Quick Reversal: Steele We "Screw" Ourselves By Targeting Our Own

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."

In a conference call with grassroots Republicans leaders to thank them for the work they did in winning two governor's seats in the 2009 election, Steele laid out a blueprint for expanding on the early success. The RNC chair stressed the need to avoid having Republicans target one another. "It is the first way to screw yourself," he said.

Reflecting on the lost House seat in New York's 23rd District, Steele insisted that the process had been flawed.

"We had some ugly hiccups and NY 23 was one of those hiccups," he said. "I was brought into it after the fact, when a nominee who did not fit that district was chosen for purely political reasons."

By not having a truly democratic primary process in place, Steele proclaimed, the GOP was left in a state of dissatisfied infighting over the chosen nominee. Going forward he pledged to host more "fair and open" primaries.

"The consequence of [not having that in place] is we are mired in a very stupid discussion about conservatives versus moderates and conservatives versus Republicans," he said. "When we play politics amongst our own, we lose."

Hours earlier, Steele was sounding a noticeably different tune -- all but calling on the party to ideologically purge itself of moderates. In an interview with ABC News, the RNC chairman warned those candidates "who live in moderate to slightly liberal districts" that they would have "to walk a little bit carefully" when it came time to vote.'

"[Y]ou 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 said.

Those remarks were a nod, of sorts, to the growing political persuasion of the tea party movement -- which forced Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate in NY-23, to drop her bid for the House seat. But even those comments resembled a flip-flop of sorts for the RNC chair. Steele had, as the Huffington Post's Jason Linkin's noted, defended GOP moderate Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) just one day earlier after the Maine Republican came under attack by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty for lacking the proper conservative bona fides.

Well before then, as the Washington Post's Ezra Klein recalled, Steele was pitching himself as the man who would bring the Republican Party to a more modern and moderate place.

"Do folks remember when Steele was the "anonymous Senate candidate" badmouthing George W. Bush to a room of reporters?" Klein writes. "The guy who was trying to come off as a moderate because, as he said, 'If this race is about Republicans and Democrats, I lose.' Whatever happened to that guy?"

Comments

[pottedferne]

Dood, what don't you get...you are on a short leash..."keep the cup in front of you and shet yo mouf or you be historrie.." (if you aren' already) Michael Steele is a good man gone wrong.....

[atexasdem]

Michael Steele as much as I hate to tell you, no matter what you say, no matter what you do, to your masters you will always be a "boy". I actually believe that your a good man, you've just been fooled into aligning yourself with the wrong people. Your being used as a token. I hope they are paying you a lot because you've certainly sold yourself into slavery. You didn't have to do this you know. Your educated. Your articulate. That doesn't matter though to your masters. All they will ever see is the color of your skin and as soon as they are done with you, they'll sell you down the river. Michael, be a man, be a proud man with self respect and dignity. Wake up and quit being the republican leaderships "boy".

[mark2322]

Al Jolson puts on his black face and does the skits he is paid to do.

[A Meat Beetle]

Apparently Congresswoman Bachman was wrong about Steele. He doesn't be da man, he be TWO mans.

[hmmmmm]

flip. . .. . . . . . .. flop . . . . . .... .. flounder.


HA HA HA HA HA.

[Rmath]

"It is the first way to screw yourself,"

Mr. Steele, you and your party already did that.

[CoconutLime]

Steele actually meant to say, "Let's not screw ourselves in our closets. They might find out we're gay."

[gramma61]

The fact that this man publicly represents a major political party of our country is a total embarressment .

[hardesty]

This guy needs a neck brace for all the whiplash he's sustained over the past two days.

[17ladyslippers]

Well, duh.

Repubs thought by having Steele head the RNC it would show that the big, inclusive tent they talk about is for real. NOT.

[brt929]

Dang it! He managed to figure it out!

[TheFabOne]

This guy flip-flops more than a cheap pair of beach sandals...­......made in Taiwan.

[proudloudlib]

Consistency is just not one of his strong points, huh?

[LemonMeringue]

Such a classy choice of words. He must be taking notes from Bachmann who loves to talk d!rty when attention on her wanes.

[BeasleysMom]

Even if his proclamation was honest, it is too late for the gops. Steele clearly did not believe his own ba bbl e as he stated later that gops who support Democrats, etc. would "be punished." I am old enough to say that I have never seen such fo/olis/hness--in politics or other areas as the gops are currently displaying. Their populartiy continues to drop and they continue on with the same tactics. This is the same BS employed during the election. H ate, anger and divisiveness--both within their own party and the nation as a whole, is clearly not acceptable by the majority of Americans.

[LemonMeringue]

They already have "awakened the sleeping giant" as Katie the tool quoted from her list of talking points at that anti health care town hall. The sleeping giant is the ignorance and b!gotry of so many Americans who vote GOP.