Congratulations to New RNC Chairman, Michael Steele! (Update: Interview)
I wish the former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele all the best in his new position; frankly, he’s going to need it. Per RedState:
The Republican Party needs to do two contradictory things in the years to come: return to the party’s conservative roots and sell the party’s message to voters who are not base conservatives. Chairman Steele has promised an aggressive outreach to do the latter; we urge him, in that effort, not to neglect the former. We can’t sell a message based on our principles if we don’t have principles.
Also:
Over at the Arena, Democratic strategist Lanny Davis had some interesting comments about the RNC Chairman’s race. He said:
Michael Steele was positively my last preference for RNC Chair — since he was, and is, by far, the most effective, articulate center – right voice of the Republican Party, with a firm but friendly manner on TV and, thus, the best possible choice for the GOP to appeal to the broad middle of American society. For all those reasons, I hoped the RNC would not elect him. I am surprised that a party that currently has Rush Limbaugh as its leading voice (my personal preference for Republican Chair) would be wise enough to reject Mr. Limbaugh and elect Michael Steele.
As a Democrat, I am very disappointed.
This is what’s funny:
As to Rush Limbaugh, though, Davis apparently had knowledge of a Limbaugh Shadow Candidacy for Party Chairman that I did not. As far as I had been aware, Rush was no more running for RNC chair — despite Davis’s good-humored preference for him as opposition apparatus leader — than he has been running for public office (a fact that, as noted yesterday, hasn’t stopped the DCCC from taking time and resources that could be used to target actual Republican candidates and directing them at him).
Further, despite Democrat claims to the contrary, Rush Limbaugh isn’t the leader of the GOP; rather, he’s the leading voice for the conservative grassroots of a party whose elected representatives all too often act as though they have an acute case of anterograde amnesia when it comes to recalling who it is they represent, and why it was they were elected.
All of this is particularly prescient as the Democratic party actually launched a petition against the talk radio show host. I think what the party will find is that this Rules for Radicals Rule #11 isn’t quite going to work this time around.
Update: The following is from a comment from Mr. John Lofton, Editor of TheAmericanView.com, and his interview with the new chairman:
FYI, might want to listen to my exclusive interview with Michael Steele and comment. Thanks. JL.
http://www.theamericanview.com/index.php?id=1205
And forget, please, “conservatism,” please. It will not “save” us because it has been, operationally, de facto, Godless and therefore irrelevant. Secular conservatism will not defeat secular liberalism because to God both 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:
“[Secular conservatism] is a party which never conserves anything. Its history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today .one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution; to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward towards perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt bath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard, indeed, to explain. It is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It intends to risk nothing serious for the sake of the truth.”
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, TheAmericanView.com
Recovering Republican
JLof@aol.com
-Phil
Vince
Thanks. Yes, Steele has turned out to be a huge embarrassment for the RNC and they are in a quandary about what to do with him. They could move to remove him but that would mean admitting that they made a mistake and we all know that conservatives do not do that very well. Remember Sarah Palin? They will probably let the ongoing investigations of his 2006 failed campaign run their course and let the FBI do the dirty work for them.
Reality Check
I just found this gem. It looks like you were dead right on Steele. He seems to stick his foot in his mouth every day. LOL at “Brown Sugar Unlimited”. I really wonder what services they provided?
It’s time to stop being so “nice”. After all, that’s what cost the Republicans the election.
Yes, it was so “nice” of Sarah Palin to question Obama’s patriotism at every rally. It was “nice” for her to imply that Obama was a terrorist every chance she got. It was “nice” for that McCain worker to carve that backward “B” on her forehead and try to blame it on a young black man. You can’t get much nicer than that. Thank god.
Yes, where have all of Steele’s defenders gone? Please note my prediction on 2/8 that Steele would face huge troubles. Even more stuff is coming to the surface now. One of the RNC members from NC is already calling for his head.
Steele certainly had a bad week and things do not appear to be getting any better. maybe he better go kiss Rush’s enormous behind with more vigor.
Where have all of the defenders of Steele gone? I was really hoping for Ken Blackwell. Maybe if Steele goes down the tubes I might “Steele” get my wish.
Let’s be clear. I am not accusing Mr. Steele of any wrongdoing and he has not been charged with anything. He has denied that there was anything improper with the payments to his half sister’s company.
What we know is that his half sister has was married to Mike Tyson and was friends with and accepted money and gifts from a convicted drug dealer, Eugene Byrd. Steele also has had well documented financial problems and was literally paid by the RNC to run for Lt. Governor in Maryland.
There may be nothing to this and I will assume Mr. Steele is innocent of any wrongdoing at this point. However, if the WaPo article is correct it may portend more troubles for the RNC.
Here is one good line in the article:
“…In one of his allegations, Fabian points to a February 2007 payment by Steele’s Senate campaign of more than $37,000 to Brown Sugar Unlimited, the company run by Steele’s sister, Monica Turner. Campaign finance records list the expense as having been for “catering/web services.” Turner filed papers to dissolve the company 11 months before the payment was received.”
I wonder just what kind of services a company named Brown Sugar Unlimited might be providing? Calling David Vitter. Calling David Vitter.
Greg
Don’t worry. Mr. Steele may not be around long. It appears he may have corruption charges in his future dating from his 2006 unsuccessful campaign for the US Senate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020604151_pf.html
What, now we go and find our own “magic Negro”?
This is a very, very sad day for America. The election of Steele proves that the Republican party will not go in the direction they need to for the sake of our country. They can expect to be in the minority for quite some time to come.
Are you a true conservative or just a kool aid drinker? If you are a true conservative then you would listen to what this other true conservative has to say about him.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/deacesteelernc
Steve Deace is so right about him.
He’s a RINO. On that we can be clear. This proves that the Republican Party’s move to the Left might be a permanent legacy of the Bush years.
I love Michael Steele…very knowledgeable and a true Patriot!!!
Michael Steele is an enormously popular choice for good reason. And any time we can disappoint Lanny Davis or any liberal is a GREAT day in my book!
Michael Steele was a Good Choice for RNC Chairman.
First of all he will represent a “change”.
Second, he has good connection’s with the Media such
as Fox New’s, etc..
Third, I beleve that he will “stand up” and voice OUR
concern’s , rather than “sit and observe” what is at issue.
Steele has good ethic judgement, with sound moral values.
He pursues matter’s in a calm manner without prejudice.
Let us hope and encourage him to succeed!..Dan Smith, NY
I was rooting for Mr. Steele. Have been very impressed with his manner of speaking, knowledge and experience. I just hope he doesn’t lack the cajones (can I say that word, Phil?) that the former chairman did; and goes after the Dems with all he’s got. It’s time to stop being so “nice”. After all, that’s what cost the Republicans the election.