Quotes of the day
posted at 9:30 pm on May 17, 2009 by Allahpundit
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MR. STEELE: Well, I, I–thank goodness for Nancy Pelosi. And I’m so, I was so edified by that press conference the other day where she really expressed in as long as, Tom, she could take, eight different views on this one issue. And I think the reality here is that Nancy Pelosi has stepped in it big time, and she’s not put the Democratic Party in a position where, where the question for me is does the president support Nancy Pelosi’s versions of what happened or his CIA director’s version of what happened? And then the next question is you’ve got, you know, Steny Hoyer himself who’s calling for a closer examination of what Nancy Pelosi knew and when she knew it. And I, you know, and I know Steny very well, and he’s a capable, qualified leader in the House. And he, if, if he sees some concern here, then there must be some rot somewhere in the explanation.
***
MR. GREGORY: Do you, do you think it was torture?
MR. STEELE: Well, my, my opinion on it doesn’t matter. My personal opinion is look, I want the information.
MR. GREGORY: Yeah.
MR. STEELE: We’ll get it however we can get it.
MR. GREGORY: But you do, you have an opinion?
MR. STEELE: I have a personal opinion, yes.
MR. GREGORY: Do you think it was torture?
MR. STEELE: That’s my–I’m not, that’s not appropriate here.
MR. GREGORY: You’re not going to say.
MR. STEELE: Yeah.
***
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It’s time to start taking resumes. Fast.
seesalrun on May 17, 2009 at 9:34 PM
that’s all we need to know.
homesickamerican on May 17, 2009 at 9:35 PM
We’re beyond the point of him going. It really is time for a party re-boot and leadership change. This Demo-crap-lite has to stop. Now.
TheAdmiral on May 17, 2009 at 9:36 PM
can we PLEASE get rid of him?
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Great idea: LIZ CHENEY FOR RNC CHAIR!!!!!! Now that woman can articulate.
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 9:37 PM
I think Steele is OK. He’s certainly not our biggest problem. Let’s not make him a whipping…you know.
jgapinoy on May 17, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Nice screencap Allah.
carbon_footprint on May 17, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Funny how they always want to change the subject when Pelosi’s rapidly shifting positions and excuses come up.
Next subject change, courtesy of TPM via MoDo – What Pelosi knew is irrelevant since the Bush admin was only looking for excuses to go into Iraq….
JeffWeimer on May 17, 2009 at 9:39 PM
I can’t watch the video, so I’ll comment on the first two. They were both pretty good. Not only did he go after Pelosi and egg-on a leadership change, but he blatantly said that he wants the information regardless of whether a terrorist is comfortable.
amerpundit on May 17, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Can we please have a representative with gravitas who doesn’t make every public utterance sound like a bad standup comedy routine?
Buy Danish on May 17, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Buh bye…
d1carter on May 17, 2009 at 9:41 PM
I don’t see the family resemblance……..
Seven Percent Solution on May 17, 2009 at 9:42 PM
I’m with “Deidre” above. Where’s Lynn Cheney? This guy has got to go … NOW … Let Mrs. Cheney take his place!
http://www.teapartynation.com
tnmama on May 17, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Pretzels and Wimps.
…vunderbar.
Earlg on May 17, 2009 at 9:44 PM
lynn cheney is vp’s wife. liz is his daughter. either or all would be good for any role. they are heroes.
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Cheney for ChairMAN
will sass u on May 17, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Okay, I thought I liked this guy. I supported him at first and wanted to give him a chance. But enough is enough, and now I’ve seen enough.
Sorry, Mr. Steele. Time to move on.
petefrt on May 17, 2009 at 9:47 PM
maybe we are all wrong about michael steele. maybe the reason we don’t hear him slamming dems daily is because he can’t get a venue. the media won’t let him on their channels. he can’t be a guest on hannity every night & rush could just run circles around him.
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 9:47 PM
but i think i’m wrong.
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 9:48 PM
He was on NBC there if you didn’t notice, and he got slaughted today on Fox. He is horrible and needs to go in my opinoin. Should have been let go after the whole Romney incident.
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 9:49 PM
well, at least pelosi galore is neutralized. anytime she speaks on any topic a GOP with balls (anyone?) just needs to run her last 2 press conferences. she is discredited.
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 9:50 PM
If Steele sucks so bad at interviews, why did his supporters think he would do such a great job?
Speedwagon82 on May 17, 2009 at 9:51 PM
i thought steele was a great commentator during the election. what was i missing? (and yes, i agree that he needs to go now & we should find an attack dog & an IT communications guru & a fundraising guru)
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 9:53 PM
I liked his answer on torture there. I wish more public officials would take that approach. I’ve been critical of him before, but he seemed to do good here. And I wish more people would take his example of ‘the 5th’ when asked about torture, whether or not we do it, and whether or not ‘waterbording’ is torture.
ThackerAgency on May 17, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Somebody please find Steele some testicular fortitude or show him the exit.
kingsjester on May 17, 2009 at 9:54 PM
when i see the screenshot for this post
this song by some guy named Young Dro comes into my head (thats torture!!):
letcha shoulda lean!
blatantblue on May 17, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Has anybody ever seen Steele and Biden in the same room together? At the same time? Peter Parker/Spiderman? Clark Kent/Superman?
Trouble with Steele and Biden is you can’t tell which is the dork and which is the hero
billypaintbrush on May 17, 2009 at 9:56 PM
I third that!
eaglesdontflock on May 17, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Somebody grab this guy and educate him about his role and responsibilities now. If he still doesn’t seem to get it, tell him he needs to resign so he can spend more time with his family.
TheBigOldDog on May 17, 2009 at 9:59 PM
This is the same “Steele” who said that Ogabe mocking him at the press corp dinner was just “good love between two brothers.”
Sorry but Steele is also putting race first and allowing Ogabe to get away with murder because of it. Steele and Powell are acting identically.
Bishop on May 17, 2009 at 10:00 PM
The constant equivocating is just too much. He obviously thinks it’s torture. Just SAY it! Then it was either justified, or not justified.
This guy is still not ready for primetime.
WisCon on May 17, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Time to melt down Steele and get someone with balls.
Seriously, he is the epitome of the problems with the GOP… indecisive.
madmonkphotog on May 17, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Steele was on my last nerve with the Romney thing, now, he just needs to go.
Rebar on May 17, 2009 at 10:03 PM
I’d have to know more about her before I could +1, but I was extremely impressed with her these past few weeks.
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 10:03 PM
If she’s conservative, she’d make an excellent presidential candidate in ‘12.
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 10:05 PM
OT: I have to say, Wolfram Alpha is pretty sweet.
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Yes yes yes.
Bill C on May 17, 2009 at 10:05 PM
I like Michael Steele. A lot. He’s a good guy. People need to get off his back and quit criticizing every little thing he does.
He’s not afraid of the limelight, and he’ll ocassionally stick a foot in his mouth. Much better than the previous stale, insignificant GOP chairs.
As long as he’s raising money, reaching out to all voters and Republicans pick up seats in 2010 he’s fine.
therightwinger on May 17, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Good lord, this guy is horrible.
holygoat on May 17, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Michael Steele is not representing the Republican Party as it needs to be and deserves. I have been hoping for improvement now for too long. I don’t know if there is a role in the Party organization for Steele, but I do know he should not be our spokesperson.
The Party needs a talented spokesperson who can be relied upon to represent our values and interests.
Who?
Loxodonta on May 17, 2009 at 10:09 PM
I still think that Michael Steel is almost the spiting image of Lee Van Cleef
MB4 on May 17, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Good thing that Mr. Steele couldn’t bring up………..
1. 10 + Trillions of government spending of money we don’t don’t have to get out of a problem that Democrat government policies got us into in the first place………
2. The Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, third in line to the Presidency of the United States, caught on tape lying…..
3. The release by Homeland Security a report calling half the country terrorist because they question the policies of the Obama Administration…………
4. The Obama Administration violating the Constitution of the United States and “Contract Laws” in his take over of private banks and corporations………
5. What ever, I could go on and on and on and on ……………
……….. I’m done.
Seven Percent Solution on May 17, 2009 at 10:11 PM
The only people I can think of right now (other than the talk radio hosts) would be Palin or the Cheneys. Everyone else is just, eh. Ohhh, The Fred would be nice; but I think he is having too much fun on the radio.
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 10:13 PM
7%: yeah, steele should have hit on those.
therightwinger: we want someone who will be aggressive. i guess we’re hungry for a real leader.
kelley in virginia on May 17, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I saw Steele interviewed, I’m not sure if it was last year or two years ago, and he did not impress me then, and he impresses me even less now.
He is in that position because he is black, period! Anybody who considers the issue fairly knows this to be the truth. It was simplistic pandering by the GOP bureaucrats who wanted to aim a little minority love their way. Well, it failed for one simple reason – they considered skin color more significant than his philosophy of government.
They won’t replace him, are you kidding! The left-wing media would make groundchuck out of the GOP. They don’t have the courage to do something right.
Joe Pyne on May 17, 2009 at 10:16 PM
This dude’s job is to raise money. Period. As long as he is bringing in the cash, I’m fine with him.
And I have no problem with him not answering the torture question. He gave enough of an answer, in regards to making sure we do what we have to do to keep the nation safe. Whether or not he believes waterboarding is torture is irrelevant.
doug1981 on May 17, 2009 at 10:17 PM
We need to get rif of RNC Chair Arsenio Hall and find someone that can speak intelligently, with conviction, and with a pair.
cannonball on May 17, 2009 at 10:17 PM
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/01/30/steele-this-is-awesome/comment-page-2/#comments
umm…..four months ago Mr. Steele was the greatest thing to happen to the GOP since Reagan. My how quickly everyone changes their minds here…..
just put Palin in charge and get it over with
Palin/Prejean 2012
greataunty on May 17, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Does shooting himself in the foot repeatedly count as torture?
chunderroad on May 17, 2009 at 10:22 PM
She already is. Just wait for the Republican Primary. And she’ll even have Steele backing her.
Just waiting till everyone admits its her party now.
doug1981 on May 17, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Halt!
Who goes… er… should I even ask something so specific?… what’s possibly moving, um… is there something proceeding, ahhh…. do I detect any motion, uhhh… there?
Good thing Steele’s not on guard duty.
But… isn’t he supposed to be?
profitsbeard on May 17, 2009 at 10:24 PM
So, everyone that would be excellent is either very busy or not volunteering, and everyone who is volunteering has either questionable ability or baggage.
Houston, we have a problem.
Well then, it looks like the party is going to have to grow from the grass roots up. Fortunately, the roots are being well “fertilized” by both our superiors and opponents.
Loxodonta on May 17, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Idiot. Go Specter yourself.
Brief but repetitive. Where’s my thesaurus.
Feedie on May 17, 2009 at 10:28 PM
umm…..four months ago Mr. Steele was the greatest thing to happen to the GOP since Reagan. My how quickly everyone changes their minds here…..
Ummm…yeah, strange how that works when you’re actually calling the shots rather than just telling everyone what you would do. Call it buyers remorse, but sometimes it takes actual use before you figure out something is a lemon.
Bishop on May 17, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Republicans/conservatives whine way too much. He’s just the party chair..Jesus. It’s like we need perfection.
therightwinger on May 17, 2009 at 10:30 PM
Steele continues to disappoint. Perhaps he’s a perfect fit for a Party that continues to disappoint.
If the Republicans can’t start making some hay out of the amateurish flubs and disastrous policy proposals of the Dems, they deserve to stay in the wilderness.
cruadin on May 17, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Yes, he’s just a chair. You nailed it. ;-)
Feedie on May 17, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Mr. Steele: I put up w/your first few missteps and thought you were just getting acclimated to the job. You sir don’t get it and obviously never will. A simple question and you can’t or won’t answer it. Water boarding is not not not torture. Grow a pair! Day after day, month after month I see people that have the opportunity to forcefully come out for our side fail to do so. I am just an average joe so the media does not care what I think. You however are in an important position w/the capability to influence people around the nation and you don’t. F. all of you guys, I give up. I thought we had a chance in 2010 but don’t think so any more.
arnold ziffel on May 17, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I’m glad I’m an independent.
Send_Me on May 17, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I just saw him at the Leadership Forum at the NRA Annual Convention in Phoenix; he gave a speech there Friday afternoon and he was pretty good, though not nearly as good as Ken Blackwell or Dick Morris. He was contrite about his missteps, funny at times . . . and now this. I just don’t get it. Sigh . . .
Special K on May 17, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Steele must go. The Republican “insiders” think you need to moderate. McCain was your guy for president. No Republican (besides Ron Paul) has been sounding the alarm against the tsunami of socialism occurring and still to come. My question is this:
Why are you people still Republicans? The Republican party isn’t want you want it to be and it doesn’t want to go there. The big brains at the RNC and the Republican “insiders” thumb their noses at you and try to moderate. The Republican Party is not conservative nor does it have any intention to go conservative (except for maybe when it comes election time to fool enough people to get votes).
It is time for a third party. The Libertarian Party welcomes all who love liberty and freedom and will stand on principle against big government. Sure, I know – you have some disagreements with the party in the foreign policy area or some other area – but come one – you have got to be closer to the Libertarian party than the Republicans (Dem-lite). Think about it.
King of the Britons on May 17, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Steele is a particle board truss and the roof is collapsing …
He needs to be replaced…
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Steel doesn’t seem to know what his job is… His job is to unify and organize the party. Waffling doesn’t help, pissing off sub factions of the party doesn’t help, looking weak doesn’t help, etc.
What he should do is say something we (republicans) can all agree on and not waver from that point. Then raise lots of money and work out a national campaign strategy that will see us take as many seats in congress as possible.
THAT’s his job. His personal opinions are so irrelevant he shouldn’t even be talking about them on the air. If someone asks him if he has personal opinions they should = whatever the platform is. That isn’t true of all jobs in politics. But that is specifically the job description of a party organizer. They ARE the party line so showing a weak line is failure to do your job. Plain and simple.
Karmashock on May 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM
+1 for the gangstah-lean photo of Steele.
TMK on May 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM
FIFY Mikey…
Branch Rickey on May 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM
To heck with Libertarians–bunch of weed smoking hippies who are WAY TOO WEAK on national defense.
If you want a third party, try the CONSTITUTION PARTY.
Special K on May 17, 2009 at 10:41 PM
He shouldn’t say. He did the right thing, in my opinion because he doesn’t have all the facts. Anyone saying anything on the matter is pretty much talking through their pants having formed their opinion without the information required to really form one.
He probably could have honestly said he doesn’t believe we would intentionally torture anyone, but making a judgment call on if someone was or was not tortured without knowing all the particulars involved is setting yourself up if information later proves counter to your opinion.
He did the right thing on that issue.
crosspatch on May 17, 2009 at 10:43 PM
I haven’t read the post yet. However, this picture should be mandatory in all posts titled “Nuance”.
radiofreevillage on May 17, 2009 at 10:44 PM
How about we just fix the damn Republican Party?
doug1981 on May 17, 2009 at 10:44 PM
How hard is it to say “no, I don’t think it’s torture. I don’t think Nancy Pelosi or Jay Rockefeller thought it was torture either in 2002 – - – it only became ‘torture’ when it became politically convenient for democrats to call it torture.”
BD57 on May 17, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Libertarians have even less in common with the Constitutions than they do with Republicans.
TMK on May 17, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I for one am leaning heavily in that direction…
I’m tired of this mush…
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Oh please folks… there was a lot of buzz for steele on here… steele should only be dumped if you all agree to close down the comment section…
ninjapirate on May 17, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Sadly, Joe, this is the truth. Same is true of Obama, but that much is obvious.
At least we were all willing to give Steele a chance. At first I thought he was a very likable guy – an excellent speaker and very conservative. I guess I didn’t know him that well.
He’s not a total failure, but he’s just squeaking by with a C minus. We would be better off with one of the Cheney ladies chairing the RNC.
UltimateBob on May 17, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Sounds like somebody is in the midst of a massive home repair project. :-)
UltimateBob on May 17, 2009 at 10:47 PM
I think the correct answer to the waterboarding question is:
Waterboarding is something that we generally should not do. It should be used only in the event of an immanent threat against the United States. The Bush Administration was correct to use it given the circumstances at the time.
doug1981 on May 17, 2009 at 10:48 PM
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. This should be sent to every republican that goes on TV.
deidre on May 17, 2009 at 10:49 PM
Right now, it looks like either of the Cheneys or Gingrich would make a better chairman…
Upstater85 on May 17, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Even though Steele’s performance was far from stellar, at least he didn’t completely blow it. Keep the lights on Nancy!
Upstater85 on May 17, 2009 at 10:52 PM
+100!
profitsbeard on May 17, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Funny you should say…
Truth is I live on a boat and I just found some significant structual problems and I have to haul out next week…
I’m pi$$ed…lol !
It’s not like there wasn’t something he could nail the opposition on. It was a wasted opportunity….
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 10:59 PM
We know Nancy is a liar! Do the Republicans have a clue that Steele is a Retard?
sabbott on May 17, 2009 at 11:01 PM
If you mean particle board chords in addition to webs, you’d be right.
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 11:04 PM
sabbott,
He’s not a retard….just soft tissue in the sac…
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 11:04 PM
floatingRock,
LOL !
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 11:06 PM
If he did that he wouldn’t be accurately representing the Republican Party.
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 11:09 PM
I thought Fred Thompson would make a good RNC chair, but upon further reflection — considering how he ran his campaign in the primary — I am not so sure. Jeri perhaps?
eaglescout1998 on May 17, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Well said, sir, and how true.
Think about it, whom do we have, in any political organization that has the kind of courage and leadership that will take a principled stand on these media shows?
Going third party is a guaranteed losing strategy, and the Republican leadership knows it. Only when people like Mark Steyn, Victor Davis Hanson, Jonah Goldberg, Michelle Malkin, Rush Limbaugh, et. al., really begin to raise a stink about the continual pressure put on conservatives to be more “moderate” will anything begin to move.
Joe Pyne on May 17, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Dick Cheney for RNC chair.
If he’ll take the demotion.
Greg Toombs on May 17, 2009 at 11:11 PM
I couldn’t agree more enthusiastically!!
YankeeinCA on May 17, 2009 at 11:13 PM
+1 to both.
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 11:15 PM
My concern is that if he is this soft in interviews, what is his leadership in finding and supporting candidates for the mid-term elections. A bunch of squishes are just going to get our @$$e$ handed to us again. We need Republican candidates with huevos and gumption and a solid contrast to their democrat opponents. Democrat-lite ain’t gonna cut it and if the Chairman is soft and squishy and supporting those kinds of candidates “because we must moderate in order to attract independents”, we aren’t going to win and the we’ll all be addressing each other as “comrade” by the time 2012 comes up and The One has declared himself “Dear Leader for Life”.
AZfederalist on May 17, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Well if the hull is made out of particle board, next week will be too late. :)
FloatingRock on May 17, 2009 at 11:19 PM
It’s real damn hard for people like Steele and his DC Republican buddies who are so terrified of the left that they have decided to not take sides and try and walk this road right down the middle. Well I say fine! Good for them! But boys, don’t be surprised when you get run over!
RMR on May 17, 2009 at 11:21 PM
No Float,
(snarta$$)
It’s the deck and it’s got a balsa core…saturated…
The proverbial sponge…
jerrytbg on May 17, 2009 at 11:26 PM
We’re glad, too.
platypus on May 17, 2009 at 11:29 PM
errrr
ahhhhhh
emmmmmm
Steele sure does know Steny Hoyer!
When Steele ran for Senate Hoyer was at a local Southern Maryland Political Rally and referred to him as a slave.
Yup they sure are good friends!
iam7545 on May 17, 2009 at 11:30 PM
You should consider getting another boat, rather than fixing that one. The bottom has fallen out of the used boat market, at least up here in Puget Sound area.
platypus on May 17, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Seriously, is this really true? If it is, how can any politician get away with being such a racist?
platypus on May 17, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Flush this turd. He’s stinkin’ up the joint.
Captain America on May 17, 2009 at 11:34 PM
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