The Riddle of Steele

[ClydeR]

What does Steele really think? That's the riddle Steele posed yesterday.


In a lengthy interview, Steele was unapologetic, referring to the high-level GOP critics and skeptics as “nervous Nellies” and saying that he actually has been tempering his public remarks.

“If I told folks what I really thought, I’d probably be in a lot more trouble,” he said. “I think that’s what I bring to this job, as a voice of the party: I think it’s important to have that kind of newness and rawness to it that grabs folks’ attention and hopefully ... take a look at what we’re doing.”

More... (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19588.html)

That remark completely cancels out his "apology" to Rush. He's saying he wasn't sincere about it.

Steele continued later in the interview--


“I know some folks in Washington feel that they’re kind of on the outside of this — that they don’t have the day-to-day blow by blow of what I’m doing,” he said. “And that’s exactly how I like it. I want to be about the business of putting in place a good infrastructure that will enable me to go out and build a better brand, stronger brand, for the GOP. And I won’t get there by tattle-telling every day what I’m doing.”

Steele's remarks came on the heels of growing dissatisfaction from Republican insiders, who are following my lead from yesterday when I called on Steele to resign.


"What is amazing is that Steele was elected because of his communications skills, and it is those skills that are damaging the Republican Party. Before people begin to completely judge him as worthless, Steele needs to focus and knuckle down on building a strong foundation at RNC so we can begin rebuilding our majority," says a top GOP strategist who has worked for House and Senate Republican leaders. "If his implosion continues, RNC members are likely to call a special session to dump him for an effective chairman. There is not much patience for failure."

Others want Steele to re-evaluate his role in the party.

More... (http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/3/3/gop-to-michael-steele-quiet-about-rush-limbaugh-or-youre-fired.html)

Although I am primarily upset about Steele's lack of respect and esteem for Rush's position in the conservative movement, I also know, as explained in the below quote, that Steele has done little to improve the Republican Party.


Steadily becoming a dependable punch line, Steele has brushed back Rush Limbaugh, threatened moderate Republican senators, offered the “friggin’ awesome” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal some “slum love,” called civil unions “crazy” and promised more outreach to “urban-suburban hip-hop settings” via an “off the hook” public relations campaign.

He even threw a shout-out to “one-armed midgets.”

That’s in just 30 days on the job — and that’s just the PR part.

On the organizational side, Steele does not have a chief of staff, a political director, a finance director or a communications director. Last week, one of the two men sharing the job of interim finance director was forced to resign.

More...(same as first article quoted above) ("http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19588.html)

I repeat that Steele should resign. And he should leave Rush alone.

[CrystalTears]

Rush needs to be kicked in the nads and stabbed in the throat so that he can't talk anymore.

[Apotheosis]

Perhaps Rush is the one that needs to leave the Republican party.

[Kembal]

The amount of Republican leaders apologizing to Rush after criticizing him is reaching epic hilarity levels. They need to grow some balls there.

[Danical]

Wow, I was really hoping this was going to be a Conan Thread :( :( :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGWF8mz1Zw

[Jorddyn]

Rush needs to be kicked in the nads and stabbed in the throat so that he can't talk anymore.

I would so watch this on PPV.

[Parkbandit]

I meant to listen to Rush this morning, but didn't get a chance. I bet he's laughing all the way to the bank with all this free publicity.

[Apotheosis]

I meant to listen to Rush this morning, but didn't get a chance. I bet he's laughing all the way to the bank with all this free publicity.

Well, reading the news, judging by Gibb's statements, Rush's day has been made with all this..

[droit]

Hubris. Rush's ego will be his downfall. Now that he feels empowered by all this attention, I don't think it'll take long for him to slip up and finally say something he can't get away with. Then watch as every conservative pundit/political figure backpedals as fast as they can to distance themselves from him.

[BigWorm]

Hubris. Rush's ego will be his downfall. Now that he feels empowered by all this attention, I don't think it'll take long for him to slip up and finally say something he can't get away with. Then watch as every conservative pundit/political figure backpedals as fast as they can to distance themselves from him.

How many years have people been saying this? The guy's a lot smarter than people like to give him credit for, even if he is a total douchebag.

[Parkbandit]

How many years have people been saying this? The guy's a lot smarter than people like to give him credit for, even if he is a total douchebag.

Exactly. The guy is a blowhard.. who's been the #1 rated talk show on the radio for how many years?

Maybe Obama should spend more time worrying about the economy and less time worrying about some talk show host.

:shrug:

[droit]

How many years have people been saying this? The guy's a lot smarter than people like to give him credit for, even if he is a total douchebag.

We'll see. He's got to be feeling pretty invincible right now.

[Danical]

Rush hates black people.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs/fifthdown/toni.jpg

[DeV]

Rush loves anyone who will listen to him. He's the quintessential conservative drama king.

The man's got game. He's pimping his own party.
And he's not the only one laughing all the way to the bank either.

[Warriorbird]

I think this is good for Rush... AND Obama. Republicans have wisely resisted having central figures in the past few years.

[LeDru]

Wow, I was really hoping this was going to be a Conan Thread

me too, after all what is steel compared to the hand that wields it?

[Kembal]

Exactly. The guy is a blowhard.. who's been the #1 rated talk show on the radio for how many years?

Maybe Obama should spend more time worrying about the economy and less time worrying about some talk show host.

:shrug:

I don't think Obama's worrying about Rush too much. I'd say it's a jujitsu ploy by the Democrats to make Rush seem like the leader of the Republican party, and it appears the Republicans are falling for it, hard.

Hence, the epic hilarity. Most Democratic attempts to do this kind of stuff make them fall flat on their face, so I'm genuinely amused that this one is working.

[ClydeR]

Well, reading the news, judging by Gibb's statements, Rush's day has been made with all this..

That's exactly right. According to an article on Politico.com (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19596.html), some no good liberal Democrats are making hay out of the struggle for leadership of the Republican Party between Michael Steele, who is the ineffectual chairman of the RNC, and Rush Limbaugh, who is the leader of the conservative movement and the most successful radio host in the entire country.

Today Rush took the liberal Democrats' hay and made lemonade out of it.


"The administration is enabling me,” he wrote in an e-mail to POLITICO. “They are expanding my profile, expanding my audience and expanding my influence. An ever larger number of people are now being exposed to the antidote to Obamaism: conservatism, as articulated by me. An ever larger number of people are now exposed to substantive warnings, analysis and criticism of Obama's policies and intentions, a ‘story’ I own because the [mainstream media] is largely the Obama Press Office.”

More... (Http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19596.html)

Even better, Rush challenged Obama to a debate on Rush's radio program. I think that's great! If Obama and the Democrats want to make Rush out to be a bogey man, they should be willing to debate him.

[Warriorbird]

I don't think Obama's worrying about Rush too much. I'd say it's a jujitsu ploy by the Democrats to make Rush seem like the leader of the Republican party, and it appears the Republicans are falling for it, hard.

Hence, the epic hilarity. Most Democratic attempts to do this kind of stuff make them fall flat on their face, so I'm genuinely amused that this one is working.

If you've watched Entourage... it's important to understand that Obama's Chief of Staff is Ari's brother.

[Kembal]

If you've watched Entourage... it's important to understand that Obama's Chief of Staff is Ari's brother.

I haven't watched the show (sadly, no HBO subscription), but I've read about that. Rahm Emanuel's pretty famous on his own for this kind of stuff too.

[Apotheosis]

Even better, Rush challenged Obama to a debate on Rush's radio program. I think that's great! If Obama and the Democrats want to make Rush out to be a bogey man, they should be willing to debate him.

the fact that I agree with statement makes me crie

:help:

[Gan]

Rush loves anyone who will listen to him. He's the quintessential conservative drama king.

The man's got game. He's pimping his own party.
And he's not the only one laughing all the way to the bank either.

Bingo

[ClydeR]

I couldn't sleep last night because I was worrying about the leadership of the Republican Party. With my sleepless time, I came up with the perfect solution.

When Michael Steele resigns -- soon I hope -- then George W. Bush should come out of retirement to be the Chairman of the RNC. Nobody will dispute that Bush has lots of leadership experience, and he knows how to win elections, having won two national elections himself. I don't think Bush will like retirement, and this would be the perfect opportunity for him to find a purpose for his life after the White House.

Besides, there won't be any disputes between Bush and Rush. They see eye to eye. Bush has praised Rush many times, which explain his electoral success. And Rush has praised Bush many times, which may explain the popularity of Rush's radio program.

[ClydeR]

Joining my call for Steele to resign is a prominent member of the Republican Party from North Carolina. As always, I quote the good parts.


Michael Steele should resign as Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman, according to a committee member from North Carolina.

In an e-mail to fellow RNC members obtained by The Hill, Dr. Ada Fisher, North Carolina's national committeewoman, said Steele is "eroding confidence" in the GOP and that members of his transition team should encourage him to step aside. Fisher added Steele's personal e-mail address to the e-mail.

More... (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2199929/posts)


Fisher’s call for Steele’s resignation comes amid growing frustration in the GOP that the new chairman’s repeated gaffes are hurting the party.

It remains unclear just how much trouble Steele may be in with his own membership. While several RNC members have told The Hill that Steele remains popular with their bases, Washington-based strategists are grumbling, an attitude that is slowly filtering down to the states.


"Limbaugh has already promised that 'His Conservatives' won't be giving to the RNC. I would suggest to you that that is a real bet," Fisher wrote. "If we can't raise money and continue to allow the alienation of the few varifiable [sic] red states remaining, we are foolish."


Calling the Limbaugh-Steele clash a "Republican Horror Show," Fisher expressed what some other GOP strategists have until now only said privately: "I have never seen such ineptness in our GOP leadership," Fisher wrote. "And I though we handled the 2008 elections very poorly."

If Steele made his apology to Rush a little clearer, that might be enough to save his career. He should acknowledge that Rush is the leader of the conservative movement and publicly ask Rush to forgive him and then await Rush's answer. I know Rush would forgive him, if asked.

[CrystalTears]

Rush is not the leader of the conservative party. He's the fucking Howard Stern of the political arena. No one needs to apologize to that blowhard. He can suck it up and enjoy the attention before some of us go on a killing spree and end that fucker's life.

[ClydeR]

Sensing that he must fight this controversy, instead of letting it die down, RNC Chair Michael Steele gave an interview to the Washington Post in which he said that he is the boss of the Republican Party, and he's going to continue to be the center of the Republican universe.


"Everyone has a role to play, but at the end of the day, all roads are going to lead to this desk," said Steele, sitting in a room full of half-opened boxes and a stack of framed pictures he had yet to place on his desk. "From the Hill, from the grass roots, the donors, it all comes here. They're all going to look to me to speak on issues."

More... (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403791.html)

I'm going to say it again. He needs to resign.

[ClydeR]

Former Republican Chairman Michael Steel has become the latest prominent Republican to join the effort to vote Trump out of office.


Former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele has joined The Lincoln Project, the anti-Trump GOP group, as a senior adviser, the organization announced Monday.

In a statement, Steele said that the “chair behind the Resolute Desk has always been bigger than any political party.”

The former RNC chairman continued by saying President Trump has devolved “into preying upon fears and resentments with narcissism that nurtures only chaos and confusion.”

“Leadership is needed now more than ever and I am proudly committed to resetting the course of our nation, standing once again for the future of my Party; and working with The Lincoln Project to help restore the purpose for sitting in that chair,” he said.

More... (https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/513431-former-rnc-chair-joins-the-lincoln-project)

[Parkbandit]

Michael Steele hasn't been relevant in 10 years... this is just an effort to get back into power by a desperate man.