Why Alan Keyes?

I've got a call in with the Des Moines Register's spokeswoman to figure out what the deal was with Alan Keyes being included, but I imagine she's swamped. We'll see if I hear back.

The criteria, according to MSNBC, include:

1) an FEC statement of candidacy; 2) having an Iowa campaign staffer and Iowa campaign office as of October 1; and 3) registering at least at 1% in the October Des Moines Register poll.

Alan Keyes put out a press release that he'd accepted the invitation on November 21:

"I pray God that my participation in the debate will vindicate their good will."

It didn't.

According to this October Des Moines Register story, Alan Keyes was indeed polling at 2 percent in Iowa:

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado follows on McCain’s heels at 5 percent in the Register’s scientific poll. Texas Rep. Ron Paul is at 4 percent, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and new candidate Alan Keyes are tied at 2 percent and California Rep. Duncan Hunter gets 1 percent.

He did finish well in 2000...