Michael Steele: No Profile in Courage

The Republican National Committee's (RNC) selection of Michael Steele as RNC Chairman has elicited a wave of positive reaction from political pundits. Republicans, as could be expected, praised the pick; Democrats and progressives reluctantly agreed that the Steele victory was good news for the GOP. No one denies Steele's oratory skills or his political prowess.

However, one quality that no one has examined is Steele's moral backbone. When John F. Kennedy released his classic "Profiles in Courage" in 1955, he recounted stories of politicians who risked their careers by standing up for principles. Steele is an unlikely candidate for a future edition of Profiles.

Steele flunked the moral courage test on November, 7, 2006, when he was the Republican candidate for the United States Senate from Maryland. As Election Day approached, one of Steele's supporters, Emma Jean Thompson, distributed flyers in African-American neighborhoods, attacking Steele's Jewish opponent. The headline stated, "Ben Cardin Promises to attack Jesus Christ, Pastors, Churches and Christians and to Take Away Blacks' Freedom If He Is Elected." The flyer listed issues, including same sex marriage and abortion, and stated that Steele is "for what Jesus says" and Cardin is "against what Jesus says." The flyer went on to announce "Cardin VS Christ" and asked readers to "Vote for Michael Steele."

Thompson, who is co-pastor of Integrity Church International in Landover, Maryland, attended Steele's pre-election press conference. She made her attacks in the name of "Black Women in Maryland" and had the flyers distributed at Churches in Prince Georges County, Maryland.

On election morning 2006, stories about this flyer appeared in the Washington Post and in an Associated Press story. The publications also reported on how Steele intentionally misled African American voters about his party affiliation and endorsements of a number of prominent Democratic African American elected officials. The press gave Michael Steele and his campaign an opportunity to denounce the outlandish bigotry of his supporters, but he declined to do so.

Immediately after the election, Jewish community leadership privately contacted then Lt. Governor Steele to ask him to repudiate these anti-Semitic attacks. Steele stonewalled for more than two weeks. Finally near the end of November, Steele sent a letter to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington indicating that he did not approve or distribute these flyers. He repudiated the flyer's "intolerance and insensitivity." Reflecting the frustration of local Jewish leadership who had worked with Steele, a spokesman for the JCRC told the Washington Jewish Week: "We do wish the response would have been more timely," but "better late than never."

None of this makes Steele an anti-Semite or a bigot. What it does say is that when faced with a choice between political expediency and denouncing bigotry, Steele chose expediency.

The GOP faces some momentous challenges in the wake of a failed George W. Bush presidency and the historic election of President Barack Obama. The RNC could use a truly inspiring and moral leader. They could have done better than Michael Steele.

Comments

[alicetilden]

I live in Maryland. I believe it was when he was running for Lieutenant Governor, something came up involving either him speaking at a club that had discriminated or someone else was a member of one of those clubs. Steele couldn't understand that that could be a problem. He is such an elitist and so out of touch.

[dapperd72]

Steele's comparison of stem-cell research to Nazi experiments when speaking before a Jewish audience, as if to solicit their sympathy, I found particularly offensive. He may not be an anti-Semite in the technical sense (giving him benefit of the doubt), but his refusal to denounce clearly pro-Christian, anti-Jewish campaign propaganda against Ben Cardin speaks volumes about his respect for anyone who doesn't accept Jesus as her/his Savior, as I certainly don't myself. I didn't vote for Cardin for Senate (since I voted for the Green candidate), but no one who doesn't identify as a devout Christian ever deserves to be condemned for this personal decision or belief. I've always been grossly offended by anyone who tries to force Christianity down my throat, as too many politicians and pundits (not limited to Bill O'Reilly) are so apt to do routinely. Steele was elected above all else for his ethnic symbolism to attract more minority votes to the GOP. I trust that most of those the GOP wants to attract by this election won't be fooled into thinking they're suddenly a "big tent" and support affirmative action. As George Carlin wisely suggested years ago, we should "leave symbols to the symbol-min­ded."

[jdiary]

If were appointed and lauded as "good news" for the GOP, before I accepted I'd remember that this was the party that also though Palin was good news - then I'd politely decline.

[murphysgirl]

The fallacy that Steele will try to implement diversity in the GOP is a joke. He will say and do anything for camera time or to get elected to something.

He's nothing but an obedient GOP solider.

[daddigrace]

To all the racists on the far-right, and the closet racists on the far-left, your days of divisive racial politics are coming to an end. Congratulations to Michael Steele!

[Witkacy]

Frankly, Steele's 2006 campaign and the bigotry in it is of no real political importance. Steele has been chosen to administer the ongoing catastrophe that is the Republican Party. He is himself a middling politician, an also-ran, and will not in any way be able to avert his party's next electoral disasters.

We have the most charismatic and far-sighted Democratic POTUS since FDR--in office. And the man is 47 years old! At the same time, the GOP has this past season faced more than just a defeat at the highest level--it's faced the ebbing of that fake-populist Reagan tide; it's been exposed as the country club sheltered well from the concerns of the Great Unwashed, a lily-white corporate plutocracy. Steele the second-rater (has anyone ever made more hay over having held a Lt. Governor position than this guy?), the dedicated conservatard token, cannot help shepherd these people away from their identity--there is no "rebranding" to be had - go ask Mark Penn about that!

[dillydawg]

Sorry Steele, Rush/Palin has stolen your party with great help from the MSM (and not just FOXNEWS).

[weatherwaxx]

If Democrats said this cookie-cutter political hack was good news, it's only because the GOP copycat dumb machine is going to be in Dems' favor.

Hillary Clinton coming down to the wire for Pres? Find a photogenic female, never mind if she's got a functioning brain. (Assumption: women are too dumb to care.) Result: Palin

Barack Obama is elected President? Find a Republican who's the right color but can be counted on to maintain the same old same old. (assumption: black voters are too stupid to notice) Result: Steele

Fortunately, voters are not as stupid as the Republicans think we are.

[Yermammy]

That, in a nutshell is it! Second that.

[FernandoRuiz]

This guy Steele contradicts himself by the minute. He can never seem to get his facts straight. Case in point, he says one thing on NPR, and another completely different thing on CNN hours later

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/02/steele-government-jobs/

[TommyMcCarthy]

"When faced with a choice between political expediency and denouncing bigotry , Steele chose expediency"

Well duh,......­.He'a Republican, we're used to them PROMOTING and EXPOUNDING bigotry. If nothing else, the Steel pick should help reign in some of the yay-oos on the right in that regard.

But don't worry about political cowardice disappearing anytime soon. There are PLENTY of ways to practice that fine art. Congressional Democrats will still be around to lead by example.
tm

[larry278]

JFK, ghostwriter & Kennedy family organization made Profiles in Courage a best seller & a mantra but if Silhoutes(sp?) in Perfidity is compiled it will be a textbook & useful guide to surviving & thriving in politics. It will be a multi-volume work, in loose leaf format with bi-monthly up dates of changes in the state of the art. It will resemble a CCH tax law guide, etc. It will have a large subscriber base. Copies of it won't be displayed in the offices of many subscribers for obvious reasons. There will also be regular on-line up-dates [at a hefty extra cost].

[MsLiz]

This article closes with: "The RNC could use a truly inspiring and moral leader. They could have done better than Michael Steele."

No, they couldn't have done better, unless they went outside the Republican Party.

[TommyMcCarthy]

God .....Liz, you beat me to the punch..

Exactly right!

Regards...­it's been some time
tm

[rageagainstmachine]

That's exactly the problem. The leadership vacuum in the Republican party is so massive that it's actually being filled by the likes of Rush Limbaugh right now. That tells you all you need to know about the state of the Republican party.

[lovable]

steele will never condemn the bigotry of the repub party . he would be condemning his boss rush limbaugh. he will just continue to talk of tax cuts. he wont touch civil rights . the party will not grow. as a black i am trueley dissapointed in the black caucas!!!!!!! they are tooooooooo silent on rush and on steele.

[dilgrim]

Michael Steele, too little, too late.

[weatherwaxx]

and too fake.

[desertdweller]

And Dubya claimed to be a Compassionate Conservati­ve.....GOo­Pers: all wolves in sheeps clothing