Keyes Draws The Pro-Life Line

Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush swept the final presidential primaries earlier this week - a mere formality to earning their respective party nominations - but this hasn't stopped conservative Republican Alan Keyes from pressing on with what many call his quixotic White House bid.

CBS News caught up with him in Washington Friday, where Keyes - whose campaign high-point came back in February, when he finished third in the Iowa caucuses - was inspired to do a little mosh-pit celebrating.

"The most important thing that I have been trying to do is keep before the people what is the critical issue in the fall," Keyes said Friday. "It's the moral challenge the nation faces epitomized by years of betrayal during the Clinton administration. The Republicans face an uphill battle in the fall given the fact that we have a strong economy. But we can win the election if the American people go into the voting (understanding) the need to clean house."

Asked why - even though he stands no mathematical chance of winning - Keyes remains in the White House race, he said:

"My involvement in the race never had anything to do with polls and the people who supported me worked to put my name on the ballot did so because they wanted to make sure a message of moral renewal was out there."

Keyes was then asked whether, if George W. Bush picked a pro-choice running mate such as Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, as many have speculated, he could get in line behind the GOP ticket.

"I won't support it," Keyes said. "I will leave the Republican party and so will millions of others."