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Arianna: Steele Might Be Safe In Wake Of 'Bondage-Gate'

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Arianna and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead joined Joy Behar Wednesday on "The Joy Behar Show" to discuss turmoil at the RNC in the wake of "Bondage-Gate."

Arianna thinks that despite the scandal, Michael Steele is safe at the top. One reason, according to Arianna is that 60% of Americans have never heard of the simulated-sex club debacle. She also believes that Steele's race could help him weather this and future storms.

"The fact that he's about the only recognizable African American in the Republican Party gives him a lot of protection," Arianna said. "Because if they fire him, who is going to be left who is African American to represent the Republican Party."

Asked why Republicans even need an African American representative, Arianna said it's because the party wants to pretend that it's "the party of the majority."

When the debate moved to politically motivated threats of violence, Arianna explained that aggressive rhetoric from politicians like Sarah Palin offers legitimacy to the those who threaten to harm politicians over their votes.

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Arianna and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead joined Joy Behar Wednesday on "The Joy Behar Show" to discuss turmoil at the RNC in the wake of "Bondage-Gate." Arianna thinks that despite the sca...
Arianna and "Daily Show" co-creator Lizz Winstead joined Joy Behar Wednesday on "The Joy Behar Show" to discuss turmoil at the RNC in the wake of "Bondage-Gate." Arianna thinks that despite the sca...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
CaseyBabes
03:52 PM on 04/10/2010
Can always depend to see on a leftie site how quickly they bring up charges about razizm as the reason for the absence within the republican party of a substantial number of black representation. There are, of course, plenty, but it does not suit the real razizts insidious intent. The same for the Tea Party groups falsely cited for the same lack of black members -- they're there alright, but inconvenient for razizt lefties to acknowledge. Cold, hard truth is the democrat party is the very real party, inner sanctum really, for razizm.

Look at the history of that deplorable condition -- sl^ve ry -- found infecting the democratic South for a coupla centuries. Find the Bu ll Con nors, the Geo rge Wal lac es and Senator Ful brights and WVa kl ieg le filbustering Civil Rights. Look at any of today's major cities, like NY, LA, Chi, Houston, Philly , even Newark NJ, to see within those entire democrat run cities the deplorable conditions of gh ett os!

No, the republican party is not a party of razizm. It is an open party to everyone. Too bad the democrat party has painted republicans with the very taint the democrats can never erase, else this country could truly advance. Beats me why our black brothers and sisters cannot comprehend this, face it, the same faces we once viewed in the gh et tos way back then are still there......only the clothes styles have changed.

Proud Independent.
01:14 PM on 04/08/2010
There is a toxic mix of racism, ignorance, bailout anger and southern hatred for the federal government espoused by the republican party is responsible for the dangerous atmosphere we have today and it is useful to have Steele at the head of the RNC at this moment in time.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
CaseyBabes
04:14 PM on 04/10/2010
So Cowtess, you are saying that the black man in charge of the RNC is incompetent -- isn't that a razizt comment normally used by republicans to characterize blacks.........just because they are, you.............black?
11:53 AM on 04/08/2010
If they dont find a way to push him out, it will be unbelievable, and it will come back to bite them.
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HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Puller58
Man of Mystery
10:07 AM on 04/08/2010
He'll shrink into a figurehead.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Chuckie Corra
09:14 AM on 04/08/2010
I think he wil be safe, due to the fact that removing him would be more detrimental to the RNC i think. At least at the current time and political climate. The view of Steele and the RNC would be even weaker than it is right now. If they can't get past a miscue like the bondage thing, than there won't be any confidence that they will be able to overcome other bad press scandals.
08:45 AM on 04/08/2010
Green Acres
08:14 AM on 04/08/2010
I have to disagree with you this time Ariianna
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
yweston
Wild Wild "Proud to Be a Progressive" West
03:57 AM on 04/08/2010
You mean Michael gets to stay in the "Hizzie"
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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03:18 AM on 04/08/2010
Please, please keep Steele around!

If they dump him, there's a chance (however slight) that they'll replace him with someone competent.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
03:07 AM on 04/08/2010
Hey thanks Steele and Limbaugh, you two are some of the best examples of how the Republican party needs to be kicked to the curb.
12:03 PM on 04/08/2010
"Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, said that if the election were held today, Republicans would make similar gains to their 1994 wins, when they took 54 seats and the majority. They need 40 seats to regain power this year."
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Cakey4814
LuvBlogger
02:36 PM on 04/08/2010
You mean Stan the Clinton Man Greenberg who also predicted a Hillary Clinton win? Hahaha..keep that hope alive..
02:26 AM on 04/08/2010
Republican Hypocrisy 101

you are for it ------------------------we are against it until we are for it again ...no against it ..for it ..against
you paid for it ---------------------- we will take the check ( it magically appeared ..say cheese)
you want a vote --------------------we fillibuster until we get what we want
you nominate somebody--------we put a hold on them until somebody see's ( then we just say sorry)
you passed it (and it works) ----we would have done the same thing
you want to have a meeting ----we don't show up because we were excluded from the table
you won the election -------------we scream we want our country back! (from you)
you are for family values---------we are as well until we get caught with our pants down
you are for religion ----------------we are too as long as it iis run by white men with multiple wives
You lead------------------------------we say you should be listening to us and doing what we say
You listen to the Generals---------------------------we say you're not leading!
You do what the majority say they want----------we say you are governing by polls
You cut taxes for 95% of the country--------------we say you raised taxes
You k1ll te.rr.orists-------------------------------------we say you're hurting intelligence efforts

You are for all ethinic backgrounds -----we are integrated too (one or two of us are black but the rest are overwhelmingly white )

DId I miss anything ?

feel free to add ;)-
12:04 PM on 04/08/2010
You forgot....

"You ignore the will of the people-----------------we take over in November."
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Cakey4814
LuvBlogger
02:38 PM on 04/08/2010
You forgot..the will of people already spoke which is why we have President Obama..
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MauricioC
Be careful-90% of people are from accidents
11:08 PM on 04/07/2010
I think Arianna is right-his color will keep him safe. He is the lone nationwide African American representative in the party. The GOP is stuck with him for life-just like h-e-r-p-e-s.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
jemiltd
Writer,author,thinker,creative
11:24 PM on 04/07/2010
Interesting that Black folks knew who he was when they chose him, yet the GOP didn't seem to have a clue. And in his ultimate hypocrisy, he actually played the "race" card, after accusing Democrats of it. Jon Stewart just nailed him on The Daily Show.
11:37 PM on 04/07/2010
Wait, wait, black folks didn't chose him... He was put as a post child to represent the RNC so that they could show that they could have someone black to go against the POTUS.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cjk002
A giant brain is a terrible thing to waste
01:37 AM on 04/08/2010
Black folks knew about him as early as 2006, when the majority of them voted for the other guy in the Maryland senate race. The people of Maryland are wise.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Eldienne
Moderate Dem
10:52 PM on 04/07/2010
No, i don't think that Michael Steele should resign, cos he's probably the best thing that's happened to the Democratic party.
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LMPE
I connect the most dissimilar things
10:52 PM on 04/07/2010
There is legitimate anger about the bailouts, and the likes of Rush Limbaugh use race as a wedge issue.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
jemiltd
Writer,author,thinker,creative
11:30 PM on 04/07/2010
GM is on track to pay back their bailout in full by June 2010, five years earlier than planned. The Government made $8 billion from the Citibank bailout in March. How exactly is the anger legitimate?
12:08 AM on 04/08/2010
It's not.

It's irrational fear stoked by RICH right wingers who want to pit the have nots against teh have nots.

It's how they keep power and money.

There's no rationality to the health insurance mandate either -- nearly everyone screaming about it already HAS insurance or Medicare, so they are saying don' t you dare force me to do something I already did.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cjk002
A giant brain is a terrible thing to waste
01:32 AM on 04/08/2010
The legitimate anger is over the fact that we had to bail out any company at all. I'm as liberal as they come, but on that issue I can see where there might be anger. I think the bailouts were probably necessary to keep the economy from collapsing, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it. I'm glad to hear that we are beginning to get some of the money back.

I do agree that the other 99% of the rage comes from hypocrisy (most of the stuff the teabaggers complain about Obama doing was fine to them when previous presidents did it) and r a c i s m.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
ChiGuy
Just an earthbound misfit, I
10:34 PM on 04/07/2010
One can only hope that the Democrat's best buddy, Michael Steele, is around for a long time to come.