Posted on 04/06/2010 6:32:37 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
How to put this politely? Michael Steele is a man of considerable talents — it’s just that he conspicuously lacks those required for his present position. He’s energetic, personable, and articulate. But those are not the qualities most required of a party chairman. The job demands an administrator, a behind-the-scenes schmoozer, and a tactician. Showboating is a hindrance. It’s a job that requires the talents of a stage manager, whereas Steele likes to be the star.
At a time when the Republican party is the indispensable vehicle for thwarting the disastrous policies of the Obamaites, Steele is a costly distraction in more ways than one.
Let’s stipulate that the chairman was not in attendance when Republican National Committee staffers accompanied prospective young donors to the “lesbian bondage” nightclub called “Voyeur” in Los Angeles, and that he only recently learned, along with the rest of us, that the RNC picked up the tab of nearly $2,000. Fine. But that establishes only that Steele is not a total fool. It hardly absolves him of managerial responsibility. Instead of accepting that responsibility, Steele has allowed the axe to fall on RNC chief of staff Ken McKay, who has now resigned.
This was not a first offense for Steele. Since his election as RNC chairman, he has indulged an appetite for luxury hotels, chartered airplanes, expensive restaurants, and a lavish redecoration of his offices. Roll Call reported that Steele spent $18,500 to redecorate his dark-paneled office. “This is going to sound weird,” he explained, but “it’s too male for me.” Actually, more than anything, it sounds vain and self-indulgent. Among the new accoutrements — a Bowflex machine.
The Daily Caller (which broke the story of the Voyeur outing) also reported that the RNC spent $17,514 in the month of February alone for chartered airplanes, and that Steele had looked into the possibility of buying a private plane for the chairman’s use. When he travels, Steele stays at luxury hotels like the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Four Seasons. While raising decent amounts of cash, the Republican party under Steele has also burned through it quickly. Between July 2009 and February 2010, the GOP raised $63 million but spent $78 million, leaving the party without a solid cushion heading into the 2010 contests — and behaving all too much like the federal government.
A party chairman does need to get around. But until now, it has usually been in the service of the GOP. Though he may not have charged donors for expenses on speaking gigs, Steele has been delivering speeches for his own enrichment, reportedly charging fees of up to $20,000. In a year when Americans, particularly Republicans and independents, are apoplectic about Washington’s promiscuous spending, this doesn’t exactly send the right signal.
Well, if management isn’t his strong suit, he must compensate with inspiring leadership — right? Not quite. His debut was an utterly gratuitous swipe at Rush Limbaugh as “incendiary” and “ugly,” and he followed that with an unhelpful reference to abortion as an “individual choice” (though Steele is personally pro-life). Asked in January whether the Republicans would win the House of Representatives in 2010, Steele said, “Not this year.” Not helpful — and possibly not even true.
Now, with Voyeur making all the comedians’ monologues, Michael Steele is suggesting that he, like President Obama, is held to higher standards because he is black. It’s possible that some people are more judgmental about him because he’s black, but it’s undeniable that many people are inhibited from voicing their dissatisfaction with him for the same reason.
Political parties are not college seminars, and leaders needn’t be saints. But the Republican party is just clawing back to respectability after the irresponsible spending of the Republican congressional majorities, the Foley scandal, and the perceived weaknesses of the Bush presidency. More importantly, the country is faced with a profound challenge from the Left. If the (Social) Democrats under Obama/Pelosi/Reid are not stopped, and if the Republican party is unable to attract the energy and passion of the tea-party movement, the country will be irreversibly changed for the worse.
At this moment, the Republican party needs more than ever to present a sober, serious, and ethical face to the public. Voyeur was the last straw. It would be an unselfish gesture for Steele to step aside.
— Mona Charen is a nationally syndicated columnist.
So now we get to see how much of a narcissist is Michael Steele
Did he say that he and Obama are being judged by higher standards because of race? The least he could have done is spin this in a way that says democrats are attacking him due to race. We dont need him attacking republicans over race, democrats know how to do that on their own.
Yes, we all would like Steele to go, but I don’t want him run out by State Media over a stupid expense report reimbursement.
I've said more than once... if Michael Steele were a Democrat plant determined to damage the GOP what would he do differently? That was before I read this line. Forget the speculation... HIS JOB IS TO SINK THE GOP!!
State Media, if successful in getting Steele to quit, will turn around can call Republicans & Conservatives racist, further distracing from what the Obamah Regime is doing.
Thank you, Mona.
Mr. Steele: for the good of the party, quietly transition out of your position as Chairman and go on to something that is a better fit for your skills.
Memo to RNC: Start the process now of building an escape hatch for the party into the Chairman’s position. There has to be a way to quickly move people out if it turns out they are not right for the job or not right for the job at this time.
Between July 2009 and February 2010, the GOP raised $63 million but spent $78 million, leaving the party without a solid cushion heading into the 2010 contests
Another bungling republican who can engineer nothing other than defeat...
Why am I not surprised?
Steele is the typical black token. He has shown his true color and refuses to LEAVE his position. When, oh WHEN, will the GOP throw him out on his black arse? The ONLY reason he is in that position is because he is BLACK. Shouldn’t we have a person heading the GOP that has CONSERVATIVE VALUES, HUMBLE and of GOOD CHARACTER? Steele LACKS ALL OF THAT, but OH, “he’s BLACK”.
Newt was on the Today show and defended Steele. Newt has forgotten what the rest of us know. Steele is just like the RINOs (Snow, Graham, et al).
Will he erect styrofoam pillars to the entrance of his lavish office next?
Get RID OF THE BLACK GUY! If you MUST have a BLACK person head the GOP, select Thomas Sowell, a MAN of CHARCTER despite his color. Sowell is a man of steel. I could care less about Sowell's SKIN COLOR. Sowell has the CHARACTER and VALUES I relate to.
If you think Steele resigning will get him out of the headlines. You are crazy. As soon as he resigns you’ll see headlines asking if his race played a roll in his being forced to resign. The republican party will be labeled a racist party who hates black people.
The left calls certain people and groups on the right racists. They can’t really call the whole party a racist party with a black man as chairman. But as soon as he’s gone they will label the whole party an all white party who hates black people.
I want STeele out on ANY of the outrageous actions. I’m not particular. The BLACK guy, Steele has to GO!
I can't tell you how many RNC solicitation letters I've returned in their prepay envelopes with a nasty note.
The RNC should be bitch-slapping Lyndsey Graham, taking a strong stand against Amnesty and Cap & Tax.
An upset in AZ would send a strong message to the RNC.
Republivcan Reelection Committee ??
“Newt was on the Today show and defended Steele. Newt has forgotten what the rest of us know. Steele is just like the RINOs (Snow, Graham, et al).”
Newt appears to be getting soft in the head OR he feels compelled to back Steele because of his SKIN COLOR. These stupid people REALLY want to believe that because Steele is BLACK that will attract other BLACKS to the GOP and even the dialogue between half BLACK Obama and racism cries will be defused. It’s totally ridiculous. SKIN COLOR has nothing to do with it when you NEED a real leader with CHARACTER. Steele LACKS good character - even if he is BLACK.
So the lesson of all this seems to be . . . don’t hire black people because there will be no end to the Left’s ability to mess you up with bogus racial complcations.
Thanks, Lefties!
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