So we can’t talk about Steele’s positions? At all?
Talk all you want. Steele's story is one of triumph over adversity, a lot like Clarence Thomas, though Thomas is more conservative. I'm just tired of people that spout the same litany of things he is not and not the positive aspects of the man, including his history and debating the likes of Carville and Beckel on NBC and Fox and scoring wins in those forums.
The options for the position (except for Ken Blackwell) were poor. The candidate he defeated was the party leader in SC and a conservative. However, Katon Dawson has an Achilles heel in that he was a member of a Whites only country club for 12-years and just recently resigned. Not exactly the equivalent of the Obama and the wrong Reverend Wright, but enough so the MSM will point it out in every news article that would mention him.
Steele is not running for President (though maybe he should one day) so his perceived "litmus" positions do not matter as much as they would if he did. On the other hand his enthusiasm and confidence do matter and frankly that is what I like about the man.