Saying Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama was once a Mohammed Ali-like figure willing to debate any Republican rival and now is “running out of the ring” to avoid debates, GOP nominee Alan Keyes on Tuesday challenged his opponent to debate anytime, anywhere.
Claiming that Obama is trying to downplay the need for debates, Keyes said he would like to keep to a schedule of six debates that Obama proposed in June.
“When he was facing Jack Ryan, he was Abraham Lincoln. When he was facing an empty chair, possibly, he was Mohammed Ali,” said Keyes, referring to the world champion boxer’s willingness to fight all challengers. “I step into the ring, and what happens? Well, all of a sudden, he’s running out of the ring, looking for the ropes, sizing up the number of exits.”
But Obama said he is not shying away from debate opportunities. His campaign said three forums are tentatively set for October, and a fourth may be scheduled in September. Having at least three debates should give voters plenty of guidance about each candidate’s stance on the issues, Obama said.
“At this point, the schedule is getting short, and we are not going to have my schedule and the schedule of my campaign dictated by somebody who just arrived two days ago,” Obama said.
In June, Obama proposed six long-format debates with GOP candidate Jack Ryan, who has since withdrawn. Ryan had suggested having 10.
Obama said that before debates are scheduled, Keyes’ first mission should be to familiarize himself on issues that affect Illinois. Until then, it would be fruitless for the two to engage in a public discussion, Obama said.
“The guy has been here two days,” Obama said. “Why doesn’t he take some time to get to know the voters of Illinois? I have not made his lack of knowledge about the state an issue at this point.
“He himself has said that he doesn’t know his position on O’Hare yet.”
In an interview Tuesday, Keyes said he does not have a firm position on O’Hare expansion yet but has begun to study the matter. He said he wants to take into account the interests of travelers nationwide, the economic impact of O’Hare and other proposed airports, such as one in south-suburban Peotone, and the needs of people who live near O’Hare.
On another issue, Obama and Keyes came close to agreement on the re-importation of prescription drugs. Obama called on the U.S. Senate to pass legislation to allow re-importation of drugs sold in Canada, because many prescription drugs are cheaper there. Keyes said that he is open to the idea, but that because of price controls in Canada, a better way to reduce drug prices here in the long term may be to reduce what he described as “overregulation” of pharmaceutical companies in the U.S.
In his press conference Tuesday, Keyes, a longtime Maryland resident, also confirmed that he has rented the second floor of a two-flat in Calumet City to be his residence for the campaign, though he likely will find somewhere else to live if he is elected. He had not moved into the apartment yet, he said.
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Compiled from news services and edited by Patrick Olsen (polsen@tribune.com) and alBerto Trevino (atrevino@tribune.com)
