Showdown: RNC chair voting now underway; Update: Steele wins!
posted at 12:52 pm on January 30, 2009 by Allahpundit
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You can watch live online on C-SPAN or follow along with the running updates at Hotline or Campaign Spot. First man to 85 wins. The bad news: After one round of balloting, current chairman Mike Duncan leads. The good news: Some people thought he’d start off in the neighborhood of 70 votes, with a possible clinch on the second or third ballot. Instead he’s stuck at 52, just six votes ahead of Michael Steele. Ken Blackwell, who I thought would end up the favorite, is dead last with 20. Stand by for updates.
Katon Dawson’s third at the moment, but third-place finishers in the first round have gone on to win before. Here’s tomorrow’s headline today if he somehow manages to pull it out.
Update: Is the man of Steele about to shock the world? 48-48 after the second round.
Update: Steele 51, Duncan 44 after the third round. A money quote: “It’s a diverse party. We’re tired of being labeled as white supremacists.” Ambinder thinks Anuzis will make a deal with Steele, which would means 24 more votes for a total of 75, but I read somewhere else that Duncan and Dawson, the southerners, might make a deal of their own. That would mean 78 votes combined. Which would also mean Ken Blackwell, with 15, would get to play kingmaker.
Update: Duncan feels the “winds of change” blowing and calls it day. That leave 40+ votes in play. I’ve got a bad feeling that most are going to shift to Dawson and we’re going to see those headlines tomorrow after all…
Update: I can’t believe they’re going to elect a guy who has a whites only club in his past. After four, with Duncan’s votes now split, it’s Dawson 62, Steele 60. Anuzis has 31 and could put either of them over the top if he makes a deal.
Update: Blackwell says goodbye, and reportedly endorses Steele. If all 15 of his votes swing that way, Steele has 75, within 10 of clinching. Anuzis is the kingmaker now.
Update: Here’s what Blackwell said about Steele. Think he’s worried about the racial implications of Dawson defeating Iron Mike?
“I cannot change the composition of this electorate [pause for laughs] nore would I want to,” Blackwell said.
But he added, Republicans must “unleash a new birth of freedom” He said, Republicans need a candidate who “must inspire hope,” “have leadership ability and a “vision to pull us together and … Americans together” …
“That is why I put my fullest support behind Michael Steele.”
Might not be good enough. Blackwell’s supporters are hardcore conservatives, and Steele has a reputation (mostly unfairly) as a centrist.
Update: The fifth round is history and Blackwell’s supporters seem to have listened to him: Steele 79, Dawson 69, Anuzis 20. Your move, Saul.
Update: Anuzis is out, without an endorsement. Can Steele pull six votes from his pile? It’s all down to this.
Update: No word yet on the final tally but the man of Steele is the new leader of the party. He’s speaking now; we’ll have video soon. Let the racist “progressive” photoshops begin!
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Good move.
Does this mean rush is # 2?
getalife on January 30, 2009 at 4:44 PM
And he likes puppies!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wjJyMDUH0
Look. Michael Steele is not perfect but I think he’s got a lot of the right stuff. Especially once Blackwell dropped out…
And I understand the concerns of a lot of people here regarding some of the social positions he’s taken. But look at Howard Dean — did all the voters he helped to register and get to vote for his candidates share the same far left loony ideals that he did? I daresay they didn’t.
gippergal1984 on January 30, 2009 at 4:44 PM
quote from new WaPo article
Expect to see a lot of this
Sugarbuzz on January 30, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Well spake, technopeasant.
JudetheFossil on January 30, 2009 at 4:45 PM
It’s not about his skin color. Steele has been on many conservative programs, discussing the issues, for the past year or two. He always comes across as level-headed, personable, and intelligent.
THAT’S why he’s popular among the GOP. I don’t believe anyone here cares that he’s black – other than the fact that it will – and is – drive the left nuts with their gossip and banter.
jrlingreenbay on January 30, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Given the Kos-Kids-like posts here and on other sites after Steele won the GOP Chairmanship, methinks they are afraid, very afraid.
Ten days into the Obama Administration and the hub-caps are already coming off the wheels of the Obama bus.
All the childish and churlish comments by the Left isn’t going to change that fact one iota.
coldwarrior on January 30, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Now We is RIGHT!
Badger40 on January 30, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Would all of you, so inclined, please drop the “slave blood” stupidity, for good, forever.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Ha. Liz Sidoti fairly spits in this AP article:
LoL
Interesting that Steele is “black”, not African-American. Probably that’s because Steele actually IS an African-American, not a fake one like that half-white guy in the White House that Ms. Sidoti keeps slobbering over.
rockmom on January 30, 2009 at 4:46 PM
YES. The GOP is
BACKBLACKApologetic California on January 30, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Steelers Weekend
Wade on January 30, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Oh how they DO try to rationalize!
Facts are facts and when you try to rationalize them you start looking like a ….DEMOCRAT.
nelsonknows on January 30, 2009 at 4:47 PM
I realize he’s not the best. But he has plenty of followers, and will be ruthless. I fear that the socons will be taken in by him again, and then fiscal conservatism would be permanently dead (it is DNR right now).
xyzzy on January 30, 2009 at 4:47 PM
A great day for Republicans. A great day for Americans.
hawkdriver on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
No way! He’s from my turf and I love what he has done in a very blue state (Extra points for replacing a Kennedy as Lt. Governor). He has never traded on race, only ideas. I’ve seen him on the national talk show, and he can convey conservative ideas in a way our more recent leaders have failed to do (and I’m not talking clean and articulate in that Plug’s kind of way).
Laura in Maryland on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
We’ll see. I’m happy to be wrong, but:
He’s been part of the RNC for years now and what has he done there? Anything?
Has he shown any ability to organize and do grassroots?
Being on a radio show or Fox now and again is nice, but that’s not what his job is. Dean was never out there like that, he was organizing and getting people on their team.
The only thing I remember about Steele is when they threw cookies at him during his election. Beyond that? I know Ed did a post about some free widget he put on some site and everyone here went ga-ga. Over a free widget. Come on.
And looking at his record, he’s no fiscal conservative. So we get more of the same. Bush/Huck are the natural evolution of social-con thinking; social cons just can’t accept it, yet.
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Here’s my advice to Michael Steele:
Become as outspoken and in your face as Howard Dean and the rest of the PR savvy Left Wing..of course with the Conservative message.
Let the Conservative movement comeback begin!
smartsy on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Alright, I’m glad we’re on the same page. By the way you were writing I could tell that we were not far apart.
Zetterson on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Nice quotes from DU…
Ummmmm, what? Doesn’t this describe the Dumbocrat party?
Stay classy, nutroots.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on January 30, 2009 at 4:49 PM
A great day for Republicans. A great day for Americans.
hawkdriver on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Reverends Jackson and Sharpton are on Suicide Watch.
kingsjester on January 30, 2009 at 4:49 PM
technopeasant on January 30, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Well said. I would like to see the party return to fiscal conservatism. It’s common sense and very necessary if we’re going to keep this country strong and vital.
Cody1991 on January 30, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Please give this concept of who is and who isn’t a “real” “African American” a rest, as it was a (stupid) concept that was made up solely to oppose Obama.
baldilocks on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Michelle did too. I remember she interviewed him as well, for a Vent I think, back when we still had those.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Steele will turn into a RINO, if he already isn’t one. Politically he has no chance to go anywhere. Southerners won’t like him because he’s black and the north won’t like him because he’s GOP.
keep the change on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
There is reason to be optimistic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yQHO0C0SEc
diogenes on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Michael Steele is black? !!!!!! :-0
Seriously, Lorien is being more than unfair. He/she is a racist because the implication is that Republicans couldn’t possibly support a well-spoken conservative Republican for his positions on the issues. Steele is a good choice no matter what the racists are suggesting about his election.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Michael Steele must not take any crap from the MSM nor should he stay away from a fight. Take it to the liberal socialists and make them look like the fools that they are.
jencab on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Where do I sign up?? Wanna knock over some folks here. From Pennsylvania, die hard Steelers Super Bowl win!! I have my Bible here and can plow away lefties ;-D damn snow…thanx a lot to the Goracle!
ProudPalinFan on January 30, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Fire melts steel?
Yah, well, Steele melts only when it gets up to 2700 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kokonut on January 30, 2009 at 4:52 PM
That took all of 5 minutes ;)
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 4:52 PM
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Relax. He’ll have the media’s support, like only one other “first black”, you’ll see. They’ll promote him, like they did the big O.
I like his disarmingly sunny smile. Personality is big these days, and one needs to be faught with another. This is no longer the American Idol time, this is The World Idol era, and the RNC just got with it.
Those moping from the right, and crying from the left, it’s just proof that this is the right move.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 4:53 PM
I guess the chairman of GOPAC, espousing conservative viewpoint in the media, and L. Governor of Maryland is a light resume?
Theworldisnotenough on January 30, 2009 at 4:53 PM
^^^ what she said! Laura, what part or Merlin are you in? Western Fredneck county here…
Red State State of Mind on January 30, 2009 at 4:54 PM
This is a great day, both for Chairman Steele and for the Republican Party.
If the left tries giving him the Clarence Thomas treatment . . . its on, baby.
Ryan Gandy on January 30, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Beats me, but then I don’t know what anyone else has done there either, including the man who just left the position.
When he ran, he certainly did. He was able to sway many Democrats to his side and gave the Democrat a run for his money in a place where he shouldn’t have had a shot.
As a social con, I completely disagree. It’s not effective to push morals through the government. Any social con should see this without a problem.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 4:55 PM
lorien is not a racist. lorien is not a racist. lorien is not a racist.
p.s. lorien is a sexist, in the abstract sense of the word, that is he’d do anything feminine, unless I see a protest from lorien to the contrary.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 4:55 PM
keep the change on January 30, 2009 at 4:50 PM
You sound like you you were born before the American Civil War. Believe it or not many famous black athletes and celebrities live in the South and many conservatives in the North, unlike the ‘identity politicians of the Left’ look at Michael Steele as first a conservative and secondly an articulate spokesman of GOP principle and policy. It has nothing to do with his skin color but everything to do with his message and the ability to get his message across.
technopeasant on January 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Somebody tune in to Hardball – how long til ‘Tingle-legs’ questions if this is a token appointment?
jrlingreenbay on January 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Let’s not forget he’s been part of the RNC for years now. And apparently been doing a bang-up job as well. Judging from recent elections :/
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Give Michael Steele a chance to show up. He is sooooooo much better at communicating the RNC message than ANYONE in recent memory. Imagine the yawns and shrugs if any of the others had been elected as chairman. This guy is witty and disarming. He makes his point with a smile. I love to watch him banter with the lefties.
DrStock on January 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Sorry if I did not make my point properly. I was trying to say that by using the word “black” and not “African American” to describe Michael Steele, SHE was doing the dividing, and deliberately trying to put Steele on a lower plane than Obama. I thought nobody actually used the word “black” anymore, especially as a noun in the manner Ms. Sidoti does in this article.
rockmom on January 30, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Let’ hope while he gets some msm attention , he can bring to light the scope of the shitsandwich that the administration is trying to shove down our throats.
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on January 30, 2009 at 4:57 PM
ArmyAunt on January 30, 2009 at 4:28 PM
This magic negro crap again?
I’mma give them a piece of my minds . . .
Ryan Gandy on January 30, 2009 at 4:57 PM
This, from an Andrew McCarthy piece today, doesn’t fill me with high expectations:
I’ll give him a chance, but for some reason, The Who keeps coming to my mind:
“Meet the new boss…”
rvastar on January 30, 2009 at 4:58 PM
I would take this one more step. Long past time to drop the hyphenated separatist’s names. What do you think baldilocks, who happens to be a beautiful American woman?
Wade on January 30, 2009 at 4:58 PM
No, he hasn’t. He has never been a member of the RNC. He was Maryland Republican Chairman, and built that state’s party to the point where he and Bob Ehrlich were elected. Most recently he has been chairman of GOPAC.
rockmom on January 30, 2009 at 4:58 PM
No, he’s not a racist. No reason to go there, that’s just as unfair.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 4:59 PM
All these brave assurances about how Steele’s really a conservative.
Anyone who’s a member on the board of Christie Todd Whitman’s “Republican Leadership Committee,” doesn’t sound like a conservative to me.
What has become of the Republican Party, when uber-libs like the execrable Christie Todd Whitman run committees like the “Republican Leadership Committee?!”
clark smith on January 30, 2009 at 4:59 PM
I see it used all the time–in the online world and the real world.
But I get your point.
baldilocks on January 30, 2009 at 4:59 PM
I note that you aren’t denying the suggestion that you are a racist for declaring that Steele’s only qualification is genetic. Sorry, but Steele is all the more legitimate because of naysayers like you ignoring his record and concentrating on pigmentation.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 4:59 PM
double amen to that. Enough with the “slave blood” and “mulatto” stuff, too.
okonkolo on January 30, 2009 at 5:00 PM
I’s suggest getting rid of all the – American anything, as we’re all one now and the hyphenation is ridiculous. Obama won. Steele won. Let’s all move on now.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 5:00 PM
+9000
xyzzy on January 30, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Awesome.
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 5:01 PM
I have seen Michael Steele make many a liberal socialist look like a fool. This guy can get the job done with reasoned argument and humor.
DrStock on January 30, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Are you two drinking the same, whatever? – The Race Card (just ribbing you, TRC)
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Thanks, hon, but I always use the term ‘black’ when describing black people of whatever nationality and never use “African American.”
The only “African Americans” are naturalized Americans from that continent and in that case, one would probably use ‘Libya-American’ or ‘Nigerian-American,’ etc.
baldilocks on January 30, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Actually, high, lorien has been doing nothing but mentioning Steele’s record. He’s not the enemy here.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Would Michael Steele have been elected if Rush Limbaugh had not been called out by Obama and thus front and centre this week that led to not one Republican house member supporting the stimulus bill? Did the euphoria of these two events and Sarah Palin forming a PAC cause the party elite to become bolder in their selection of a new chairman than they had planned to be. We will never know but I am a firm believer nothing worthwhile happens in a vacuum.
technopeasant on January 30, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Lorien made the statement that the only reason Steele was elected was because he’s black. That’s racist.
The fact of the matter is that Steele is a pretty good compromise candidate who has experience in treading the waters between rat bastard RINOS and social/evangelical conservatives. Maryland is the perfect training ground for what is needed to get the GOP back to rights (less McCain more Romney) without going to extremes of throwing all the RINO bastards out as they so richly deserve.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I’m strictly talking about his record. I just don’t see anything here that gives me hope. He seems like a softy, given the previous quote someone posted.
That you so quickly slip into the “your a racist” strawman tells me you have no clue what the guy believes in.
I’m happy that Steele won over the guy who went to the white’s only club or whatever. But if that’s the standard of excellence this party is reduced to, then it’s gonna be a long and painful few years.
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 5:07 PM
So are we going conservative or moderate? Talk to us Mike, I want to know if I need to sign on with a cuckoo third party or not. You won’t have to knock me over, I will leave quietly…. and take my beliefs and my checkbook with me.
Good luck.
JeffinOrlando on January 30, 2009 at 5:07 PM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/30/michael-steele-rnc-chairm_n_162589.html
As expected the left is attack Steele as a ‘house negro’ and ‘uncle tom’.
lavell12 on January 30, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Yes!! Congratulations Michael Steele!! I’m so excited, this is a great man, and he’ll do wonders for the Republican party.
Richard Romano on January 30, 2009 at 5:08 PM
First of all, Bush’s approval numbers didn’t tank because of his social conservatism.
To use Huck to typify all potential social con politicians is just silly.
clark smith on January 30, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Don’t know whether this is true or not but assuming that it is: why not elect Blackwell?
Racist of lorien to think this or racist of the RNC?
baldilocks on January 30, 2009 at 5:08 PM
I’ve never seen the word “token” so many times on a political forum…
KingGold on January 30, 2009 at 5:09 PM
highhopes, get off yer rope.
lorien is not a racist. lorien is not a racist. lorien is not a racist.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 5:09 PM
At least misquote me accurately. Would ya? I said people support him (almost knee-jerkedly it seems) because he is black. No one talks about what he believes or stands for.
He’s just Huckabee with a different skin tone. Face it. I linked to his record and pointed out things I don’t think.
This blog feels the same way, too. Next to 0 coverage on the election for a month or so. The excitement for Steele is under-whelming.
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Then why did he bring up skin color at all? It’s something the left does (and far better than the right).
I’m all for a debate about Steele’s record and where it puts him ideologically but Lorien was the one who made it about race when he suggested that Steele’s only qualification for the job was genetic. Fact of the matter is that Steele is qualified with a far more impressive record of public service than the filthy bastard who just won the Presidency and certainly more qualified than some of the idiots that have held the job in the past.
I wasn’t the one that “went there” by pointing out racism. Lorien was the one that “went there” by straying from Steele’s position on the issues.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 5:10 PM
I do as well. One can be African and be white. Plus, the AP Stylebook I have (which may be outdated as it’s from 2004), uses black as the preferred term.
Not if it’s true. Haven’t we made that same argument about Obama? He believes it’s true, and I’m sad that he does. But that doesn’t mean he’s a racist for believing there’s no other reason to vote for him. It just means he could find no better reason to vote for Steele, the same many of us felt about Obama.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 5:10 PM
highhopes, you come across, today, as irritating as benny et co.
Schadenfreude on January 30, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Same guy that did this?:
http://centerblue.org/2006/09/23/md-sen-republicans-anonymous-steele-campaigns-as-a-democrat/
getalife on January 30, 2009 at 5:11 PM
They tanked because Bush put those beliefs into action. Big government programs to fix what his “compassionate conservativism” saw as problems. Why is it hard for your social cons to accept? If you didn’t want government to fix your social con societal ills, you’d be libertarians.
lorien1973 on January 30, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Dammit, not able to post for 24 hours. Not like that’s a loss or anything.
Too bad, I’m sure I’ll be able to recall what I was thinking of after some Dem opens his mouth tonight on CNN.
Ryan Gandy on January 30, 2009 at 5:11 PM
People that I know here in Maryland that supported Steele didn’t do so due to his ethnicity.
Red State State of Mind on January 30, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Skin color can be brought up without the person bringing it up being a racist. Don’t fall into tthis Liberal/Leftist trap.
baldilocks on January 30, 2009 at 5:12 PM
True, now that Blago was booted out of office, ‘token’ has overtaken ‘taint’ as the most popular “T” word in current political discourse.
Red State State of Mind on January 30, 2009 at 5:13 PM
A play off of the “Reagan Democrat” signs people used in the early 80s, meaning a Democrat, voting for Reagan.
Esthier on January 30, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Already the trolls are trying to marginalize Steele because of his skin color and his conservative credentials. Look when McCain was nominated we knew he was a RINO but the majority of primary voters thought a RINO could save the WH. Steele is not a RINO: he is a conservative. As I have mentioned earlier 20% of the GOP is probably more conservative than Steele is and 20% is more moderate than Steele is. But of the 60% remaining Steele fits in very well. This group believes in principle but just as important believe the goal of politics is to win elections. I predict the each of the 20% groups will find something to like about Steele, though they will not agree with him on everything. This is where Sarah Palin comes in. If she is nominated as the GOP standard-bearer i believe she can help bring in the other 40%.
technopeasant on January 30, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Its Happy Hour again…everybody drink!
Cheers for Steele!
ornery_independent on January 30, 2009 at 5:15 PM
I hope you keep posting this until it sinks in deeper. Expecting the leader of the Republican party to be ultra conservative is not the way to win back majority status. If there were a bell curve of Republicans thatshowed their key principles, Steele would be right of the center line, but not way out on the far right. If the kos/huffpo folks are going crazy and trying to marginalize him, take that as a good sign.
Red State State of Mind on January 30, 2009 at 5:18 PM
The dems are stocking up on Oreo’s…
right2bright on January 30, 2009 at 5:18 PM
When’s Steele vs. Kaine, Round One?
Christien on January 30, 2009 at 5:21 PM
If the LIBs are stocking up, maybe Chairman Steele’s opening line can be ” Hi, I’m MIchael Steele. EAT ME! “
Red State State of Mind on January 30, 2009 at 5:21 PM
The dems are stocking up on Oreo’s…
right2bright on January 30, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Of course. Food fights are their specialty. :)
Cody1991 on January 30, 2009 at 5:22 PM
It would be effective if social cons were not diminishing in number. If they were the majority, then they could push us to the theocracy that logically would take place.
i.e. Huck.
xyzzy on January 30, 2009 at 5:23 PM
For those fools who think Steele was elected because he was black…so what, you are wrong, but let’s say you are right.
He is also accomplished, and he knows a segment of the voters the Republicans would like to reach.
If a short, fat, sweaty, bald man ran I would say no, if a tall pimply faced,pasty man ran I would say no…
We want someone who represents us, Steele is strong looking, a great speaker, accomplished, intelligent, and he is black…all pluses in my book. Nothing wrong for the deciding point to be something as superficial as his skin color, the sound of his voice (remember Kennedy, everyone began talking like him), the fact is, visual is as important as his “innards”, it is a package…and he is a great package. (please no “package” jokes, except from Baldi, she may like his package).
right2bright on January 30, 2009 at 5:25 PM
As near as I can tell from my research, Chairman Steele is not a liberal, more conservative than moderate, very articulate, bright and personable. He has an inspiring “life story.” He is a practicing Roman Catholic, and does not seem to be a “cafeteria Catholic,” picking and choosing which beliefs to follow. So, this seem like a very good choice. I hope he is very successful.
Loxodonta on January 30, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Foreign policy fatigue dumped Bush’s numbers, not his stance on stem cells, abortion, or family values.
clark smith on January 30, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Do you know what the real minus of Steele is?
He lost his father, his mother was a widow, a democrat, and wouldn’t take government assistance…that is heresy in the liberals book, she worked long hours, short of money, but refused to be on the government dole.
I’m tell’in you, what has this world come to…imagine, a black widowed women be’in self sufficient.
We can’t have this, this is just plain wrong!!!
The left will not tolerate this…
right2bright on January 30, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Ok, now that’s just plain asinine.
clark smith on January 30, 2009 at 5:35 PM
The left hates nothing more than a woman or black person who isn’t a liberal like them. They believe that these people are some how disloyal if the are conservative. Look at the attacks on Palin and now Steele. They attack what they don’t know either.
lavell12 on January 30, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Oh, wow. No.
xyzzy on January 30, 2009 at 5:41 PM
The only ones I’ve encountered that support Steele as the GOP’s response to the filthy bastard in the White House are the same ones that foisted McCain on us as the only “electable” candidate. These people are morons and not worth debating.
I also disagree that “no one” is talking about what he believes or stands for. Nevertheless, let’s be clear here. The RNC Chairman’s job isn’t about what Steele personally believes or stands for. It’s a political job and Steele will be more involved in getting the GOP message out there and crafting strategy than opining on what he personally believes about embryonic stem cell research.
I support Steele for the following reasons:
1. He is a new face in a party filled with tired old men like John McCain. Part of the excitement over Sarah Palin’s nomination was that she wasn’t one of the usual suspects who get the nod when the Republicans go to convention. This party needs new faces and new visions. The incumbent leadership squandered majority in ways that are almost criminal. The GOP needs these new faces coming into prominence. I don’t know your age but part of Ronald Reagan’s success in 1980 was putting young people in the foreground of his speeches.
2. He was a GOP Lt. Governor in a socialist state. He knows strategies about how to get things done and get a message out while part of an utterly out of power party (as Republicans in Maryland have been for generations). Some people cringe with mentions of Republicans in these states as not being “pure enough” but the fact of the matter is that it is far harder to be elected and lead as a Republican in Maryland (or Whitman in New Jersey) than it is for Richard Shelby to operate out of Alabama.
3. Steele’s record shows he’s not so far to the right or left that his chairmanship is a “winner take all” contest some of his fellow candidates were. He’s not as far to the right as I would like on some issues but he’s not a RINO either. To regroup and move forward, the party can’t go so far to the right that the more “moderate” Republicans are alienated the way that RINO McCain tried to do with his campaign. Steele strikes some balance at a time when recrimination of the left side of the party is running rampant (not without cause).
4. For whatever reason, he’s got a following which will help rally the troops for a party in exile. Are you honestly suggesting that we should have stuck with the guy who all but lit the match that caused the GOP go down in flames in 2008? No thank you!
5. Finally, Steele is just a likeable personality. As the face of the party, he will take the edge off all these claims by Pelosi that the GOP is just being obstructionist and stuck in the past. That’s a huge asset when it comes to getting the party’s message out which, of course, is the primary job of the RNC Chairman.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 5:44 PM
The problem with the nutroots is THEY TRULY BELIEVE all Republicans hate black people and want them to die. They are more clueless than any redneck they insult.
Speedwagon82 on January 30, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Wow, the assistant governor and senate race loser WINS!! Palin/Steele 2012!
Vernon Hardapple on January 30, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Sorry you feel that way. I don’t actually know what that means since I don’t know “benny” but I never post with the intent of irritating. I’ll post to rile, question, challenge, or otherwise shake things up but only trolls post to irritate.
highhopes on January 30, 2009 at 5:48 PM
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