Michael Steele Flip-Flops On Moderate Republicans [UPDATE]

Remember Election Night 2009? The big takeaway from the 23rd District of New York -- where Democrat Bill Owens prevailed as the first Democrat to win that Congressional seat since the Ice Age -- was that conservatives were at war with each other. Brother against brother! Establishment against fringe! Well, as it turns out, that battle is being waged most bloodily inside the Imaginarium Of Michael Steele.

Yesterday, Michael Steele was defending Delicate Flower of Center-Right Moderation Olympia Snowe from the stern rhetoric of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, telling the Morning Joe coffee-klatsch:

"I say, Welcome. Welcome. Each member of this party has a unique footprint. And it's different from region to region. I can't win in the Northeast with a candidate best suited for the South and vice-versa."

But that was yesterday, when the largest looming concern was the NY23-FAIL. Today, Capitol Hill is ramped up into Bachmann Tea Party Overdrive, and Michael Steele is suddenly drawing down on anyone who thinks they're gonna bring their "unique footprint" into his "big tent":

"So candidates who live in moderate to slightly liberal districts have got to walk a little bit carefully here, because you do not want to put yourself in a position where you're crossing that line on conservative principles, fiscal principles, because we'll come after you," Steele continued.

"You're gonna find yourself in a very tough hole if you're arguing for the president's stimulus plan or Nancy Pelosi's health plan. There's no justification for growing the size of government the way this administration and this Congress wants to do it."

So there you have it: Michael Steele is sort of riding a wave of confusing emotions.

UPDATE: Wow. Michael Steele is just spinning like a pinwheel, trying to decide what sort of Republicans he likes and what sort he doesn't. Via Sam Stein:

Hours after Michael Steele warned moderate Republicans that they woud be targeted if they didn't support conservative principles, the RNC Chairman called discussion of intra-party feuding "stupid" and insisted that the GOP would lose if "we play politics amongst our own."

More from Sam, here.

RELATED:
Meet The New, Very Violent Michael Steele [Wonkette]
Hitching Wagon to Tea Partiers, Steele Threatens to 'Come After' GOP Moderates [The Washington Independent]

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Comments

[mltaylor13pt1]

I see Michael "Flipper" Steele is at it again.
Clueless Fail.

[NewLiberals]

Why are the Republicans all so against Stem Cell research?

When what they really want are party members who are clones?

[sippewissett]

What a zinger!

[connect2u93]

I am amazed that the Republicans have not stopped campaigning at all for the Presidency. Mr. Steele makes me laugh each time I see him or hear him because he reminds me of a man trying to prove he is genuinely sincere and effective and at a task that is well over his head. He takes his cues from which ever faction of his party that is media boosted at the time. Yet, I give him the benefit of doubt, he is trying, He is trying indeed. ( lol )

[jimme]

They're going to come after me ? What kind of talk is that for a high ranking official?
When you find me I won't be like your sheeple who walk goose-step on your every word.

As a matter of fact Mr.Steele, I DARE you to come for me.

[AmirZadeh]

Sadly, this is what your party has become.

[AmirZadeh]

I am SO GLAD the RNC didn't oust Mr. Steele. He has been a source of comedy, and will be so for months and years to come!!

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK MR. STEELE!

Put on your cap sideways, cuz that's how you roll!

[jemiltd]

Unfortunately, he is going to get that "we are going in a different direction" speech while they boot him out the door as soon as it's feasible. Or someone with give him a high-paying cream puff job ( from which he'll be fired) in order to draw him out of the position.

[connect2u93]

LOL...LOL.­..LOL...LO­L

[connect2u93]

LOL,,,LOL...LOL...

[rockymthi]

After looking at some of their signs and their behavior at the Marsha Bachmann sponsored tea party today, I say let them eat each other. We shall eat crumpets. Our founding parents would prefer it that way.

[PWM]

The GOP is imploding. Keep it up, in a few years you will make the KKK look mainstream.

[koppenberg]

How many times has he flipped on this? Remember this from Steele?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/steele-moderates-are-welcome-to-join-gop----but-not-to-change-it.php

[expired]

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[AllShookUp]

He's still just a muppet to me.

[CJWebber]

Me too.

[CoronaDischarge]

Looks like there is a civil war in the Republican Party and Michael Steel is the first to surrender.

[Bloggerrogr]

I suspect that there is very little that is going to be 'civil' in this civil war.

FWIW