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Statement from Chairman Steele on Senator Arlen Specter's Decision to Switch to the Democratic Party
Republican National Party ^ | 4/28/2009 | MIchael Steele

Posted on 04/28/2009 4:34:17 PM PDT by FloridianBushFan

WASHINGTON - Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today:

"Some in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not.

Let's be honest-Senator Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record.

Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don't do it first."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: democrat; gop; michaelsteele; pa2010; rncchairman; specter; steele
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To: iowamark

you guys are too damn cruel to steele...it was stupid what he said about rush and he did flip flop on abortion ....but letting states decide is the constitutionally correct stance...the same with gay marriage...drug legalization and prostitution

if we are going to be conservatives...lets be consistent on what we’re conservative on and be conservative on all issues and follow the constitution...


21 posted on 04/28/2009 5:14:39 PM PDT by chevydude26
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To: KJC1
Why did Specter pick today to make this announcement? He’s been a not-so-closted D for a long time. Perhaps to deflect the news of the NY flyover and demands for an explanation? (Yeah, I know that sounds tin-foily, but still...)

Your point makes sense to me. This is exactly the kind of non-news news which political strategists say is something you wait to announce until you want to deflect attention from something else. Karl Rove gives his grudging approval.

22 posted on 04/28/2009 5:16:08 PM PDT by Ipberg
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To: chevydude26

so an immoral economic guiness is ok with you? only economy matters? baby killing be damned, the ecomony is important right??? how about national defense, give that up for a great economy??? economy economy, but no moral backbone is worthless. yeah go vote your money, and sell your soul. an immoral president may get the economy going, but he will destroy the nation in other ways. there is more to life than money. we cant afford sell outs.


23 posted on 04/28/2009 5:16:11 PM PDT by dhm914
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To: advance_copy
Steele shares the same political views as Specter does, so I don't think he's disappointed Specter left. I do think Steele is disappointed he threw so much of the GOP financial support behind Specter so early in the midterm election cycle, because Specter represented the thinking of the establishment of the GOP. Even the party establishment in the Senate with representation from the National Republican Senatorial Committee threw it's support behind Specter.

The GOP in recent years has tried to emulate the Democrat party to try and survive. What the GOP needs to understand is they need conservatives more than the conservatives need them.

Too many people supported Steele for GOP Chair because of his frequent contributions to FOX News, not because of where his political principles sprouted from. Style over substance.

24 posted on 04/28/2009 5:28:59 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity)
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To: Sparky1776

I have the same opinion as you. In fact, if Steele did throw the Dem Twins out it would help the GOP they just don’t realize it.

The GOP has yet to face up to why they are losing elections and contributions, their base has jumped ship. Snowe and Collins have been huge issues for conservatives for years, it would help show the base that the GOP hears them if Steele was to throw them out.

It can’t hurt us politically, the dems already have the 60 votes they need. Why not take this opportunity to clean the party out of RINO’s, give a good scare to those on the line of RINOship and bring the base back into the fold.

I can only dream.


25 posted on 04/28/2009 5:39:11 PM PDT by Brytani (No Taxation Without Birth Certification)
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To: dhm914

“so an immoral economic guiness is ok with you? only economy matters? baby killing be damned, the ecomony is important right??? how about national defense, give that up for a great economy??? economy economy, but no moral backbone is worthless. yeah go vote your money, and sell your soul. an immoral president may get the economy going, but he will destroy the nation in other ways. there is more to life than money. we cant afford sell outs.”

all i’m saying is that even if you are the most pro life president its still up to the judges and most of the time a conservative will pick a conservative judge and even those conservatives who are okay with abortion recognize its a state right and they want to get rid of roe v wade

and i’m a strong national defense guy...who feels we need to cut the majority of entitlements and replace them with free market alternatives

and i’m 100 % against abortion but I’m not going to dismiss a candidate because i know how little power a president has with that issue

and i’m for freedom...if people want to have guns...they should also be able to choose in morality issues like prostitution and drugs...its none of our business as long as we aren’t funding their bad habits with welfare and they aren’t infringing on others rights


26 posted on 04/28/2009 5:41:42 PM PDT by chevydude26
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To: Brytani

“I can only dream...........”

Yep but all things start as mere dreams!


27 posted on 04/28/2009 5:49:44 PM PDT by Sparky1776
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To: chevydude26

well if abortion is a states right issue with you, and not a Right to Life issue, then you are not a full conservative. I assume a gun grabber would be ok with you too, if the economy part was ok???? how about one that restricts freedom of the press, so long as the economy is ok, or maybe if they say that freedom of the press is a states issue to regulate and restrict, you will be ok with that???
wishy washy conservatives have cost us too much, no thanks.


28 posted on 04/28/2009 6:14:18 PM PDT by dhm914
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To: FloridianBushFan
Great news....let's purge the party of RINO slime.

Also the punk president can't use the the sham "bi-partisan" b.s anymore.

29 posted on 04/28/2009 6:20:17 PM PDT by catfish1957 (Hey algore...You'll have to pry the steering wheel of my 317 HP V8 truck from my cold dead hands)
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To: dhm914

“well if abortion is a states right issue with you, and not a Right to Life issue, then you are not a full conservative. I assume a gun grabber would be ok with you too, if the economy part was ok???? how about one that restricts freedom of the press, so long as the economy is ok, or maybe if they say that freedom of the press is a states issue to regulate and restrict, you will be ok with that???
wishy washy conservatives have cost us too much, no thanks.”

no it is a right to life issue with me...but when it comes to picking between a mccain who is liberal on economic issues and guiliani...i will pick rudy ...at least i know rudy will pick conservative judges and won’t damage the life issue too much if at all

and i’m a full gun supporter...its basically just me choosing from the choice we have and how they are going to make their impact ...and i view social issues as not being completely in the presidents hands


30 posted on 04/28/2009 7:00:15 PM PDT by chevydude26
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Comment #31 Removed by Moderator

Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: chevydude26

No, I don’t think that we are being too hard on Steele. I can forgive him for saying dumb things. However, I don’t believe that he can ever regain his credibility with the party base, anymore than John McCain can.


33 posted on 04/28/2009 8:05:03 PM PDT by iowamark (certified by Michael Steele as "ugly and incendiary")
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Comment #34 Removed by Moderator

To: BigSkyFreeper
Steele is disappointed he threw so much of the GOP financial support behind Specter so early in the midterm election cycle

Is this true? Can you back up this statement? I have heard Steele imply the opposite. He specifically stated that the RNC will not back a candidate in a primary unless the state GOP endorses that candidate. Last week in PA, the state GOP provided no such endorsement of Specter. That was the first shoe to drop in his self-serving move toward formally switching parties. The second shoe was the the poll that showed him 20 points behind. With no help coming from the RNC and a massive lead for Toomey, Specter bailed.

35 posted on 04/28/2009 8:25:16 PM PDT by vamoose
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

To: vamoose

Merely speculating, you left out the part where I said “I do think....”. Steele’s views on issues are no different than Specter, so I have a hard time coming to Steele’s defense when he basically felt disappointed Specter jumped ship.


37 posted on 04/28/2009 9:11:20 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity)
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To: chevydude26

I view someone that supports or allows states to support baby killing as unfit to lead. turnign a blind eye to murder of innocents is not a good quality in a leader, regardless of his other policies.

what we need is a moral and smart leader, not choose betweenone or the other. by kicking out the imoral and stupid ones, we will have a better choice. the stupid ones belive government is the cure for the economy, the immoral ones do not belive in the right to Life, Liberty nor the Pursuit of Happieness.


38 posted on 04/28/2009 10:47:46 PM PDT by dhm914
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