Steele Agrees Obama "Is The Magic Negro"

While hosting Bill Bennett's radio show Friday morning, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele appeared to agree with a caller that President Obama is "the magic Negro."

CALLER: It's just like the LA Times said last year, or two years ago -- he is the magic Negro.

STEELE: Yeah he is -- [laughter]. You read that too, huh?

CALLER: Oh yeah. I read that too. And even when things go wrong, he still manages to come out smelling like a rose.

STEELE: Well, yeah. And it's because he's getting unprecedented coverage -- cover -- by the media.

Steele's amused reaction is somewhat surprising. When former RNC chairman Chip Saltsman released a CD including a parody song "Barack The Magic Negro" in January -- inspired by the same LA Times article -- Steele said it "doesn't help at all ... it reinforces a negative stereotype of the party." Saltsman withdrew from the race to remain chairman in the wake of the scandal.

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Comments

[peacegurl48]

Free speech is fine and Steele has the right to state his opinion.

As an African American I am ashamed of this token/sellout to the hateful right wing agenda. Since Steele loves to get "hip hop" I'd say to him that he is a HATER in every sense of the word...he is also a buffoon for the GOP. When the GOP no longer needs their tokens they will be thrown under the bus.

[Horus45]

He's a Patsy.

[JiminNC]

Keep a mic on him ... and M. Bachmann

[greymom]

As a white woman, I did not vote for Obama because of his race. I would have voted for him if he had red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. He is so beyond race. He is the most intelligent and astute POTUS we have had in office in my memory.

[Grunty1]

Everything you said is true. However, you must not forget that Steele only won due to the color of Obama's skin.

[LMKay66]

True. I think Steele was put out there as the GOP's version of Obama, just like Palin was supposed to be the GOP's version of Hillary.

[KayDGee]

HA! Right you are. Mr Steele certainly does his party's bidding in very, very strange ways. Looking back in another decade, he may be sorry that he sacrificed his humanity to become the spokesperson of the Republican party. Come to think of it he reminds me of Alfred E Newman ... Using either name, it is like being spokesman for MAD magazine.

[democracy7]

Lady, while agree with you that our potus is intelligent, and astute, you have issues if you cant get beyond color. You are a racist, I hope you can change.

[outragedkar]

You obviously did not get her point. Read it again SLOWLY!! She is way beyond color - you are not astute enough to pick up on her point. I hope you can change your ability to judge others so quickly.

[ImJustSaying007]

In History

[Gmoney1]

So the caller used the "N" word and Steele agreed - wow -

[LooktotheLeft]

I used to be to view this guy with minor annoyance.­..which turned to disdain...­which turned to embarrassment. Now, I just h*ate his guts

[lynnn]

Wow me too!!!

[LooktotheLeft]

Cool !

[kevinw]

This guy is so on another planet that he does not realize that Repubs are using him as their token diversity. No one listens to him in the party. He is not invited to attend major Repub events. He has been snubbed for the think tank mission of all the old Repubs to create the new Repub brand. They are fighting to remove the money control from his position, which is the only real portion of the job. The Repubs thought they could grab any black guy and use him to balance out Obama. It actually would have made more sense to get someone with some gravitas like J.C.Watts.

[clearlythinking]

They couldn't get Watts and treat him like he was token, that's why they grabbed Steele. They figured they could control him and he would be dumb enough to fall for them "liking" him enough to put him as the head of the party.

[lynnn]

Yea sadly Watts is smarter than Steele and Blackwell. That's not saying that much.

[MarionWatts]

The GOP are taking their instructions from Rush Limbaugh, the de facto head of a party leaning so far to the right, it's in danger of falling. Steele is ignored almost totally, whilst every time a GOPer puts one word wrong, they're scurrying to bow at the immense altar of Limbo.

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[pantherdunc]

Again J. C. Watts was looked over. The same way that Cheney overlooked him in leading the VP search for Bush. As a black man and a Democrat Congressman Watts in my eyes should have been odds on favorite for leading the Republicans. Good Luck Mr. Steele, you are supposed to be representing our race but last time I evaluated myself the things that your are representing don't match what I know about myself and the others like me.

[GabeSmall]

Poor Michael Steele just wants to be liked by the cool kids.

[lynnn]

I love your pic.

[KevinLoyalAmerican]

If the Republican'ts continue all this nonsense, Saturday Night Live will go out of business - you can't parody a parody.

[lynnn]

LMAO soooo true.

[RedNane]

Too bad these republicans have nothing to discuss except trivia.

[BrnPhil]

This guy is confused. He loves to talk and will say anything.

[smiththomas]

Obama is magic man for the unions. just ask the bond holders. he is willing to bypass the rule of law inorder to take money from the bondholders to give to the unions

[nominn]

I guess you can count bankruptcy law among the many, many things you are ignorant of.

[hereitis]

I've said it before and I'll say it again . . . Michael Steele should have the headache to end all headaches from his feet (yes both of them) constantly being in his mouth. EPIC FAIL!

[Wingsweaver]

Michael Steele is a mess. I hope he and his dirty underhanded tactics stay far away from Maryland.

[Marnie1]

"Well, yeah. And it's because he's getting unprecedented coverage -- cover -- by the media."

Once again Steele lets his stupid loose.

Obama is the President of the United States, of course he gets lots of news coverage. I defy Steele to prove that it "Unprecede­nted."

And

Duhbya got lots of press coverage for 8 years and during the last four he was so magic his approval rating dropped like a rock, in large part becasue of his media coverage.

[Clovie]

Steele shows again and again just how much of a m oron he is. It's painfully obvious to anyone but him that he was chosen RNC chair as a counterbalance to Obama and for no other reason than skin color. I would think even Republicans would find this insulting.

[KarelS]

Apparently, you haven't been around many Republicans to come to the realization that they would not find Mike Steele insulting. A token, yes. Insulting, no.