Jay Cost: Steele must go
posted at 6:04 pm on May 11, 2009 by Allahpundit
He says it’s time, as does Ace, as do I. It’s one thing to be ineffective as chairman — losing NY-20, for instance, which wasn’t really his fault — but it’s another to beclown your way into becoming a national punchline. More than anything right now, the GOP needs to project competence and gravitas; Steele’s done the opposite, out-gaffeing even Biden over the past three months, with his klutzy digression about the base’s disdain for Mormonism just the latest example. Ace is right too about how his perch at the RNC seems to be more interesting to him as a platform for his own persona than for nuts-and-bolts organizational work. The tone was set at the beginning when he won the chairmanship and immediately taunted Obama by saying, “How you like me now?” — an early window onto both his ego and his penchant for the sort of cringe-inducing slang that The One goofed on him for at the WHCD.
It’s enough already. Cost:
On the issue of flip-flopping – all signs point to Mitt Romney having an interest in a future presidential candidacy. He might very well succeed where he failed last cycle, becoming the 2012 Republican nominee. That would make these comments quite unfortunate. One could imagine the DNC working this into a general election campaign ad. The kicker is pretty obvious: “Mitt Romney’s own boss doesn’t think he’s honest. Why should you?”
Second, the RNC Chairman has no business talking about a tension that exists within his party, unless the goal is to minimize it. American political parties are broad-based coalitions that seek to unify diverse groups under one banner. The views of Mormons and evangelical Christians have a lot of overlaps, which makes them political allies. However, they disagree on matters of importance to both groups. Typically, these disagreements are rarely discussed in political venues, so their tensions are usually irrelevant for the GOP. It follows that the GOP has no interest in bringing these disagreements forward. It’s only going to annoy Mormons and evangelicals, and potentially pit them against one another.
Additionally, it’s bad for the party’s image. If you’re trying to woo marginal voters, you don’t want to emphasize the fact that groups within the party have conflicts. Think Progress headlined its clip of Steele as this: “Steele Calls GOP Base Bigoted, Says They ‘Rejected’ Romney Because They Have ‘Issues With Mormonism.’” Republicans should hope that the mainstream press does not run with Steele’s comments, as it will only forward the “GOP is shrinking and narrow” meme, which he has actually helped along in the past.
The Romney camp was forced into rebuking Steele this afternoon, which isn’t the first time a top candidate has felt compelled to distance himself from the party chair. He’s clearly lost the confidence of a significant portion of the RNC too. Are they really going to give him until the midterms?
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
Regarding Steele – I was for him before I was against him but I agree he needs to go. He continues to make junior high mistakes and sometimes I think he is a closet Democrat like Powell.
Bluehanky on May 11, 2009 at 8:35 PM
RomneyCare was conservative? Cutting taxes and making up of for the lost revenue by raising fines and fees was conservative? Signing a state “assault weapons” ban was conservative?
I don’t care who endorsed him. He’s another Big Government Republican (aka RINO) just like Bush. If he wins the nomination, we lose again (whether he wins the WH or not).
I wish all these GOP beltway “listening tour, forget about Reagan” Rockefeller Republican hacks would just fade away, for the good of the republic if not for the party.
Rae on May 11, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Good greif you are historically challenged. Lets recap shall we ?
Japan invades China 1931, US and other contries TAKE YOUR ADVICE and use diplomacy and put an embargo on Japan.
Japan in 1941 signs Axis treaty with Germany and Italy becoming part of new world order.
Germany defeats western nations. Japan makes moves to take over French Indochina and Dutch west indies. US moves Fleet to Pearl to show Japan that it doesnt want the Japanese to gain access to all those raw resources to give to Nazi Germany.
Japan knowing that the US is its biggest threat to its plans launches a SNEAK attack killing 3,000 Americans.
Show me where we were the provacators in any of that ???
William Amos on May 11, 2009 at 8:39 PM
The Dean:
Oh, you mean like the order he signed reactivating the “Cuba Memorandum” a whopping 8 DAYS after assuming the position of Reichkanzler?
Remember, this was a document explicitly dedicated to the destruction of the Monroe Doctrine and the attack of the US.
And a massive colonial empire, and Latin America, and a cowed West, and a military that dwarfed anything Bismarck and the Kaiser could muster COMBINED, and for the “sentient impurities” to jump in a oven, and…
The list goes on.
And for Jewish existence, and for the scrounge of Western democracy, and America’s participation in WWI and the Spanish-American War, and…
And yes, those are all things he decried.
Seeing a pattern?
Which he HAD as early as 1935!
Oh yes, and so you are all fine and dandy about fighting to the last man on the Rio Grande or the Gulf of St. Lawrence, but have you ever considered our ability to actually WIN such a conflict with a German military machine that had expanded THAT far?
A. Than why are you, well, defending him using an extremely selective choice of his party policies (perhaps you have read Buchanan’s book after all)?
B. While I am willing to believe it was accidental, do you realize how badly it reflects when you had to declare that the strongest condemnation you can give the Fuhrer is “most people think he is a bad person, obviously?”
And pray tell me how can you when the enemy is playing target practice with your ships, making plans for our national downfall, and endangering European Democracy all at the same time?
Turtler on May 11, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Rae on May 11, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Agreed. And as for the endorsements, weren’t most of those late in the cycle? A number of preferable candidates were already out.
cs89 on May 11, 2009 at 8:41 PM
The Dean, part treis:
Which happened far after the Imperial junta got into OUR business, by the way.
Which point? The point where we had estranged Japan to the point that their Democracy collapsed in the 20′s and they were run by anti-Western militarists? Yes.
But by 1931, Japan was literally believing that war with the West was inevitable, and the embargo was just a convenient excuse.
Ideally, neither should have been the case, but by 1931 and ESPECIALLY 1937, Tokyo had chosen her course, and perhaps the one thing that would have placated them would have been to hand the Pacific over to them in a platter, which was simply unacceptable.
Turtler on May 11, 2009 at 8:44 PM
Not to quibble, but a more accurate way of putting it would be “all people who make any pretense of respecting the norms of civilization think [Hitler] was an example of the epitome of evil, to the extent that they are aware of his writings and deeds.”
Splunge on May 11, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Wow, you guys want the guy canned for pointing out the obvious? There are definitely those that have issues with his denomination.
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 8:48 PM
No, we want him canned for saying silly-assed things that lefties like you will use to bash us with…make sense?
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Kind of, yeah. Did you read the article? Mr. Steele’s position is, in part, one of PR. That means emphasizing things that redound to the good of the party, and de-emphasizing things that do not. Degree of obviousness does not enter into that calculation.
As a thought experiment, to come to terms with the inanity of your post, try to imagine other situations in which someone in a PR position might run into job trouble by “pointing out the obvious.”
Splunge on May 11, 2009 at 8:55 PM
Lefty? Ok, is that what everyone is reduced to? Calling conservatives that don’t pull the RNC line “lefties?”
Republicans don’t need an incompetent chairman to give reasons to the left to call them names. Republicans as a whole do that without Steele’s honest assessment. I find it refreshing that he can at least be forward about it.
I supported Romney over McCain during the primaries.
Damn, I can’t believe so many have confidence in the GOP. They, just like the Democrats, are selling your nation down the banking cartel river.
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Yes, I did read it, and yes I do understand the reasoning. I just disagree with it.
Once the GOP takes the black man out, it’s over. Or, I should say, it’s over all over again.
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Would you mind explaining why?
And especially, please explain this. What does race have to do with it?
Splunge on May 11, 2009 at 9:05 PM
You are saying he’s right that most Republicans are religious bigots…and nods his head when he’s on a show with lefties who compares his party members with nazi’s….all good stuff. And yes, based on your other comments around here, you certainly sound like a lefty to me. Maybe you would prefer the term “Progressive Republican”?
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Yes I do mind. Have you read it? But if you insist, I’ll explain it in one acronym: PR.
??
Haven’t you noticed his dark pigmentation?
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 9:12 PM
I don’t know about this Steele thing, but didn’t I hear in the campaign that Mormons believe Satan and Jesus are brothers?
Hey, I have an idea. How about the Huckster for RNC chief? Kind of a moonlighting thing from his talk show. Or maybe he and Romney could do it together, kind of a political Laurel and Hardy thing.
edshepp on May 11, 2009 at 9:14 PM
I’m not saying he’s right that Republicans are religious bigots, if that was the case then I would be a bigot as a former Republican. A brown skinned Mexican conservative bigot, but a bigot nonetheless I suppose, at least based on your reasoning. He was stating the obvious, heck, I’ve read commentary here of Huckabee supporters bashing Romney.
I agree, it’s not the best of PR, but I disagree with calls to take the guy out. Wait a year.
Let’s see, I’m prolife, a strict constructionist, support strict Constitutional judges, pro-traditional family values, love the 2nd amendment, states rights, etc.
Yep, I’m a liberal big time
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Ain’t gonna’ happen. Steele is one of the few prominent Republicans of color and the first black RNC head.
Barring a major implosion (and it would have to be something monumental), he’s in for the long haul.
Give Steele a break, he hasn’t even been through an election cycle yet. Many would also agree with what he said about Romney anyway.
sarahpalinfan99 on May 11, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Yep. Flameout. The guy is worse than irrelevant. He’s stretched so far trying to be the ‘inclusive guy’ he forgot that a political party is centered on beliefs, it doesn’t try to bend itself to be everything to everyone.
It’s one thing for members of the GOP to have differing opinions with some of the core beliefs of the party, quite another for the leader of that party to be tossing off at the thought of attracting the moderates at the expense of those core beliefs.
Screw Steele.
Spiritk9 on May 11, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Sounds great. I’m a white skinned Caucasian, BTW. So maybe we have something other than our race in common. Did I understand you that you are a ‘former’ Republican?
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 9:36 PM
The question becomes: Who’s Next?
The rot in the party runs deep.
Even Newt Gingrich has succumbed to the dark side – On his little “tour” with Al Sharpton? Is he completely out of his mind?
And so many of who might be though of as stalwarts in the party are, for instance, global warming converts.
Where to we go from here? Except to completely start from scratch.
Which is not necessarily a bad idea.
seanrobins on May 11, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Let’s try and not be too stupid about all of this…
The entire Mormon-rejection thing was, for the most part, a contrivance of the Left to cause disruption – successdully so – in the GOP.
We are all very, very stupid all too frequently.
seanrobins on May 11, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Thank you for your response. Yes, ‘former’ is correct. I’m officially tin foil hat kook now.
True_King on May 11, 2009 at 9:54 PM
I received a solicitation from the RNC today looking for donations. I decided to file this in my circular filing cabinet.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 11, 2009 at 9:55 PM
You’re welcome..
Did you happen to vote for Obama in the general election?…I ask because you explicitly said you voted for Romney over McCain in the primary…then left it there.
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 9:58 PM
I think Steele is a pretty personable guy and was probably the best of the bunch we had to go with.
That having been said, how many screw-ups can we tolerate with this guy?
My mom, who is only a little politically aware, heard all of his statements against the Republican party, and actually thought he was the DNC chair. She was shocked when I told her he was the leader of the Republicans.
And exactly who thought it would be a good idea to host a radio show, anyhow? Yeah, like nothing bad can happen there.
Who here thinks he’s trying to use the visibility of the position to make a run as Pres? He sure doesn’t seem worried much about his party.
12thMonkey on May 11, 2009 at 10:01 PM
I saw what Huckabee did in Iowa. Steele is right. I don’t know if he should be airing the bigotry of the party in this way but he is right about why Romney lost.
There is a sizable number of bigots in this party.
The biggest problems in the party are with the Huckabee wing’s inability to accept any deviation from their religious dogma as the Republican Party platform.
Religion and politics are the same to them. As long as there is a sizable portion of the party for whom disagreement with them is sin…
I don’t know how you can build a coalition with such narrow minded people who insist it’s their way or the highway every time there is a disagreement.
Maybe instead of kicking Steele in the head for speaking the truth we should listen to him and fix the problem.
I hope Mitt stays on the sidelines because we have to stop this mob that has power now and try to undo some of this damage.
But at some point this bigotry should be called what it is and there needs to be some honest self-examination and some big changes in attitude.
Or the party will split. Few people outside that one group want to be party to this.
petunia on May 11, 2009 at 10:25 PM
MICHAEL STEELE = SCAPEGOAT
GOP HIERARCHY/REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS = COLLECTION OF CLUELESS LOSERS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME OTHER THAN THEMSELVES.
Put them altogether and what do you get? A train wreck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUc3wd4It8g
Darvin Dowdy
Darvin Dowdy on May 11, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Why? Was/is he a McCain, Romney, or Specter supporter? Did he cost us in the last election, or perhaps the people looking to oust Steele can claim that responsibility.
Steele has yet to impress me, but neither has he done much more to damage the GOP. It was the beltway insiders who took care of that over the past 8 years, and gave us Juan McAmnesty to boot.
DannoJyd on May 11, 2009 at 10:45 PM
You sound like Barry Goldwater!
Rae on May 11, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Gingrich – time to get real
EricPWJohnson on May 11, 2009 at 10:59 PM
I enjoyed reading your well thought out posts throughout this thread.
Red State State of Mind on May 11, 2009 at 11:00 PM
The RNC chair is not that big a deal. What matters is how much money he can generate for 2010 canadates.
There are some Huckabee folks that had a problem with Mormons. We had them right here in the HA forum arguing there little huckster ass off. F** um if they don’t like beiing called out.
He is making gaffes but I think over time he will iron himself out. He will come in very handy in 2012 when Sarah Palin or somebody elese is the canadate and the media say the Repubs are just a bunch of white guys.
kangjie on May 11, 2009 at 11:01 PM
AP – you seem like a nice guy, but I don’t think you know your ass from your elbow when it comes to what attracts/repels voters.
You play a game with the HA hardliners as to where you stand on people like Palin and Meg McCain. You’re ga-ga for atheism and a proud beta male. If you were any more wishy-washy as to what exactly you wanted, you’d be SpongeAllah SquarePundit.
Anyone who wants to chuck Steele is short-sighted and woefully ignorant regarding the repercussions. Do you really think he’s simply going to slink away, or if he is this grand self-promoter, are you not giving him the biggest platform possible?
Tossing Steele makes him more of a media magnet because it will codify every GOP stereotype at play; Southern Repubs were undermining a black man the day he won and didn’t stop until he was ousted. Steele will not go out and carry water for the GOP in the mid-terms. If anything, he’ll be booked far and wide to do the opposite. And it’s not like Steele will have to run the GOP down to make his point. His very career will take care of that.
Howard Dean was horrible following McCauliffe and pulled it off in a big way. To not give Steele a real chance, to not let him be himself while demanding certain goals be met, to infer his demeanor is embarrassing, is bigotry.
The answer is simple – results must be met. Organizational, financial. Key people must lay out expectations. If he doesn’t meet them, then he’s gone. As of now, the entire party is rudderless so it makes little sense to dump one guy who can actually hold his own in a debate.
budfox on May 11, 2009 at 11:03 PM
The whole point of this is that fact that Steele can’t hold his own in a debate…unless ‘holding your own’ means agreeing with your opponent.
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 11:15 PM
We are just five months into the new year and Obama is doing a fair job of driving his popularity down all on his own. Steele can debate better than the last RNC chair which is not saying much. He just needs to aim his fire leftward and keep it there. He will learn(I hope).
kangjie on May 11, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I would have agreed with you up until this last gaffe…now, I see it’s going to be a continuous thing with him. Get him out now and start over again. He’s doing more damage than good…and even more important, he doesn’t seem to realize it.
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Romney is only the leading candidate in his own mind.
Rapunzel on May 12, 2009 at 12:06 AM
Rae on May 11, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Rapunzel on May 12, 2009 at 12:06 AM
I really hope you two come around and at least vote for him over Obama once he wins the nomination. There are these little things called debates that all the candidates have to go through, even pure identity picks. Some of them are going to eat the lunch of others in that format.
thecountofincognito on May 12, 2009 at 12:24 AM
My patience with Steele has not worn thin yet. The article revealed some things I was not aware of, but I still like the man and feel he has potential. The others in the RNC need to put an end to this damn mutiny and just work with him. If he has everyone working with him and he continues to make blunders then yes, it is time to go. Otherwise all of this intrigue is making me sick, act like adults who actually want to win damnit.
Daemonocracy on May 12, 2009 at 12:58 AM
I tried to educate everyone back in November
that Steele was a fraud and a giant mistake. When are people going to look at someone’s record and realize…RINOs don’t change their spots.
Here’s a clue even if it is a rather disgusting analogy….
If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd, you don’t have to taste it to tell it’s a turd folks.
nelsonknows on May 12, 2009 at 1:24 AM
Toughen up Daemona! Most adults, recognize that problems tend to escalate for those individuals who are not capable of correcting their self-destructive behaviors. Failure to distance oneself from such people promply, exposes one to spillover risks.
Mr. Steele seems incapable of fixing his self-destructive tendencies. Because of this he’s a threat, not only to himself, but to the Republican party who now depend on him to act in an intelligent and competant manner. Wise course: terminate Steele’s contract, and recruit a bonafide grass roots (Tea Party Type) cheerleader for a more articulate and conservative party — sign here: the GOP Needs You–>
“Let’s Roll”
On Watch on May 12, 2009 at 2:19 AM
Call Nashville.Tennessee and see if
Fred Dalton Thompson will do some videos each week laying out the plan from his armchair with a stogie. Fred can do more in a short video than the whole RNC in a month.
Fred might do it on a cost plus basis or for a buck a shot.
We yearn for some one to tell it like it is and lay out a plan to win.
Col.John Wm. Reed on May 12, 2009 at 7:32 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAAtTqybrkA
Ronald Reagan’s quick speech…..
Col.John Wm. Reed on May 12, 2009 at 7:34 AM
For those of you defending Michael Steele…Exactly! That is why the rest of us conservatives remain without a party and on the sidelines. Have fun though… We know you can do it without us! We really do! You need to moderate a bit more, however…
sabbott on May 12, 2009 at 7:53 AM
A candidate with an unchanging set of conservative principles who knows how to articulate them will make all of this go away.
The old GOP attitude of “who’s next in line” needs to go away.The next in line must be the best in line.
pugwriter on May 12, 2009 at 8:27 AM
We need him to stay out of the press and actually organize the party. I don’t know that he needs to leave, he just needs to keep quiet.
I would feel better with him working in the background. He will not run for President or Senate, or any other position. The spokesperson should be someone who can get name recognition for the 2012 election. Not someone who just goes on TV and says something goofy to the people who watch news all day.
jeffn21 on May 12, 2009 at 9:48 AM
I don’t know that I truly defend him. But, you do need to realize that kicking him out will give the libs the opportunity to say that conservatives are racist for kicking out the black guy after only a few months.
That of course is insane with all of his gaffes, and maybe we should just say oh well and do it anyways. I’m just saying it is something that we should think about.
jeffn21 on May 12, 2009 at 9:52 AM
The GOP has bigger problems to deal with and firing of Steele would be another negative piled on to the already tarnished GOP image. Steele told the truth about Romney. He is telling the truth about how the GOP conducted itself while in power. And if the GOP doesn’t take a honest look at itself, it would nowhere. But it seems, when one reads the right wing blogs, that the “base” wants to hear that the GOP did nothing wrong and it was all the MSM fault that we lost. Talk about denial!
Chekote on May 12, 2009 at 10:09 AM
I am so tired of people here being horrified about the Steele gaffes while giving Bachmann a pass on all the idiotic things she says. Why is that? And what is that Steele said that it is so terrible? Hate to break it to you but the majority of Americans – especially women – don’t like Limbaugh’s style. They find it offensive and ugly. Steele said that abortion is a choice – hate to break it to you by half the country – if not more depending on the poll – agree with him. Steele said that some evangelicals did not vote for Romney because of his religion – again hate to tell you but he is right. Now compare Steele’s “gaffes’ with the latest Bachmann idiocy.
Chekote on May 12, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I agree 100%! Steele originally sucked me into supporting him with some of his great-sounding speeches around the time he assumed the office.
But actions speak louder than words, and I see no sign of his competence or ability to unify the Republican party and move it forward. In fact, there is no easily-recognizable unifying theme or set of principles being promoted by Steele: nor is he promoting an effort to create these things or to adopt the constructive work of others in the party.
His continuing occupancy of the office assures that the RNC will remain a static, divisive, and increasingly irrelevant organization. I discontinued my support of RNC as a result of the takeover by RINO’s during the McCain debacle: Steele has given me ZERO reasons to reconsider my position and resume support.
Steele must go, or the RNC will remain the failed “RINO Nominating Committee” through many more election cycles.
landlines on May 12, 2009 at 11:33 AM
I really liked Steele from my exposure to him on Fox. I really wanted him to be the best thing for the Republican party. He has PROVEN to be a spectacular failure. Time to go.
America1st on May 12, 2009 at 1:52 PM
I discontinued my support of RNC as a result of the takeover by RINO’s during the McCain debacle: Steele has given me ZERO reasons to reconsider my position and resume support.
Steele must go, or the RNC will remain the failed “RINO Nominating Committee” through many more election cycles.
BRAVO!
America1st on May 12, 2009 at 1:53 PM
William Amos:
I know this is probably too late, but I must point out a quote you made.
You are talking about the wrong World War. What The Dean and I were talking about was WWI, which was a vastly different conflict.
In short, Russia DID go under, and the Germans came within an inch of knocking the Western Allies out save for staunch resistance and reinforcements from the US and the British reserves.
Yes, I must agree that we were instrumental in providing the Allies with supplies both in WWI and in WWII, but unlike WWII- which was not truly at a deadlock-, WWI by the time we had entered was a stalemate and probably would have seen a German defeat without us, though it is possible that it could have gone the other way.
While I agree with the rest of your posts, this one demands rectification and clarification.
I am sorry for the delay in realizing and posting this.
Turtler on May 12, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2