He also wants to make early childhoodeducation, after-school programs and adulteducation priorities.

While Keane's political sensibilities aregrounded in his former incarnation as aentrepreneur, he rejected the idea that skills inbusiness necessarily translate to the politicalarena.

Keane said that most businesses arehierarchical, whereas politicians must compromiseand bargain with one other.

However, Keane said his business experience hastaught him accountability and given him thecontext behind social issues.

For Keane, business also provides a fallback ifhe does not take office, or should lose a publicoffice in the future.

Keane said this security allows him to takerisks and maintain his values as a politician.

"The point of leadership is to be ahead of thecurve, not behind the curve," Keane said.

Keane's articulation of the issues impressedsome of the audience members, who were nearly allmale.

"I think what he's saying about education beingthe root of all social problems is true," DanielL. Cohen '97 said.

Yet, for others, Keane's concepts seemed toosimple.

"I'm sort of skeptical at a fundamental levelabout how much government can affect some of theseinnate social problems," Daniel C. Burfoot '99said.

While an undergraduate at Harvard, Keaneconcentrated in government, was president of theHarvard-Radcliffe Democrats and was a member ofthe IOP.

Keane said Harvard had "a significant impact"on his political development