''The first thing you should know," said D.B., ''is that Judy Baar Topinka, whom you've criticized, was a thorough-going professional, truly an honest broker and good soldier. In the past, conservatives like you were wrong about her.''

''The second thing you might be interested in: We could have had another Alan: Alan Dixon! Steve McGlynn [party vice chairman, from Belleville] gave us an indication that he could be available. It never came to a vote, but my personal view is that Dixon -- at age 77, doesn't show his age, not a gray hair in his head and brimming with good health -- would have been a terrific challenger. Former senator, state treasurer, secretary of state. Not taking anything away from Keyes, but Dixon would really have been an astute choice. He needn't change his pro-choice position but would vote for all of Bush's judicial nominees.

''Another thing you should know: We almost got Barthwell [Andrea Grubb Barthwell, the former deputy drug czar]. Despite the bad press she received, including the sexual harassment story and her self-confessed addiction, a good number of committee members were for her to the end. She having contributed to Daley, having come out pro-abortion and pro-gay rights didn't mean a thing to them. She made a terrific presentation. Those who voted for Barthwell on one go-round were Dillard [state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Westmont], Skip [Rep. Angelo Saviano, River Grove], Erickson [MaryAlice Erickson, Peoria], Perez [Francisco Perez, Chicago], Dorgan [John Dorgan, Rosemont] and Diekelman [Judy Diekelman, Thornton].''

What decided it for Keyes? ''Syverson [state Sen. Dave Syverson, Rockford] fought for him down to the wire. McGlynn was very influential and urged the committee to take its time, perceiving correctly that if a vote were taken too early it'd be Barthwell. Denny [U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert] and Manzullo [U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, Rockford] kept the heat on. Rauschenberger [state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, Elgin] too. Maureen [Murphy, Oak Lawn] did a great job of questioning the candidates, zeroing in on Barthwell."

What is your take on the sessions?

''I started out having a great deal of respect for Dillard, but his performance throughout the sessions and since really changed my mind. First, he grandstanded his own possible candidacy to squeeze out 15 minutes of fame. When he was asked to run, he knew he wouldn't -- but he delayed, thus soaking up all the TV and print media he could. Finally, he hung out for Barthwell until the end. With all the baggage she had, he must have known she would be a disaster. Finally, when we vote for Keyes, he does this agonized statesman act: Oh, it's such a chore to be for Keyes. But he'll face up to it -- that kind of stuff. Now he's on talk radio, running down Keyes but announcing with great drama how he'll work for him anyhow. So worried about his moderate women. Kind of a semi-liberal wuss."

Anything else?

D.B. thought for a moment.

''Some say that the vote crystallized for Keyes among some people when Gorman [Liz Gorman, Cook County commissioner] got all that good press when she indicated she was available. Some thought if she ran well she'd be first in line for governor. One unanswered question I have is where did Barthwell come from? Even Denny Hastert never heard of her. The next thing I wonder is where we got Ty Fahner [former Illinois attorney general who supposedly vetted the candidates]. When we asked whether he vetted Barthwell, he said, 'Oh, the White House had done that before she got her job.' He was plainly for Barthwell. If we got her, she'd be up there with the immortal Lynn Martin -- a liberal, or moderate as they say, who got 33 percent against Paul Simon.''

D.B. stood up, signaling the conversation had ended.

''Guess you're brokenhearted that the two Jims [Thompson and Edgar] aren't for Keyes, huh? Or that Kirk Dillard is worried about his moderate women.''

I'll bear up.

In Charlotte County there were 31 trailer parks that were destroyed to varying degrees and multiple deaths because these people were not aware of the true strength of a hurricane even though they were warned by the government. An estimated 60-70% of the people living along the coast have never been through a real hurricane and did not believe the government warnings and had a hurricane party while the unpredictable hurricane decided where she would come ashore. The hurricane won and came ashore well south of where it was predicted to come ashore and this meant that the people in Charlotte county were unprepared for what was coming.

Many of the Condos that were constructed in the area received major damage, many of the businesses were damaged, 3 hospitals suffered major damage, 7 Fire stations were destroyed, Sheriff’s office destroyed and up to 50 people were brought to Charlotte Regional Medical Center with injuries, according to hospital CEO. They also lost their power, water and telephone; both land line and cell phones.

The power companies are working day and night to restore the electricity, to the estimated 2 million customers of the area but it could take weeks to completely restore it to all of the residents in the town of Punta Gorda. The school system is saying that the schools could be back in operation in as short as 2 weeks if electricity is restored.

Many people did button up their homes and left the area just to move into the path that the hurricane truly took. This happens to many people when they are trying to get out of the way of the storm; but it follows them like a magnet.

This storm was said to be worse than the hurricane that hit in 1992, which was named Andrew and hit the homestead area.

One bight light was lit, during the hurricane; Hayley Ann Lacost was one of six babies born at North Collier Hospital on Friday, but the only one born in the middle of a hurricane. According to the Naples Daily News, “ While the storm was far from Megan’s mind, she said she had family calling her from Illinois to check in.” “They were nervous,” she said. “They were kind of freaking out, like ‘You’re in a hurricane!’” Mother and baby are doing just fine according to the North Collier Hospital.

The bad thing is that there are two more hurricanes forming in the Atlantic ready to come at these people that are banding together to start rebuilding their lives. One of them is by Jamaica heading into the southeastern Caribbean Sea and has already been named Earl with last reported winds of 75 MPH. The National Weather Service is uncertain of the direction that this hurricane will take at this time.

The other hurricane named Danielle was about 235 miles south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. It was moving west near 14 mph and projected to stay on that course and speed through Saturday. It will be about a week before either of these storms could affect the U. S. Mainland, which is good news to the weary people of Florida.

These people are in need of help to get their feet back on the ground and are in need of anything that they can get to clean up the destruction that was caused by the hurricane. The best way to help these people according to the State of Florida is to donate money to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Both of these organizations are in the area delivering aid to the people and helping them get materials to salvage what is left of their possessions.

We the people of the United States have always helped the people that needed the help and we have always given the most that we could to help them get back on their feet. Now is the time to help these fellow Americans get back up and start rebuilding their future. Please give generously to the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army to help the Americans in Florida!
May God Bless America and our troops that are in harm’s way!

Alan Keyes
Republican U.S. Senate Candidate

Location: Maggiano's Banquets, 111 West Grand Avenue
Time: 11:30 a.m. Reception, 12:00 p.m. Luncheon

Ticket Prices:
$35 - Member
$45 - Non-Member
$750 - Sponsor Table (Table of 10 Preferred Seating)

Checks should be mailed to:
City Club of Chicago
360 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 903
Chicago, IL 60601

Please call
(312) 565-6500 for additional information on each upcoming event.

==>George Smith Patton