Posted on 05/10/2009 8:09:31 AM PDT by Al B.
Michael Steele guest-hosted Bill Bennett's radio program on May 8th, and... well... is this the type of analysis an RNC Chief should be providing?
[...]
STEELE: Yeah, but let me ask you. Ok, Jay, I’m there with you. But remember, it was the base that rejected Mitt because of his switch on pro-life, from pro-choice to pro-life. It was the base that rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism. It was the base that rejected Mitch, Mitt, because they thought he was back and forth and waffling on those very economic issues you’re talking about. So, I mean, I hear what you’re saying, but before we even got to a primary vote, the base had made very clear they had issues with Mitt because if they didn’t, he would have defeated John McCain in those primaries in which he lost.
(Excerpt) Read more at gop12.com ...
Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there.
I always thought it was because Huckster and McShame cheated in West Virginia. I love this too...Cheaters never win!!!! HAHAHA Loser McCain lost. Even though we all lost, I still loved the fact that he had his tail kicked. Unfortunately we are stuck with the loss for 4 to 8 years due to his vicious cheating. I loved the fact that Huckster and McShame were bragging and laughing all about it.
Actually did you see Steele at the Writers Event? He was all about being their with Obama and the rest. I was sorta surprised that he was loving it so much.
This guy is a total disaster for the party. I cannot believe he acts so cavalier in interviews. He is trying to be the hip and cool guy, not like a party chair. His quotes will come back to haunt us big time in the future.
Hmmm ... I’m part of the base and I didn’t reject Mitt because of the pro-life issue. I didn’t reject Mitt because he is a Mormon. I didn’t reject Mitt for economic issues. It seems to me the democrat party and the media manipulated everything so much that THEY rejected Mitt and gave us McCain. When it was time for me to vote in the primaries, McCain was a done deal and I didn’t even have a vote for Mitt if I wanted one!!
“is Michael Steele edging towards the GOP base? “
Nah, just waffling.
“It was the base that rejected Mitt because it had issues with Mormonism”
Wow. I was previously a bit agnostic on Steele, but now it’s clear. The guy’s a moron.
When it comes to the RNC, there is only ONE slogan. CLOSE THE PRIMARIES.
It's Mitt's fault Mitt lost, just like it was McQueeg's fault that McQueeg lost (and would have lost far bigger without Sarah).
Since we’re on the topic of 2008’s election, I am STILL PO’d at George Allen for his one word disaster. He might’ve been the “One” on our side.
McCain would have lost without open primaries. But so would Mitt.
The only person in the base who had issues with Romney’s religion was Huckabee.
Steele is an idiot.
Romney didn’t LOOK like he was waffling. He WAS waffling.
He eventually quit because he was unwilling to spend more. McCain, backed by quiet but deep pockets, outlasted that point. If Mitt had literally spent every dime, I wonder if he could have squeaked by McCain. (And then drawn a collective yawn from America in a 40 or more state landslide win by Obama.)
Although Romney isn’t a perfect candidate, why would Steele say these things? Steele shouldn’t be pointing out flaws in any potential candidate; moreover, he shouldn’t be giving any credence to the idea that the base is full of fundamentalists that won’t elect a Mormon.
Eventually someone will emerge, whether it be Romney, Palin, Huckabee, Cantor, or someone else, and Steele will have to get behind him or her. Until that point, he doesn’t need to be critical of any one of them.
Proper answer probably would have been, “Romney lost because people felt comfortable with McCain. McCain is a household name, and a war hero. Romney is unknown to a lot of people, and I’m sure as voters get to know him better, they’ll like what they see.”
And the Huckster's minions.
Kinda confirms my suspicions. I've never subscribed to the notion that Steele was an insincere RINO. Rather I always thought of him as a process guy. A ready to go with the flow kinda leader. Unlike some of the hard core moderate Bushies we have had in there for the last decade or so.
In fact, this sorta shows he is the canary in the mine shaft. He is the first to sense the shift. I can see him, while maybe not being very enthusiastic about SP when she starts her move, will not try to derail her. But I admit the national party is full of snakes that may yet poison the well
and here i thought the dems jumping sides to push mccain was the reason mitt lost the primary... and was the real behind operation chaos.
but i guess when you’re trying to re-write history, it’s always good to use broad strokes.
Maybe she can bunk with Lindsay Lohan.
Mitt defeated Mitt——he let that lisping little loser Giuliani outmaneuver him.
Mitt was gaining ground....Giuliani’s handlers figured Mitt was the only candidate who could dash Giuli’s chances.
So Giuliani started playing hardball-—unfortunately, Mitt was not equipped to respond in kind-—and was forced out of the race.
Mitt Romney was and is too slick, too packaged and all too eager to say and do anything for a vote. It’s been a pattern with him, going back to his record in Massachussetts, which came back to haunt him during yet another rebranding effort to win votes. “The base” is sick of packaging and posturing, hence the amazing outburst of enthusiasm for Sarah Palin.
If the RNC PTB want to pawn Romney’s lack of success off on some supposed religious bigotry on the part of us “rubes” in “the base,” I’ve got news for them. Yes, Mormonism is controversial; yes, it is disliked in evangelical circles, for specific reasons of doctrine. However, as I pointed out early in primary season, he could easily have overcome that. John Kennedy did, with fears over allegiance to the Vatican over this country. Mormon social values and Mormon political values are, for the most part, indistinguishable from those of the more typical evangelical SoCon. Reassurance on that basis could have been possible, and the issue put to rest.
But no, that was not possible because “Our Man Mitt” is a slick salesman, packaging and repackaging himself, and it became clear that his only core value is his own advancement. “The base” didn’t want that. “The base” didn’t want McCain either. The whole thing was a debacle, imho, with Palin being the only good to come out of the entire sorry episode.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.