I mean it’s a different role for you know, for me to play and others to play. And that’s just the reality of it. But you take that as part of the nature of it. It’s more because you’re not someone they know. I’m not a Washington insider. ... My view on politics is much more grass-roots-oriented. It’s not old boy network oriented and so I tend to come at it a little bit stronger, a little more streetwise if you will. That rubs some feathers the wrong way. At the end of the day I’m judged by whether I win elections and I raise the money.Can I judge you by whether you're straightforward, clear, and persuasive?
April 5, 2010
Michael Steele says that he, like Barack Obama, has a "slimmer margin" of error.
Because he, like the President, is black. Now, he didn't bring up the subject. He was answering a question from George Stephanopoulous. And he weaseled away from his own answer pretty much:
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I liked Steele as a candidate, as the RNC Chairman, not so much...
Steel's basic problem is that too much of his energy is about Steele, NOT about recruiting, resourcing, supporting and electing other strong candidates
That rubs some feathers the wrong way.
More ruffled fur.
Well, I'm not persuaded either. The Democrats are going to have fun with this statement for quite a while.
I agree with the Drill SGT. I am very disappointed in Michael Steele.
This guy admits that he is street smart first and consistant to ideals of the party second. Street smart means an awareness of the dangers and also of the opposition's vulnerable blind spots. The ultimate street smart guy in history was a Corsican out of place serving in the French army like Steele is out of place serving in the GOP Army. He says judge him on wins. Let's give him some artillery and see what he can do with it! What has he done wrong so much as see things a little differently. If he loses than we were right to see him as a useless oddball, but if he wins then the GOP will have finally expanded their slowly shrinking tent. The fight is not for honorable mention GOP nominee, but for an Elected President and Congress. The last 3% shift of the electorate needs more than White Men to lead them past survile acceptance of the Big Lie memes coming out of the Media arm of the DemonRat Propaganda Office. Winnng is all there is.
"At the end of the day I’m judged by whether I win elections and I raise the money."
OK, let's judge him then by his own stated metrics.
The Republicans are sitting on a $16 million deficit 6 months ahead of the most important elections in the history of the United States.
Michael Steele is an utter failure by the very metric he gave us to measure him.
It's not just how much money you raise, but how much you raise that actually goes to candidates and isn't pissed away in bars and fancy hotels on a personal book tour.
Steele pisses away hard-won Republican donations and that gives Democrats a decided advantage in the upcoming elections. I think it's deliberate. I think he's actually trying to help the Democrat Party. But his motives are beside the point. Michael Steele is incompetent.
He should be replaced, now, before he does irreparable damage.
Let's appoint Sarah Palin head of the RNC and watch how fast the money flows in.
I doubt she'd be spending it at lesbian bondage clubs hangin' out with the gangstas.
Michael Steel, like Obama, is an affirmative action hire. They are both consequently, not the best choices for their positions. It's the optics stupid, until what you see is incompetence. We need to select people based on ability and record period. If they happen to be a historically disenfranchised minority, great, but skin color tells you nothing. That's the triumph of overcoming racism, which we are perfectly capable of doing today.
I doubt she'd be spending it at lesbian bondage clubs hangin' out with the gangstas.
You didn't see the outfit she wore when she endorsed McCain. :D
Bago gets it in one.
Heh. Of course, the RNC can't fire him for calling them a bunch of racists because then everyone will really think they're a bunch of racists.
The perils of affirmative action hiring.
That's the whole problem with affirmative action. There's always going to be that perception.
I want to say that whenever a contest to control the party headquarters staff is brewing, then there must be a good likelyhood of a great victory coming seven months from now. Everybody claims fatherhood of victory and no one will claim a defeat. Steele was put into the job to absorb blame until 2016. Then Palin's facebook leadership coupled with Tea Party Anger has changed all plans. Now the players in the GOP suddenly want to push Steele out, and they are dragging up and planting scandal stories that best fit his race and personality persona to get his resignation. Steele has just said that they can shove it. It's his office until the take it from him in public for a better reason than a black man is not smart enough to handle the job. I see Steele as the GOP's Jackie Robinson figure, and a hell of a player.
Steeke needs to do his work quietly. He should avoid the media - they are giving him the hard questions while they ask Obama if he can dribble to his right.
Steele's problem may be more that he is from Baltimore than that he is Black.
Who do you propose to replace him with?
(Other than the Sarahcuda, who has other fish to fry.)
Can I judge you by whether you're straightforward, clear, and persuasive?
How was Obama the candidate in this department?
tradguy-
The Republicans have been in desperate need of street smarts for some time now-especially when faced with the Democrats of low or no standards of today.
###
As an aside we rarely get candidates with street smarts.
Rudy Guiliani?
Think about what the response to Rudy Guiliani was a lot of the time.
I'm going to simplify with an analogy which will immediately have problems but-
it was if America ran a car shop. Rudy Guiliani was applying for the job as head mechanic and he had rebuilt a rusted out Corvette-(New York City) from the ground up -returning it to it's former glory.
Some Republicans said we can't hire that mechanic-
He's been Divorced!!!
Something has got to give.
"Who do you propose to replace him with?"
Anyone.
I mean, I could do the job better than Steele. He's produced a $16 million deficit. He's put the Party in a hole, financially.
Anyone could do better than that just by cutting out the trips to the Beverly Hilton Hotel at $9,000 a night.
But especially Sarah Palin, who is a fund raising machine who can actually attract both money and votes. She's also fiscally conservative and doesn't need her RNC gig to sell her books.
She also garners the kind of publicity that would cast a stark contrast with the Democrat Party. The left would go wild with hatred and undermine their own cause. They would spit on her and call her a cunt in plain view of our You Tube-equipped cameras.
She would instantly transform the riches of the Republican Party - which have been decimated by the high-flying high-spending Steele.
If we replace him now, the damage is minimal. He should announce a book tour and then go on it and leave the Party in better hands.
Otherwise, his future in the Party is finished.
What kind of margin is it that Republicans elected Steel as a "me too" response to the election of Obama?
Is not leading if you ask me.. more like following.
Because of Steele, I think it's wiser to bypass the GOP and give to candidates directly.
"The Republicans have been in desperate need of street smarts for some time now-especially when faced with the Democrats of low or no standards of today."
This is a book full of street smarts.
They send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue.
That's the Chicago Way.
And that's how you get Capone.
I agree with Sarge and Mike, he's been a real disappointment.
It doesn't matter whether Steele is from DC or not. He's an establishment, Rockefeller wing Republican who is sounding more like a RINO every day. Add to that how ineffective he is and, yes, he needs to go.
Ann Althouse said...
"Michael Steele says that he, like Barack Obama, has a "slimmer margin" of error."
Is one's race becoming the last refuge of a scoundrel?
traditionalguy said...
This guy admits that he is street smart first and consistant to ideals of the party second. Street smart means an awareness of the dangers and also of the opposition's vulnerable blind spots. The ultimate street smart guy in history was a Corsican out of place serving in the French army like Steele is out of place serving in the GOP Army.
There was an Austrian like that in Germany about 100 years later, IIRC.
New "Hussein" Ham said...
"At the end of the day I’m judged by whether I win elections and I raise the money."
OK, let's judge him then by his own stated metrics.
The Republicans are sitting on a $16 million deficit 6 months ahead of the most important elections in the history of the United States.
That's because a lot of Republicans and Conservatives are giving directly to candidates and not to the RNC. People are tha disgusted with him.
I think there's a much better argument that he has a wider margin of error because he's black.
I seriously need to catch up with this story-what's the beef with Steele again?
How does that compare with how Democrats fundraise?
I've seen the last three wins considering they were in blue New Jersey, Virginia and Massachusetts-being results oriented-I've been pretty impressed.
I think he's a Democrat plant to destroy the RNC.
Oh ya-Democrats:
$20 t-shirts that say-
Health Care It's a
BFD
Alex-
What state do you live in? How are you voting next go around?
"It's his office until the take it from him in public for a better reason than a black man is not smart enough to handle the job."
It's not that he's not smart enough, it's that he is not conservative enough. Those in power (the voters) want someone who understands the conservative position and can defend it with energy. Race politics is the antithesis of that.
Steele is a conservative like the Bushes were conservatives. We've done that, and it still moves the country left.
also my view on politics is always vote for the lesser of 2 evils. Rarely I vote FOR Republicans.
The RNC is the left wing of the GOP.
bagoh - the GOP pooh-bahs are playing affirmative action politics. They think it will save the GOP at the ballot box. They are wrong.
I'd vote for a Libertarian, but I don't want to waste my vote.
Cripes you've got more sense than most Libertarians then.
Or NRO I think Libertarians are less than 3% of the population and they rarely get more than that in an election-if ever-yet NRO and most online forums fret on about them as if they were the white Catholic swing vote.
This must be my contrarian day, but saying that Steele disgusts you based upon some media planted small stuff critcisms is really saying that you want another leader that attacks the other GOP insider faction. Well, Steele is loyal to his internal role as a Party diplomat. He has no rule of engagement allowing him to attack GOP people. But he can still figure out a knife in his back and react as a man that pleasantly demands some justice within his own Party. That is usually a winning position for a black official to expect. Is that why Steele so frustrates many? He has certainly had the courage to stay loyal to the GOP in face of Democrat's attacks from in front, and now he deserves loyalty from the GOP's Rear Area Mother F--kers. The Media are happily running reason after reason for the GOP to ditch him, all of which are blowing smoke, hoping to get the GOP to self destruct .
This is not a problem that J. C. Watts would have had, if the Reps had been smart enough to make him RNC Chairman.
Steele has been all about Steele.
Or NRO I think Libertarians are less than 3% of the population and they rarely get more than that in an election-if ever-yet NRO and most online forums fret on about them as if they were the white Catholic swing vote.
Just because we are a tiny tiny minority does not make us incorrect in our views. The rest of the world will come around one day.
Expectations for November are quite high and that's despite the actions of the Republican Party and Michael Steele in particular.
If he's more interested in self preservation than leading the charge into the undefended hole left by the Reid-Pelosi-Obama Three Stooges effort, please resign now.
@traditionalguy, the problem is that Michael Steele is the story. Some of that is MSM bias -- how dare an African-American take on a major Republican party postion -- but much of it is him.
Howard Dean may be a worthless POS as a person, but he stayed out of the headlines and built one heck of a party organization. If the Dems come out of 2010 holding the House of Representatives, that's due to him, not Obama or Pelosi.
Steele is a buffoon. He is incompetent, ineffective, and needs to be replaced.
He has certainly had the courage to stay loyal to the GOP in face of Democrat's attacks from in front, and now he deserves loyalty from the GOP's Rear Area Mother F--kers. The Media are happily running reason after reason for the GOP to ditch him, all of which are blowing smoke, hoping to get the GOP to self destruct .
OMG! I love it when tradguy talks dirty!
Peter-
Ineffective? Seriously?
When is the last time the Republicans made in roads in New Jersey?
Massachusetts for a state wide seat?
what a jerk.
I'll be spending record amounts this year, over $2.75, on political campaigns, but the RNC won't be getting it.
I've long said - the old media won't have reported on the race of the RNC chair until the RNC chair is walked. You watch. It will be "proof" of something when he's shown the door.
madawaskan said...
Peter-
Ineffective? Seriously?
When is the last time the Republicans made in roads in New Jersey?
Massachusetts for a state wide seat?
I don't know how much Steele did in funding. He sure didn't select the candidates.
HOWEVER, the RNC was responsible for the update NY debacle with the House seat and a premature endorsement in Florida before the primary.
Once more into the fray...Michael Steele is only the issue because, like Clarence Thomas he is a relatively rare educated Catholic man that can handle the skill sets that black men are prejudged to be unable to handle. That prejudgement is the way the Democrats have kept the African-American voting bloc for their own. Steele valiantly is willing to give the GOP a chance here to stop falling into agreement with the Democrats. Will we take it, or will we stay within our comfort zone where only white men are seen as skilled men.
Drill-
Whelp I noticed a similar style of campaigning between McDonnell and Scott Brown, before the results of Massachusetts came out the RNC said that they had developed a new strategy ...it worked.
I sort of know the New England area I think Thompson and Sarah were a turn off for Upstate New Yorkers.
Moving around a lot I can tell you a Democrat in Oklahoma is a hell of a lot more "conservative" than a Republican in New England.
The Senate is going to be damn important this go around Republicans could make a serious dent-Democrat are focusing fundraising on Burr (NC) and fighting Portman in Ohio and Roy Blunt In Missouri.
Now what does that tell you?
It's interesting I think they've conceded the House and aren't even going to bother defending certain Democrat Senate seats their internals are already telling them are a loss.
The only thing that can defeat Republicans might be Republicans themselves (Reagan knew this but then again he was a Democrat till 51 years old) hence the Democrat media's "concern trolling" about the Republican primary for Florida and golly after losses in NJ, VA, and MA why aren't the media going after the DNC Chair and saying -
Don't you think after bleeding blue the DNC Chair has got to go?
At the risk of being mean...why would anybody place any minority into a position of authority if they will cry racism when their results are examined?
Nobody forced the RNC to have lax control over spending. That was Steele's leadership.
I also agree with Trad Guy the media is trying its damndest to make Steele an issue.
So I second his sentiment ...F the media and F the RNC's Rear Area Mofos! [plus the rear area is generally covered by Titus]
Obama has a slim margin of error?
If you look at the high, wide lollipop he threw for the Presidential "first pitch" at the Nationals game today, you will see he needs a wider one. If it had had any steam on it (it had none), it would have gone by the catcher. But it was such a popup that the catcher could have circled under it.
Memo for the President:
Send Michelle Next Year!
Damesk...You are right as are all "money measures all that counts" types. In fact you will never be wrong. When a penney is deemed wasted, then the Bad Man must die. All GOP men and women hate wasted money. In fact the smaller the amount of money wasted, the more of an unfogivable crime it is said to be. But I remember the GOP's salad days from 1994 to 2006 when the local GOP House Representative would meet us for lunch and beg for some ideas on how to send mega-millions in earmarks to anyone at the table who could think of a good one.
I agree with traditionalguy. I'm always suspicious when the media starts "to worry" about GOP and its policies. Even some GOP talking heads fall into the trap and start propagate the MSM talking points, which quite often don't make sense.
"Can I judge you by whether you're straightforward, clear, and persuasive?"
I think this is a nice human being in you talking. Isn't it how you judged the candidate Obama? I think that for a job that involves policy and decission making the above qualities are not the main requirements by far. One can display them without having a shred of integrity. The worst fraudsters are usually very skilful at being: "straightforward, clear, and persuasive".
Michael Steele's margin of error has less to do with his race and more to do with his personal adequacy for the task. If the RNC chair was held by someone far more competent--for example, someone like J. C. Watts-- there would be no silly self-serving discussions about "margin of error".
wv: meshat (not going there)
In the face of unalloyed racist politics on the part of Dems who embrace only "correct" African-Americans as lead-ers, Michael's mettle needs to show balls of brass and nerves of steel, his character be stainless, and everything about him, to include his speech, be polished. He cannot afford a tin ear now, nor be antimony when it comes to fund-raising.
Ironic.
Scott,
"(not going there)"
Not going to help, everyone already knows you do...
The perils of affirmative action hiring.
Yep. If your diversity hire turns out to be incompetent you can't get rid of him. Steele is already on borrowed time as RNC chairman.
Isn't that what all the other Bangles said when Susanna Hoffs was the first to be offered the position of RNC chair-babe?
The ONLY reason this idiot is head of the RNC is that he's black.
The GOP needs any they can talk into serving as tokens.
Quick...name ALL of the black Republicans in Congress.
HURRY!!
Jeremy...Thanks for the confirmation. Mr Steele is not an idiot. He is a nice man that is highly qualified to be a party official. His non-white skin is a plus because of the opposition propaganda that you wield like a samurai sword around here. We will put him up against the peculiar Doctor Dean anytime, anywhere.
traditionalguy - "Jeremy...Thanks for the confirmation. Mr Steele is not an idiot. He is a nice man that is highly qualified to be a party official."
Yeah, he's absolutely brilliant at his job.
If he was white he'd be gone.
traditionalguy - "His non-white skin is a plus because of the opposition propaganda..."
Right.
Quick...name ALL of the black Republicans in Congress.
Jeremy...you got me on naming other officials. Herman Cain is a fine man that I know well here in Georgia. But the local GOP has to brag on the quality of its non-white candidates and not their quantity. Michael Steele is likewise such a quality man. Give us a break; we have to get this done one quality man with a non-white appearance at a time. How is your Boy President doing these days. He was your first non-white Presidential nominee, and you had to find an international man to get him. What did your Vice President Biden say about candidate Obama's unique style compared to all the other non-white democrats? Do you remember his surprise to find that Obama was a quality man? Obama's only problem has been using his abilities as a fifth columnist that wants to see the USA's fall.
Wait a sec... Didn't Republicans decide - back in 2008 - that someone who was straightforward, clear, and persuasive, like Ron Paul was, is consequentially naive and should not be taken seriously?
Didn't Republicans decide - back in 2008 - that someone who was straightforward, clear, and persuasive, like Ron Paul was, is consequentially naive and should not be taken seriously?
If Ron Paul was persuasive, he would be taken seriously.
Ron Paul is an old and mean cult leader that would as soon see the GOP destroyed as Obama would. You can take that to the bank.
Oh Jeremy...Help us repeal the last re-construction law called a Voting Rights law that only applies to the Southern States and then plenty of non-whites will be able to win in non-Gerrymandered ( by Federal Judges) districts. Until then quit pointing the finger at the problems your side intentionally creates.
Ron Paul is an old and mean cult leader that would as soon see the GOP destroyed as Obama would.
In his defense, the RNC is about as freakin' useless as a political party can hope to be.
I mean, seriously now. Name a political position that they ostensibly hold, that they haven't catastrophically failed to implement.
In a related vein, can someone tell Newt Gingrich to exit stage right?
I'm stick and tired of all these GOP insiders running around chastising Republicans who don't worship at the alter of the good-old-boys club.
BTW, why aren't Democrats complaining about a similar thing? In Pennsylvania, the party establishment shut out everyone but Arlen Specter.
From Politico's comments:
The GOP just took the house back in a historical election, and they want to get rid of the guy whose leadership helped make it happen?
Oh yeah...this couldnt possibly be because he is BLACK!
My prescience
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