Can Michael Steele Overcome the Dreaded M-Word?
The new Republican National Committee chairman has much to prove to skeptics in his own party.
You knew the contest to become chairman of the Republican National Committee was getting ugly when they started throwing around nasty slurs like “moderate.”
Michael Steele got tagged with the dreaded M-word as part of a vicious guilt-by-association smear. He sustained more damage from his acquaintance with RINOs like Christie Todd Whitman than Barack Obama suffered for hanging out with unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers.
After Steele survived a bruising six-ballot battle Friday for the GOP chairmanship, Liz Sidoti of the Associated Press made sure to cast the election in ideological terms, dubbing the former Maryland lieutenant governor “the most moderate candidate in the field.”
In truth, Steele is a committed pro-life Catholic who proudly calls himself a “Reagan Republican,” and ideological differences had relatively little impact on the RNC’s choice.
Pundits chattering about what Steele’s election means for the future direction of the GOP overlook a fundamental fact. The committee members and state party chairmen who make up the 168-vote national committee are elected to their posts with the kind of singularity of purpose that legendary Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis once summarized in three words: “Just win, baby.”
Nearly 30 years after the Reagan Revolution, there were very few if any liberal “Rockefeller Republicans” voting in Friday’s election, and you wouldn’t have needed two hands to count the self-professed moderates. This overwhelming conservative majority at the RNC was choosing between five conservative candidates, all of whom pledged fealty to the party’s conservative principles and platform. They weren’t looking for an ideological leader so much as they were looking for someone who could do two things: communicate effectively and organize victory.
No one doubts Steele’s ability as a communicator. He has become an increasingly popular TV “face” for the GOP since his October 2006 appearance on Meet the Press to debate Senate rival Democrat Ben Cardin. The Democrat ultimately won that election — Maryland reverting to its natural Democratic tendency in a very bad year for Republicans — but Steele’s solid debate performance and his cheerful, optimistic demeanor won him fans nationwide. It was those communication skills that led one California RNC member to dub him a “superstar” in endorsing Steele’s chairmanship bid in November.
Page 1 of 2 Next ->
Robert Stacy McCain is co-author (with Lynn Vincent) of Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party . A frequent contributor to the American Spectator, he blogs at The Other McCain.
 |
 |
 |
Podcasts |  PJM Home |
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
30 Comments
1. David Thomson:Actions speak louder than words. Will Michael Steele be an effective leader of the GOP? The legacy media will more than hint that he is a black Uncle Tom. Can he handle the pressure? We will soon find out.
Feb 2, 2009 - 5:01 am 2. The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Quoting J.P. Freire:[...] His wisdom spreads forth: [...]
Feb 2, 2009 - 5:23 am 3. Anonymous:Like the 2008 elections, Steele may be a bad choice from a pool of worse choices.
A pro-gun control republican? Thanks, but can’t we find better?
Feb 2, 2009 - 5:43 am 4. Mongoose:Well he seems pretty tough to me. This “moderate” thing sounds more like a Lefty meme IMO.
Steele is fairly typical of the people in the GOP during the Reagan years. He is a one of the good guys, and a geat choice. (Good grief, they almost put in Dawson. Wheew! that was a close one.)
I thing what we shall soon find out is if there really is such a thing as “moderates”, and from at least a couple of perspectives:
1) I am not sure that the “muddle” is an homogeneous group somewhere along “the middle” of “a political spectrum” that must be “won over” by parties “moving” or appearing to “move” across that “political spectrum”. This “moderate” business, to me at least, rather than being a political reality is more a construct of the Left and the Democrats–an illusion which they use for their own nefarious purposes. In any event, this “movement towards” the center is rarely honored by the Democrats after elections. The worst of it is that the GOP just gets moved further to the left and thus we have “leftist incrementalism”, which would really seem to be the point of this “political spectrum” tactics that the Democrats so adroitly employ. I’d bet that, rather, the “middle” is composed of a heterogeneous mixture of special interest groups, the mildly apathetic, the distracted, the overburdened, the superficial, the befuddled and the idiotic. It would be best if the GOP could abandon this whole “spectrum” paradigm because it forces them into merely reactive and rearguard actions as the nation slides toward colectivism, socialism and communism. The question is, what do they replace the “spectrum” paradigm with?
2) Related to the above, it is becoming quite clear that this is shaping up to be a war between the Western tradition, as particularly articulated by America, and Communism/Transnational Socialism. There is no “third way”. There is no middle ground. The battle lines are quite clear. The “moderate voters” need to figure out where they stand. My guess is that they are mostly not Communists but lazy, intimidated or confused citizens whose patriotism and common sense can be reached and awakened. Getting this bunch to come to their senses is what the GOP must figure out.
(As an aside, the GOP needs to dump as a vocal faction the Country Club types like Whitman–have them sit down and keep quiet–they only damage the Party. There will be enough deep pockets to tap who will be desperate to hold on to what they have once they see what the game truly is. The country clubbers are as dangerous as the “Sierra Club Democrats”; they just live across the sreat from each other and both despise the rest of us. Whitman really need to join the Democrats and in fact would be a Democrat had not the Marxist-Leninists that own and run the Democrat Party chased people like her out. These people will turn on the middle class the first chance that they get.)
Feb 2, 2009 - 6:01 am 5. E Voice:Why are’nt they hinting that Obama is a black Uncle Tom? Why the double standard? Give the man a break.
Where were all these other candidates during the election? Michael Steele was the only one on national tv sticking out his neck for the GOP. No one saw the then GOP chair, who was the chair during the 2008 elections? Does anyone know? There was no leadership of the GOP during this past election.
They need to get off this classification and name calling and roll up their sleeves and get together and fight together for the future of the GOP instead of worrying about who is more conservative than whom.
GOP leaders need to stand up for conservatism and vote accordingly. They have become more like democrats because they want democrats to like them and they don’t realize that no matter what they do for the democrats, they will never give them the benefit of the doubt. They will just use them. Republicans need to build up their self esteem. They have been so beaten down by the democrats and democratic controlled media that they have now become like a “battered woman”. The MSM will never change.
Feb 2, 2009 - 6:15 am 6. Cybergeezer:Seems to me that Steele has the experience with media and his party to be able to manage both. This petty media can be manipulated, and still keep ones eye on the important business of legislating. Once the media is manipulated as well as the Dumocrats, then the media might be forced to get more detailed with the issues.
Feb 2, 2009 - 6:30 am 7. Laura:But he needs to keep RINO’s like McCain at a good distance.
The MSM will vilify Steele regardless of the facts. He is a conservative, that’s enough to hate him. I’m just waiting for the nasty racial comments to come from the Left, the “so-called” tolerant party. If Steele’s appointment can bring in more ethnic voters into the GOP, his appointment alone will be worth it.
Feb 2, 2009 - 8:11 am 8. Pee Wee Herman, Community Organizer:We’ll know that he’s not a moderate when some woman comes out of nowhere and accuses him of putting pubic hairs on her coke.
Feb 2, 2009 - 8:26 am 9. ashok:Fundraising is tricky initially, but if he keeps at it, he’ll get better at it. There are going to be lots of people who give him grief for no reason: Ron Paul’s ability to raise funds actually tells a deeper story, that a good portion of money one can raise always resides with people who are flat-out nuts, and being a moderate, decent, likeable guy can actually be a disadvantage in those cases.
But again, he’ll get better. There are plenty of people who’ll come to him and say “here’s what I can give” without him asking.
His biggest obstacle is going to be getting conservatives and Republicans more exposure generally. In his “Blueprint,” he talks about the GOP brand, but he talks about it with regard to lower taxes and other soft issues, and almost ignores just how hostile the media climate is. That latter has to change in order for the party to have long-term viability: winning elections is important, but people need the chance to hear that being a Republican is a perfectly sensible choice, which they are most certainly not hearing nowadays.
Feb 2, 2009 - 8:56 am 10. Cybergeezer:If we can’t find a whitey cussing reverend in his background, he doesn’t stand much of a chance with his own race.
Feb 2, 2009 - 8:59 am 11. tristan:I was sure the M in the headline was for mediocrity.
Feb 2, 2009 - 10:26 am 12. Maxi Malone:My bad.
I’m with E Voice. Many a time I watched Michael Steele on TV standing up for the party. He’s the leader they need for the job.
Feb 2, 2009 - 10:55 am 13. East Coast View:Interesting blog. Relevantly, Michael Steele, born 1958, is a member of Generation Jones—the generation between the Boomers and Gen X’ers. The Boomers have passed the leadership torch to the Jonesers. Which matters quite a bit in understanding the nature of the new chapter in politics we’ve just begun.
In this short video, Steele embraces his own Generation Jones identity, and discusses his fellow GenJones leaders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbbVe_Twui0
Obama, and many of his Administration’s top players, are Jonesers. The GOP is also now led by Jonesers, including Steele, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty and Mark Sanford.
I’m a Joneser and totally relate to it, and am enjoying all the recent media buzz about Generation Jones. We’re not Boomers or X’ers!
There is a brilliant op-ed about exactly this topic in USA TODAY this week: http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm .
Feb 2, 2009 - 11:07 am 14. Ann:I’m very curious to see what Steele’s early weeks at this new job will look like.
I am just going to wait; who did the background process for this man. If guilt by association applies to everyone. This took me 10 minutes on the net:
Michael Steele received the following awards:
“Foreign Aspen networks are located in Germany, France, Italy and Japan. This cross-global relationship coincidentally also represents the areas of the Trilateral Commission.”
“Let’s hope the Aspen Institute doesn’t manage to fool any of the people any time after reading this and other articles discussing the real agenda behind their PR constructed exterior. This organization is nothing more than a satellite UN using OUR money, OUR legislators, and OUR formerly US companies to facilitate OUR entry into the New World Order.”
http://www.isburg.net/essays/aspen-institute-for-humanistic-studies-exposed.htm
C. DeLores Tucker Bethane-Dubois
http://www.bethune-dubois.org/
ABOUT BDI
Founded in 1986, The Bethune-DuBois Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established to sustain and magnify the educational legacies of two of America’s greatest leaders…Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and Dr. W.E.B. DuBois. Their examples and teachings, emphasized personal leadership and the importance of education and training in solving public policy problems and in advancing the status and contributions of all African Americans in American society.
The Bethune-DuBois Institute was founded by the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker, former Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The late WEB Dubois has an FBI rap 600 pages long for Marxist activities.
http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/dubois.htm
Feb 2, 2009 - 12:37 pm 15. sambo hux:Cybergeezer:
“Whitey” is a derogatory term. I prefer cracker or honky. As for reverends, I think Mr. Steele is more the Ron Parsley / John Hagee type. Don’t worry, conservatives won’t find anything objectionable about those two men of GAWD.
Laura:
“I’m just waiting for the nasty racial comments to come from the Left, the “so-called” tolerant party.”
I suggest calling Mr. Steele a “halfrican” or maybe “Mike the Magic Negro”. That approach seems to work for Rush.
As for bringing in more minority votes, you may be onto something. Better yet, how about we make that M stand for Miguel. We can make “the little brown ones” believe anything.
Feb 2, 2009 - 1:30 pm 16. Holy Cow What is Happenin:Where is his voice against the Spendulus Bill? If this thing gains any momentum, we are in deep doodoo.
Feb 2, 2009 - 2:30 pm 17. sambo hux:Holy Cow:
We’re not in deep doo doo now?
Feb 2, 2009 - 3:09 pm 18. ricpic:Is Steele calling publicly for Snow, Collins and Spector to vote against Porkulus?
You’re damn right he isn’t. Some conservative.
Feb 2, 2009 - 3:36 pm 19. Cybergeezer:15. sambo hux:
Feb 2, 2009 - 3:52 pm 20. sambo hux:I’m so happy you pointed that out; I’d be so devastated if I offended anyone. How can we function without you? Shall I address you as Mr. Moderator?
(Jesus F’in H. Christ)
CyberGeezer: Are you trying to stifle my free speech? Sounds like the fairness doctrine at work to me. And who is “we”? I thought this was a bunch of individuals expressing their views. I didn’t realize it was a portal to the Moose Lodge.
Feb 2, 2009 - 4:04 pm 21. Cybergeezer:20. sambo hux:
Feb 2, 2009 - 4:53 pm 22. BERLET98:Make sure you get your homework done before bedtime, sonny.
One Iconic, One Shameful Moment in Black History
Iconic Moments in American Politics
There are certain, rare iconic moments that occur in the world of American politics, not nearly as many as some would have us believe, but they do happen.
“Moments” and “occasions” are daily events. Therefore, this article will focus only on those Americans who had a profound influence on the course of American history. Rather than looking at what they accomplished, which is for the most part common knowledge, it will focus rather on what the latest iconic moment means.
In the last half-century, one would have to designate as iconic such moments as, in chronological order, the election and assassination of our nation’s first Roman Catholic president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the subsequent rise to power and assassination of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
and Ronald Reagan’s election as our 39th Chief Executive who was elected in 1980.
People are obviously free to dispute that choice of the three most iconic occasions of the last fifty years but my picks do lead up to the most significant event, to date, of the twenty-first century, namely the election, not of Barack Hussein Obama as president, but of the election of Michael Steele as head of the Republican National Committee.
(The shameful moment occurred on Monday.)
Any contention that a new RNC chairman is in any way equivalent to Kennedy’s election and assassination or to MLK’s murder or to Reagan’s successful efforts to reverse what President Carter did to our military, our economy, and our sense of value as a people, misses the point.
Michael Steele represents perhaps the last, best hope to prove …
(Read the rest of this article and details on Black shame at http://genelalor.com/.)
Feb 2, 2009 - 11:58 pm 23. John K.:Chairman Steele will be a spectacular GOP leader!
Feb 3, 2009 - 12:03 am 24. David:I expect Chairman Steele has a clear understanding of the job of herding cats. Just because he will drive the conservative agenda does not mean he will drive those afflicted with McCainsian Principle Reconciliation Syndrome out of the party. Snow, Collins, Spector, et. al. are not the enemy. We simply need to overwhelm them a majority of true conservatives.
Feb 3, 2009 - 8:18 am 25. Jesse:I understand he thinks that there is such as thing as “bad guns”.
Hopefully, he has reconsidered this position. As one of those grassroots conservatives whose views on fiscal responsibility, smaller government, etc have been (and with the notable exception of the first house Republican vote against the TARP bill and Porkulus) and continue to trash republican ideals, I will hold my judgment…and money…for now.
Feb 3, 2009 - 12:03 pm 26. McRib:Cybergeezer -what a good name. Sometimes I go by Geezerlust. I think geezer anything makes them uncomfortable.
Feb 3, 2009 - 3:14 pm 27. Cybergeezer:Thanks. Haven’t been to Geezerlust, (Just checked out the site: not what I expected.) I have the name, but I’m not the only one.
Feb 3, 2009 - 4:22 pm 28. Tennwriter:I’ll be looking for your posts.
This whole column has been a great laugh.
MORE; MORE.
I’d like some proof that Chairman Steele is a conservative. Its easy to say you are.
Pro-life is good, but not enough. And how ‘pro-life’ is that ‘pro-life’?
Basically, what has he done that has seriously ticked liberals off, and he’s still prevailed?
Feb 3, 2009 - 5:20 pm 29. Bilgeman:Mr. McCain:
“Can Michael Steele Overcome the Dreaded M-Word?”
You mean “Maryland”?
“when they started throwing around nasty slurs like “moderate.””
Oh…THAT “m-word”. Really…same difference.
He’s GOP from Maryland, f’god’s sakes. And even his “moderate” stances couldn’t get him any further than the understudy’s chair in Annapolis.
If anyone should know the futility of appeasing the Left, it should be someone like him.
Feb 6, 2009 - 8:33 am 30. WR Jonas:Michael Steele can gain my confidence and millions of conservative ex-Republicans by some results. Some winning people or platforms that generate support, enthusiasm and energy. Rather like Sarah Palin who draws people like a magnet wherever she goes and unlike Colin Powell who could not excite anybody.
Jun 19, 2009 - 2:19 pmThe mid terms are a slam dunk for Republicans . There are so many irate and disgusted people who are fed up with this political swamp that they are begging for a real winning slate. If the Republican Party cannot capitalize on the loathing the public has for this administration then all is lost. If the Dems steal the 2010 mid terms the Republic is gone forever.