June 13, 2004

RITA COSBY, HOST: A lot of speculation over who John Kerry will choose as his running mate. Republican Senator John McCain has already said no to that. Well, will it be one of his former opponents, like John Edwards or Wesley Clark? How about Hillary Clinton?

Joining us now for a look at the race for the White House is former presidential candidate, himself, Alan Keyes. And also, I want to talk with you also about the role of religion, as well. Good to see you, Ambassador.

ALAN KEYES: Glad to be here. Thank you.

COSBY: I first have to ask you, you've expressed a lot of concern about national security issues. Who do you think would supplement John Kerry best to make it a better ticket, in your opinion?

KEYES: Well, I have to express my honest opinion that with John Kerry at the head of it, it would be difficult to make it a better ticket on national security, since I think his record is one of hostility to what's required for our national security, and it would be insane to put a man with that kind of record and mentality in office when we're in the midst of one of the most insidious wars in our history.

But in order to try to lift it a bit, I would think that Edwards would be his best bet, as someone who might come across as a little less surly about our national security requirements than John Kerry has been over the course of his career.

COSBY: What about what's happening in Iraq now, too? How much do you think that's going to affect this race? We're looking at some of the--the last poll shows a lot of people have more faith in Bush when it comes to national security, but of course all eyes are on what's happening in Iraq and elsewhere.

KEYES: Well, I think a lot depends on it. I think Bush has to rely heavily on his war leadership, because it is the top priority challenge that we're faced with as nation, the War on Terror. I think how he has managed it has been a big boost for him, in terms of the perception of his leadership. I think Iraq can damage that, I think the Abu Ghraib business undermined confidence in some ways, but I also think that a proper transition to Iraqi control--which is obviously going to be under tremendous pressure in terms of what the terrorist might do, what Iran might do to try to embarrass us, but I think that that is going to have an impact. Provided they handle it competently, I think it could be a positive one.

COSBY: What role do you think religion should also have in the race? And of course now we're hearing that Bush's visit to the Vatican may be to sort of "get the Catholic vote going."

KEYES: Well, see, I really don't think it's a matter of religion, though, Rita. I think it's really a question of the right stands on the issues that have to do with the moral conscience and moral foundation of America's family, of America's political life. I think that we are obliged first as citizens to respect our moral creed, the principles of which were clearly articulated in the American Declaration that respected the right to life, and that articulated clearly our commitment to self-government, which is to say, government based upon the kind of discipline that requires decent moral character in our people.

And so, I think that those moral issues are key, I've always said so, and I think it's right to give them a top priority as we approach this election. I think that's true of political leaders, it's especially true of religious leaders--not for political reasons. I think religious leaders--Catholic, Protestant, whoever they might be--are under obligation to represent the conscience of this people before God, and that in order to do that, they should speak out boldly on those issues where we are clearly making judgments that affect right and wrong, that affect the moral decency and character of our people.

COSBY: You talk about character. I understand you've been training in the hills in Tuscany, and you've got a mission.

KEYES: [laughs]

COSBY: You're going to run a marathon.

KEYES: Well you know, some people, we're--I'm involved in the battle to try to prevent the destruction of our understanding of marriage. The promotion of same-sex marriage involves that destruction by removing procreation from the central understanding of marriage. And we're having an effort, throughout the country, organized with other leaders, to have a big march and rally in Washington in October of this year, and I'm going to run a marathon in Columbia, Missouri, on September the 6th, asking my supporters to contribute a dollar for every mile that I finish, and that money's going to go to support the rally and the financing of bringing people to Washington in support of marriage, in support of the restoration of our right to reverence God and His laws in our politics, in our public institutions, and in our policies.

COSBY: All right, and Ambassador Keyes, really quickly, you were at the National Cathedral, you worked under President Reagan. [We have] just about ten seconds. What are you going to remember about him most?

KEYES: Well, I remember most the man who made him president, the man who gave a rousing speech in support of Goldwater, who stuck undaunted to conservative principles and inspired a whole generation of conservatives after Goldwater's defeat, the man who, in a way, inspired America's conscience because he never let go of America's principles, and who won the war against the Soviet Union because he knew that the key thing was the moral difference, and the key thing that defines us as a people--it's not our wealth, it's not our military power, but the integrity of our commitment to the moral idea of human freedom and human dignity. That was Ronald Reagan, and I think that's why he proved to be the great president he did.

COSBY: Ambassador Alan Keyes, thank you. And good luck in the marathon. We're rooting for you.

KEYES: Thank you.

COSBY: Thank you.