Internal GOP Fight Over Next RNC Chair

UPDATE: Newt Gingrich denies reports of a fight and bows out of the race for RNC chair. Fox News reports:

Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, has decided to run for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee and is in talks with Newt Gingrich to win the former House speaker's endorsement, FOX News learned Tuesday.

Steele declined to comment, but a source close to the situation said Steele would announce his candidacy as early as Thursday.

The source also contradicted a report in Tuesday's Washington Times that Steele and Gingrich were competing for the RNC post.

"There is no fight," the source said. "This tension between Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich is totally fabricated and, in fact, Gingrich and Steele are working together to create a new strategy for the direction of the GOP."

In a statement issued by the former House speaker, Gingrich said he was not interested in seeking the post of Republican Party chairman.

"A number of people have asked me to consider running for Republican National Committee chair. They have been very flattering, and I am very honored by their support," he said.

"However, my job as an American first is to develop a tri-partisan approach to developing solutions for the challenges we face. I use the word tri-partisan to designate the concept of attracting Democrats, Republicans, and independents to solutions that unify most Americans."

The Washington Times reports:

A behind-the-scenes battle to take the reins of the Republican National Committee is taking off between former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.

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Neither man will acknowledge his interest in the post, but Republicans close to each are burning up the phone lines and firing off e-mails to fellow party members in an effort to oust RNC Chairman Mike Duncan in the wake of the second consecutive drubbing of Republican candidates at the polls.

The New York Times adds:

Mr. Duncan was installed by Mr. Bush, and the fight over his post reflects the effort by many party leaders to erase any remnant of the Bush legacy.

These struggles come as the party prepares for a broad ideological battle, in particular over how much to emphasize social issues like opposition to abortion rights and gay rights. Party leaders said the focus on those issues had constricted the party's appeal to moderate and independent voters more interested in jobs, health care, education and other issues that touch their lives in more concrete ways.

"We can't be obsessed with issues that are not the issues that are important to American voters," said Jim Greer, the Florida Republican chairman and a likely candidate for national party leader.

Across the party, Republicans described this period as one of the toughest in recent history, reflected by the scope of the losses last Tuesday but also by the recriminations that have gripped the party as it seeks to learn lessons from Mr. McCain's defeat and Mr. Bush's presidency.

...

The most important question for Republicans in both the House and the Senate -- and for the future Republican chairman -- is how forcefully to take on Mr. Obama once he becomes president. Richard N. Bond, a former Republican chairman, said he thought the Congressional Republicans would -- and should -- take on Mr. Obama aggressively. Mr. Bond suggested that Republicans should not be deterred by the enthusiasm inspired by Mr. Obama's election, which he argued would be transitory.

"When people wake up from their Bush hangovers, six months from now," Mr. Bond said, "it is my belief that they are not going to be buying into some of the things that Obama will potentially be doing. You have a real potential for these guys making a fundamental misjudgment of this election. They just didn't want George Bush anymore."

But Mr. Gingrich, a veteran of what turned out to be damaging Republican wars with President Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1994, cautioned against that, saying the party would be wiser to offer a broad idea of what it stood for and how it would lead the country, and pick its battles carefully.

Sam Stein wrote for the Huffington Post recently about the split within the Republican Party over how to work with President Obama.

Comments

[fistbump]

You gotta love how the Repubs stick out their one black guy, the one who lost his last two elections, right out there to lead them.

My god, it's like watching a Marx Brothers movie.

[FanofPaine]

Well, it's better than picking another lily white guy like Newt, when it's obvious the face of America is changing. And also, Michael does have some sense to him at times, and those times seem to add up more often than Newt's.

[robXdion]

Newt is also a bigot in the Pat Buchanan style. If he had any national prominence all of his racial comments will surface. It's not like the 90s anymore when he could just say what he wanted and the press wouldn't touch it.

[nellie]

It's hard to believe they're really that shallow. But when people show you who they are, believe them.

[McChimp]

Give Steve Schmidt the job, he did an excellent job running the McCain campaign and would do the same for the RNC. /sarcasm

[Chibikim]

Yeah. Running it right into the ground.

[athenasword]

They really don't get it. Opposition and fighting the Democrats on every policy is NOT what people want. The GOP could have a meaningful role and might even be seen as helpful if they rolled up their sleeves and started to figure out how to get things done. But, I guess cooperation isn't a word in their dictionary.

[GoBarryGo]

They're interested in campaigning AGAINST all things Democrat and not FOR anything Republican. Why they cannot figure that out and fix it is really fascinating. It's pretty simple problem-solving, yet they are totally inept. No one wants to reward the Incompetence Party with any power -- we tried that for 8 years, so until they can convince enough rational Americans that they understand their problems and have real solutions for addressing them, they will continue to fade into oblivion. I think its Darwin at work -- process of natural selection and all. You can't take the steps necessary to ensure your continued existence, guess what? Your existence will cease. Very, very, very simple, yet they cannot grasp it. Not worthy to lead anything - not even the PTA.

[Mauimom]

Perhaps someone could quote back to the Republicans all the whining they were doing about how we should all "work together to support the President" when Bush was in power.

Of course, the Dems took that to heart, since they provided very little opposition to Bush.

[ultra5701]

Good pic of Newt, someone should tell him the joints gone.

[mpeachhead]

Amazing that some want to continue to divide and to bitterly oppose anything proposed by Obama. Why not review the policies on a case-by-case basis rather than just resort to knee-jerk obstructionism? How is that going to be popular with voters or good for the country?

[eleutheros]

Gingrich ... Congressman from Georgia? It's time to pour salt on the wound. Please help Jim Martin defeat Newt's good friend, Saxby Cambliss. Send you contributions to http://www.martinforsenate.com/
Not only does your contribution help PE Obama, it also will keep the Republicans fighting amongst themselves. Why wait until 2010 when you do some good now? Help turn Georgia Blue!

[tbone99]

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate—
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.) Eugene Field. 1850–1895

[MsCanadian]

LOL! Purrrrrfect!

[Dystopic]

Give the finger to the rock and roll singer
as he's dancing upon your paycheck
the sales climb high through the garbage pail sky
like a giant d!ldo crushing the sun

Newt would be the sun crushing implement

[Invox]

Made my day!

[tbone99]

The Duel

THE GINGHAM dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I was n't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Never mind: I 'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!) ( cont.)

[tbone99]

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate—
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.) Eugene Field

[Dystopic]

OK dude, you got your point across, stop using up valuable hard drive spave

[SCG]

GOP deserves them.

[up2uamerica]

These guys just don't get it. If they think fighting with Obama is going to help them and that we did not say in this election, ENOUGH! let's get things done and work together, then they will be lingering in the darkness for years to come!!

[LHoney]

"Mr. Gingrich, a veteran of what turned out to be damaging Republican wars with President Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1994, cautioned against that, saying the party would be wiser to offer a broad idea of what it stood for" Can't wait to see what they decide to "stand for" this time! Geeze, Gingrich and Palin, sounds like 8 years of Obama to me!

[Toonadude]

Jim Gilmore, former Governor of Virginia, would be perfect for that job...... again.

[BEHM777]

If they are smart, they will go with Michael Steele. HE is a brilliant man and a MUCH LESS polarizing figure than Fat Boy Newt. Hopefully, they will choose Gingrich.

[Cedman]

Lipstick on a pig...

[GeorgeP922]

Look I am from Maryland, and my eyes perk up every time this loser gets brought on TV because it's cheaper than NBC to do a satelite feed

He is very polarizing, and VERY republican and he is a loser, not in a personal way but the way that he lost miserably his 2006 senate run.

One as a GOTV activists I was more than delighted to hand to him.

[honeydiva]

From the comments here i see a lot of people don't pay attention to the rethugs. Steele's rhetoric sucks big time and just because he's the lone black in the party's hierarchy shouldn't give him an edge. He's full of hate for 0 (jealousy) and he's a loser. Neither should win but my money is on Newt. He'll help them to crash and burn even further.

[robXdion]

He is NOT brilliant. If that were so, he would not be actively supporting a party that insults him as a black man and his people. Gingrich is the worse. He spent the 90s just outside of a Jesse Helms impersonation while claiming anything dealing with blacks was the "end of the Republic".

[iPolitics]

RNC doesn't care about Black people.

[Brightlight]

They could care less about "We the People". To this day, Bush is still trying to hold us hostage with a trade agreement that would eliminate jobs in the USA over helping our economy (USA) first. I wonder how much money this would put in the Bush family coffers if he got his way?

[Fabienne]

The RNC doesn't care about white people either unless they're rich or unless they're uninformed enough to be exploited.