I see this as good news even as it prevents one of our most gifted candidates in the Free State from running for Senate in 2010.
The best news about this good man’s election is Steele’s demeanor. He’s knows the issues and he’s right within the mainstream of the GOP. Not just that, he was the first African-American elected statewide in Maryland. In 2006, a very Democratic year in a very Democratic state, he ran better than his party’s presidential candidate in a year more favorable to our party.
He knows how to reach out beyond the base.
I met Steele briefly at the Republican National Convention and we chatted for about a minute before he had to go on Sean Hannity’s show. He didn’t seem taken aback when I handed him my card (with the name of this blog) and told him about us. I also said I wished he were RNC chair. Well, fewer than six months later, I got my wish.
While he knows how to handle the media and looks good on TV, I do have some concerns about his organizational skills. Let’s hope he finds a good manager to help up reorganize the party apparatus. I’m delighted that he outlined a tech plan to “compete with Democrats in the online arena of social networking, fundraising and communication.”
With the election of Steele as party chairman, the nomination of Sarah Palin as our party’s Vice-Presidential candidate last year, he election of Bobby Jindal as Governor of Louisiana just over a year ago, the elevation of Eric Cantor to House Republican Whip and the runoff victory of An “Joseph” Cao as Congressman for New Orleans, we now have a whole crop of articulate Republican leaders who do not fit the media image of us as a party of white male Christians.
If the Republican Party is to rebuild its majority, we need to reach out to all Americans. With an increasingly diverse crop of party leaders, with Steele at our helm, it looks like we’re doing just that.
UPDATE:Â Jim Geraghty sums up the Steele’s strength and expresses concerns similar to mine about his organizational skills:
What will Republicans be getting in Steele? Maybe the ideal television presence, a dynamic and energetic speaker who cheerfully brings a Republican message to communities that aren’t always initially receptive. The contrast with Duncan’s seemingly invisible media presence will be clear. But Steele’s bid was hindered by questions about whether he would excel as much at the parts of the job that aren’t in front of the cameras—the day-to-day management and fundraising.
UP-UPDATE: Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon praises the selection: “Michael Steele is the right man at the right time to lead the GOP. . . . It’s a great day for our Party. Steele is an inclusive leader who will bring a new energy and a new vision to the GOP at a critical time.”
UP-UP-UPDATE: I am heartened by Steele’s reference to the Contract with America in remarks made after his election as party chief:
The bottom line was the American people had lost faith in our leadership. . . . We entered into a contract with them in 1994 and they expected us to honor it. In the way we would lead, in the way we would serve, in the way we would protect their interests. And we abrogated that contract. And that’s why that scarlet letter at that time was placed their by the people.”
Now, I may actually write the RNC a check.
Can’t wait to see Steele take on The Snob.
At least we elected someone who has lots of legislative and executive branch experience, unlike 54% of the American people who chose a “community activist” as president.
(Lower-casers’ collective howls in 3…2…1…)
Regards,
Peter H.
Thank goodness! We need a change and we got one. I think Michael Steele is a great choice.
Good choice, I was very impressed when he was running for governor. It appeared that he ran a clean campaign.
I’m pleased with the people who are most prominent and visible in the party right now.
I’m gonna wait and see. Having a good spokesman for the GOP is good, but what the party needs is somebody who can get into the nuts and bolts of state party operations to make the GOP more competitive in battleground states, win back the midwest, and make some headway in the northeast. The challenges the party has are as much logistical as they are a matter of vision.
This and the House Republicans stance against the so-called stimulus bill has at least captured my interest. I await more from the GOP to see if they really have learned anything from 2006 & 2008…
It appears that now, even if the election was the catalyst, the party is now willing to engage in dialog long awaited by minorities in this country.
Best of luck. America can only benefit from this.
I hope Steele can turn the GOP around – he’s an impressive guy.
See Jay Nordlinger here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_22_57/ai_n16359604
!! At least we didn’t get one of McCain’s retreads !!
Senator Mikulski is running for re-election. If Steele couldn’t win an open seat in 2006, he wasn’t knocking off Mikulski in 2010 anyway. 2004 was Mikulski’s worst showing since she defeated Linda Chavez to take the seat in 1986 and she still won by 31 points and took 64% of the vote.
That seat is Mikulski’s as long as she wants it.
8. The seat is Mikulski’s as long as she wants it.
That is the problem with the country today. Most of the members of Congress can keep their seat as long as THEY WANT IT. It doesn’t matter how honest they are. Do they pay taxes – many don’t but they know how to raise it on the rest of us.
Mikulski has not had any ethics problems that I’m aware of in her 32 years of congressional service. That’s why she always wins re-election handily. The only thing an opponent can run on is the issues and on those, the voters of Maryland side with Senator Mikulski’s positions.
I would say Mikulski is much more vulnerable to a primary challenge from the left than any challenge she’d receive from the right. But even still, I doubt anyone will take her on. The DSCC would discourage any of the big names (like Attorney General Gansler or Comptroller Franchot) from making a messy primary fight.
Erik, we’ll see in 2010. An opposition to the “stimulus” grows the more people learn of it, Democrats perceived as invulnerable this year could look vulnerable next.
And for all Miss Mikulski’s years of service, she hasn’t accomplished much.
As to Steele and the open seat of 2006, in a Democratic year, he didn’t have much of a chance. But, recall that even six months before the 2006 election, everyone thought George Allen was safe.
The way things are going now, we could well see both New York seats flip. I wouldn’t bet on it. But, given how quickly poll numbers are turning on the “stimulus,” even as the MSM tries to cover up its excesses, if the GOP stands firm, we could see a real political shift in the next few months.
But, remember, I’m the eternal optimist.
I’ll tell you one damn thing, Steele had the best campaign ads (2006) I’ve ever seen. Made me want to move back to the state of my birth.
Trivia: He even appears in an episode of Ace of Cakes at the Preakness Stakes.
Even Steele knows its good to hide being a republican:
http://centerblue.org/2006/09/23/md-sen-republicans-anonymous-steele-campaigns-as-a-democrat/
Babs Mikulski is symptomatic of the out-of-touch “leadership” in the country today. She coasts in on the votes of welfare recipients in Baltimore and Prince Georges County, then votes the party line while shoving as many crab cakes down her gullet as she possibly can.
All-too-typical.
Well, I certainly hope that Mr. Steele can make some inroads into parts of the country (like here in the Northeast). Right now, we have the sad spectacle of a whole entire region (New England) with 22 seats ALL held by Democrats. Of the 12 Senators, only 3 are GOP. Oh well, that’s what the party gets for only focusing on just certain groups of people to the detriment of the rest of the party. Hopefully, the Republicans are getting it through their thick skulls that you can’t win national elections by just carrying the South & parts of the Midwest & interior West. You grow parties by addition, not subtraction.
Jimbo, put some meat on that. It’s easy to say “the GOP needs to get more voters,” and it’s easy to slam social conservatives (i.e. the base), but what specifically are you proposing the GOP ought to do?
The GOP will be helped by the failure of Obamunism to spark economic recovery. Already, support for the “Stimulus” is cratering, especially among independents, when they see it’s nothing but pork and socialism, and the cost is staggering. If the deficits trigger inflation (very likely), amid continued high unemployment (also likely), the public may sour on the Democrats by 2010. If Obama encounters a few more corruption scandals, that might be a problem, although the media will insulate him. If Iran gets the bomb, those defense cuts are going to look pretty reckless.
The Democrats may have to pass Amnesty just to save themselves. (Why do you think ACORN is getting $5 Billion in the “stimulus?”)
Actually VTK, you laid out all the GOP has to do: nothing. Just let Obama do 1 goof up after another, & the Dems will be poison by 2010.
You want some meat on it? OK then. The GOP should focus on what they’re for & not against. You said I slammed social conservatives. Now, now aren’t we defensive? You have no idea how repellent Christian conservatives are here (Maine & New England in general). A social conservative tries to run for office here & you just as well spray “Voters Be Gone” in the crowd; they run & vote Dems.
The GOP should focus on smaller government (that includes the bedroom & sexual privacy, V the K), a strong defense, lower taxes, greater individual freedom (there’s that bedroom thing again), free enterprise, etc. Enough meat for you? I’m not saying get rid of the social cons. Yes, they’re a part of the base. Notice I said a PART. Conservative (I’m actually more Libertarian as you can tell) gays like ourselves need a place at the table as well.
I think I can forgiven for thinking that “we have to help northeastern Republicans” and “we can’t let the South control the party” is code for purging what Kathleen Parker called the “Oogedy Boogedy” people from the party.
And Stonewall said you couldn’t be black, gay, and Republican. What do they know? RNC still remains Democrat Lite with the election of another Rockefeller Republican. Sytematic purging of the RINOs by the conservatives in 2010 and 2012 is the only way out of the forest.
An answer to my prayer. Michael Steele is the right person at this time. He has the ability to package our core principals in a way that will resonate with minorites. I believe he can unite conservatives and moderates (by moderates I don´t mean RINO´s ala Mayor Bloomberg or the late Jacob Javitz who used the R to get elected). Moderates should be supporting conservatives not submarining them as Christie Todd Whitman did to Brent Schundler´s gubernatorial campaign. Likewise, conservatives should be out helping moderates, not staying home on election day. As my late mentor used to say, ¨I prefer to have a Republican who votes with us 50% of the time than Democrat who votes with us zero % of the time. Those who stayed home last November 4th or voted for Chuck Baldwin didn´t punish the Republican Party. They punished the nation.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. — C. S. Lewis
Steele is a good choice because he’s telegenic on the media’s terms, can string two sentences together without a dyslexic gurgle or a senior moment, and is positioned to unify without being cynical or contrived. I still think the GOP is destined for obscurity like the Tories, but I’m liking the fight.
Hey, I don’t think it’s so much that the Republicans are viewed strictly as a party of “male white Christians” – I think it’s more that there are so many lame people with spines of spaghetti in the party! No-one stands up to anything (until recently with the stimulus package in the House), everyone is worried what people will think of them, they’re constantly crossing the aisle and bending over to grab the ankles (yes, I will use that analogy!). We’ve become a party of wimps – that’s what needs to change.
Ive been thinking more and more about people in the party that don’t fit the popular stereotype and bring new style and energy.
Zo’s videos at machosauce are beyond brilliant and energizing. And what about conservative punk rock? There’s a blog. There’s an art student on my street, long hair, loves freaky music and we nearly always agree on politics.
These people are out there. For too long the right has let the left define us as a stereotype, and as with all stereotyping, the right has to some extent gone along with it.
From the bottom up, I think it’s important that this changes, and that the invisible crowd of un-conventional republicans become more visible. We should embrace and promote the diversity that we already have.
Just a thought.
#19 – I once saw a guy use as his tagline “a proud member of the Oogedy-Boogedy wing of the GOP.”
Now I know why he used it.
Regards,
Peter H.
PS – I’m a proud member of the GayFella-Feigala branch of the GOP.
PLEASE, M.Steele- MR RNC CHAIRMAN_ lots of SUPPORT for BOBBY JINDAHLS SPEECH in reply to
Pres. Obamas message- IS NEEDED ..GET OUT THERE & VOCALLY SUPPORT all thAT WE STAND FOR AS bobby jahl DID/ IS –ETC.– wE NEED unity …we
need support for our PRINCIPLES & EACH OTHER!!
Lets hear LOUD & CLEAR on an ongoing basis….
PRES. OBAMA is a smooth speaker; but keep pointing
out that WORDS wont solve the enormous problems-
the falsehood in his messages, etc…. ANYONE can
tell people what THEY WANT to HEAR!! Let’s stand
on REALITY & What AMERICA REALLY NEEDS ….WE NEED to RESTORE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY Not add
to the WELFARE ROLES…we need to REDUCE GOV…
not enlarge it …REDUCE SPENDING- not ENLARGE it…
give persons a sense of worth…..TAKERS do not get that!
$EARNERS DO- dont kill Initiative- Bring back & support OUR TRADITIONAL “values” & “Initiatives” !!
PLEASE STAND BY B JINDAHL & others with that COURAGE……SPEAK LOUDLY !! THANK YOU !