Steele: "I Have A Problem" With New GOP Group Slamming Reagan

RNC Chairman Michael Steele's fill-in stint as the host of Bill Bennett's radio talk show has produced a handful of quasi-embarrassing moments -- most notably his claim that Mitt Romney's Mormonism helped doom him in the Republican Primary.

At the very end of the nearly two-hour segment, it turns out, was another whack Steele took at his fellow Republicans. Responding to a caller disparaging the National Council for a New America -- the new Republican re-branding effort -- the RNC Chairman joined the fray, saying he had "a problem" with the notion, as put forth by former Gov. Jeb Bush, that the party needed to move beyond the legacy of Ronald Reagan.

"This tour is not about bringing minorities to the Republican Party," Steele said, correcting his caller. "This listening tour that these individuals have put in place is their way, as they said, to look forward, bring about a grassroots caucus and to bring moderates and like-minded Democrats to a series of public forums around the country where we can have a debate of ideas. Now, on its face I see nothing wrong with that. But if you are going to go and start this and start slamming Ronald Reagan, I have a problem. And it is going to be an issue. Because you can't blame the past particularly when that past contributed to the success of the party."

In offering his objections to the messaging coming from the NCNA, Steele joins a host of other Republican officials. Still, it remains rare to see the head of a national political committee disparage major players in his own party. In addition to Bush, the NCNA includes former Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Eric Cantor, and Sen. John McCain.

Later in the program, Steele was told that he should have run against Barack Obama in 2008, to which he responded, "It would have been an interesting race." When another caller lamented the media's treatment of Gov. Sarah Palin, he said the issue was endemic to all true conservatives, before saying he preached a type of political philosophy that has people "looking over their shoulders and wondering whether or not Michael Steele is standing there."

"Look, the fact that Sarah is a conservative," he said. "Michael Steele is a conservative, Bill Bennett is a conservative, a Jack Kemp was a conservative. We were a target, we were a ready target for these guys... but the strength of conservatism is that it is real and in its realism it has a way to go out to talk to people and connect to people. That's the biggest threat that we offer. And that's the threat I want to take to the streets everyday. I want them looking over their shoulders and wondering whether or not Michael Steele is standing there. Because I will be, with you [caller] standing right next to me and a whole lot of other conservatives."

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Comments

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

Steele, you have a lot more problems than this.

Like for instance, the fact that no one cares what you think. Not even your own party.

[Shayrae]

Not even the people he knew when he was black.

[demigod]

Reagan lost 241 Marines on his watch - why ? Because he was too weak to stop the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, when our "good friends" the Israelis, using American tax dollars, invaded the sovereign nation of Lebanon and bombarded Beirut by land, sea, and air for months, killing thousands of civilians. Despite the outrage of the world, the Israelis would not leave Lebanon until American troops went in. Ronald Reagan, who should have taken the Israelis by the throats and laid down the law, buckled and sent American marines in, stupidly housing them all in a single unprotected building, and BOOM - the resistance dropped the house on them with a truck bomb. Reagan should have been impeached for this disastrous derelection of duty and loss of American life and prestige. Where are the Conservatives on this ? Absolutely silent. No Democrat they despise ever did such a dastardly deed.

[MikeRdg]

“Steele, guest-hosting on Bill Bennett's radio show Friday, cast doubt on Romney's conservative bona fides and blamed the Republican base for rejecting Romney last year because "it had issues with Mormonism" and was unsure of Romney's commitment to opposing to abortion rights. Those comments aren't sitting too well with Romney's political team.” - Who cares Romney if the comment doesn’t set right with YOUR team --- Who cares Flip Flop. Steele spoke the truth and Romney doesn’t want the truth out, which is typical for their bratty, spoiled family.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/11/romney-camp-hits-back-at-steele-for-mormonism-comments/
Romney when the LDS Inc. uses its power within the Republican Party, people have a right to say something about it. So, get off the anti Mormon garbage which is spouted every time someone complains about it! Jeff Foli complained about threats against him when he was Mayor from Mormon Church leadership.
http://blogs4brownback.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/jeff-foli-update/
Time someone smacks Romney back and right on his behind!

[Appleton]

Mr. Steele's statements are absurd on two levels. First, Jeb Bush wasn't slamming Ronald Reagan. In fact, no one said anything detrimental about Ronald Reagan. Mr. Steele simply created a straw man and then knocked it down. What brilliance! Second, even if you were a fan of Ronald Reagan, half of the electorate doesn't remember him. Mr. Bush's comments about moving beyond the Reagan legacy was a call to Republicans to renew their party. Mr. Steele apparently doesn't perceive that his party has any problems that can't be solved by Rush Limbaugh. That view is correct only if Mr. Steele and his supporters are content to have a Republican Party that represents 20% of the electorate, mostly concentrated in the southeast, a regional party without influence. Since I'm a Democrat, I don't particularly care, but if I were a Republican, I'd have ushered Mr. Steele, and Mr. Limbaugh, out the back door some time ago.

[TJCole]

Is Michael Steele, perhaps suffering from Stockholm Syndrome or a PTSD version of it..?

See what I mean...?

[MikeRdg]

It is a case of Romneyitis. Twit likes 'striking back", his cronies like kids especially because they are easier to intimidate and keep quiet. Twit like corrupt judges and attorneys who are easy to buy off, as well as ambitious corrupt congressmen and their corrupt buddies.

[Bitsko]

The G0P deserves this egomaniac.

[gintheb]

Huhh? I hardly ever understand WTF he says!

[MJJM]

True Conservatives do not believe in the Freedom of Speech or constructive criticism!

[conserve joe]

That might be the dumbest or ingnorant statement, yet. Do you even know what conservatism is?

[roudy]

Yes, we have seen pure conservatism at its finest the last year years, and it was indeed the disaster that we expected.

[BeasleysMom]

Evidently most "conservatives" don't know either. That is the problem with the gop all they can do is "talk" about their principles but they are not much in to living them, are they?

[jaslyn]

If he doesn't want to bring in minorities and just wants an exchange of ideas, why the attempt at being the 'hip hop' party?? WHO IS this guy, no one ever heard of him before, and now we get to seem him everyday, constantly contradicting himself, and driving home the point that he's in the lost party of no.

[Shayrae]

Hmmm. So this must mean that nobody bothered to tell Steele that this is why the GOP put him in the Chairman's office. Michael, when your boss stops sending you the talking points memos, chances are that he is chomping at the bit to get rid of you. Yahoo.

[Glowcy]

,
Anybody who is standing next to Steele when the political ground opens up and swallows him is going to go down with him.

.

[BeasleysMom]

LOVE the image.

[IllinoisTexan43]

I guess Steele forgets that so many young black men suffered under Reagan's draconian drug laws. I guess Steele forgets that he's black, period.

[Golfer59]

That's the problem with Michael Steele and any African-American or minority period who hitch their wagon to the republican party. There is a identity disconnect. You listen to the racial politics being played by republicans and you have to wonder why the Michael Steele's of the world would want to be a republican.

[Militant Leftist]

Answer - because they are sellouts lacking any integrity whatsoever.

[dadw5boys]

How all the Americans who suffered from the Cocaine smuggled into the USA and sold to Americans by Reagan/ Bush/ Bush for Iran/Contra money .

YES BUSH / BUSH -- IT WAS JEB BUSH THAT TOLD THE FLORDIA PEOPLE TO STAND DOWN WHEN THE PLANES WITH COCAINE CAME IN.

.

[rockinroll]

Reagan? Really? He tripled the National Deb - Voodoo Economics! Put the mentally ill on the streets.
Lied about Arms for Hostages. Led The Era of Greed in the 80's.
This is the guy they cling to. Good Luck!

[larmarch5]

Politics then and now -- especially when you compare Reagan and Obama, not on policy but on temperament.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/reagan/articles/21glo.htm

[BeasleysMom]

Steele has no principles so he will say anything his deba sed base wants to hear. Many in that base are the old white men, now suffering with dem entia, who supported Reagan originally and still worship him. How can this party ever succeed when it is lead by people like that? The young conservatives are too busy s tea ling their way to the top to seize control of the party. And, so it goes!

[PDXKevin]

Steele is the best thing that has ever happened to the Republican Party. Oh wait, that's Rush Limbaugh. No no no, I mean, that would be Sarah Palin.

[AmirZadeh]

I used to think that Michael Steele be ousted as RNC chairman. But, by Jove, he is doing a fine job contributing to the demise of the Repug Party. Keep it up, Mike! I want you to stay in the HEEZY so you can keep up the shizzle and destrizzle everyone in the Party.

[Kiki1kat]

Since Steele and the other Repugs think Reagan was "THE MAN" then why don't they ask congress, the Pres and the Country to put his face on Mt. Rushmore and on some paper money? Reagan was an actor and that is the only thing he was capable of doing. He totally was acting as President. The man is dead. Let him stay dead. That's their problem. They won't let go of the past and focus on the future. They think they can run on the same platform that Reagan ran on. Times have change. Wake up Rethugs. The Reagan era people are gone. This is a new age, a new day.

[MYSTERIOUS]

TO ME, REAGAN RANKS UP THERE (OR DOWN THERE) WITH G.W. BUSH. I DIDN'T LIKE HIM THEN, AND IF I EVER SEE HIM AGAIN, IT WILL BE TOO SOON. (SMILE)