Our job is to give them a chance to do so."
Added RenewAmerica's legal counsel Steven Voigt, chief of staff to the draft Keyes movement: "Alan believes that the American people, themselves, are the key to restoring the values that are essential to the future of our nation. He has therefore stressed that it's ultimately up to grassroots Americans to decide who they want in the arena. If enough moral conservatives want him, he's indicated he will run."
Stone commented, "We receive e-mails almost daily at RenewAmerica encouraging Alan to run. The writers are moral conservatives disaffected with the current candidates. These messages share a common belief that none of those running truly represents the moral conservative base of the Republican Party."
Stone cited an e-mail from a Florida Young Republican he said was typical of the messages RenewAmerica receives:
"It's time that a true conservative stepped to the plate to combat the left. No one in the field of candidates, Republican or Democrat, has more experience in the realm of foreign policy than Mr. Keyes. No one is more qualified to lead this nation in the war on terror than Mr. Keyes. No one is more qualified to lead this country in protecting the right to life than Mr. Keyes. I'm confident that he is the best candidate for the job. I really hope to see him run."
Stone noted, "We plan to show that there are literally millions of grassroots Americans who feel the same way."
"The bottom line," continued Stone, "is that a lot of people are waiting for a moral conservative leader to stand forth and represent them, and to date, no one appears to be doing so. This is not to question the integrity or credentials of several fine individuals -- mainly among the so-called 'second tier' GOP hopefuls. But moral conservatives appear to see no outstanding leader among the current candidates who energizes and inspires them."
Keyes served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations under President Ronald Reagan. Previous to that, he served as Reagan's ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council. He spent 11 years in the U.S. State Department, before being drafted to run for the U.S. Senate from Maryland in 1988. At a fundraising event for Keyes, President Reagan said the diplomat "reflects the values and bedrock principles of this great nation." Keyes also won the Maryland GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate from Maryland in 1992, defeating a primary field of 13 candidates.
Ambassador Keyes ran for president in 1996 and 2000, on a pro-life, pro-family, tax-reform plank. In 2004, he responded to a call from pro-life conservatives in the Illinois Republican Party to challenge Barack Obama for an open Senate seat, replacing Jack Ryan, who dropped out three months before the election.
In recent years, Stone said, "Keyes has stood fast in support of moral conservatives who were battling to defend traditional marriage in Massachusetts, save Terri Schiavo from judicial murder in Florida, restore protection for the unborn in South Dakota, and stop the abuse of federal judicial power against Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama."
"Keyes has also made countless appearances before moral conservative groups, championing the work of crisis pregnancy centers, encouraging the role in politics of Christian believers, and calling for the establishment of secure U.S. borders," added Voigt. "He has ceaselessly advanced the need to give top priority to restoring America's moral principles -- by observing the Constitution's protection for the life of our posterity in the womb, and by restoring respect for the procreational family, based on the union, by marriage, of one man and one woman."
Keyes also writes columns that appear at WorldNetDaily.com and RenewAmerica.us.
