July 19, 1995: Presidential Candidate - Alan Keyes #124; Open Lines

Presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Alan Keyes joins Art Bell for an unprecedented political interview that breaks traditional late-night radio boundaries. Keyes, seeking the Republican nomination as a conservative pro-life candidate, discusses his grassroots campaign strategy and libertarian-leaning positions on government overreach and personal freedom. The wide-ranging conversation reveals surprising nuances in Keyes' conservative philosophy, particularly regarding drug policy and federal authority. Art challenges Keyes on various issues including Bosnia policy, government spending, and his vision for American leadership, creating substantive political discourse rare in entertainment media. After the interview, the show transitions to Open Lines where callers respond to Keyes' positions and raise their own political concerns about the direction of American democracy. The episode demonstrates Art Bell's ability to conduct serious political interviews while maintaining his show's distinctive outsider perspective and commitment to exploring unconventional viewpoints. Keyes proves to be an articulate guest who engages genuinely with both Art's questions and caller concerns, providing insight into alternative conservative thinking beyond mainstream Republican politics. This political programming showcases the show's range beyond paranormal topics while maintaining its core mission of questioning accepted narratives.