Pressure mounting to dump Steele? Update: Dems mock Steele, GOP with “I’m sorry, Rush” website
posted at 7:12 pm on March 3, 2009 by Allahpundit
Not really — or rather, not yet — but between stumbling into a fight with the hero of the base and making himself a late-night punchline for finding “hipness” in moldy slang, the ice beneath his feet is starting to crack. The RNC chair ideally needs to be good on TV and good at ingratiating himself with grassroots conservatives and their pocketbooks, and so far he’s been terrible at both. And don’t think people haven’t noticed:
Several Republican advisers to Congress and the previous Bush administration told Whispers that they are worried that the war of words is fracturing the party when it should be healing the division between conservatives and moderates in the wake of the 2008 election.
“What is amazing is that Steele was elected because of his communications skills, and it is those skills that are damaging the Republican Party. Before people begin to completely judge him as worthless, Steele needs to focus and knuckle down on building a strong foundation at RNC so we can begin rebuilding our majority,” says a top GOP strategist who has worked for House and Senate Republican leaders. “If his implosion continues, RNC members are likely to call a special session to dump him for an effective chairman. There is not much patience for failure.”…
“At this point, it is as if he has a fundamental misunderstanding of the job description. An RNC chairman who attacks Republicans and insults conservative icons is about as counterproductive as any Democrat could hope for,” says the adviser.
The party’s not going to scramble to oust its first black chairman, but if Steele goes on embarrassing himself he’ll become very easy to ignore, which will destroy his “change” mandate. When he called Rush out on D.L. Hughley’s show and labeled himself the de facto head of the GOP, I assumed it was his way of asserting himself; it was a foolish thing to do given the risk it posed to fundraising, but if he’d stood by his criticism it would have been a show of authority at least insofar as it proved he had the balls to take on Rush and not back down. Instead, he groveled right away. Like I said yesterday, lose/lose. Pull it together, chief.
Update: He knelt before Zod, and now the Democrats are laughing at him.
Blowback
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“Again”? What the hell is this now?
You answered a question I posed to someone else. Silly of me then to figure you held the same indignance about our discussion as the person I was asking.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:19 AM
I told them that unless and until they offer a viable alternative to the kleptocracy in action in DC that I’d be donating solely to Palin….
sven10077 on March 3, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Uh oh — looks like somebody doesn’t know Alaska ranks #1 in per capita federal earmark spending.
benny shakar on March 4, 2009 at 1:21 AM
Agree with both Kevin M and Jenfidel – and would add that an excellent reason not to turn on Steele now, and why I expect nothing to be done, is that it would make the Dems happy and provide another day or two of distraction.
It’s only a bit more than a month into the Age of Obama, folks. Sadly, we have plenty of time to work this one out. You can say the mid-terms, or maybe recruiting and setting up candidates, is right around the corner, but you’ve got to squint real hard to see the relevance of this stuff to November 2010. We can hope that Rush, Steele, and the rest of us singing more or less from the same hymnal by them.
CK MacLeod on March 4, 2009 at 1:24 AM
That sounds like something we should be very concerned about. What will be the consequences of the Limbaugh “gift that keeps on giving” as it “backfires all the way to the faces of talk radio?” Will it give the Democrats enough political power to take the Dow down to 3000? Maybe it’ll make some of those fabled “moderate voters” even less willing to try those conservative solutions that have never been tried, while the geyser of funny money erupting out of Washington crashes the bond market… or it could make it slightly easier for Obama to ram his insane energy policy down our throats and give us rolling blackouts, five dollar gas, and stagflation. Boy, that’d sure teach Limbaugh to keep his mouth shut!
In two years, voters will be looking at vaporized retirement accounts, rampant unemployment, exploding inflation rates, and a deficit that couldn’t be paid off if everyone making over $70k per year was stripped of their assets and sold into slavery. Perhaps they’ll also get to watch a Democrat stretch another terrorist hostage crisis into a 300-day national humiliation, or see the photos from Ground Zero of the world’s first nuclear terrorist incident, while Obama goes on TV to tell them why throwing away missile defense research was a grand idea. They’re not going to remember, or care in the slightest, about some Republican party official getting into a spat with a popular talk show host. They’re going to wonder why nobody did more to stop Obama, and the only criticism they’re likely to have of Steele is that he didn’t scream his warnings long and loud enough. Something tells me they won’t have a lot of complaints about the guy who was lighting up the AM radio waves with those warnings.
Doctor Zero on March 4, 2009 at 1:24 AM
Uh oh – looks like somebody doesn’t read the articles he links that clearly blame ousted Ted Stevens for those earmarks; an article from a year ago, when he was still in power. Looks like somebody responded to a comment about Palin with an article not about her.
Looks like someone needs to take my earlier advice about automobile infernos.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:26 AM
Didn’t you libtards make quite the deal over the fact there isn’t a gigantic population up there anyways.
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 1:28 AM
Yes, because Tennman’s right!
We’re having this stupid “war” within the Conservative movement/GOP about Rush v. Steele when the real war is being waged on this country by Ogabe and his minions.
It’s hardly the time to take our eye off the real ball with petty infighting.
Rush gave a great speech.
He’s the spokesman and leader of the Conservative Movement.
Steele apologised.
Internal spat over.
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 1:28 AM
Ah yes, blame Ted Stevens! I should have known you’d eagerly throw one of your own under the bus.
Guess what happens to her “populist appeal” if the earmarks dry up and sarah isn’t able to dole out the annual payoff in Alaska?
benny shakar on March 4, 2009 at 1:36 AM
Then quit whining about me putting “words in your mouth”.
Steele groveled to Rush. If he didn’t, he was in trouble. That is less reflective of his attitude than the fact that he still hasn’t seen fit to respond to the Nazi Germany comparison, which most others would have at least addressed. Is tuning into the younger generation now involving the refusal to stand up to that kind of slander?
The irony is that many of the people who are crying “Leave Steele Alooooone!!!” are the same people who say they are SO mad about Obama, about Pelosi and Reid and Frank and all these liberal piles of scum, and talk about how they want to fight to take back this country.
If you really want to fight, why would you get behind a guy who seemed more interested in going after a conservative icon, than some washed-up comedian on CNN invoking Godwin’s Law?
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:37 AM
If they’re a criminal, you bet we do.
Maybe your side should try it. Your empty suit in the Oval Office is still embracing his neighborhood pal, the admitted terrorist. Not just him, either. Thomas Frank stood up for that traitorous slime. You must be so proud.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:40 AM
That’s about what I’d expect from a fanboy who hadn’t even heard of sarah palin 7 short months ago.
You know, she can still be your pretend girlfriend even if she isn’t president.
benny shakar on March 4, 2009 at 1:45 AM
Oh, benny, you witless clown. As trolls go, you really are an amateur.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:50 AM
Who is this? I have no idea.
I’m not that concerned about Steele or desperate to keep him.
Yes, he should back away from the “Nazi rally” remark also, of course.
But let’s keep the focus on the substance of Rush’s speech and use the momentum from that to unite and fight the Ogabe agenda.
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 1:51 AM
I’ve no opposition to that. Who leads the charge? Who is our general? Not Rush, but someone who actually is the head of getting the message out? For the moment, we’re a bit of a rabble.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 1:55 AM
Benny is a huge jerkoff.
therightwinger on March 4, 2009 at 1:56 AM
Why not Rush?
He played a large part in bringing in the Republican majority Congress in ’94.
Otherwise, we have Boehner in the House and Coburn in the Senate.
Rush reaches 20-30 million, so don’t knock his influence, as well as all the other Conservative talk radio personalities.
We’ve also got the hook-up of the Tea Parties–sorry they haven’t hit Madison yet.
You need to Twitter–there’s lots of action there about tea parties and Conservative organizing.
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 2:04 AM
There’s nothing inherently wrong with going on such shows. Any opportunity for evangelism should not be avoided. Conservatives need to make sure to be prepared for what they are getting into, however. Steele wasn’t, and look at the mess he’s caused because of it.
Once you start letting your debate opponent frame the discussion, you are playing his/her game. People on the Right need to be savvier about this, and should be more aggressive about using these opportunities to their advantage. I think the way John Ziegler handled Norah O. from MSNBC provides a pretty good template of what the Right needs to be doing. Don’t let them dictate, make the points you want, confront them on their hypocrisy, and take no prisoners!!! This isn’t hard, it just takes practice and discipline…
Bizarro No. 1 on March 4, 2009 at 2:14 AM
I’m not knocking his influence, I’m knocking his position. Rush isn’t going to be running for anything. He’s a good voice but he’s not a policymaker. He’s also currently not getting any influence with independents, and he won’t concentrating on his radio show. Steele is going the places we need to hit, but he’s not the man for the job. We need someone with gravitas to get out on the network, on the podiums. By the way, I’m not talking about someone going big tent to get the independents. As I first suggested, I would love to see Fred Thompson in the position. I’d also like to see Duncan Hunter, but I don’t think he has the presence. I also want to see what Eric Cantor can do.
Rush is effectively a pundit. A pundit won’t work for what we need right now.
Christ no. I don’t do myspace, I don’t do facebook, and I don’t do twitter, tech junkie though I am. I can’t stand those systems. I’m keeping my eyes and ears open, though.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 2:15 AM
M.C., Rush will help get independents whether you want him to or not.
First of all, a lot of people–a lot–saw and heard Rush on Saturday that had never heard him before.
CNN carried the whole hour and a half speech without commercial interruption, as did FoxNews.
(BTW, this is free advertising for Rush and he knows it.)
Secondly, Obama’s agenda and his wrecking of the economy is going to bring in everybody–Republicans, Democrats, Indies and moderates of both parties.
Rush is a great patriot and a leader–there’s nothing wrong with him leading Conservatives right now.
We can only hope and pray (oops! You’re an atheist like AP, right?) that God send us the leader(s) that we need.
Well, I know I’m praying for it and so are lots of other people.
In the meantime, don’t count out Palin, Jindal, Rick Perry, Mark Sanford, Cantor as you mentioned and even Pawlenty.
We’ll be speaking with one voice.
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 2:23 AM
BTW, M.C., I don’t mind that you’re not a person of faith, but would you try and refrain from using the Lord’s name in vain for those of us here who are “Christ followers?”
It would be the considerate thing to do.
I saw you say “Sweet, evil Christ” on another thread; Christ is either sweet or evil to you, but it is logically impossible for him to be both, unless you’re just using any reason to swear and abuse his name…
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 2:26 AM
You complain about having words put in your mouth, then claim I don’t want Rush to win over independents? I’m saying he won’t. Most polls taken lately show independents thinking Rush is a fringe voice. This is getting tiresome.
No, I’m not. I’m agnostic. That intentional attempt to jab at the atheism I don’t subscribe to is enough. I’m no longer interested in someone who is trying to pick a fight while crying and whining about infighting within the party. Shovel the hypocrisy on someone else.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 2:31 AM
Good Lord. We’ve become the right wing version of Michael Moore/Code Pink. Small, powerless and mocked.
beekiller on March 4, 2009 at 2:33 AM
Oh there are plenty of articles about her earmarks…
Palin’s Project List Totals $453 Million (The Wall Street Journal)
Poptech on March 4, 2009 at 2:35 AM
Alaska becomes even more of a populist paradise of socialist government!
Alaska Ranks 45 of 50 States in Economic Freedom (PDF) (Pacific Research Institute)
Alaska Ranks 49 of 50 States in Welfare Spending (Pacific Research Institute)
All the Palintologists idiolize the leader of one of the most socialist states in the country. ROFLMAO!
Poptech on March 4, 2009 at 2:41 AM
We’ve been over this.
Cutting earmarks every year. Nice of you to ignore that bit.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 2:52 AM
I agree with you here 100%.
I think Fred would be good too, but I think Cantor doesn’t have what it takes – he’s too wimpy.
Bizarro No. 1 on March 4, 2009 at 3:12 AM
I just looked at the website Allah linked to, the one making mock of Sanford, Steele, and Gingrey. It’s embarrassing and lame. Not something a serious party would be party to.
Frivolous on March 4, 2009 at 3:27 AM
No, I didn’t. I’m not an environmentalist and I do believe in business existing – as a responsible member of the community(versus trying to be above the community).
sethstorm on March 4, 2009 at 4:18 AM
Atlanta Voter got the boot. See this thread.
OmahaConservative on March 4, 2009 at 4:49 AM
I wasn’t making a jab at your agnosticism and I certainly wasn’t crying and whining!
You just can’t win your “argument” which is disputing that Rush is effective and that he will bring in “independents,” because both things are true.
Shovel your faux outrage on someone else!
You’re just a boor and a bully!
And you still haven’t apologized for blaspheming and using the Lord’s name in vain to swear, which I and other Christians who post here don’t care for!
If you demand respect for your agnosticism, you must respect our Christian and Jewish faiths.
Jenfidel on March 4, 2009 at 5:08 AM
I feel that Rush is definitely effective. You can tell he is by how hard the DemocRats are trying to neutralize him. You don’t spend that kind of effort on a non-factor.
Hawthorne on March 4, 2009 at 5:38 AM
It is surprising to me that Mr. Steele has not worked out the Rush relationship. At this point, he should have figured out how to integrate Rush into his strategy or ignore him as a player in his movement. But this, being caught off guard with an emotional reaction to what are obvious philosophical comments from Rush about the Obama administration is frankly stunning.
And if his resolve is this, the emotional reaction and trashing Rush, one may assume that all of the placating the Republicans are doing toward Obama is coming from Steele. And this is a very bad sign. Steele needs to step up his leadership game.
EyesOpen on March 4, 2009 at 5:48 AM
His enemies will outlast him.
That will be the point where they have the upper hand.
sethstorm on March 4, 2009 at 5:51 AM
This whole affair has Mr. Steele’s suit looking a little empty. Personal appeal and a glib tongue won’t cut it. Strength of character and a solid understanding of your party’s base is essential to engender support. I’m just not feeling the love.
SKYFOX on March 4, 2009 at 6:05 AM
So far, everyone’s sounded off and unloaded a lot of grief. If Limbaugh and Steele are over it, where’s the beef?
IF it’s a matter of psycho-analysis to determine why, I lay it on the Washingtonian elitists who resent Limbaugh and parade their own credentials to negate the power base in order to presume themselves the power base. They know that to disparage Rush is to disparage his audience and gladly do so most efficiently for greatest affect. I’m not impressed, but disgusted.
The elitists always persist with the don’t rock the boat bi-partisan masochistic affair with opponents, requiring that all assimilate to be directed from D.C.
Steele showed bad form. Who hasn’t made a faux pas when new on a scene? Live and learn. He chose poorly and is paying his bill. Steele was given counsel from the elitists that the grass roots presumed were getting the boot.
Steele campaigned to clean house. Dusting and rearranging the furniture, yes. Window washing, scrubbing, not likely. Taking out the trash, on command by the elitists? Steele had better learn to not pander to please everybody all of the time. He’s having a hard time deciding who counts, who matters.
The crux: elitists disregard the grass roots as woven into the “dirt” as if the earth’s soil must be sterilized in order to be tolerated, affecting disastrous erosion. The elitist excuse is always, the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. The grass roots reject the burden to preserve top heavy elitists. If both resolve to burn down the stubble each spring, what’s the effect?
New growth from the same roots. So who matters and what counts?
maverick muse on March 4, 2009 at 6:31 AM
Steele admits the repub convention had Nazi overtones and blasts Rush. This guy is not a communicator, he is an idiot. Was the interviewer too tricky? Hughley is a failed actor/comedian. CNN is enemy country for repubs. Steele got tricked by a nobody while in enemy territory. If he couldn’t be prepared to navigate that interview he is an idiot.
Of course the repubs won’t dump him. They don’t like conservatives either and they will be tagged as racist by the people who hate them the most – the dems and the MSM. Can’t have that, can they? The repubs will go along attacking conservatives and sucking up to a press that will always hate them. They are just that dumb.
TomJW on March 4, 2009 at 6:45 AM
Well put.
Hilarious line on Morning Joe. Apparently, Steele may be showing up on the set this morning. Scarborough asked (paraphrasing), “Did Rush fax him a permission slip allowing him [Steele] to come on our set?”
It was a great line, and it demonstrates how impotent Steele now appears.
Steele, fall on your sword and get out. The GOP needs you out of the news. And it doesn’t need you losing any more battle of wits with mediocre comedians.
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 6:55 AM
And it doesn’t need you losing any more battle of wits with mediocre comedians.
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 6:55 AM
+1
SKYFOX on March 4, 2009 at 6:59 AM
Funny, but I always pictured little hussein as the Zod character. Rush is too lovable to be Zod.
ErinF on March 4, 2009 at 7:12 AM
Steele was chosen for one reason only. I’m sure he’s a nice man, but we need a leader right now.
ErinF on March 4, 2009 at 7:14 AM
Steele is going into unknown territory and will be in a lot of these situations…some he will do well, some will be so far fetched that mistakes will be made(like this one). But people are watching and I think he can make a difference for the better. We have to suspend logic at times when dealing with the left.
When Reagan talked about not insulting others in the party…it was because he knew the media woud run with it. It wasn’t some grand Obama like statement from the pulpit…it was good hard advice.
tomas on March 4, 2009 at 7:16 AM
Oh and you forgot to note you are from the 10 th most unhappy city in the country.
Jamson64 on March 4, 2009 at 7:18 AM
From NRO:
Rich Lowry:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MzVjY2Q3NDg1MzUzZTIzYzFkMzY1ZTFlODY0MjQxNTY=
Andy McCarthy:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MmJlOWY0NmFkZWRiMmU2OGFjNDFmNjdlYTE0OGY3Mjk=
McCarthy’s entry is enough to make you want to puke about Steele. He has to go.
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 7:23 AM
He/she/it wasn’t even very convincing. He/she/it was just sort of going through the motions. I’ve heard more compelling telemarketers
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 7:30 AM
yeah Atlanta Voter was not even pretending anymore at the end just all Barry Defense all the time not even with syrupy homilees about how hope’n'change changed his mind….
sad really
sven10077 on March 4, 2009 at 7:32 AM
I’m still in training for Mobying at DU or HuffPO. Yep time for my morning Moby exercise.
“Hey guys look, I’m as liberal as any one of you or more but….
This stimulus has just completely gone overboard and I think we finally might have pushed it too far. I was Obamas biggest supporter during the campaign working every night at the Philly campaign office for six months and I donated my entire last years wages to get him elected but I think I made a mistake. I’m certain now that he’s Satan or maybe an alien. I’m only saying this for the good of the party and the Progressive Movement.”
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 7:40 AM
There is a war among the Republican party because those conservatives/libertarian-minded folks still in the party are SICK of non-conservatives running the party. The Republican party needs to figure out what it is – and if that is a moderate party then it is dead. I left the Republican party because they lied and turned into a bunch of unprincipled politicians – and I will not come back. I am tired of people telling me, Republicans, that I need to vote for an embarrassment of a candidate simply because he has an R next to his name and if I don’t, I am the bad guy because someone with a D gets elected. This site has plenty of moderate Republicans who have RUINED the Republican party.
I can only hope that a viable, liberty-minded, and principled third party arises from the ash heap after the coming collapse so that we can start again. Or at least maybe we create a separate groups of states that takes our Constitution and actually follows it.
King of the Britons on March 4, 2009 at 7:49 AM
With a brownbag over my head, I ask what does the acronym Moby stand for?
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 7:53 AM
c’mon you guys, just let the REAL LEADER of the party step forward and take the reins.JOE THE PLUMBER should take over and lead the party.This is getting ridiculous…
greataunty on March 4, 2009 at 7:55 AM
The Dems and the MSM keep asking Repubs “when will you stop beating your wife?” and repubs sped the next few weeks on the defensive apologizing for giving that impression.
On the other hand, Dems call the president “loser”,”incompetent” and a lot worse names; and call our troops murderers; and tell us we have lost the war; and accuse republicans of wanting to poison the water and starve children, all we no negative political repercussions.
Our leaders better learn to play to win.
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 7:57 AM
With a brownbag over my head, I ask what does the acronym Moby stand for?
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 7:53 AM
Richard Hall is the lead singer and namesake of the band Moby. He’s a far, far left-wing who thinks he can convert the whole world to vegenism.
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 8:02 AM
Looks like yet another year I won’t be donating to the RNC.
I had a lot higher hopes for Steele than this.
wildcat84 on March 4, 2009 at 8:02 AM
Why would we expect that the choice of the republican establishment should act the opposite of the republican establishment?
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 8:10 AM
If ‘radio Rush’ goes ‘politician Rush’, who will be the new ‘radio Rush’? It sure as heck can’t be Hannity. Hannity lately has been a broken record of a whining cry baby.
We also need IDEAS. I am hearing black Libs in airports talk about the whining and the lack of solutions to justify Bommas actions as ‘well at least he’s doing something’. Well, nothing would be better than what he’s doing. I see him on TV and I say to myself ‘well there’s two more hundred off the DOW’. I am starting to think they want a depression. All actions at this point point to it. Saying the FDIC is dryng up now? Our ‘bank-run protection’ if you will.
Its gettin scary people.
johnnyU on March 4, 2009 at 8:12 AM
Oh and Steele?…Cann him. He’s not doing much more than when he was Lt. Gov in Maryland and our guy lost the reelection. I dont trust Steele.
johnnyU on March 4, 2009 at 8:13 AM
I couldn’t care less about this fabricated Limbaugh-Steele standoff. It’s Steele’s stunning incompetence on CNN.
Here’s the problem. Virtually all that the media is yacking about is Rush and Steele today (and for days to come). Meanwhile, Obama’s moving 90 miles an hour to ruin the country. Obama has begun to go so overboard that a Democratic senator (Evan Bayh), not a Republican, is voicing the opinion that Obama should veto the current budget bill.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123612545277023901.html
Either Limbaugh or Steele has to go immediately…and it ain’t going to be Limbaugh. Steele castrated himself in that CNN interview. He has no one else to blame. It’s now time for him to leave the stage before he bleeds out over more of the GOP than he already has.
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 8:20 AM
They are driving the values down, so that they will be “forced” to spend all that stimulus on “buying” controlling interest in the biggest financial and industrial institutions on the planet.
They didn’t want to nationalize industry, but the Bush administration gave them no choice.
I said it first.
Saltysam on March 4, 2009 at 8:21 AM
Now, if he could send getalife to the same orbit.
OmahaConservative on March 4, 2009 at 8:24 AM
What famous communist said:
“We’ll hang the last capitalist with the rope that he sells us”
The masses are blind sheep.
Saltysam on March 4, 2009 at 8:28 AM
None of them, we’re on the same page on that. So if you’d care to explain exactly how the rejection of one or any of those was a premise of my statement I’d love to hear it.
galenrox on March 4, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Absolutely right. Steele let the miss-interpreted comments of a conservative pundit be used to ridicule the Republican Party and hijack public discourse. Just think how Democratic leadership would have dealt with this.
In fact you don’t have to imagine. Just look at the last 8 years filled with hatred form the left (and the Dem leadership) towards Bush, the troops and the country, they really publicly wished for the failure of the country. Rather than be hurt by it, the Dems turned it into a huge electoral victory.
This is incredibly frustrating. We deserve better from our leaders.
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 8:31 AM
The “beef” is because the Rush fanboys won’t get over it. Would any of these guys seriously prefer to have Rush as a next door neighbor rather than Steele?
Speedwagon82 on March 4, 2009 at 8:31 AM
I note that Washington DC didn’t make the list. They seem to be happy as clams spending our taxes on putting field-mice in prophylactics and building high speed trains in between the unhappiest cities.
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 8:34 AM
More from NRO: Kathryn Jean Lopez
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YWE5OTJkNzA5NTgzZTNjYmI4MDA3Njc3YTJjNWM2NDY=
For some, perhaps, the Limbaugh-Steele dust-up is the matter. Not for me. If Steele can get steamrolled by a mediocre, nitwit comedian on a liberal network, he’s in over his head and should licking envelopes at someone’s campaign office.
BuckeyeSam on March 4, 2009 at 8:37 AM
The same guy that said…
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 8:37 AM
No, the beef is that this incident is a perfect demonstration of what is wrong with Republican leadership. They keep bending over under the manipulation of to Dems and their lapdog media instead of standing up not only for republican principles but for basic fairness and common sense in the public discourse.
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Thanks for that link bonny.
Very informative, indeed.
Saltysam on March 4, 2009 at 8:38 AM
He “knelt before Zod”? The other day it was “Kiss the ring”? There are plenty of other instances too where someone seems have a nasty little jealous streak going on…
watchmen on March 4, 2009 at 8:39 AM
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 8:38 AM
You get a star for the day.
Excellent answer to an, otherwise, ignorable stupid question.
Saltysam on March 4, 2009 at 8:41 AM
Steele is the RNC’s Obama. Steele is an empty suit who has been able to parlay the fact that he is AA into every job that he has ever had. As a Marylander, I can tell you that I am not surprised that he is failing miserably at his current job. He is a good talking head on Fox, that is where his self-promotion skills are best utilized. Steele and Obama are examples of the Peter Principle at work.
freckleface on March 4, 2009 at 8:42 AM
freckleface on March 4, 2009 at 8:42 AM
His loss in Maryland should have been a clue, ay?
I don’t know…just asking.
Saltysam on March 4, 2009 at 8:43 AM
My beef with Steele is really quite simple…
Values and Principles come from the heart of one’s spirit; they need not be rehearsed, one should not have to dig deep to put them on display. Steele has let himself be manipulated by the MSM because he is trying to become something they will admire or like. Steele is in a position of representation, a powerful position that should put Republican principles and values on display; proudly I might add.
Hopefully the GOP has elected a man that actually shares Republican values and principles with the rest of us. Time will tell…
Keemo on March 4, 2009 at 8:55 AM
So what would the RNC do if they dumped Steele? Would they then go and try to talk Lindsay Grahm or Olympia Snow or Arlen Spectre into taking the job?
Obviously they sent a message by putting Steele into this position that they do not want a conservative there! If they did, they would have put one into to office to start with and that person would not have started off by going to war with Rush Limbaugh!
As it is, Michael Steele is EXACTLY what the RNC wants! He is a RINO and that is what the RNC and the GOP have become! They ran John McCain last time and for their next act they will put up another RINO like Mitt Romney. Oh, they will sell him as the next coming of Ronald Reagan…but he ain’t! He was for abortion before he was against it…blah blah blah! So, get use to this! There are no conservatives left in the party. They have been shown the door by people like Trent Lott and they are now led by people like Lindsay Grahmnesty!
sabbott on March 4, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Hello Friends,
Time for this today’s “Internet Warrior” rant from the trenches, the ramparts and the front line:
Steele needs a bit more time in my opinion. I think his run-in with Rush was an eye opener for him and RINO’s everywhere. I expect Steele to learn and grow and develop into a voice for a more unified and much stronger Conservative Republican party. Steele is not “the” voice, but “a” voice. Currently Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Bortz, Coulter, Beck, Mark Garnett (like how I snuck my name in here) and a host of lesser known, but vocal and popular local and regional voices are hammering away at The Messiah, Reid, Pelosi and the far left radicals. Conservatives have been gaining traction with hitting the Obamby Administration on “Porkulous” and now on his massive Socialist Budget. Republicans hurt themselves with having shared and contributed to the over 8000 “earmarks” in this abortion of financial soundness. Republicans refuse to grow a set, stand for fiscal responsibility, limited Government and targeted, job creating tax incentives and cuts. Our message, other than Rush’s speech to CPAC, is light on substance, short on teaching Americans, average folks, how Conservative core principals would create the jobs that Obama has promised but failed to deliver, save the family home that Obama has promised but failed to deliver and provide stability in the markets. This is going to be a long tough fight, a war, not just a single battle. Tearing people away from their faith in “Hope-n-Change” will not happen overnight… His aura as a smooth talker is well deserved, he lies with impunity. I have never before seen the blatant lies go unchallenged by anyone except Talk Radio and, to a small extent, Fox News. The One has polls (lies) showing his approval ratings are still high, but the effects of his massive debt, his hate for businesses, his loathing of American success and his lack of ethics have yet to impact most Americans.
As The Messiah’s hatred of America shows more and more and our security in the world diminishes, his numbers hold… As he closes Gittmo and allows his AG to plea-bargain for horrific gang members lighter sentences, his numbers hold… As Terrorists once locked away now are in our US Courts with Constitutional Rights, his numbers hold… But trust me when I tell you, this too shall pass. American’s ARE waking up, they are slowly realizing that The One is not being an honest broker of “Change”, many moderates are openly questioning The Messiah, Blue Dogs are starting to bark and Conservatives in both the House and Senate are finding a voice, a spine, a set… The wheels on Obama’s bus are slowly starting to wobble as they spin America deeper and deeper into recession and depression.
Obama’s comments about the markets, success, welfare, Socialism, security, the military along with his constant lies ARE beginning to stick in the gullets of hard working, play by the rules, average “Joes” and younger voters. His poll numbers will drastically change as our economy continues to tank and the message of Conservatism spreads like wildfire across the fruited plains. Jindal, Cantor, Palin, Sanford, Rush, Mark and others along with Steele will soon begin seeing the tide turn. Americans are NOT Socialists by nature, eventually we will rally, fight back and retake our Natrion away from the lazy, welfare driven, far left radicals of the Democratic Party. Moderates and Centrists’ will move towards the Republican party out of sheer desire to survive… Hit folks in their pockets and in their families’ lives and watch how long “Change and Hope” lasts. Don’t stop working, don’t stop calling the RNC and Congress, don’t give up!
Mark Garnett on March 4, 2009 at 9:02 AM
I think Steele apologized because his words didn’t come out right. I don’t think he meant to denigrate one of his own party’s leading supporters.
Sometimes an apology is sincere. Mr. Steele, please ignore the histrionics over this dustup.
hawksruleva on March 4, 2009 at 9:09 AM
I couldn’t care less about the Limbaugh thing, unfair as it seemed to a guy I don’t think I’ve ever heard sound particularly angry or mean (no angrier or meaner than Olbermann or Rhodes, to be sure).
My question to the Steele supporters — what has he done right in the job so far? I voted for him more than once, but I don’t have an answer to that question.
DrSteve on March 4, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Black leadership is taking a hit on this Obama flubbing also. Walking through the shopping centers hearing him praised is one thing but if Steele doesnt give away free houses like Obama does, he’s not going very far with blacks and as far as the white vote goes, Steele had better promise 20,000 DOW numbers with a plan on how to do so if he’s to even see any affluent white votes. Call this racists, but I think the word is being misused in this election and used only when its convenient to certain races.
johnnyU on March 4, 2009 at 9:11 AM
What evidence do the Dems have that shows their “Rush is the GOP” tactic is working?
I have this from RAS:
The race between Republicans and Democrats has once again tightened up in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot. For the third time in the last four weeks, Republicans have pulled to within two points of the Democrats.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 41% of voters said they would vote for their district’s Democratic candidate while 39% said they would choose the Republican
artist on March 4, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Laura Ingraham is going to do a segment on the Rush/Steele debacle.
OmahaConservative on March 4, 2009 at 9:12 AM
And his wife. Remember her?
Archie Noble on March 4, 2009 at 9:19 AM
But you see….it isn’t America that is endangered….it is the republican party.
The growth of the welfare state presages increasing secularism.
The “secular right” is a joke….without religion the republican party has no base.
strangelet on March 4, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Steele is going to be on Laura Ingraham in a few minutes.
OmahaConservative on March 4, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Rush must get mighty tired of carrying all our sorry asses on his shoulders.
Add his face to Mt. Rushmore.
JiangxiDad on March 4, 2009 at 9:29 AM
I mean….aren’t Allapundit and the stealthy philosopher kings at Secular Right the captive token atheists?
What is their representation as part of the electorate?
0.0000000000000001 %
lol
The GOP is currently pathologically dependent on the white-married-christian vote.
The religious right parasitized the GOP long ago……Increasing secularization of culture is the stake in the heart of that vampire demographic.
strangelet on March 4, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Oh that’s just silly and another example that conservatives claim to understand “real Americans” but are increasingly demonstrate they don’t know much about the country at all. People’s religious faith will be superceded by government intervention? The only reason people have faith in a higher power is because Christian charitable organisations give out free food to the homeless? And all of that supposedly ends because a Democrat is putting forth the same economic agenda of Bill Clinton? You don’t have much faith in American’s faith. And I’m not even religous and I get that.
DeathToMediaHacks on March 4, 2009 at 9:35 AM
That’s fine, but the problem is with his whole handling of this situation. Again, imagine Howard Dean, McAuliffe, Reid, Pelosi or any other Democrat leader in this exact situation, they would not be eating dirt. They would have turned it against their opponents. I grant you that it is partly because of the compliant media but a big part is their unwavering focus on the battle. For them every single chance in front of a mic is an opportunity to sock the enemy, no matter what the subject matter is. An they are very effective at it.
neuquenguy on March 4, 2009 at 9:36 AM
JiangxiDad on March 4, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Exactly right. The Republican Hierarchy seems to have decided they know what’s best for the party and it doesn’t include the feelings of its’ membership that lives in the Heartland. Their push toward Elitism and Moderation is going to produce the same results as the lemmings going over the cliff in the Walt Disney Nature Film we used to watch in school. If the Republican Party turns back to Conservatism right now, it can sweep the mid-term elections.
If the hieracrchy remains a bunch of Beltway Elitists, voters just might stay home again. Steele had best start showing his Conservative side or the Republicans will be in trouble again.
kingsjester on March 4, 2009 at 9:36 AM
strangelet on March 4, 2009 at 9:27 AM
I haven’t seen you here before, therefore I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you actually mean what you said there.
I’m a solid Conservative and have been since I finally started to grow up around 25 years of age. I attend no church and have no particular religious faith attached to my spiritual well being. Same goes for most of my Conservative friends. I consider myself to be a spiritual human, with solid spiritual core values, but have attached no particular faith based title to myself or my family. I believe in the ten commandments, and also believe in God and or a higher power.
The belief that to be a Conservative one must also attend church on a regular basis, is a false belief that the left has brainwashed the country with.
Keemo on March 4, 2009 at 9:36 AM
What is Steele campaigning for and to whom? Are big money donors listening to the Laura Ingraham show? Are the people who need to run a GOP registration drive going to get their marching orders from his appearance on Ingraham? Michael Steele is a hilarious failure.
DeathToMediaHacks on March 4, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Democrats have been out of touch with “Real AMerica” for decades. The only people they’re in touch with are the millions of helpless fools who can’t wipe their ass without directions and a TP subsidy from the government.
Pathetic!
hawkdriver on March 4, 2009 at 9:41 AM
KILL CHRISTIANS! KILL WHITEY!
JiangxiDad on March 4, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Yes…what’s your point? Only one person can chair the RNC.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Dumping Steel would be a mistake, since it would make it obvious that decisionmaking within the party met the critic’s charge: Steel was never more than “bling, bling” for the party.
Either people truly respected him and that is why he won….or not.
But bailing out so quickly says the opposite was true.
AnninCA on March 4, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Without the secular right, the Republican Party has nothing outside the Deep South and Rocky Mountains.
Speedwagon82 on March 4, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Can you imagine if Atlas (Rush) decides to shrug and just go home? No more carrying the water for the Republicans. They’d wet their pants.
“A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house,” Matthew 13:57 “
JiangxiDad on March 4, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Heh.
OmahaConservative on March 4, 2009 at 9:50 AM
I’m going to establish a curve, and name it the Jenfidel-strangelet curve.
It proposes that any time a post on HotAir is made that requires conservatives or Republicans to self-analyze, or criticize one of its own, the more comments are made, the higher the probability is that a commenter will inject religion into the argument, in a sniping way, to passively lash out at something on which they feel they can blame the current mess we’re in.
Time to write a book.
MadisonConservative on March 4, 2009 at 9:52 AM
OPERATION DESTROY RUSH LIMBAUGH
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19596.html
True_King on March 4, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Just seems to me the war of words will soon be yielding to a different kind.
JiangxiDad on March 4, 2009 at 9:55 AM
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