"George Bush can't do it," Keyes said at the Oklahoma Capitol before a speech at the Christian Heritage Academy in Del City. "I've watched him and he can't do it."

Bush opposes abortion, but would make exceptions in cases of rape and incest or to protect the life of a pregnant woman. Gore supports abortion rights.

"So when he stands toe to toe with Al Gore ... he will come off looking second best because he doesn't know how to make the case, properly and effectively. And so we'll lose," said Keyes.

Keyes, a former Reagan administration official, said he did not take as a personal rebuke the fact that he had not received more votes so far during the primary process.

One reason he said he will not drop out of the race is that he wants to break the mentality of Republicans going into the voting booth "to be a rubber stamp."

"It's sickening, but if people want to go on with it, to go into the voting booth and continue this garbage, it's no reflection on me," said Keyes, who has campaigned strongly in opposition to legalized abortion, gay rights and for prayer in schools.

He said he was presenting a message and if voters did not accept it, "you make a judgment against yourself and against America."