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RNC member calls on Steele to quit
The Hill ^ | 03/05/09 | Reid Wilson

Posted on 03/05/2009 9:23:17 AM PST by SolidWood

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.

"I don't want to hear anymore [sic] language trying to be cool about the bling in the stimulus package or appealing to D.L. Hughley and blacks in a way that isn't going to win us any votes and makes us frankly appear to many blacks as quite foolish," Fisher wrote.

Fisher, who is one of three black members of the national committee, backed South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, whom Steele edged out in the final round of voting to win the chairmanship in late January. She has voiced repeated opposition to Steele, sending dozens of e-mails to committee members even after Steele won election slamming him for any number of chips that have fallen awry.

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.

Steele appeared over the weekend on Hughley's CNN show, where he fought back against the assertion that radio host Rush Limbaugh was the "de facto leader" of the Republican Party. Steele said he himself was the de facto leader and called Limbaugh an entertainer whose program's content was "incendiary" and "ugly."

On Monday, Limbaugh shot back, saying on his show that Steele was not the leader of the party and that many conservatives would "hang up" when Steele's RNC came calling for contributions.

"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."

Steele later said he had reached out to Limbaugh to clarify his remarks, insisting he meant no offense. But the incident elicited crowing from Democrats, who for weeks have pursued a strategy seemingly designed to elevate Limbaugh to the front of the GOP line. Democrats would enjoy contrasting themselves with Limbaugh's assertion that he wants to see President Obama's economic policies fail.

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."

Fisher could not be reached for comment Thursday morning, while the RNC did not immediately have comment on her letter.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: resignation; rnc; rncchairman; rush; steele
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To: Theo
Just what Obama and the Democrats want: Republicans to shoot their own.

Yup.....and we are falling right into their trap. It is a feeding frenzy out here and the dems keep chumming the waters. We fall far it every time.

Wake up folks.

141 posted on 03/05/2009 11:17:58 AM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: austinrepub
Oh, come on. Give the guy more than a month.

Obama supporters say the same exact thing, about Obama.

142 posted on 03/05/2009 11:19:34 AM PST by itsahoot (We will have world government. Whether by conquest or consent. Obama does it by consent.)
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To: Post5203

Steele was used to set up Rush. Rush was set up. I know you get it but apparently some posters don’t. If the dems can manipulate Steele on a third rate talk show, he’s not going to provide strong leadership to get conservatives back and to succeed in 2010 to trounce the european socialist dems.


143 posted on 03/05/2009 11:20:12 AM PST by floriduh voter (Obama was NEVER a moderate. NEITHER is Charlie Crist (an Obama clone))
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To: floriduh voter

Haley Barbour was the best, the smartest, the most fearless! No one will ever be as good.


144 posted on 03/05/2009 11:20:55 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: Deb
What exactly do you think Steele has
done so far to inspire confidence?
He makes nice with Hughley, as though
he has any prayer of not being trapped?
He is just not savvy enough to see any
of it coming.He will continue to walk into
traps and will be endlessly back pedaling.
Just watch, he will be a big mistake.
145 posted on 03/05/2009 11:22:01 AM PST by Bainbridge
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To: tallyhoe
“Steele said they were friends! He and Rush talked and Steele apologized to Rush and that’s that this could be those inside the beltway moderates in our Party doing this!”

I heard the same. We should now consider it old business and now move on to bigger and more important items on the agenda. Do I hear a 2nd?

146 posted on 03/05/2009 11:23:06 AM PST by NavyCanDo
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To: SolidWood

Affirmative action doesnt work for the GOP either.


147 posted on 03/05/2009 11:25:00 AM PST by DogBarkTree (Sometimes you have to let it go in order to get a Grip.)
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To: Deb
Steele never said he wanted the GOP to be more hip-hop.

Hip like the Governator, yeah!

148 posted on 03/05/2009 11:25:25 AM PST by itsahoot (We will have world government. Whether by conquest or consent. Obama does it by consent.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
His ridiculous coments about the GOP going after the "hip-hop" crowd was completely laughable.

Trying to apply conservative principles in an urban-surburban hip-hop setting (minus the graffiti of course) is something I would describe as a good thing.

Steele has made a couple of mistakes, but I wouldn't describe the above comment as one.

149 posted on 03/05/2009 11:26:58 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: austinrepub

NO THANKS! Another RINO. No more, no more idiots who “misspeak”, who don’t have an original thought in their pea brain, who do not understand the Constitution and how this country was founded. Which reminds me FReepers:

We live in S. Central Texas. Today I had a very reliable fence man, landscaper, etc. to give me an estimate on a ranch/old style fence. He’s has outstanding business sense. We walked and talked of options, styles, details, etc. He’s from Zacatecas, Mexico, yes, he’s here LEGALLY. He speaks English very well, I also speak Spanish, we had a great time.

He is proud of this country, he reminded my wife and I about the principles that this country was founded on (we knew that but we dared not interrupt out of sheer delight). He was almost moved to tears at what a blessing this country and Texas has been to him and his family, he enumerated many blessings. This dear patriot could teach HS level of US history as well as economics (we discussed that too).

I will FIGHT for immigrants like Mr. Carrillo and I know you would too. Today my faith was greatly restored by this man’s testimony honoring his country, the USA not Mexico, he made that very clear. It will be a hard struggle (we all agreed) but it can be done. He’s been through worse. Just thought you’d enjoy reading of such a person.

Regards


150 posted on 03/05/2009 11:28:53 AM PST by brushcop (SFC Sallie, CPL Long, LTHarris, SSG Brown, PVT Simmons KIA OIF lll&V, they died for you, honor them)
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Comment #151 Removed by Moderator

To: Alexius
Boy have you got this right.
But it is not only Steele.
The morons put Boehner and McConnell
back in charge.
Both of whom contributed to the debacle
last fall.
Have you seen McConnell out there
attacking Obama/Reid/Pelosi ?
NO, and you won't because he is
one of the biggest earmark guys?
He couldn't win a knife fight with
an “assault” weapon.
Disaster.
152 posted on 03/05/2009 11:30:01 AM PST by Bainbridge
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To: Bainbridge

I’m sure Steele is not the genius you are and you would have really put Hughley in his place, but one might think that attempting to obliterate and destroy (instead of strengthen) people on our side, might be a teeny bit self-destructive. Maybe not, but then it’s impossible to tell the Democrats from “conservatives” on this thread.


153 posted on 03/05/2009 11:32:20 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: floriduh voter

The way I see it is, Rush is first and foremost a teacher. He is able to explain things in a way that a person doesn’t need a 3rd year law degree to understand.

Next he does truly love this country and as we are observing now, he is willing to put his career on the line for it.

Next, he cares deeply about ALL people in this country and he does his best to inspire everyone to be the best they can be.

I have never heard Rush say something that was mean, or attack someone on a personal level.........unless they start playing with him that way.........then, things like ballerina’s get their toes stepped on, and big men get taken down to size.


154 posted on 03/05/2009 11:34:23 AM PST by Hanna548 (s)
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To: itsahoot

Did your Tourettes kick in?


155 posted on 03/05/2009 11:34:57 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: SolidWood
This didn't take long. I know that Fisher is one of Dawson's people, who comments should be viewed in that light, but I have to say as for these comments: "I don't want to hear anymore [sic] language trying to be cool about the bling in the stimulus package or appealing to D.L. Hughley and blacks in a way that isn't going to win us any votes and makes us frankly appear to many blacks as quite foolish," Fisher wrote

I have to agree...it makes me squirm when Steele says this stuff, it's so awkward.

156 posted on 03/05/2009 11:35:44 AM PST by americanophile
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To: TheZMan

You may be on to something there...who is this lady?


157 posted on 03/05/2009 11:36:39 AM PST by americanophile
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To: Theo

Think of it as replacing McClellan as leader of the Army of the Potomac. Hopefully with a US Grant.
Except, unlike McClellan who brough the Army of the Potomac into an excellent state of readiness, Steele hasn’t done anything for the ‘Pubbies.


158 posted on 03/05/2009 11:37:04 AM PST by Little Ray (Do we have a Plan B?)
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To: Deb
...but one might think that attempting to obliterate and destroy (instead of strengthen) people on our side, might be a teeny bit self-destructive. Maybe not, but then it’s impossible to tell the Democrats from “conservatives” on this thread.

There's certainly a fine line between criticizing Steele and destroying him and some here clearly cross that line. But wouldn't you agree that Steele is certainly responsible for this situation with his Nazi and Rush comments, or lack of comments?

159 posted on 03/05/2009 11:38:42 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: FreeReign

Good Lord, read the friggin’ thread.


160 posted on 03/05/2009 11:40:15 AM PST by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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