Quote of the day
posted at 10:30 pm on March 11, 2009 by Allahpundit
Do you think homosexuality is a choice?
Oh, no. I don’t think I’ve ever really subscribed to that view, that you can turn it on and off like a water tap. Um, you know, I think that there’s a whole lot that goes into the makeup of an individual that, uh, you just can’t simply say, oh, like, “Tomorrow morning I’m gonna stop being gay.” It’s like saying, “Tomorrow morning I’m gonna stop being black.”
So your feeling would be that people are born one way or another.
I mean, I think that’s the prevailing view at this point, and I know that there’s some out there who think that you can absolutely make that choice. And maybe some people have. I don’t know, I can’t say. Until we can give a definitive answer one way or the other, I think we should respect that.
*
Explain that.
The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.
Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.
You do?
Yeah. Absolutely.
Are you saying you don’t want to overturn Roe v. Wade?
I think Roe v. Wade—as a legal matter, Roe v. Wade was a wrongly decided matter.
Okay, but if you overturn Roe v. Wade, how do women have the choice you just said they should have?
The states should make that choice. That’s what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide.
*
So, Rush Limbaugh—good or bad for you guys?
Rush is a friend. I like Rush. Rush is a bomb-thrower extraordinaire. And we need him. We need him because what he does is, he stimulates debate. And I know it drives a lot of folks on the left loony. But so does Al Franken for us. Okay? So don’t give me, “Rush is a bad guy, we need to offset him.” You already have. You got Al Franken, for goodness sakes.
Blowback
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I don’t think anybody’s saying they don’t know what is human life. The argument is ultimately that not all human life is equally worth preserving. Which is by the way a universal consensus.
radiofreevillage on March 12, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Godwin’s Rule wins every time.
SnarkVader on March 12, 2009 at 1:09 AM
Dumbass I didn’t even see the question as I was researching the topic which is not routing protocols. Even some of the dumbest setups I’ve seen don’t usually mix hardware vendors like that. Let alone Cisco with D-Link. I have always prefered OSPF-2, as I like open standards. I also only deal with new setups as I don’t like fixing other people’s problems. CCNA’s like to rant on about glorifying their boring ass jobs.
Poptech on March 12, 2009 at 1:16 AM
Sexuality
I agree with him that sexuality is usually a product of our genetic make-up. I know some people disagree and I would like to better understand their positions.
I also belief some people are just downright deviant and would have sex with a light pole. Depravity, uncontrolled lust, you name it. So I am not saying all expressions and kinds of sexuality are right.
Abortion:
I am Pro-Life. But I do have a problem with an outright ban on abortion. Rape, incest, etc.
Before an outright ban on abortion, I would like to our society stress the importance of life. 1.3 millions abortions a year is frightening to even contemplate. Ideally I would like no abortions.
What really irks me is the logic used that says: It’s MY Body.
Ya well…
1. It’s the baby’s body too. It’s the baby’s LIFE.
2. It’s the husband, boyfriend, random guy you slept with’s decision too. Man-haters.
So well, I am nearing 100% Pro-life. But am not there yet.
I like to tell Liberals that I am Pro-Choice though. They act all surprised and happy then I say:
“It’s a person’s choice to get pregnant. After that, they can choose to murder the child. Then they can choose to live with what they’ve done.”
I get hostile stares after I say that.
Montana on March 12, 2009 at 1:17 AM
Yeah, just imagine how dangerous he will be after he gets his driver’s license:)
Laura in Maryland on March 12, 2009 at 1:19 AM
Ouch! *winces*
Laura in Maryland on March 12, 2009 at 1:23 AM
I’m on his side on the abortion thing. I can understand wanting to take it to the extreme on principle, but I think that that’s a simplistic application of principle. If we were actually going to make life a priority there’s a lot of stuff we’d do before banning abortion. We’d get away from property-tax funding for education, we’d ban in vitro fertilization, seriously amp up the punishments for deadbeat dads (and take locating them and holding them accountable for child support seriously) and revolutionize the foster care/adoption system. Until that happens, I think banning abortion nationally is the weakest form of being pro-life that I can imagine.
On the gay thing, I think it’s nature and nurture. Obviously some people choose to be gay, some people are turned gay due to abuse, but some people are just gay. I didn’t choose to be attracted to the women I’m attracted to, and I doubt that every gay person chooses to be attracted to the people they’re attracted to.
I like Steele a lot, and undermining him is just screwing the party in the long run. We get pissed off when we lose big, we’re pissed off that we’re a regional party, but then any time someone comes forward and actually tries to build a broader coalition that might actually constitute a majority at some point in the future we crucify them for selling us out, failing to recognize that the people that see any divergence from their own views as being a sign of impurity have been selling us out for years.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 1:26 AM
crud
29Victor on March 12, 2009 at 1:35 AM
Uh-oh. Steele is dangerously close to O’s “above my pay grade” answer.
If he doesn’t know better, he should.
Obviously, women have the right to choose abortion right now whether Steele thinks so or not.
But that doesn’t make it right when women choose it.
Sad to say that Steele is fast revealing himself to be the Republican version of Obama–an empty suit who got where he is due to the color of his skin.
The GOP is a big tent and there’s no reason blacks can’t be Republican as easily or even more easily than they can be Democrats, but this guy is no help to us.
Abortion has been devastating to the black community: of the 40 million abortions done since 1973 and the passage of Roe v. Wade, 14 million of those babies aborted were African-American.
Steele’s not even looking out for his own people.
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Hey Mike,..ever hear of something called “free will”
You decide if you want to be gay.
You decide if you want to be the mother of a dead baby.
The rest of America should not have to pay or support a personal “choice”.
christene on March 12, 2009 at 1:43 AM
Ron Paul gave a much better answer to the abortion question, and he and Steele basically share the same position on this issue.
Steele has been a huge disappointment, especially with regard to how he has communicated his principles.
MedSchoolCatholic on March 12, 2009 at 1:44 AM
So why the hell do I have to pay for it with my taxes and debt on my son and future grandkids.
If abortion is allowed, don’t complain about other forms of murder.
Sapwolf on March 12, 2009 at 1:46 AM
The same idiots that gave us John McCain have give us this loser.
Repubs are doomed….screw em.
The Wall on March 12, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Why should the rest of the country pay for these few?
Turns out most of the foreclosures are centered in a few dense clusters.
Mr. Joe on March 12, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Steele could have done this so much better. Did he just compare being gay like the color of your skin? WTF?
And this wobbly weak head of the RNC is gonna show up with the Cuda in Evansville, IN for a pro-life fundraiser on April 16th? Screw that. Invite Ken Blackwell or Saul Anuzis in his place. What a betrayal.
The GOP still does not get it.
Third party anyone?
Sapwolf on March 12, 2009 at 1:50 AM
I used to feel the way you do about abortion in instances of rape, incest, etc. but then I started thinking that when a heinous crime like rape or incest is committed why does the innocent baby get the death penalty? If the filthy rapist or molester is even caught they may get only a few years.
To be sure, it is a terrible position for the woman but murder is murder and I don’t see how it can be justified even if it would supposedly ease the pain of the woman (and that’s open to debate).
mrsmwp on March 12, 2009 at 1:52 AM
I’m not gonna be a part of building up the party on the blood of the unborn.
What he should have said was that the GOP is a pro-life party that believes Roe vs. Wade is not grounded in the Constitution and should be overthrown and given back to the States where it belongs via the 10th Amendment. Then it gets fought in the states. It can be brought up as an Amendment for or against at the national level later if the two parties want to pursue that.
Steele’s answer was so weak.
His convictions just are not strong.
Sapwolf on March 12, 2009 at 1:55 AM
Steele is a good guy. Please read the entire interview.
Does anyone seriously think there is no genetic component to sexuality????
Isn’t the states rights position on abortion a logical one?
I’m beginning to think there are a lot of false flags on this thread. You know provocateurs. You know the ones that would love to see a black GOP chair forced out in a month. Maybe even some koskidz.
Like, how stupid is that????
r keller on March 11, 2009 at 11:26 PM
I bet that the MSM, Democrats and Obama’s crew would love nothing better than for that to happen! Funny how you don’t hear as much criticism in the MSM about Tim Kaine the DNC chair. He’s prone to his share of gaffes. Makes you wonder why some are pushing so hard for the GOP to dump Steele after only a few weeks while Mike Duncan lasted through the 2006 and 2008 election cycles?
sarahpalinfan99 on March 12, 2009 at 1:57 AM
Damn AP,
I come here thinking I’m gonna have fun with Poptech over Levi and Bristol not getting married, and then this bombshell thread gets posted. Wow, just when you think you see it coming, POW a bigger truck blindsides you.
Good catch.
Sapwolf on March 12, 2009 at 2:05 AM
Bottom line is that Steele shouldn’t be head of the GOP if he keeps falling into these obvious traps the MSM sets for him.
He begged off his stupidity for the Rush thing, including agreeing with the talking head that the GOP convention was “like a Nazi rally.”
Now this about abortion and icky answers to the homosexual questions.
Please.
He’s just not ready for prime time and will not ever be.
The role of the head of the party is NOT to make the rest of the Republicans look like a bunch of chumps!
I like the man fine, but this clearly is “above his pay grade.”
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 2:23 AM
I was cnoceived through rape, so fuck you bastards who claim that I should have been murdered simply because I was conceived by a man who committed one violent crime.
And you dopes ALL have incest in your past. All of you have someone back in your genealogy that engaged in incest and conceived your great great great great great great great great great grandparents or further back.
You’re arguing for MURDERING THE INNOCENT as well as for YOUR OWN OBLIVION with these stupid exceptions.
Also, its a FACT that gay sex has NOTHING TO DO WITH GENETICS.
You can read all of the research and studies done on whether it has a genetic basis or not here http://narth.com/menus/born.html
More info at the main site http://narth.com
MICHASEL STEELE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS SHIT!!!! ROTTEN BASTARD!!
TheMightyQuinn on March 12, 2009 at 2:27 AM
MICHAEL STEELE = INEPT
TheMightyQuinn on March 12, 2009 at 2:28 AM
Time for me to rant…
This is a logicaly inconsistant position… its either the STATES choice, or its a PERSONAL choice… it CAN NOT BE BOTH!
What this shows is that he is taking POSITIONS, and does not have a consistant philosophy… much like the rest of the Republican party the last few years.
At this point in time, I think abortion is evil… but at times a neccesary evil… much like War… sooooo…. first trimester? OK, but make it VERY expensive, and certainly not funded by the Government… and put the SHAME back into the act… and if the kid is under 18 then TELL the PARENTS!
And I bet that a MAJORITY of Americans would agree with me…
Romeo13 on March 12, 2009 at 2:29 AM
I was conceived through rape so FUCK YOU BASTARDS who argue that I ought to have been brutally murdered because my dad committed just one bad crime!!
You all have INCEST in your past! you all got here through INCEST at some point! You are arguing for YOUR OWN OBLIVION!
The facts on whether guys engaging in cocksucking with other guys is genetic or not are found here in this large body of research and clinical analysis
http://narth.com/menus/born.html
Its NOT genetic.
TheMightyQuinn on March 12, 2009 at 2:31 AM
His convictions aren’t strong? Because he wants Republicans to come within smelling distance of the majority again? Seriously, go see how far your convictions take you throwing stones at a radical pro-choice anti-constitution establishment, cause that’s what you’re looking at if you’re so damn dedicated to ridiculous displays of ideological purity.
Michael Steele was going to be a Catholic Priest, and he compared stem-cell research to the nazi human experiments, something tells me he’s not particularly a moderate on the issue of abortion. But what distinguishes him from you is that he can read polling data and knows that if you don’t have a pro-choice vote at all you’re looking at taking 46% of the vote off the table, and if you take 46% of the population out of your potential voting base you can hold any damn conviction you want and it won’t make a lick of difference because you’re not going to have any say in policy.
Roe v. Wade is a constitutional farce and it blows my mind that it hasn’t been overruled. The Supreme Court dictating when legal personage is given to a new life to the entire country isn’t in the damn constitution no matter how many amendment to combine together. It should be left to the states, and when it’s on the state level I’m gonna vote to keep it legal in my state and I’ve got no problem with you voting to ban it in yours.
But you need to recognize that kids are dying either way, if they’re not getting killed in the womb they’re getting killed on the streets or they’re having their soul’s sucked out through the Democrat forced dependency policies. So forgive me if I don’t see a lot of merit in your hyperbole.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 2:32 AM
Romeo13 said:
“This is a logicaly inconsistant position… its either the STATES choice, or its a PERSONAL choice… it CAN NOT BE BOTH!”
No, no state has the right to legalize the murder of innocent Americans. Just as no state has the right to legalize slavery.
Get it?
There must be a nationwide abortion bad where those who succeed in murdering their children are brought to trial for murder and upon conviction executed.
Restoring justice in the USA is the only way. Regulating murder has not and will never work.
TheMightyQuinn on March 12, 2009 at 2:34 AM
d()b
Kini on March 12, 2009 at 2:39 AM
More people are against abortion on demand than are for it (“pro-choice”).
The last election wasn’t decided by Obama or McCain’s stance on abortion, but people know that Republicans are the pro-life party and I’d like for it to stay that way, thanks!
Steele didn’t say one thing about abortion being infanticide, even though he had the opportunity, so I don’t see the man who thought about becoming a priest.
He cannot single-handedly change the GOP into a partly pro-choice party or make abortion OK and “an individual choice” no matter how much he plans to “hip hop” it.
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 2:41 AM
Yes.
Connie on March 12, 2009 at 2:46 AM
Read what Steele said… I was commenting on his positions…
First he said he was for a Womans right to choose…
And then he said it was up to the State…
If its up to the woman, its not up to the State…
And if a State can dictate somthing, then its not up to the woman.
Logical inconsistancy.
Romeo13 on March 12, 2009 at 2:50 AM
This is really disturbing, but, I had a feeling that this would happen when Steele became the new leader of the Republican party. He is taking the Republican party in a direction everyday conservatives don’t want. My prediction has/is coming true. See bottom half. These neocon secular Republica elite anti-God conservatives are destroying the conservative movement in America. This is happening exactly as predicted!
apacalyps on March 12, 2009 at 2:51 AM
*sigh*
- The Cat
MirCat on March 12, 2009 at 2:51 AM
Part of the problem with the abortion issue was most people were pretty comfortable with restrictions that came under Bush and the issue was just not a propelling one driving the vote. If Obama is stupid enough to ram through FOCA early on, it may well be one of a few to wake the zombies from their sleep.
I always vote with abortion a top concern. Look at the exit polls though, I was not a majority by any stretch. I want to draw enough new voters in to undo this crap that Obama is rolling back. Honestly my concern is drawing in enough voters to make that happen. I don’t think proclaiming the parties pro-life stance is going to do that, at least not right now. I think it wasn’t a bad decision to trumpet that in this interview. I think this interview was an outreach and probably more helpful than not. I am willing to give Steele a chance to see how he does with his first election.
msmveritas on March 12, 2009 at 3:10 AM
Rush is a bomb thrower?
Last time I checked, bomb throwers were dopes like Sean Penn, Bill Maher and Al Franken; people who don’t know squat and resort to cheap jokes and venomous tirades because they don’t have facts or reason to back up their arguments.
This jackass is comparing Rush to scum like that?
Does this numbnuts ever learn?
I retract my previous prediction that this assclown would be out by the end of the year.
He’ll be out by the end of spring at this point.
SuperCool on March 12, 2009 at 3:23 AM
45% of Americans self-identify as pro-life, 46% self-identify as pro-choice. Most Americans are moderate on abortion, and if moderation on abortion, including people who self-identify as pro-choice, isn’t tolerated in this party then we’re done cause we’re writing off most of the American population.
He doesn’t have to change the party into a partly-pro-choice party because it already is. Most Republicans believe abortion should be legal under some circumstances, and Republicans fall on all points of the spectrum on abortion. The question is whether we should drive all of these people, who believe in small government, strong national defense, strict constructionist judges, low taxes and fiscal responsibility, out of the party because the few who take the most extreme positions see acknowledging the legitimacy of these people as “building a party on the blood of the unborn”.
Like I said, if you want to be in a one-issue or one faction party, by all means, go form your own party and see how well you do. Now if you admit that you need the help of people who don’t necessarily agree with you on everything, then grow a sack and deal with it.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 3:37 AM
Sapwolf on March 12, 2009 at 2:05 AM
It will boil down to whether Tedisco prevails at the end of the month. If he does, and I understand that SarahPAC may be endorsing him, Steele will get a reprieve. But if Tedisco loses, especially after he has been ahead in the polls, Steele will get dumped on big time. Politics is a blood-sport but it always boils down to elections.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 3:42 AM
The only way the RNC could kick Michael Steele out is if they agreed to appoint Blackwell in his place. The fallout from kicking the first black RNC chairman out of office so quickly would be disastrous on so many levels.
Regardless, I thought we were getting a moderate-right chairman and not a moderate-left one. Some of his comments are disappointing. All we can do is hope for the best, because he isn’t going anywhere, and, potentially, neither are we.
kagai on March 12, 2009 at 3:55 AM
Mike, get a clue, you aren’t running for office, you aren’t the face of the Republican Party…stop being a media whore! Your job is to work behind the scenes.
I wash my hands from the republican party, I thought they have learned their lesson…no instead we get another Democrat Lite who thinks we need to have the Democrat platform to win.
Conservative Voice on March 12, 2009 at 3:58 AM
Most Republicans do not support abortion and never will; the lion’s share of the party is pro-Life and are Social Conservatives.
If you want baby murder, you can go vote Democrat: they love it!
We will win elections in the future, because either the economy or national defense and security or both will be the issue and the current Administration will be running defense on both those issues and will look weak and ineffective and lose.
However, as our party spokesman, Steele can and must defend innocent life whenever he’s given the opportunity.
It’s one of the seminal things that distinguish one party from the other.
I can’t “grow a sack”–I’m a lady, as should have been obvious from my name.
However, you clearly are no gentleman.
I pray to the Lord above that the GOP never needs “help” so badly that they’ll agree to include those who embrace infanticide just to get more voters.
If we sell our souls to the Devil (which is what that amounts to), then all that is good about this country will be truly lost.
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 3:58 AM
As long as people are saying that they’re born gay, then there’s no way anyone’s telling me to get off my ass and exercise.
Ortzinator on March 12, 2009 at 4:02 AM
Well it would seem presuming that I was making a biological recommendation would be intellectually dishonest at best, and considering that you have equated disagreeing with you with infanticide, I would question whether you’re in a position where you can justifiably lecture people on their manners.
Your stated opinion on the makeup of the party is all fine and good except it’s not true. We are the more pro-life party, but it’s only a small fraction of this country and of this party that does not have at least a little bit of nuance in their views on abortion. The Republican Party is going to go where the votes are, and if it comes down to appeasing a fraction of the party that rejects any moderation on abortion as being infanticide and appealing to the people who think abortion should be legal under some circumstances, you’re going to lose.
If you can’t tell the difference between a moderately pro-life party and a radically pro-choice party then that speaks more to your lack of abilities of perception more than it says anything about the party.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 4:11 AM
By all means, when it comes to your body do whatever the hell you want for whatever reason you want. It’s just another reason why I hope I don’t wind up paying for your healthcare.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 4:13 AM
Sexuality is not a binary solution set any more than skin color is. As demonstrated by the bisexuals.
.
If sexual orientation was a choice, why doesn’t gender reasignment work?
.
Would you chose to be part of a group that has the highest suicide rate, and the highest rate of being physically
assaulted,and murdered.
.
I didn’t chose to be in the group in high-school that was considered, fair game for the jocks, and voted most likely to die a virgin.
.
And as to abortion. Evin in the case of Rape and incest, you would be executing the wrong person.
Glad your around.
darktood on March 12, 2009 at 4:17 AM
Isn’t the chairman’s main responsibility to be raising money and supporting party organization?
While it would be nice for Steele to just shut up, the GOP should be judging him on his fund-raising efforts. Or is his flubbing that too?
rockmycar on March 12, 2009 at 4:18 AM
Disagreeing with my defense of innocent life equates to your support of infanticide.
Again, your reading comprehension leaves a lot to be desired.
Sorry, but it is true.
No, we’re not.
We are the party of principles, values and certain ideals and ideology.
We don’t have to appease a fraction of the party or anyone else.
Abortion on demand without parental consent up until at least the 2nd trimester is the law of the land.
The Conservative position is that Life is precious, especially innocent life of the unborn, and should be protected but that being said, we hold that Roe v. Wade is bad law and an egregious example of federal overreach into an area that rightfully belongs to the states.
“Moderately pro-life”: is that like moderately pregnant?
Being pro-Life is just part of one leg (Social Conservative) of the 3-legged stool that makes up Conservative/GOP ideology: Social Conservatism, Fiscal Responsibility and National Security/Defense.
As I’ve already said, if you love abortion, you know which party to go to and vote with and that’s the Democrats.
One of the few things they stand for besides Big Government and higher taxes is Baby Murder, lots and lots and lots of it, to wit, 40 million babies murdered since 1973 and counting.
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 4:30 AM
rockmycar on March 12, 2009 at 4:18 AM
When Steele was elected chairman I was elated. Mike Duncan was a total zero as far as I was concerned; I never even knew what he looked like. But even more important to me he did not step up to the plate and defend Sarah Palin in the wardrobe controversy. All he had to say was that the RNC supplied the wardrobe and paid for it; all we asked Sarah and her family were their meadurements.
I liked Steele because he appeared to understand that the GOP neede get out and around and tell its story in various places and in Steele’s words, one’s neighborhoods. That implies grassroots.
Mr. Steele, appearing on DL Hughley or giving an interview to GQ is not grass roots. It is highbrow and elitist. If I had one piece of advice to you stick to your pledge-spend your time on the ground and avoid TV studios or interviewers and devote your time in closing the techology gap between the GOP and the Dems. And finally focus your resources and energies on getting Tedisco elected.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 4:32 AM
As with Sarah Palin’s subpar performance with Couric, Jindals’ awful presentation in his rebuttal and your condemnation of Rush Limbaugh I thought in all 3 cases that each person deserved a chance to redeem himself or herself.
With Sarah Palin she distinguished herself for the rest of the campaign but especially in the debate.
With Jindal he did an excellent interview with the Today program the day after the rebuttal and went on Hannity recently.
But with you Mr. Steele we get this GQ interview. I just don’t understand it. Do you crave the camera lights or the flattery or attention given to you by a sycophantic interviewer? Mr. Steele, the last time I checked you are the head of the RNC; you are not running for office-you don’t have to play the role of a politician; just do your job-rebuild the infrastructure of the party, get the GOP technologically savvy and get us prepared for 2010. Is that too much to ask for?
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 4:42 AM
As have your reasoning abilities, but bravo in attacking me in response to that, as you definitely proved me wrong as to your high ground in terms of manners.
And I’m sure you have something to base this on, right? Of course, there’s no way you’d make such a statement without already having a response to the fact that only 10% of Americans believe that abortion should be illegal without exception, and that it’s subsequently mathematically impossible for that segment to compose the majority of the Republican Party…
Right. Considering we’re talking about a political party, that’s not naive at all.
We believe abortion is wrong and that Roe is garbage, you and a few of your friends believe that that equates to rejecting any nuance in one’s abortion position. If you want to get your way, then go out and convince some people (and I must say, calling the people you’d like to convince murderers is an unconventional strategy). Otherwise you’re talking about 1/10th of the American population setting abortion policy for the other 90%, and unfortunately for you here in America we have these little things called elections that prevent exactly that sort of thing.
You and I agree on a lot, we agree that Roe should be overturned, we agree that abortion policy should be left to the states, we agree that abortion is morally wrong and that life begins at conception. Where we disagree is I’ve thought about the issue beyond those basic realizations and you haven’t because it provided you with a means of feeling morally superior.
Obviously it doesn’t fill me with confidence as to your reasoning abilities if you’ve taken from this that I love abortion. I find it also more than a little ironic that you say this in the same post where you criticize my reading comprehension.
65% of Americans fall in between the extremes (and 5/7 of those who don’t think that abortion should always be legal). If you can’t understand how they exist, then that explains why your analysis is so poor. If you equate moderation with loving abortion, then 90% of Americans love abortion and you’re going to be extremely lonely.
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 4:47 AM
No. But what I would choose to do is meaningless. I wouldn’t choose to smoke crack, shoot heroin, rape women, sell drugs, commit armed robbery, drive drunk, etc, either, but thousands do every day.
Homosexuals aren’t choosing to be part of that group either….their choosing to be part of the group that engages in homosexual sex.
xblade on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 AM
galenrox on March 12, 2009 at 4:47 AM
While Republicans worry about the abortion views of the chairman of the RNC, who is by the way not running for office, why is there little reference to the Messiah’s view on abortion and stem cell research and his desire to set up a healthcare system so a bureaucrat can decide if your parent or grandparent gets to live or die?
Many people have referred to the GOP of ‘eating their young’ and indulging in internecine skirmishes: I am not against healthy debate but when we lose sight of the Messiah and his keen desire to kill the unborn, his Marxist agenda to destroy the capitalist system and his overarching desire to suppress the freedoms of Americans by the dismantling of the Constitution, we perhaps deserve to be enslaved by a man a million times worse than Michael Steele.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 5:00 AM
WOW! Just, like so WOW! The man is a certifiable nitwit! The worst part of the entire interview was comparing Rush Limbaugh to Al Franken, I think. But the rest was really on a sliding stupid scale of 1 – 10 – a perfect 15!
sabbott on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 AM
sabbott on March 12, 2009
I agree. You would have thought that Steele would have learned his lesson about Rush already. Steele claims that Rush and he are ‘good’, whatever that means. By the way Steele did not go on Rush’s program to explain to 22m people why he said the things that he did or why he didn’t try to discredit the Nazi comment.
As I recommended to Steele: do your job and get Tedisco elected. If he loses, your head will be on a platter-that I can guarantee.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 AM
+10
Superb comments–thank you!
I can only add to that that Steele had a perfect opportunity to say what you just said and instead fell into the Leftist MSM’s trap of responding in Rodney King-like fashion “Can’t we all just get along?”
This is not working out with Steele!
At the very best, can’t he at least lie low, keep quiet and remain anonymous like the last head of the RNC?
If he can’t and keeps making these public missteps, he’s going to have to go, black or not.
His outspoken, but misguided views are not helping us in the sphere of public opinion, making Rush infinitely better as “our” spokesman!
Jenfidel on March 12, 2009 at 5:12 AM
Philip Klein at the American Spectator blog just compared Michael Steele to Zelig, a Woody Allen 1983 movie about a man who longs for approval so badly that he changes to fit the people who are surrounding him. He goes on to suggest that it might encapsulate Steele’s desire to reach out to moderates, but instead is a ‘shape shifter…who ends up in the end delivering a completely muddled message…Steele comes off as a bumbling clown who is trying to have it both ways.’
I think this summarizes Steele’s performance in the GQ very well.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 5:21 AM
He is right about it being kicked to the states (I’ll take my victorys were I can) but otherwise I’d be tempted to fire the guy.
Why is he giving interviews to GQ? The media is NOT your friend pal.
gdonovan on March 12, 2009 at 5:24 AM
gdonovan on March 12, 2009 at 5:24 AM
If there is one thing I don’t like about people in leadership positions in the GOP, it is that they feel that they have to bend over backwards to suck up to Brian Williams, Katie Couric, Andrea Mitchell, Wolf Blitzer or Larry King. it’s an elitist thing, and until we eradicate this cancer from the leadership we will continue to get erratic and insipid media performances from Congressmen and Senators and people like Michael Steele.
A lot of people don’t really get this about Rush Limbaugh. Don’t you think he knows he easily could have become part of the Georgetown or NYC cocktail circuit but what I really like about Rush he prevents himself from selling out by not becoming part of that dynamic, unlike so many who think once they get to Washington that they have to cultivate relationships and be seen at the right places.
As Mark Levin would say, “That’s right! I said it, you jokers have sold your political principles for an hor d’oeuvre and a dainty glass of red wine.
technopeasant on March 12, 2009 at 5:36 AM
You wouldn’t think Steele could fit both feet into his mouth, but he does.
Aboslutely idiotic comparison of Rush to Franken. Not in ideology, but intent and honesty. No comparison and Steele should know that. At the very least he should shut his mouth until the previous wounds scab over.
He’s toast.
SKYFOX on March 12, 2009 at 6:05 AM
I hate to say I was right about Steele but I was right about Steele.
Still think it would be bad to get rid of him. Just stick in a co Chair someone with ability.
William Amos on March 12, 2009 at 6:41 AM
I think he’s picking the right battles. The Freedom of Choice Act is as much about power as it is eugenics and nationalized health care. People are beginning to wake up to this power grab bacchanalia and (even Democrats) don’t like it. We are not going to all agree on single issues for the most part but I believe most of us can agree that the states are losing rights left and right under Obama. People can SEE that. They don’t like it. I wish he would articulate this and each of his battle zones in interviews clearly and re-f’ing-peat them in every interview. He gets lead around far too much.
.
The issue of abortion is about to get way out of control with FOCA and if you want any hope of putting and keeping limits on abortion – if that’s important to you – then we have to eat this elephant one bite at a time. Pardon the analogy.
BrideOfRove on March 12, 2009 at 6:58 AM
If he keeps this up he’ll make joe biden look like a genius…oh wait…joe already is…
jerrytbg on March 12, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Mister Steele is the best thing that ever happened……to the Democrats. Please keep this man. He is a RNC chairman Democrats could only dream of having. I love me some Steele. I say he’s gone in under 2 weeks. I love me some gop civil war.
athensboy on March 12, 2009 at 7:14 AM
OH OH OH
blatantblue on March 12, 2009 at 7:25 AM
Steele seems to have a desth wish.
I urge the members of the RNC to grant him that wish–in a figurative sense, of course.
I took great pleasure giving an RNC solicitor an earful about Steele two nights ago. I have to believe his past few weeks are killing fundraising. That’s when he’ll be toast.
BuckeyeSam on March 12, 2009 at 7:31 AM
I must be the last person in the world who believes homosexuality is just a perversion. I set as no judge or jury but I don’t want the issue passed around as a choice for children or a red badge of courage.
Steele just needs to resign his post…we need to stick to conservative principles.
Passionate-Conservative on March 12, 2009 at 7:33 AM
The RNC keeps blowing chance after chance after chance to “find a voice”, go Conservative, paint the far left radicals into a corner, pin them as out of touch, big spenders and radicals… But instead we get an:
EPIC FAIL!
Republicans slop to the pork in record amounts, they vote for horrible Socialist mesures and fail to make the bold contrasts between the small Government Conservative model and the radical agenda of welfare, bailouts and handouts that are the old fasion Liberal pattern. We have no guts!
We have no voice, no power to motivate our Conservative reps, no voice in the RNC. An aimless Party, stuck in the past of spending beyond the ability to pay, generational theft and cowardess… The Republican Party and the RNC are dead in the water, they do not represent me, my values, my core principals, my views, my wallet, my work ethic and my religion. They have failed in an EPIC way to stand against the radical far left Messiah and his cultists, they failed to convey any core message and unlike Rush and Mark Levin and a few others, seem to not understand the anger of Conservatives as we watch our Founders views of America be stolen in broad daylight. America is in danger, grave danger from within. many of us Conservatives see it and are warning about this horrid direction the country is taking, but to no avail. Our voices are being ignored by those leading the RNC and Republican Party.
When we have 8 members of the RINO traitors brigade falling in lock-step with the Messiah in his bid to radicaly “change” America it is clear that Republican are not going to defend The Constitution. Obama and his cults spending of our childrens future, his far left views on National Security, Gittmo, Guns, Gays, Infanticide, Socialized Health Care, Card Check, Defense Cuts, Compromising with Terrorists and his hatred for the sucessful, the workers, the earners, families and God should have been reasons enough to “stand in the breach” for the RNC and Republicans, Moderates, Centerists and Conservatives… But again an EPIC FAIL on all our parts!
I do not see the anger, the worry, the fear, the urgency needed by all those that love America. Obam is a clear and present danger to the Constitution and America in general.
Mark Garnett on March 12, 2009 at 7:43 AM
What exactly is so controversial about what Steele said? Is abortion not an individual right at this point in time? Meaning it’s legal. Yes, it is. Do Republicans generally want to overturn Roe vs. Wade and make it states rights issue? Generally.
I’m just not seeing what’s so controversial about this.
therightwinger on March 12, 2009 at 7:50 AM
Though I take comfort in the reference to Lee Atwater, Mr. Steele, YOU ARE NO LEE ATWATER!!
DamnYankee on March 12, 2009 at 7:58 AM
Not one dime Mr. Steele, not one dime.
OmahaConservative on March 12, 2009 at 8:01 AM
There are certainly major arguments to be made with Steele’s comments – but comparing Rush with Franken? What the hell? How do they compare? You know what? I don’t want to know….. I think that the Republicans need to get together and come up with a quick, easy to remember answer about Rush. And it ain’t to compare him with Al Franken. We have Rush, and you have Al Franken?!?!?!? Good gawd!
JeffinOrlando on March 12, 2009 at 8:04 AM
Steeles leadership of the party ends in 3…2…1…..boom.
wow, who’s next?
greataunty on March 12, 2009 at 8:05 AM
+10
Being black, OTOH, is pretty much a done deal…unless you’re Michael Jackson.
Fletch54 on March 12, 2009 at 8:05 AM
ok, supposing Steele had come out & said that women certainly never, ever had to have an abortion, but if they did, she should have lots of hoops to jump thru.
then let’s say he went on to bash bambi’s total incompetence (and backed it up with quotes from warren buffett & others) & talked about how the dems in Congress are bankrupting this country.
would you still not like him because he was “soft” on abortion?
kelley in virginia on March 12, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Never Forget:
TRAITORS TO AMERICA, OUR CHILDREN, OUR FUTURE!
* Lamar Alexander
* Kit Bond
* Thad Cochran
* Lisa Murkowski
* Richard Shelby
* Olympia Snowe
* Arlen Specter
* Roger Wicker
Let the RNC know how mad we are! NOT ONE PENNY TO THE RNC, we will support individual candidates that represent Conservative views and OPPOSE the Messiah and his radical agenda for the destrustion of America! NOT ONE PENNY to RINO’s ever again…
Mark Garnett on March 12, 2009 at 8:12 AM
Wow, he really doesn’t want my donations.
ctmom on March 12, 2009 at 8:13 AM
i usually agree with mark garnett. how does he feel about steele’s interview?
kelley in virginia on March 12, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Republicans are a PART of spending 1 BILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR for the past 50 days of The Messiah’s reign!!!
We can no longer just blame radical Liberals for this mess, the RINO traitors, the Moderates, the Big Tenters are ALL to blame, as is the RNC for not cutting off ALL support to ANYONE who assists The One in his destroy America agenda!
1 BILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR!!!
Mark Garnett on March 12, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Give me a break people. Steele will be a great leader for the GOP. The left is trying to destroy him just like they tried to destroy Sarah Palin. And you’re all buying right into it.
Do you not want someone who isn’t a timid, pathetic leader? Steele has guts, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind. We NEED people like this. Especially when we’re so outnumbered in the media.
therightwinger on March 12, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Too bad he said this on the eve of Rush’s long weekend. I’d love to hear his opinion on this.
ctmom on March 12, 2009 at 8:19 AM
as far as i am concerned, the issue is to oust bambi & most of Congress. we’ll sort out the rest later.
kelley in virginia on March 12, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Liberal.
getalife on March 12, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Kelly,
Steele is weak imho, he is not the “voice or face” we need at this time in our dire straights as Americans, as Republicans, as Conservatives. Abortion is NOT high on my list of concerns to be honest, I am a Christian, a stauch Conservative and I love my Country, have served it and have a Son serving now… Abortion to me has always been a States Rights issue for me, R v W should be overturned and handed back to the States to make localized decisions based on the “will of the people”.
Steele havs given very poor interviews recently, seems unsure of his heart, his values, the Party’s core principals. He has not attacked the Messiah or his cult, his radical agenda… Steele has not stood against Collins, Specter, Snowe or the NEW TRAITORS, Thad Cockran, Lisa Murkowski, Richard Shelby. They need to be called out for ANY support of the radicals agenda to destroy America. The TRAITORS need to have all funding cut off, be called out by name for horrible votes and have massive pressure brought to bear upon them to stop supporting Obama’s evil plan…
the RNC is DEAD TO ME! Along with the big tenters, moderates, centerists, RINO’s… All need to move over and let real Conservatives lead the Party to victories…
Mark Garnett on March 12, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Nor mine.
OmahaConservative on March 12, 2009 at 8:26 AM
I’m not touching this one, even with a 10 ft. barge pole.
bluelightbrigade on March 12, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Maybe Steele is trying to split the Dems into two parties, the left and far left. That’s the way it works in W. Europe–there are no conservatives in the sense we mean it here. There, various factions of the left battle it out for control. They usually just swing back and forth.
The true conservatives are marginalized as ultra-nationalists, nativists, extreme right wing, etc.
JiangxiDad on March 12, 2009 at 8:42 AM
You are either joking or you need to put down your crack pipe and call the local hospital immediately!
sabbott on March 12, 2009 at 8:46 AM
FIFY (of course, they both mean the same thing)
bluelightbrigade on March 12, 2009 at 8:48 AM
The entire political dynamic these days is to push the whole process back from the right, leftward toward and even past the center. And the supreme moderate, Michael Steele, is a big part of that “movement”. Make no mistake. You have to admit that Steele is gutsy. He knows the risks he’s taking and he’s counting on the demoralized Conservative Movement to, in their state of apathy, do nothing.
All the progress that the Conservative Movement has made since 1980 will be lost if we don’t oppose and purge these moderate rino’s, these transnational progressives from the party and the movement. DD
Darvin Dowdy on March 12, 2009 at 8:48 AM
Sorry…I lied.
It’s just obvious to me that Steele does not speak to the base. Either that, or he can’t hack tough questions w/ straightforward (read “non-PC”) answers.
bluelightbrigade on March 12, 2009 at 8:50 AM
indeed, so we have our own “Lightworker” working with Chicago Jesus to change us into EUtopia…
like I said have fun doing it on someone else’s dime RiNOs….
sven10077 on March 12, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Steeles’s positions DO NOT MATTER. His job is to grow the party, period. This litmus test crap needs to go.
therightwinger on March 12, 2009 at 8:52 AM
The RNC, RINO’s, MODERATES, CENTERISTS, BIG TENTERS and the following idiots have FAILED AMERICA, FAILED OUR FOUNDERS, FAILED OUR CHILDREN and FAILED OUR SECURITY AND FUTIRE!!!
* Lamar Alexander
* Kit Bond
* Thad Cochran
* Lisa Murkowski
* Richard Shelby
* Olympia Snowe
* Arlen Specter
* Roger Wicker
We can no longer just blame the radical left Messiah and his cult… All those listed above are TRAITORS to America!
Mark Garnett on March 12, 2009 at 8:53 AM
I guess I must be one of those fake conservatives cuz I had no problem with any of those answers(except for the “bomb throwing” remark).
Homosexuality is a choice for some, but for most I believe they were born that way. But then again I also support gay marriage(as long it’s approved by voters and not imposed by activist judges), so I guess I’m more with Meghan McCain than Ann Coulter on this one.
I have no problem with Roe vs. Wade being left up to the states, but again I support abortion being legal. I don’t like it. I’m personally against it. But that’s just it. It’s a personal choice. It’s between a woman and her God. I do think we as a society should encourage women to carry the baby to term, but I don’t think it’s the role of government to force anyone to make that choice. And let’s be honest. Even if abortion were illegal, women would still attempt to have them. And then their lives would be in danger as well.
Comparing Rush to Al Franken is a little unfair since Franken is much more of a hatemonger than Rush ever was even on his worst day. But I’m glad he singled out Franken if for no other reason than that dude IS an elected representative(pending what happens in Minnesota). Rush is not.
I do think a lot of the comments on here indicate that the conservative movement has some serious choices to make. Are we going to focus our attention on fiscal matters which is the most immediate and overriding concern in this country or are we going to let ourselves be sidetracked and undermined by social issues.
This is where I support Steele’s idea of a “big tent” for the Republican Party. Yes, we need to be united on the idea of fiscal conservatism. Elected officials who support things like the porkulus bill or earmarks need to be singled out and, if possible, replaced with better candidates. But we need to stop excluding those who don’t agree with the majority of the party on issues like abortion or gay marriage or gun control. It’s that type of mentality that has the entire Northeast painted blue instead of purple.
Doughboy on March 12, 2009 at 8:56 AM
No his job is to organize the party and facilitate victory in elections, considering the last election was largely a result of Running Juan RiNO you think maybe finding the middle of our own party ideological base prior to trying to outleftoid the moonbats might be a good place to go?
or hell even hiring a staff????
sven10077 on March 12, 2009 at 8:57 AM
getalabotomy,
You have a mind like a Steele trap.
swede7 on March 12, 2009 at 9:00 AM
As a party, if we don’t stick to the issue of abortion being a legal matter and that individual states should decide, then we’re going to lose again and again and again.
We are all entitled to our beliefs morally and when/if we’re able to vote on the issue, then vote accordingly. California voted on the gay marriage amendment and it failed. The system works if we let it.
Obviously the questioner didn’t realize that overturning Roe v. Wade doesn’t mean abortion is illegal. The public needs to be educated and, honestly, conservatives/ Republicans get so wrapped up on the moral issue (where we won’t win) we forget about the legal issue – the state issue where we CAN win.
Oink on March 12, 2009 at 9:01 AM
McCain’s “RINO” status is not why he lost. No Republican would’ve won last year, period. Not even Zombie Reagan.
therightwinger on March 12, 2009 at 9:01 AM
I think it’s a real possibility that the Rep. plan is to marginalize and jettison the conservatives entirely. I’m not really all that savvy politically, but I don’t see why the Dems aren’t ripe for driving a wedge into, thereby creating two leftist parties who essentially rule continually. Sounds like a plan to me.
JiangxiDad on March 12, 2009 at 9:04 AM
zombie Reagan would’ve cleaned Bambi’s clock….
he would not have left Ayers, Wright at al off the table…
sven10077 on March 12, 2009 at 9:04 AM
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