Men are judged by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 07/02/2010 8:47:10 PM PDT by iowamark
Conservative strategist William Kristol, former South Carolina party chairman Katon Dawson and other Republicans are calling for the resignation of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele over Steele's suggestion that the U.S. effort in Afghanistan is doomed.
At a fundraiser in Noank, Conn., Steele blamed the U.S. troubles in Afghanistan on the Obama administration and expressed doubts about coalition forces' ability to succeed in the violence-torn country.
"Keep in mind again, for our federal candidates, this was a war of Obama's choosing," Steele said. "This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in."
"It was the president who was trying to be cute by half by flipping a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan," Steele said, referring to Obama's insistence during the presidential campaign that the U.S. should be focused on Afghanistan instead of Iraq.
"Well, if he's such a student of history, has he not understood that, you know, that's the one thing you don't do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? All right, because everyone who has tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed. And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan."
Former president George W. Bush ordered U.S. troops to Afghanistan in October 2001 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks by terrorists based there. Obama has said publicly for at least eight years that while he opposed the invasion of Iraq, he supported the war in Afghanistan.
Steele's comments, including using the word "comical" to describe the events leading to the forced resignation of Afghanistan commander Stanley McChrystal, sparked an outcry from commentators as a video of his remarks made its way around the Internet.
"You are, I know, a patriot," Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, wrote in an open letter to Steele. "So I ask you to consider, over this July 4 weekend, doing an act of service for the country you love: Resign as chairman of the Republican party."
Kristol added: "Needless to say, the war in Afghanistan was not 'a war of Obama's choosing.' It has been prosecuted by the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama. Republicans have consistently supported the effort...There are, of course, those who think we should pull out of Afghanistan, and they're certainly entitled to make their case. But one of them shouldn't be the chairman of the Republican party."
Activist Erick Erickson wrote on his influential RedState blog: "Michael Steele must resign. He has lost all moral authority to lead the GOP."
Dawson, who competed with Steele for the chairman's job last year, told CNN: "The RNC should do the responsible thing and show Steele the door. Enough is enough." Several other conservatives said in blog and Twitter posts that they agreed.
Steele backed away from his remarks at mid-day in a statement of support for the troops. "There is no question that America must win the war on terror," he said. "The stakes are too high for us to accept anything but success in Afghanistan."
The Friday fundraiser was not the first time Steele's tendency to wander off-script has surprised and embarrassed his party.
Early this year, he released a book called "Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda" and took off on a publicity tour that was a surprise to elected officials, who thought they were supposed to be setting the party's course while Steele raised money and took care of infrastructure. Steele also suggested the Republican Party needed a "hip-hop" makeover, and started a blog called "What Up?" Under his leadership, the committee also endured "Bondage-gate," in which staffers were reimbursed for entertaining contributors at a Los Angeles strip club.
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/top-5-all-time-michael-steele-gaffes/19540582?icid=sphere_politicsdaily_inline2
“”Top 5 All-Time Michael Steele Gaffes”
1. Saying Afghanistan is “a war of Obama’s choosing.”
President George W. Bush, with the overwhelming support of Congress, decided to invade Afghanistan a little less than a month after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. While Steele made some valid points about the current campaign, his larger characterization is factually untrue and puts him at odds with the party for which he holds a leadership position.
2. Saying abortion is an “individual choice.”
In an interview with GQ magazine in 2009, Steele voiced an opinion seldom heard in Republican circles. In damage-control mode, Steele attempted to clarify his remarks in a subsequent statement. “I am pro-life,” Steele wrote, “always have been, always will be.”
3. Calling Rush Limbaugh’s rhetoric “incendiary” and “ugly.”
In a CNN interview back in March 2009, Steele called out conservative icon Rush Limbaugh, disputing the contention that Limbaugh was the de facto leader of the GOP. Condemnation from fellow Republicans (including from Limbaugh himself) was swift, and Steele was left attempting to walk back his remarks.
4. Promising an “off the hook” effort to make the Republican party more “hip-hop.”
Speaking with the Washington Times shortly after being elected to his post as RNC chairman, Steele signaled that he would recast the GOP’s image in more “urban-suburban hip-hop settings.” While the desire to expand the party’s demographics was laudable, Steele’s choice of words — especially given that not a single African-American Republican was (or is) serving in Congress — gave comedians and commentators plenty to joke about.
5. Explaining that his gaffes happen for a reason.
In March 2009, after Steele faced criticism from his own party following his comments about Limbaugh, he explained to CNN’s Don Lemon that his many verbal misfires were simply part of a strategy whose meaning had yet to be made clear.
“I am very introspective about things,” Steele said. “I don’t do — I am a cause-and-effect kind of guy. So If I do something, there’s a reason for it. Even, it may look like a mistake, a gaffe. There is a rationale, there’s a logic behind it.””
Steele is an idiot.....
I’m not a Republican but I would think he’d be an embarrassment to the Republican Party. He should resign.
There’s some merit to what Steele said about zero and Afghanistan, but when it’s placed in context with foolish statements he’s made about other topics in the past, it just doesn’t have much importance.
He’s worthless. Maybe a little housecleaning will do the party good.
The only thing that will save the Rat congress this fall is the leadership of the GOP. They are hopeless and hapless.
The grass roots conservatives are the only thing holding the effort to defeat the Commies in Nov.
Right after we clean up the house and senate with new Conservatives we need to deep six the GOP leaders and start fresh. Get rid of the Rino’s and country club set.
Michael Steele is right. After all these years, hasn't it been proven over and over again, that Billy Kristol and his ilk are responsible for multiple disasters for the Republican party?
You are right about one thing. The Republican leadership in Congress are pulling Obama’s chestnuts out of the Afghan fire. Why do conservatives feelt the need to support Obama’s War? I have made differences with Steele but on this issue he is absolutely right.
The Liberal “weasels” have joined the neocon lynch mob against Steele. For once, he is right. I never “respected this guy” but now I do more than ever. Anyone who Billy Kristol opposes is probably right.
Mr Steele has not the political resources to by a vowel, let alone a clue.
Someone send him an MP3 of “You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd” (Roger Miller is Killer!)
TT
Men are judged by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.
Baloney. Michael Steele never had any moral authority. Those who say he did are either naive or lying.
You never fail to cheer me up /S
I wanted to be the first one to post what others were thinking.
Any other Candidates out there?
Michael Steele, the GOP’s blind pig, finally found a truffle.
“RNC Chairwoman Sarah Palin.”
Would be brilliant! No one can hold a candle to her in fundraising. What’s the procedure if Steele is gone - a special voting by the RNC immediately? I watched the last one and all the candidates’ speeches when Steele was chosen.
Why do I have a vague foretelling of this guy writing op-eds and opining against Republican positions for the next twenty years, beloved by the press because it is a ‘former RNC Chair’ saying such things?
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