Posted on 07/25/2006 2:24:33 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Senate GOP candidate slams party By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer Published: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 Updated: Tuesday, July 25, 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican in a competitive Senate race called his party affiliation "an impediment," said he'd "probably not" want President Bush to campaign for him and the GOP-controlled Congress should "just shut up and get something done."
Michael Steele's campaign confirmed Tuesday that the Maryland lieutenant governor was the Senate candidate who made the comments a day earlier on the condition reporters not identify him. However, the campaign said his remarks were only a sampling of the wide-ranging, 90-minute interview that it said also included praise for the president.
"It's an impediment. It's a hurdle I have to overcome," Steele, who is running in a Democratic-leaning state, said of his GOP label, according to Tuesday's edition of The Washington Post. "I've got an 'R' here, a scarlet letter."
(Excerpt) Read more at pressofatlanticcity.com ...
Michael Steele's campaign confirmed Tuesday that the Maryland lieutenant governor made the comments a day earlier on the condition reporters only identify him as a GOP Senate candidate. However, the campaign said his published remarks were just a sampling from a wide-ranging, 90-minute interview in which he praised the president.But please, folks, don't stop jerkin' at the knees.
"It's an impediment. It's a hurdle I have to overcome," Steele, who is running in a Democratic-leaning state, said of his GOP label, according to Tuesday's edition of The Washington Post. "I've got an 'R' here, a scarlet letter." (Note: he's still running as a Republican...)
The Associated Press was not invited to the lunch with Steele at a Capitol Hill steakhouse. The Washington Post said nine reporters from newspapers, magazines and the networks attended and asked the campaign to allow them to use Steele's name. The newspaper said the campaign considered the request but ultimately refused.
It quoted the unnamed candidate as saying the Iraq war "didn't work" and "we didn't prepare for the peace," that the response to Hurricane Katrina was "a monumental failure of government," and that "there's a palpable frustration right now in the country." (Duh. On FR, too.)
Of Republicans who control Congress, the candidate said: "We've lost our way, we've gone to the well and we drank the water, and we shouldn't have."
"You don't go to Congress to become the party that you've been fighting for 40 years," he said, lamenting "the spending, the finger-pointing, not getting the bills passed" and counseled: "Just shut up and get something done."(Amen.)
Asked if he wanted Bush to campaign for him, the candidate initially said, "well, you know, I don't know" and then, noting the president's low popularity in his state, said: "To be honest with you, probably not." (Obviously, Bush wouldn't help the campaign in MD. He doesn't insult Bush!)
Doug Heye, a spokesman for Steele, said the candidate, who is black, also praised Bush's recent speech before the NAACP, economic growth and unemployment numbers among African-Americans.
"Obviously those positive comments didn't make it into the story," said Heye, who also disputed the notion that Steele berated the president.
Before everyone overreacts, let me just point out that there are many conservatives who are unhappy with the GOP and with the lack of post-war planning that went on in Iraq. Steele is not alone here.
Exactly. Some real skin-crawling replies on this one. Might already be time to click the upper-right-hand-corner x.
ping
Thank you for posting that. People need to chill out.
As if people weren't going to figure it out anyway.
Now, he looks like a weasel.
Why did he try to hide?
If what he said wasn't that bad, why didn't he allow his name to be published? He's been Lt. Gov for four years, he knows that the Washington Post, and others are going to put his comments in the worse possible light. And being secretive only makes it worse. He should have stood behind what he said in the first place and let the voters judge him on his beliefs, instead of trying to pander to one side in public and trash them anonymously in private. He may have cost himself the election if he turned off enough of the base- both he and Ehrlich need every vote.
To hell with you too. Who are you to tell me how to react?
I was excited about him, really looking forward to voting for him, talking him up with people I talk to all the time.
Now I don't care if I forgot to vote (since I'm not looking forward to it anymore), and am here talking him down.
I feel very betrayed, and yet I'M the one who is reading this wrong? No sir.
I can't stand the people like him we have in there now, why would I want to elect another.
And NO I do not want a useless majority for the sake of calling it a 'majority' when you have these little pathetic wimps we can never count on.
and no.. the pussyfooting excuses RUSH tried to float today "everybody does it (sells out Bush)" and "it works both ways... Bush didn't support Harris" don't fly with me.
I am a MD resident.
oh, so you're going to elect a Democrat instead?
(Just getting ready for the '08 election hyperbole)
Naw, he's a jerk. The Katrina comment is enough for me. That was a total fabrication by the media. It wasn't the governments job to save drowning rats.
Bush was supposed to go into that hell hole and hand out water?
He's toast.
MK
You provided the context. And his remarks are no prettier in context than out.
Besides, like John Thune, this "you took it out of context" nonsense is just covering his ass because he realizes he said some stupid stuff.
Funny thing is you're the only one doing what used to be common on this site. And the rest of you thumbsuckers can look at your own houses before you write off Mike Steele. I'll be campaigning for him and voting for him. He is the only conservative choice for Maryland.
Now if you'll excuse me I'm throwing my new laptop in the river.
That's uncalled for.
Who are you to tell me how to react?
How about calming down.
Are you suggesting Republicans not vote for Steele? Are you canvassing for the MD Democrats now? I thought it was all "R"'s all the time with some of you guys?
Is it that the only time it is not acceptable to support a Republican over the Democrat is when you say so?
Hang in there, I know it must get awfully depressing being a conservative in one of the bluest states out there.
Please stay in Texas you nancy-boy.
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