Steele In Serious Hot Water With Social Conservatives

Michael's Steele statement of support for an "individual choice" on abortion has provoked deep concern among social conservatives and spurred further speculation that his tenure at the RNC will be brief.

On Wednesday, the RNC Chair walked back a remark he made in an interview with GQ Magazine, declaring unequivocally: "I am pro-life, always have been, always will be." But even with the quick clarification, the damage was done.

On Thursday, several religious right officials and anti-abortion advocates criticized Steele for telling the magazine that he "absolutely" thought abortion was "an individual choice," to be decided at the state level.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: "Comments attributed to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele are very troubling and despite his clarification today the party stands to lose many of its members and a great deal of its support in the trenches of grassroots politics."

Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition: "I'm a little surprised that Michael Steele, being the leader of the Republican Party, is at odds with the pro-life platform, the platform that conservative put in place... If this is his viewpoint, he has made it be known. I'm just surprised that the leader of the party is at odds with the pro-life platform."

Evangelical leader Lou Engle: "Steele's argument that abortion is a matter of "individual choice" is extremely disappointing, especially in light of past statements in which he promised to protect and defend human life. "Steele's remarks to GQ indicate that he may be confused about "choice" and the "law." The law is supposed to protect human life, not permit the taking of it. And, it can never be a "choice" for an individual to take a life."

Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council: "I read the article last night so I am familiar not only with his comments about the life issue but also about the efforts to redefine marriage and 'mucking' up the Constitution. I expressed my concerns to the chairman earlier this week about previous statements that were very similar in nature. He assured me as chairman his views did not matter and that he would be upholding and promoting the Party platform, which is very clear on these issues. It is very difficult to reconcile the GQ interview with the chairman's pledge."

Talk that this new rhetorical misstep could result in Steele stepping aide was batted down in conversations with several social conservative officials. He should be granted some time to find firm footing, was the usual refrain. But in private, several Republicans expressed bewilderment and frustration with Steele's gaffes and implored him to avoid the media spotlight for the time being.

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"He needs to get off the air and start raising some money," said one high-ranking conservative. "He doesn't need to be giving interviews anymore."

Steele's remarks to GQ represented more than just another political headache for a party already in disrepair. They re-opened a whole host of questions and concerns about the newly elected chairman. One of the main critiques of Steele before he took the RNC post was that he was a social-moderate in conservative clothing, including on abortion.

"For the conservatives on the committee that was a concern and this feeds into that," said Cindy Costa, a national committeewoman and RNC member from South Carolina. "He has to have his talking points down completely so that he doesn't ever get thrown off message. It is not so much problematic with the RNC members as it is with Republicans out here in the country."

Republican officials say that Steele recognized the Pandora's box he may have opened with this GQ interview and has reached out to those who may find them objectionable. That included releasing a clarifying statement on Thursday morning:

"The Republican Party is and will continue to be the party of life," the statement read. "I support our platform and its call for a Human Life Amendment. It is important that we stand up for the defenseless and that we continue to work to change the hearts and minds of our fellow countrymen so that we can welcome all children and protect them under the law."

Whether the walk-back (coming on the heals of a mea culpa over his comments on Rush Limbaugh) will be enough to keep the party pacified remains to be seen. Clearly Republicans, while taking a personal liking to their new RNC chairman, are not, to this point, enamored with his leadership.

"You don't want to be sending mixed messages," said Costa. "You don't want a platform that says one thing and a chairman who says another."

Comments

[macklin081]

I'm just going to remind us that it is now been 4 Saturdays past that the RNC Chairman is still in hot water with his party. Like I said before he wont be setted in that chair long. And it only seams that he has been speaking only for himself and not the Republicans.

[BelGazou]

Sarah Palin and McCain both voiced similar ideas regarding abortion when both indicated that abortion would be a matter of states rights, not a blanket ban. So what's the big brasciole about Steele? The sentiment is the same. The problem that I believe Repubs have with Steele is that he is black and therefore cannot fall into lock-step with the bigot Limbaugh. Repubs in their zeal to put forth a few tokens in high-profile positions still cannot wrap their minds around a black man being in a position of power. They are torn between their need to appear relevant and their 19th century politics. Carry on Repubs, continue the infighting.

[helpusa]

I think this actually points out that Republicans as a whole really do believe in choice, but have to appease the religious radicals to have any support at all. May I announce a soon to be seen headline:
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS OFFICIALLY IRRELEVANT AND DEAD. R.I.P.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Wonder what would happen if he was Black...

[Timtheenchanter]

Karl Rove: "Mike, darn it, for the last time, you aren't supposed to talk! Just smile and wave!"

[tazmopoliskepticalopsis]

Aside from the whole issue of Michael Steele being a GOP hack, am I the only one who thinks that his statement that he "'absolutely' thought abortion was 'an individual choice,' to be decided at the state level" is frankly a little bizarre and self-contradictory?

If it's an "individual choice" then should it not be decided at the individual level, not the "state level"? Is he advocating state control of reproductive choice, or federal control, or no government control at all?

[mistlesuede]

This situaton with Steele and the RNC is SO entertaining. It's a disaster a day lately.

So glad we had Howard Dean the past four years and now Mr. Kaine. Very uneventful chairmanships. Just doing excellent work behind the scenes and once in a while being interviewed.

Please RNC, don't let him go. We love the comedy tour!

[DSBrown]

I'm African-American, Black, whatever. I do not despise Michael Steele. In fact, I applaud him for being so true to himself. Unfortunately, of late I've had to call him out for selling his manhood. I have to think this was the idea of some advisors, explaining to him the lay of the political land. Still, very, very weak. I agree, he should stay away from the media. Why? Because he no longer has the courage of his convictions. He's not willing to take his party in a new direction. He's not willing to turn the party into an organization that many of us who are fiscally conservative, yet reasonably socially liberal, can call home. He's not allowing Critical Thinkers to see his party as a party that is forward, thinking, progressive, and a home for new ideas. I can't support a theocracy (No, I did not say all Republicans think this). I'm not a fundamentalist. And I believe people should concentrate on being good strong contributing individuals, support their families, and raise their children. Again, Mr. Steele said the right thing. Now, he's backing down like a coward (Sorry guy, but you're struggling). It is a personal choice. And I'm tired of people of dictating to me what I should read, and what should take place in my family, and my disposition with kids, and my possible kids. Mind your own BUSINESS!

[frantaylor]

So you say that he is the ideal leader for today's Republican party? Why is he "so true" to himself, being the head of an organization that doesn't even want people like him in it?

[tazmopoliskepticalopsis]

I don't despise Michael Steele either but I have to wonder if he is aware that he is being used by the very same people who would deny him membership in their country clubs?
The "tokenism" of his choice as RNC chair is painfully obvious to everyone except, apparently, him. Every time he opens his mouth, his cluelessness is made ever more clear.

[KUjHwk]

I agree, in that Steele allowed Rush and the RNC to publicly cas.trate him. Harkens back to the old pl.antation days, where the manh.ood of bl.ack men was denied them. And we wonder why our boys behave as boys and never as m.en in our ur.ban areas....

[sepiasiren]

As a black female I concur with many of your statements and have nothing against black Republicans, I simply wish Steele would stand up for his ideals. If he did, I might respect him even if I didn't personally agree.

[ATSJer]

Ahhhh the truth finally comes out, now we finally get to see how the GOP really feels on the issue, instead of just seeing the smoke screen that they put up as they try to pander to the social conservatives while being a party of social moderates. It was only a matter of time before we got to really see the man behind the curtain.

[frantaylor]

Steele is not "the man behind the curtain", he is a puppet for the real men behind the curtain.

[ladycubsfan]

I am convinced that Steele is a plant for the Dems, like Joe the Plumber was/is for the "undecided" voters. There can be no other logical explanation for this comedy of errors.
Keep talking, Steele! We liberals are behind you all the way....lmao.

[Fairfield]

Not everyone has abandoned the babies who can't speak for themselves. I agree with other writers here that you belong in the Democratic Party.

The Republicans are in such sorry shape because they don't stand up for Republican values.

[sheputstheLinPAIN]

You are correct: not everyone abandons babies who can't speak for themselves, if they are already born. Only Republicans do that.

Repbublicans are in bad shape because only fools believe they have anything valuable to contribute to our fiscal health, and "values" has just become another word for hypocracy.

[Timtheenchanter]

Republicans have no values. They believe in concepts that do not exist.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Knocked up ain't a family value...well who knew .

[sepiasiren]

so you are pro-life--how about the death penalty? Or the lives of poor children who are already born--or would you put your money where your mouth is by supporting welfare for poor mothers who keep, and do not abort, the babies they cannot financially support?

[Zengeist]

You're on your way out, anyway, Michael. How about reclaiming your dignity and upholding what are obviously your true beliefs by telling those right-wing reactionary so-called pro-lifers to kiss your black ass?

[elghoul]

Obama is black. What would be more efficient for the GOP than to have a black
man among their midst, go on a " holy " war against the president, without
being called a racist. Unfortunately, Steel is no match for Obama on many
points. Hence the strategy is not working. Steel is making a fool of himself
and is not rallying or bringing anybody home to the party. Soon. he will be discarded
and somebody else will take his place. But it will not change the equation. This
country is done with GOP and republicans.

[AceInTheHole]

How delusional can a person be, isn't he old enough to remember how despicable the GOP treated Colin Powell , when the majority of the American people would have voted for him. The GOP WAS WILLING TO LOSE AN ELECTION RATHER THAN HAVE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN REPRESENT THEM ON THE TICKET. Now with that type of mentality running rampart in the GOP, what made Steele think that he would last more than a New York Minute at the helm of these miscreants party?

[sheputstheLinPAIN]

Exactly. Republicans are having to come to terms with racism being the real platform of their party, and they scramble like idiots to use it, deny it, expunge it, celebrate it. When they talk about their base, racists are who they are talking about. When they talk about values, that's code for "whiteness" etc etc.

This whole thing is embarrassing to watch.

[Hirnlego]

Goldwater

"On religious issues there can be little orno compromise. There isno position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.

I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'"

[smoovejef]

'Nuff said...

[ATSJer]

"Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?"

Umm, they are preachers of a morality and a spiritual ethic...what do you expect them to do? I guess Martin Luther King Jr. should have just kept his "religious" opinion to himself and within his church instead of being a political preacher telling the citizens about a different morality.

Sorry, but ya'll praise the political preachers you agree with and then when one comes along that you disagree with you think that they should all just go away, but what you are really saying is that you just want the political preachers that you disagree with to go away, and that my friend is hypocritical.

[sheputstheLinPAIN]

You could not be more wrong. MLKJr. was a preacher who fought for civil rights, regardless of religion. Civil rights is not a theological construct. It is a secular construct. He introducting a "different" morality, but suggested that the same be applied to all.

[sepiasiren]

Of we will support preachers who teach Christian tolerance and love and abhor any that teach hate, division, racism and classicism. I also think so no one should be able to legislate what I can do with my own body or how I should think. Yes, we do want such so called Christian zealots to go away...

[UsofA]

People get ready for the steel-cage death match universal healthcare is going to be. The corporations currently fleecing America have their Republican, and even a few Democratic( led by Evan Bayh, the simp) aluminum sidewall salesmen ready to throw sand in the gears of progress. It'll be fear against hope, greed vs. ethics and any other hot button issue that'll distract those average citizens who have the temerity to ask for something more than a shakedown healthcare industry. And the benefit, provided in every other industrialized nation, many of whom pay less than we do, of not being subject to bankruptcy because of illness. We'll have to recommit and retake our original sense of America's mutual fairness, these crooks aren't going to just hand it over. As Obama said: "From the ground up."