February 4, 2004

In a Feb. 4th appearance on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Dr. Alan Keyes said that Democrat contenders for the presidency "don't have much of a grasp of the real situation" America faces in national security.

Said Dr. Keyes of John Kerry, John Edwards, and Wesley Clark, "I think that when you look [at their statements], there has been a record of hostility, not to say contempt, for the requirements of our national security, for the military and what's involved in sustaining it--especially, by the way, for our national intelligence apparatus, where they seem to be more afraid of rogue American actions than they were of the rogues who are trying to kill and destroy us."

"You've got to be kidding that they would come forward now and suggest that they should replace G. W. Bush," Dr. Keyes added.

When challenged by co-host Alan Colmes for his characterization of Democrat incompetence on national security issues--even told by Colmes that he was "lying"--Dr. Keyes, a former assistant Secretary of State, responded:

"Two things. First of all, I am not lying about this. I was present during the Reagan years, when we followed after Carter and his disastrous destruction of America's national intelligence capabilities. I watched as Clinton followed in the same path, preparing the terrible disaster that we faced then on 9/11.

Keyes continued, "It's not to say that there's not blame to be spread around, but, excuse me, the Democrats do not have a record that, on this subject, would lead one to trust them to the kind of consistency and aggressiveness that's needed to defend our very lives in the midst of a war.

"And I think," said Keyes, "that part of the reason right now things haven't consolidated [is that] people always pay half attention right now. There's only a contest on the Democrats' side. It gets most of the attention. I think that the Republicans haven't yet begun to fight this election. Once the Democrat nominee is clear, we will, and then I think it's really not going to be a contest."

To read other comments by Dr. Keyes from the program regarding national security, domestic policy, and the 2004 election, see the transcript of the show.