[nathanbedford]

Here is a post from a few days ago which I think is still relevant:

I think the position today is unique in its historical context. The chairman will become the default spokesman of the party. I suspect he is also going to be the leading policymaker-if he has the stuff for it. He must carry his policy with his rhetoric and he must contrive a policy which will justify the rhetoric. I see no one else on the horizon at this time who can step up to that role. By virtue of their offices the minority leader of the Senate and the minority leader in the House might offer themselves. Mitt Romney might evolve to a party spokesman but that will be awkward for an undeclared candidate. By default, Michael Steele will be the face of the party and probably its brain.

As you point out, his responsibilities include the nuts and bolts of running the party and that means herding cats but also a host of other duties: although he inherits $20 million, he must raise tens of millions more; the entire IT footprint of the party must be adapted to the Blitzkrieg introduced by the Democrats in the last two elections; candidates must be found who can wage credible campaigns at least in a few areas where we might regain some ground; a strategy must be developed to penetrate the red states and that implies selling something that the voters want to buy; legislative strategy must be coordinated with our minorities in the House and Senate so that the party speaks with one voice; discipline must be established and ruthlessly maintained; and finally, a sense of urgency and destiny must be imparted so that the whole country knows what is at stake and what must be done, they must believe it can be done, they must believe that it will be done. They must believe that only the Republicans can do it.

In sum, he must define conservatism and throw down the gauntlet to the creeping statism represented by Obama and his ilk. He must define the limits; this far and no further! These responsibilities call for a Winston Churchill or a Newt Gingrich. They beg for charisma. The Republican Party might have only one more chance for survival. We need a wartime leader not a conciliator. The best analogy I can think of is that of England in 1930s reluctantly shaking off Neville Chamberlain, its exponent of appeasement, for Winston Churchill whose warnings had been so terribly vindicated that no one now could gainsay him. He told him what his policy was: to wage war. to wage war on land, sea and air. He told them what his aim was: victory. Victory at all costs, victory whenever the price, victory no matter how long or hard the road.

Since the Republican Party is that it position analogous to Great Britain after the fall of France, anything short of this level of commitment dooms the party which in turn shelters and nurtures conservatism and that ultimately dooms the Republic.

This is no time for business as usual. Can Michael Steele grasp the nettle?

[Caipirabob]

Michael Steele is black? When did that happen?

:D

Good luck there and bring knee high boots, you'll need them for what the democrats are shoveling at you.

Cheers!

[familyop]

In the video behind the link, you'll hear what Michael Steele and the Republican Party effete had to say to any of those of us who disagree with them. I transcribed the following excerpt from the dialog for you.

"RNC Chairman Michael Steele on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace" (video)

Republican National Committee
01FEB09

Wallace: I want to start with something that you said in your victory statement on Friday just after you were elected by the RNC, and here it is.

Steele: We want you to work with us. And for those of you who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over.

Wallace: Who were you talking about? Who...who are...are you thinking may want to obstruct?

Steele: I'm thinking...uh, both inside and outside the Party.

---

Alright. I'll take you up on your threat!


Excerpts from On the Issues:

Michael Steele on Civil Rights

Click here for OR .

• Support affirmative action and its improvements. (Oct 2006)
• Affirmative action programs still necessary to close divides. (Aug 2006)
• We're still discovering affirmative action in corporations. (Apr 2006)
• Led commitment to $70M in grants to minority-owned business. (Apr 2006)
• Move struggle to right to own the diner, not just sit in it. (Oct 2005)

More:

Standardized tests keep teachers from educating students. (Aug 2006)

Reinstate college-level grant and loan programs. (Aug 2006)

Revitalize the Chesapeake; focus on open space preservation. (May 2006)

Independent-minded bridge between two parties. (Oct 2005)

Quote from Steele's comment in interview:

Society should draw lines. What do you need an assault weapon for, if you're going hunting? That's overkill. But I don't think that means you go to a total ban for those who want to use gun for skeet shooting or hunting or things like that But what's the point of passing gun laws if we're not going to enforce them? If you want to talk about gun control, that's where you need to start. We've got 300 gun laws on the books right now. At the end of the day, it's about how we enforce the law.
Source: Washington Post interview Oct 16, 2006


Steele: GOP Should Reach Out To Gay, Pro-Choice Voters
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2176753/posts


Excerpted comment made by Steele on his work for Christie Todd Whitman's Republican Leadership Council (RLC):

This may be a unique opportunity to build a relationship or a bridge between the conservatives and the moderates in our party and so she asked me to serve on her board and I said well this will be good. It’ll be a pro-life conservative voice on a board with a pro-choice leadership that is looking to elect moderates. We have to elect moderates in the party.

From "Michael Steele to his Conservative Critics: Wake Up People!" (David Brody interview, CBN News)


Obama Smiles

Andrew C. McCarthy
National Review
January 30, 2009

Excerpt:

And then there is Eric Holder...As a top Obama adviser, Holder...In a radio appearance last week, Michael Steele, a Holder supporter who is a candidate to become head of the Republican National Committee, explained this, er, strategy. We have to be smart about picking our battles, he told a disgruntled conservative caller. Steele asked, is there any real chance of beating Holder? When she conceded there was not, he replied, with evident self-satisfaction: Why would I want to get into a fight we can’t win? He then spoke vapidly about how it was more important to get Holder in power: that, you see, is when we really get to confront him on issues. Somewhere, President Obama was smiling.

Meet The Press
October 29, 2006


MR. RUSSERT: ...Mr. Steele, if you’re United States Senator, would you vote for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I don’t — vote for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion? I think we’d have to have that get to the Supreme Court, wouldn’t we? I haven’t seen that bill proposed. I don’t think...

MR. RUSSERT: That’s been introduced in the Senate.

LT. GOV. STEELE: I don’t think anyone’s going to propose that this day.

MR. RUSSERT: So you wouldn’t do that?

LT. GOV. STEELE: No.

MR. RUSSERT: Would, would you encourage — would you hope the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I think that that’s a matter that’s going to rightly belong to the courts to decide ultimately whether or not that, that issue should be addressed. The, the Court has taken a position, which I agree, stare decisis, which means that the law is as it is and, and so this is a matter that’s ultimately going to be adjudicated at the states. We’re seeing that. The states are beginning to decide for themselves on, on this and a host of other issues. And the Supreme Court would ultimately decide that.

MR. RUSSERT: But you hope that the Court keeps Roe v. Wade in place?

LT. GOV. STEELE: I think the Court will evaluate the law as society progresses, as the Court is supposed to do.

MR. RUSSERT: But what’s your position? Do you want them to sustain it or overturn it?

LT. GOV. STEELE: Well, I think, I think, I think Roe vs. Wade, Roe vs. Wade is a, is a matter that should’ve been left to the states to decide, ultimately. But it, it is where it is today, and the courts will ultimately decide whether or not this, this gets addressed by the states, goes back to the states in some form or they overturn it outright.

MR. RUSSERT: Is is your desire to keep it in place?

LT. GOV. STEELE: My desire is that we follow what stare decisis is at this point, yes.

[CowboyJay]

He went as far as to tell a reporter that asked him if he was legitimate to come back when he had a real question.

Reaganesque.

Definitely has the right take on illegal immigration. RKBA is not about hunting bunny-wabbits. I'd feel a bit better if he'd come out and state that he's content to toe the conservative line on 2A despite his personal views. Ditto for AA.

After that's sorted out, the question is whether or not he can lead the troops in congress. Someone needs to reign in the Maverick and his side-kicks in the Senate. If he can manage to get everyone pulling the oars in the right direction, we should have no problem regaining seats in 2010.

[Check6]

O’malley? ... I don’t buy Steele’s conservatism. We had a chance to listen to him during his last Maryland campaign, and I came away wondering if he knew just who he was. There was no conservative heart behind the words ... that was my impression after listening to his speech and comments: a politician trying to squeeze himself into the shape of something people wanted to hear, without passion or real core belief’s and principal. Saying the words, but you came away not sure he believed them. He’s a real friendly guy, amiable, physically imposing in somewhat of a CEO mold, but I think struggling to place himself. Maybe he is RNC chair because he is NOT so deeply committed to conservative principal. It seems a better position for him than candidate, however.

[Darkwolf377]

I have seen numerous attempts to make Steele look like a lib here. None convince. I haven’t made up my mind about him, but if all those who oppose him have is his attempts to not let Tim Russert and other MSM types paint him into a corner so his Dem opponents can have a “Gotcha!” then it just shows how many conservatives have fallen into the MSM trap and don’t know it.

[AvOrdVet]

I’ve been following this guys career for awhile now, and I like him, who knows the GOP might pull themselves out of irrelevance yet... But I’m not holding my breath!

[LibLieSlayer]

He** no... no more so than olympia snowe or susan collins or christy whitman could.

LLS

[nmh]

He's another black RHINO.

The GOP is the “STUPID PARTY”.

He likes AFFIRMATIVE ACTION and GUN CONTROL.

He's the new J.C. Watts or Colin Powell.

He was selected not for his CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY by rather the COLOR OF HIS SKIN.

[jeepers creepers]

Steele is no Reagan conservative. That’s all I need to know.

[pray4liberty]

Michael Steele is a breath of fresh air. He’s got guts. He says it like it is. A major slap upside the head to the Republican Party is way, way overdue.

[EternalVigilance]

Does Michael Steele Pass Muster With Conservatives?

Not this one.

Human Events doesn't either any more.

They're Republicans, but not republicans.