Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
There's an old cliche about former celebrities who have fallen so far out of the spotlight that they "can't even get arrested." Things have gotten almost that bad for Alan Keyes, the perpetual campaign loser who couldn't even the freaking Constitution Party to nominate him last year. He can get arrested; he just can't stay in jail.
His latest plea for attention was to go to Notre Dame and protest President Obama's commencement address so he would get arrested. He actually announced that he intended to get arrested. And he did. But then someone bailed him out and they let him go - against his will.
An unknown person, believed to be from New York, bailed former presidential candidate Alan Keyes out of jail, but the pro-life protester says he didn't want to leave.As WND reported, Keyes was arrested yesterday, along with 21 others, on charges of trespassing while he was protesting against Barack Obama's abortion record at the University of Notre Dame, which invited Obama to speak at its May 17 commencement.
Now, WND is the first news source to speak with Keyes following his release.
"It was weird, because I said, 'I don't want to leave; I didn't post any bond,'" Keyes explained. "But the police wouldn't let me stay. I asked them, 'Has anyone ever been re-arrested for resisting expulsion?' They laughed, for they had never heard anything like that. It didn't seem like the appropriate time to be engaging in civil disobedience."
Here's my favorite part of the article:
Even though Keyes won't call it "civil disobedience," he is willing to be arrested again, if that's what it takes.
What it takes....to do what, exactly? It's not like his presence there is actually going to do anything other than get him a little attention, along with his fellow protester and partner-in-obscurity, Randall Terry.
Politics
Comments
of course, asshat Keyes is still proclaiming that President Obamas wasn't born in Hawaii and apparently his suit in California, along with his fellow nutcase Orly Taitz is still alive. One has to wonder who is paying for these activities.
Posted by: SLC | May 12, 2009 10:02 AM
We may never know but it would be great if one of you *nudge, nudge* paid his bail to create this lolfest.
Posted by: Joshua White | May 12, 2009 10:02 AM
He wants to look like a martyr, and no one is cooperating. They(TM) won't suppress him even if he begs for it. What a poor baby!
Posted by: catgirl | May 12, 2009 10:13 AM
@Joshua White- Man, I would love to have been the person who bailed him out. A bond of $250 is pretty steep for someone like Keyes though. If it had been in my power, I would've set it at 5 cents.
Posted by: Imrryr | May 12, 2009 10:23 AM
What's the lowest possible bail a judge can set?
(BTW Should have released him on his own recognizance) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | May 12, 2009 10:35 AM
He's being persecuted by not being persecuted.
Posted by: Ericb | May 12, 2009 10:42 AM
Wouldn't be surprised if the other inmates held a collection and scraped the bail for Keynes together - I mean, you gotta have some standards with whom you do time.
Posted by: Phillip IV | May 12, 2009 10:57 AM
Have to start calling him "Mr. Cellophane" - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | May 12, 2009 11:02 AM
Obama's abortion record? Um...isn't the guy like...0 for 2?
Posted by: Kate | May 12, 2009 11:03 AM
IMO, the police were very rude to Mr. Keyes for springing him before he could finish his "Letter From South Bend Jail."
Such a complete lack of consideration is very uncouth.
Posted by: CHV | May 12, 2009 11:09 AM
Do you really think that Keyes has enough self-awareness to qualify?
Posted by: natural cynic | May 12, 2009 11:10 AM
Maybe he can do a stint on The Surreal Life or something. I'd watch it.
Posted by: Ace of Sevens | May 12, 2009 11:13 AM
"Help, help!!! I'm not being repressed!!!"
"Bloody has-been!!!"
Posted by: FBI Regional Bureau Chief GORDON COLE!!! | May 12, 2009 12:04 PM
What it takes....to do what, exactly? It's not like his presence there is actually going to do anything other than get him a little attention, along with his fellow protester and partner-in-obscurity, Randall Terry.
I suspect that Keyes, Terry, and their ilk truly believe that if they only pray hard enough or act sufficiently "righteous," god will somehow obliterate all abortion and reproductive choice.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | May 12, 2009 12:06 PM
Maybe the next time he gets arrested, Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin, and Miss California can rescue him from prison, Watchmen-style. Then they can set up a squad of buffoonish, braindead superhero vigilantes.
Posted by: Chuck | May 12, 2009 12:26 PM
"Now, WND is the first news source..."
"Worldnutdaily" and "news source" are two expressions that simply do not belong in the same sentence (unless perhaps separated by the word "not")...
Posted by: Bill Snedden | May 12, 2009 12:41 PM
Alan Keyes: Living proof they'll give a PhD to anyone these days.
Posted by: Jeff Eyges | May 12, 2009 12:52 PM
Despite the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" reference, this actually reminds me more of Resistance to Civil Government. Of course, Henry David Thoreau (whatever your opinion of him) was a far greater man than Keyes, protesting far greater causes, but the part about being bailed out against one's wishes is at least superficially similar to Thoreau's protest, which inspired MLK and Gandhi to do their own kinds of civil disobedience.
Posted by: GB | May 12, 2009 1:20 PM
Keye's should have been our first black president.
O-ne
B-ig
A-ss
M-istake
A-merica
Posted by: Terk | May 12, 2009 4:53 PM
You got that one right, Terk! I would have voted for Keyes, but you couldn't have paid me top dollar to vote for the jack-ass we have in the White House right now!
Posted by: juju | May 12, 2009 5:42 PM
Terk/juju:
What is it about Keyes that makes you think he has the anywhere close to the governing ability and intellectual prowess that President Obama has? Also, impressive that you've managed to grade the Obama presidency just 4 months in
Sorry, I just have this thing about getting the last word...
Posted by: Sean Michael | May 12, 2009 6:32 PM
Brilliant, Chuck! Then they could turn it into a giant summer blockbuster. Oh, but they'd have to all wear pants. *shudder*
Posted by: JustaTech | May 12, 2009 6:51 PM
What person represents the lowest common denominator as a politician?...You guessed it. Alan Keyes.
Posted by: MacDaddy | May 12, 2009 10:40 PM
Why do I find it so amusing that the Keyes supporting troll thinks Keyes is spelled Keye's? I know that people who only finished whatever grade it is you learn to do those acronyms of people's names (like the brilliant Obama one posted) may not understand the different between plural and possessive, but Keyes is a proper noun! It's neither plural nor possessive, it just happens to have an S! (Tricky!) And, it's someone that the troll is supposedly supporting for president. You think his research into the candidate may have started with how to spell his name.
Terk the troll, I would be must more convinced by a collage or a diamante poem about how Obama sucks. Please report back.
Posted by: MomTFH | May 13, 2009 8:44 AM
Boy you people are nasty. Where's your tolerance?
Dr. Keyes is standing up for something he believes in heart and soul - the life of the unborn. That's more than can be said for people like you who've nothing better to do than slam people standing strong for their beliefs - that's his right and being mean and hateful isn't going to change that.
Furthermore, you may not like him, that's your business, but what have you against those innocent lives he's looking to save?
Shame on the lot of you.
Posted by: Jj | May 13, 2009 11:20 PM
Where's your tolerance?
Where's your brain?
Right, we should ignore every stupid or insane thing he says because he's pro-life. That's the ONLY issue that matters to you people, isn't it?
Although, I suppose that someone who refers to him as "Dr. Keyes" isn't capable of perceiving what an idiot he is.
(By the way - have you ever considered that, according to your belief system, abortion is a one-way ticket to heaven? If those babies were carried to term and lived full lives, they'd almost certainly end up in hell.)
Posted by: Jeff Eyges | May 14, 2009 7:00 AM
Jj, the issue (for me, at least) is that I don't think a zygote is the moral equivalent of a child. Not that I "have [something] against those innocent lives". Please update your internal model of the opposition accordingly.
And I'll start being nicer when you start being smarter.
Posted by: Escuerd | May 14, 2009 9:12 AM
Posted by: llewelly | May 15, 2009 7:24 PM