5 Facts About the New RNC Chairman
Cross-posted at Legum's New Line.
Former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele was just elected chairman of the RNC. Here are five facts about the new leader of the Republican party:
1. Steele compared stem cell research to Nazi experiments during the Holocaust.
2. Steele bused in homeless African Americans from Philadelphia to distribute literature in inner-city Baltimore that featured a "Sample Democratic Ballot" with votes for Steele and former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, along with photos of prominent black Democrats.
3. Steele once described that "R" next to his name as a "scarlet letter," complaining that being a Republican was hurting his electoral chances.
4. Steele was endorsed by Mike Tyson during his run for Senate. When Tyson, who used to be married to Steele's half sister, pleaded no contest to assault in Montgomery County in 1998, Steele was on hand to support him.
5. Steele defended former Gov. Bob Ehrlich's decision to hold a $100,000 fundraiser at a country club that did not allow non-white members, saying that the club's membership's policies were "not an issue" because "I don't play golf."
Check out Legum's New Line for the latest on Michael Steele.
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Michael Steele's Challenge
There exists a leadership gap in the Republican party with no strong frontrunner for 2012 and evidence of growing division between the leading candidates. Steele must fill this leadership vacuum.
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The Meaning of Michael Steele
It's hard to remember the last time a party chairman's race has been so closely followed, but the reality is that Steele's win really doesn't mean much.
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Steele, the GOP and Confronting the Southern Strategy
That fact that Steele won the RNC chairmanship is a hopeful sign that the GOP has begun to confront its shameful exploitation of race as a national political strategy.
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Steele's Slippery Slope
Republicans needed a public relations break more so than a Michael Steele, a fact that will show itself much sooner rather than later.
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Michael Steele: No Profile in Courage
When Steele was faced with a choice between political expediency and denouncing bigotry, Steele chose expediency.
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The GOP Finally Got Something Right with Michael Steele Pick
The Steele call was really an easy call, indeed the only call to make. This was the only thing the Party could do to avoid being shoved to the outer margins of national politics.
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The New RNC Chairman -- Providing Full "Race Card" Default Insurance
Selecting Steele is designed to help position the Republicans more advantageously in their effort to fight off charges of "using the race card" when their attacks on the president become really tough.
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I hope Steele feels very fulfilled in his role as the National GOP Token.
He is simply there so that every criticism made about President Obama will be prefaced with the following disclaimer:
"We at the GOP have a black national chairman, so you know we are not being racist when we say the President.
Does Michael Steele think the majority of Americans of color are that naive? Does he really think he would have gotten the Greedy Obnoxious People (GOP) party's leadership position, if President Obama wasn't he himself a man of color?
Micheal Steele-- The new GOP leader by convenience. In other words, the perfect token.
And by the way Mr. Steele, please tell us, how many African-American delegates were at the rebushlican convention last year?
36 were there. I think it was over-sighted, there may have been reflective mirrors making it seem like that many.
Makes me laugh, Steele as RNC chair and new poll says Republicants want the party to be more like Palin.
They are in serious trouble.
All that church brainwashing has to take a toll at some point I guess?
I have been a Maryland resident for over 25 years and remember reading about #2 on the list. When he ran for Lt. Governor, I remember reading that he had used all of the family's savings for his campaign. I felt that was very selfish of him. In reading your other four facts, I see that the only genuine about Mr. Steele is his selfishness. Thanks for enlightening me about the other four items.
In the few times that I have seen Mr. Steele on television, I have not been impressed. He is arrogrant and like many other Republican leaders is quick to attack Democratic issues but never comes with a solution to make it better for the people. We shall see if he does better in his new role as RNCChair.
FYI, my exclusive interview with Steele:
http://www
And forget "conservatism," please. It has, operationally, de facto, been Godless and thus irrelevant. Secular conservatism will not defeat secular liberalism because to God they are two atheistic peas-in-a-pod and thus predestined to failure. As Stonewall Jackson's Chief of Staff R.L. Dabney said of such a humanistic belief more than 100 years ago:
Our country is collapsing because we have turned our back on God (Psalm 9:17) and refused to kiss His Son (Psalm 2).
John Lofton, Editor, TheAmerica
Recovering Republican
aol.coml.com
Just gotta ask: Are African Americans insulted by this?
As a woman, I was SO insulted when they picked Palin as VP. It was such an obvious pander to women. Not that I'd ever vote R, but choosing her put me so far over the edge that I volunteered for the Dems and actually participated in politics for the first time ever.
Granted, there aren't many African Americans in the Republican party. But are the Repubs stupid enough to think black people will just join up because of Steele? Is this how blacks are interpreting this? Or is it me still PO'd about Palin?
As a black chick who can only speak for me, I think the black people who pay attention will be insulted, I'm not, by the way. I just think they're idiotic and desperate. Anyway, for the black people who don't pay attention, they'll probably see this as another victory for the advancement of black people in politics. There are people in the community that view Condie in a positive light just because of her color. That's idiotic, too. And then there will be some black republicans who will jump on the bandwagon and try to whitewash this whole thing so people will be accepting of him. No pun intended, by the way. :-)
This would be sad if it wern't so dumb. Do these Republicans (Dixiecrats) believe that African-Americans can be led around by some guy's paint job? We've seen this trick before. Trot out some "colored guy". Oh yes, its an insult, all right. These guys are truly dense.
Nope, I now he is but one more stake in the repub heart and that's a ggod thing.
Steele's pick had nothing to do with race. Funny how you Dems love to play the race card with these types of comments. Are black Americans not allowed to support the party that seeks NOT to enslave them again?
Your on to us. Getting Obama elected was part of our diabolic plan to re-enslave Black people
Yeah, I'm sure that it's just a coincidence that the Republicans HAPPENED to pick an African American chairman for the first time in the party's history when the first African American president just HAPPENED to take office. If you SERIOUSLY think Steele would have even been considered if we'd elected a white president, then you are seriously naive. So it's the GOP who's playing the race card (very cynically and offensively, I might add), not the Dems.
You are right SweetBabu, it is a Palinist type of pick, however you will not find much outrage amongst African Americans because the hollowness of the pick is so obvious that blacks will not allow themselves to become too excited about Steele's ascension into national politics. Michael Steele will not direct the course of the republican party. It is like sitting behind the steering wheel of a car with someone else controlling the GPS.
His pick to lead the RNC is the epitome of tokenism.
Whenever I see him - I can't help but hear the following sound.....
"Dill Baby, Drill"!!!
LMAO
Michael Steele - The New Republican Minstrel. Yassa bossman. Honestly, could this man be more of an embarrassment. So telling that this is the Republican's pick. The level of cynicism in that party is striking. Pick Palin cuz of course everyone knows, any woman will do. Pick Steele cuz, well it's good to be black now, so any black will do. Honestly, is this their answer? Good luck with that.
Embarrassing to say that he was my Lt. gov.
voting4BO
I live in MD too, (SoMd). You and I both know how Michael Steele got to be Lt.Gov, that's why he and Erlich only served ONE term and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's political career is over. in the four years thery were there I can't point to one single thing they accomplished, and the RNC is gonna see the same. The RNC should know that "black" people don't vote for folks or agree with someone just because they're black, Powell, Thomas, Rice, Watts, are good examples. We voted for Obama because he is right for the job Period.
Was Steele involved with the Md. State Police spying on citizens?
He doesn't play golf -- or anything else requiring balls.
As many of you have mentioned, the Repugs believe that if you want to get the media's attention and the public's approval, select a black man to do the dirty work, the critique of Obama and any in his administration, the destruction of Congressional unity and the falsifying of Republican policies. He's a fast talker and slips in his stiletto almost unnoticed when accusing the GOP's opponents. But the thing to really remember is that he sends the signal to Americans that there is never going to be any working WITH the Republicans, never any bipartisanship, and that there will be continued open warfare between the parties. It seemed to me that the Republicans on the pundit shows yesterday were taking a more aggressive attitude about the stimulus bill and plans for the banks. Could be that Steele's attitude has caught on.
Even if he was Christ of Ghandi or MLK and he was a republican you wouldn't like him anyway. Remember the dems not only have the best ideas. They have all the ideas to fix not only our economic problems but the human condition.
no self respecting black person would ever vote republican.
and the past 50 years of voting pure Dem has really brought change and progress? Please - wake up and smell the coffee
Christ or Ghandi or MLK would never be Republicans. Sorry.
Christ, Ghandi and MLK would never be Republicans because members of the Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and Bill O'Reilly party are forced to strictly tow the ideological line of intolerance and hatred of anyone who doesn't agree with their point of view. But you're right about one thing: the Democrats DO have all the good ideas, which is especially true compared to Republicans, who have only bad ones. Tax cuts! Drill, baby, drill! Palin for VP! After 8 years of Bush, even many lifelong Republicans don't like Republicans anymore!
Looks like this guy is a joke and the RNC are a hot mess. They're pulling the exact same tactic that McCain pulled during the campaign by picking Palin. McCain figured that since there were so many Hillary supporters, he'd pull them away by picking a woman for VP. He thought we were dumb enough to fall for it and looked at Hillary like she was the flavor of the month and figured that move would work for him. Not only that, he was desperate.
Now here is the RNC thinking that Obama is the flavor of the month and so they pick a token black guy. Yet another sign that they're desperate. If the general public is smart and observant enough, they're realize what they're up to and this whole scheme will backfire. Also Legum should be insulted by being picked as their token! Not only that, to think that we'll be bowled over by this guy due to his color and the RNC is insulting! The majority of us haven't forgotten the hell we've endured by that party and they're still thinking that the public has a short memory. I think that despite this, there is still going to be alot of in fighting or at least, alot of friction.
So, in other words, he's just another two faced, double standard republican.
This guy is unbelievable.
The cynicism that brought them Sarah Palin in response to Hillary, has now brought them Steele in response to Prez. Obama. The GOP has completely lost its way. For Real Republicans, its time to start thinking third party.
I'm really beginning to wonder if the third party option isn't as asinine as it used to be. With republicans in complete disarray, holding on to beliefs and platforms that are increasingly becoming extremist - even to the general republican populace, you can't help but wonder if the Republican party will actually survive much longer.
All of their policies tried and failed, the Hispanic population rising in states that have historically been Republican strongholds, urban creep turning what used to be conservative towns into progressive mini-cities - there comes a point where the base planks of the Republican platform are no longer viable. I've even heard people discussing the possibility of the Blue-dog Democrats breaking off, absorbing the disenfranchised Republican population and forming a new party - leaving the Evangelical extreme right to its own devices and certain demise.
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