Michael Workman

It's a crowded evening at the downtown church, with people of all ages bunched together in the pews. They're here for a "Town Hall" meeting with Senate candidates Barack Obama and Alan Keyes. It's hard not to think of the aisle between the pews as the much-touted great divide between the two political parties, but the atmosphere's respectful and excited.

Obama comes out first and sticks to the issues: problems with public housing, the Patriot Act, voter intimidation and the need to internationalize the Middle East conflict. Then one questioner, who says he was sent to jail by "cowards in blue," butts in to ask about racial profiling and won't take anything Obama says for an answer. At one point he takes over the Town Hall meeting, screaming and shouting that Obama's a black candidate and that he has the right to ask him black questions. Obama tries to wait him out and glances over to a handler, who motions with his hands to remain silent. Church workers confront the man and eventually manage to quiet him down.

After Obama finishes, Keyes comes on. He's easygoing and breezy, even in his opening statements. Then a barrage of the usual questions kicks in and Keyes dismisses every one of them as calumny and lies. It's clear why he was the choice to replace the sexually scandalized Jack Ryan when almost every other question meets with a reply about "moral" sexual conduct and the sanctity of life in the womb. Even when asked a pointed question about why we're fighting in Iraq, Keyes manages to veer off into a discussion of the need to protect innocent life in the womb. It's a comic performance that draws unceasing laughter from the assembly. And not a single person interrupts him.

(2004-10-06)

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