For the past quarter century, no name — save that of his former boss, Ronald Reagan — has been more consistently associated with the word ?conservative? than that of David Keene. As chairman since 1984 of the American Conservative Union, he has counseled presidents, and challenged them; put issues on the agenda, shaped debates and organized the biggest annual gathering of the right.
….Keene?s taking over as president of the National Rifle Association — Charlton Heston?s old gig. Not bad for a kid from Fort Atkinson who entered the political fray as Madison?s noisiest conservative back in the 1960s.