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A Steele Ear

By W. James Antle, III on 3.3.09 @ 10:56AM

By now, it should be fairly obvious that Michael Steele's comments about Rush Limbaugh were an unmitigated public relations disaster. Steele managed to simultaneously reinforce the Democratic talking point that Rush is the real leader of the Republican Party and outrage the party's conservative base. This is pretty much the problem the GOP has faced since at least 2005: it vacillates between a mushy moderation that deflates its base and a tin-eared Bushian bellicosity that doesn't mean anything to swing voters. The results go by the names Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid.

Steele's own election as chairman of the Republican National Committee owes to this dilemma. The RNC was faced with a choice between an attractive African-American candidate whose conservatism and nuts-and-bolts party-building skills were in doubt and a Southerner with a clearer track record and, at best, a tin ear on race. Forget the all-white country club; this fellow was on record saying that the political experience that turned him against big government was the integration of the public schools. It was a choice that was really no choice at all.

Another major Steele selling point was that he "got it." He could tell commiteemen from states where Republicans were really taking a pounding that he understood that President Bush was unpopular, that the Iraq war had been unpopular, that the GOP brand was in the tank. But there was no substance to his "getting it" beyond those admissions. And because many on the right doubt his conservatism, Steele has to back down even when he tries to make rhetorical concessions.

It's still very early in Steele's tenure, but the Limbaugh brouhaha doesn't bode well for his chairmanship. Steele's biggest asset was that he was an effective television spokesman for the Republican Party, not any turnaround at the Maryland Republican Party or GOPAC while he was running those party institutions. This was the area where he was really supposed to shine. I still maintain that Steele is more conservative than his critics allege, but he definitely has the apologetic blue-state Republican mentality. If this means a few years of vacillating between sucking up to D.L. Hughey and apologizing to Rush Limbaugh, it will be more of the same for the GOP.

View all comments (19) | Leave a comment

Brian Kirk| 3.3.09 @ 11:21AM

good analysis, Jim.

Gramps| 3.3.09 @ 11:26AM

Stupid is as stupid does.

Forrest's version of the saying means that stupidity is not just a surface thing derived from a person's appearance. Stupidity is a
matter of deeds, not looks. Like the other versions, it comes down to this: judge people by what they do, not by how they appear.

So while Steele appears to have the right ideas and values, he sure was stupid in his actions. I predict he will not survive this or be so damaged that he has no role to play going forward.

Admr. S. B. O. Buniontow VI| 3.3.09 @ 11:48AM

We need to flush this turd before he completely stinks up the joint!

Demand that he announce the number of converts to the RNC from the Hippy-Hoppy tattooed world.

Oh, he did pronounce his "disappointment" in the passage and signature of the Porkulus bill.

Where are his defenders now?

jharp| 3.3.09 @ 12:18PM

"Steele managed to simultaneously reinforce the Democratic talking point that Rush is the real leader of the Republican Party"

At what point does a talking point simply become known as the truth?

Unbelievable to me. The duly elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee kowtowing to a three time divorced, drug addled, viagra toting sex tourist, racist, talk radio host.

Already two posters believe Steele should or will be gone. And for simply point pointing out the obvious.

The GOP is screwed.

grzmlyk| 3.3.09 @ 2:06PM

I gotta say, during his brief stint as a Fox News contributor, I was worried about Steele. He didn't come across as particularly intelligent and was definitely not an articulate or aggressive defender of conservatism. Every time I watched him, I came away unimpressed.

As for jharp, just one more example of the tolerance and love of diversity from the left.
As a good liberal, don't you have better things to do - like oozing back under your rock and getting on with the business of cheating on the taxes you insist everyone else pay, twirp?

jharp| 3.3.09 @ 2:26PM

grzmlyk| 3.3.09 @ 2:06PM

By all means do all you can to elevate ElRusbo.

Never mind the the duly elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee speaking the truth on what 75% already know to be true.

Can't wait til the 2010 elections. Stick a fork in the GOP. They're done.

thirteen28| 3.3.09 @ 2:27PM

"I still maintain that Steele is more conservative than his critics allege, but he definitely has the apologetic blue-state Republican mentality. "

The phrase "blue state Republican mentality" hit the nail on the head dead center. There is way, way too much of that going around now, and it's killing both the GOP and the conservative movement.

jharp| 3.3.09 @ 2:41PM

"There is way, way too much of that"blue state Republican mentality" going around now, and it's killing both the GOP and the conservative movement."

BS. The conservative movement is killing the GOP. See Republican Senators from the northeast. See Palin as the VP candidate.

BJC| 3.3.09 @ 4:04PM

Pretty much right on, Jim! Michael Steele proved to me in this unfortunate little episode that he's not yet ready for prime time! And, as you point out correctly, Jim, the "selling" point on behalf of Steele was what a TV-friendly prime time player he was! What did Steele think he was being invited to do, in the solicitation to participate in trashing Rush Limbaugh -- other than being a "useful idiot" tool of the Leftists intent on driving wedges into the Center-Right coalition?

I warned a few weeks back in this very blog that Steele was the less-good "person of color" RNC Chairman candidate to Ken Blackwell, precisely because Steele has trucked around too much with anti-Republican "Republicans" in the RLC who made their "bones" with the anti-Right Leftists by accepting invitations to deliver vicious, public criticism of Center-Right positions, policies and political candidates. (You could look it up.)

Anyhoo -- Rush Limbaugh has helped Steele pull his head out of ... the Democrat Jackass. Let us hope that Steele has learned a good lesson in how to conduct himself henceforward when solicited to attack his own troops.

ascending rino| 3.3.09 @ 4:40PM

I was so happy that Steele bitch slapped that repulsive slob Limbaugh who is the worst political mind in American history. Finally, they have thrown the votekiller out on his sorry, fat ass. I was ready to make a generous donation to the RNC. Then he apologizes to this jerk who is a total megalomaniac, and and thus confirms the idiot king of conservatism is also the idiot king of the GOP. So long GOP, go it alone without people like me. You will be slaughtered. I am confident this political void of not having a viable second party will persuade talented people to come forth, and start a brand new party that can stand up against the democrat machine. Meanwhile it is hard to witness the once proud GOP become a crackpot brigade lead by some motor mouth fool on the hill. The party of the silent majority is now that of a seething, irrational, delusional, deranged, blabbermouth , dying minority. Thus, is the new political reality of our times.

jharp| 3.3.09 @ 5:24PM

ascending rino| 3.3.09 @ 4:40PM

Well put.

And I'm not sure the morons here even understand the quandary they are in.

Embrace ElDrugbo and alienate the moderates or dump the racist lard ass and win over the moderates.

The knucledragging troglodyte base ain't voting democrat either way so it is very difficult for me to understand the strategy.

And like I said earlier most of the imbeciles here are oblivious to the details.

ruth| 3.3.09 @ 5:52PM

Liberals stink up every place they inhabit, including the loser libtards on this thread. Blah, blah, blah. Snore.

jhrap| 3.3.09 @ 6:00PM

What's the matter, ruth?

Is this concept too difficult for you to grasp?

You must be a dittohead.

jharp| 3.3.09 @ 6:00PM

What's the matter, ruth?

Is this concept too difficult for you to grasp?

You must be a dittohead.

ruth| 3.3.09 @ 7:52PM

Nice double post, moron.

ruth| 3.3.09 @ 7:54PM

Can't type either.

Basil Plumley| 3.3.09 @ 8:29PM

@ ascending rino

What are you early-mid 20-something? Your language betrays your age. You are a seminar poster. Nice try. Take another hit from the bong and yuck it up with your lefty buds.

@ jharp

At least you are an unabashed lefty. Not a smart one but at least you are honest as to who you are. I do wish you would drop the talking points, they are quite predictable and belie your lack of original thought. Any and all reason would be lost on you as you pretty much wrap yourself around your lies.

Noun, verb, and dishonest slur, pretty much some up your posts. Your comeback will prove my perception of you. It's a shame though, you had the makings of an interesting poster.

Paul M.| 3.3.09 @ 8:39PM

Nicely put, Mr. Antle. If Steele is going to continue in his role as RNC Chairman he needs to consider his words and actions much more carefully. Maybe also hire a good media coach to help him work on his delivery for those times when he has to deal with punks like Hughley .

BTW folks - don't feed the trolls. They're only here for the attention.