Michael Steele Will Not Continue as RNC Chair

The rounds of voting continue at the RNC meeting, but Chairman Michael Steele has now dropped out.  There are still four candidates in the running.  Steele made an endorsement, but the person he endorsed is not a favorite of conservatives.  We'll see how that all works out.

UPDATE:  Final Ballot: Priebus 97, Anuzis 43, Cino 28 -- 85 votes were needed to win.

Reince Priebus will be the new RNC Chairman.  Don't know a thing about him.

Big GOP Donors: If Steele Stays We Go

Michael Steele surprised a lot of people when he announced that he would go for another term as RNC Chairman.  Steele's first term has been rife with big spending, debt, shaky entertainment choices, and a general feeling that Steele was not up to the job.  He's trying to take credit for the big GOP sweep in November, but many of us who supported his initial run for office are now thinking it would be better to get someone else.  Big GOP donors are thinking the same thing:

Some of the Republican Party’s most prominent donors reacted Tuesday with shock — and then fury — to Michael Steele’s decision to seek re-election, bluntly warning that they would not raise money for the party if the controversial chairman wins another term.

None of the contributors has a vote on the committee, but with worries about the debt-ridden party’s finances hanging over Steele, the unambiguous threats could further undermine the incumbent’s already-dim prospects for victory.

While nothing firm was planned, a number of the contributors said they had been in contact with one another since Steele’s announcement Monday night about what they could do to send a message to the 168 members of the committee who will decide the next chairman in January.

“If Mr. Steele were to prevail, it will further alienate the party’s major financial supporters and most active fundraisers,” said Wayne Berman, a top Washington lobbyist and bundler who served as the McCain presidential campaign’s finance chairman in 2008. “His arrogant style, cult of personality and embarrassing mismanagement are sources of great discontent with the major fundraisers of the party.”

I like Michael Steele personally, but don't think he's cut out for this job. I'd like to see him step aside for the good of the party.

Here's Why We're Going to Need a New RNC Chairman

I like Michael Steele personally and supported his run for Chairman of the Republican National Committee.  But I can't support his re-election and it's statements like this that drive me crazy:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Sunday that he “appreciates” high estimates for the number of seats the GOP may win Tuesday, but that he’s more focused on hitting the mark of 39 seats to take back the majority in the House of Representatives.

“If we get 39 seats and take the majority, that’s a success,” Steele said on CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley. “If we get 37 seats, that’s success. Keep in mind, we got to keep this thing in context here: we were a party out of power.”

No, Michael, if we get 37 seats that's not success, that's a dismal failure in this electoral climate and we'll still be a party out of power.  We've got to have somebody in there who will get right back in the faces of the media and the Dems and won't settle for less than total victory.  I just don't think Steele is the guy.

Conservative Christian Groups: Don't Give to the RNC

The tone deafness of the Republican National Committee is costing them donations from a very reliably conservative constituency - Christians:

Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council and an influential social conservative, is urging his members to stop giving money to the Republican National Committee, POLITICO has learned.

"I've hinted at this before, but now I am saying it: Don't give money to the RNC," Perkins will tell FRC members in the group's next e-mail newsletter. "If you want to put money into the political process, and I encourage you to do so, give directly to candidates who you know reflect your values."

Perkins' move comes two days after it was disclosed that the committee spent nearly $2,000 at a lesbian bondage club near Los Angeles — a revelation that has revived Republican griping about Chairman Michael Steele and the national party.

"This latest incident is another indication to me the RNC is completely tone-deaf to the values and concerns of a large number of people they are seeking financial support from," Perkins writes.

His move comes a few weeks after Mark DeMoss, a prominent Christian conservative P.R. executive and donor, said after the disclosure of the RNC's controversial fundraising presentation that he would stop giving to the national party.

In his missive, Perkins also lamented that the RNC had touted their hiring super-lawyer Ted Olson to represent them in a campaign finance case.

"Yes, this is the same Ted Olson that is trying to overturn the results of the marriage amendment in California," Perkins writes. "The outcome of Olson's challenge to Prop 8 goes far beyond nullifying the votes of nearly 7 million voters in California; his efforts could lead to the overturning of amendments and laws in all 45 states that currently define marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

Many conservatives are tired of funding a national party that doesn't seem very picky about the candidates they support, or the leisure time activities they fund. A lot of people would rather support their local conservative candidates directly rather than have their donations diluted by running them through a middleman like the RNC.

That prevents money from going to RINOs...or lesbos.

RNC Aide Acts Incredibly Stupidly

And he's been fired for spending RNC money on a questionable Hollywood nightclub:

A Republican National Committee staffer who accompanied a group of young donors to a bondage-themed West Hollywood club and then expensed the nearly $2,000 tab has been fired by the committee, POLITICO has learned.

RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay announced the firing in an internal committee email obtained by POLITICO.

“This was not an RNC sanctioned event and was not associated in any way with any RNC official event,” McKay wrote of the February outing to Voyeur, a West Hollywood club modeled after the risqué Tom Cruise-Nicole Kidman movie “Eyes Wide Shut.”

The late-night excursion followed an official RNC event in Los Angeles for donors in its “Young Eagles” program, McKay wrote, stressing that neither Chairman Michael Steele nor any senior staff were aware of either the outing or the committee’s reimbursement of the cost.

McKay wrote that the fired staffer, who is not named in the email, “was aware that this activity was not eligible for reimbursement and had been previously counseled on this very subject. Accordingly, that staff person has been terminated.”

McKay also wrote that the donor who was reimbursed for footing the bill at Voyeur, Erik Brown, “has verbally agreed to repay the funds to the RNC.”

A source with knowledge of the situation said Brown, a church-going mid-level political operative, “was not entirely thrilled with the venue that people ended up at,” but nonetheless agreed to foot the bill after the RNC staffer in question told him the committee would reimburse the cost.

It's not enough to get rid of the clown to spent the money and submitted the expense, whoever approved it for reimbursement also needs to go, even if it's Steele himself.

You First, Democrats

How about leading by example, Democrats, instead of silly PR stunts like this:

The Republican National Committee has rejected a proposal from its Democratic counterpart to sign a joint “civility” statement, POLITICO has learned.

Various members of the DNC — including Chairman Tim Kaine, Executive Director Jen O’Malley Dillon and Communications Director Brad Woodhouse — contacted their respective RNC counterparts this week in hopes of getting RNC Chairman Michael Steele to co-sign a document with Kaine that, in part, called for “elected officials of both parties to set an example of the civility we want to see in our citizenry.”

When Democrats are out of power civility is completely a foreign concept to them. Once in power they demand civility from their opponents that they would never give when they were in the minority.

Stick it in your ear, Dems. How's that for civility?

How Worried Are the Democrats?

Let's see, three prominent Democrats have announced their retirements in the past 24 hours, so I'm thinking they're getting pretty worried. John Fund has more:

How worried are Democrats about the mid-term voting only 10 months away? "If the election were held today, we'd lose the House," Democratic campaign consultant Tom King told the Huffington Post this week, expressing a view that HuffPo says is echoed by a number of Democratic strategists in off-the-record conversations.

Democrats are reportedly busy devising a strategy as a firewall against a citizen revolt at the polls. Rather than emphasize their party's accomplishments, they will attack Republicans for wanting to restore the discredited Bush era. "The Republican party in Washington today is no different than the Republican party that ran the Congress before," Rep. Chris Van Hollen, head of the Democratic House campaign committee, told the liberal Talking Points Memo.

Without delay, campaign strategists are advising Democratic clients to use bloggers, phone banks, direct mail and canvassers to try to create a negative impression of their GOP opponents. Labeling their GOP candidates as being part of the Sarah Palin or Tea Party wing of the GOP will be the key element. One Democratic consultant told Huffington Post that the 2010 election "basically comes down to one thing. You've got to kick the [bleep] out of somebody."

No doubt both sides intend to play rough this political year. Still, it's striking how much Democrats have pivoted away from the civility that President Obama pledged to bring to Washington.

So, Democrats think they will lose the House and the RNC's Michael Steele is assuring them they won't. Something's very wrong with this.

GOP Chief: We Won't Take Control of Either House

In a general sense I like Michael Steele a lot, but this can only be read as a gaffe:

Appearing on Sean Hannity's nationally syndicated show the same day his new book, "Right Now," hit store shelves, Steele said the GOP is set for "nice pick-ups" in the House. But, he said, at the moment there aren't enough candidates to take out enough Dems.

"I can't give a number [of seats the GOP will win] yet, because like I said, we're just now beginning to look at the races," Steele said. Asked if GOPers will take back the House, Steele confessed: "Not this year."

"I don't know all the candidates yet," Steele continued, according to a transcript of the show. "We still have some vacancies that need to get filled, but then the question we need to ask ourselves is: If we do that, are we ready?"

In fact, when Hannity followed up on the point, Steele said he doesn't know if the GOP is ready to take back the reins of power.

"I don't know. And that's what I'm assessing and evaluating right now. Those candidates who are looking to run have to be anchored in these principles," he said, referring to 5 conservative ideals he lays out in his new tome. "If they don't [anchor themselves], then they'll get to Washington, and they'll start drinking that Potomac River water, and they'll get drunk with power and throw the steps out the window."

It is the latest in a series of comments Steele has made that have GOP strategists on Capitol Hill privately fuming...

Members of Congress and top GOP aides are livid with Steele's latest comments. Buzz early Tuesday surrounded just how aggressive Congressional aides and political strategists should push back, a delicate task when Steele controls the RNC's purse strings.

There's nothing wrong with hedging that "not this year" statement a bit. Real leadership wouldn't just dismiss the possibility with 11 months still to go to the election. Why not just say "hard to tell - looks like a tough year for Democrats in 2010". Better to keep the idea out there that the GOP could win big rather than just dismiss it like that.

ATTN: GOP: I've available as a consultant if you need me.

Steele Tweaks the Left

Michael Steele has been pretty good lately, and his shot at Obama for asking NY Gov. David Paterson to withdraw from the race is right out of the left's playbook:

After accusing Jimmy Carter last week of playing the race card, Steele said this yesterday: “I found that to be stunning, that the White House would send word to one of only two black governors in the country not to run for re-election. And it just raised a curious point for me. I think … Gov. Paterson's numbers are about the same as Gov. Corzine's numbers, yet the president was with Gov. Corzine.

Heh.

Completely Unsolicited Fashion Advice for Michael Steele

RNC Chairman Michael Steele was making the TV rounds yesterday responding to various Democrats who are trying to make a racial case for opposition to Obama. Here's a screenshot from CNN:

With all due respect, Mr. Chairman, don't wear a bow-tie. When I see an African-American wearing a bow-tie I immediately think "Nation of Islam".That's a connection Steele really doesn't want to make.

Dems 2008: Protest is Patriotic / Dems 2009: Protest is Racist

From Politico (h/t Don Surber):

Eight months into Barack Obama’s presidency, as criticism of his administration seems to reach new levels of volume and intensity each week, the whispers among some of his allies are growing louder: That those who loathe the nation’s first African-American president, and especially those who would deny his citizenship, are driven at least in part by racism.

It’s a feeling that’s acutely felt among those supporters of Obama who are themselves minorities. Conversations with Democrats at an otherwise upbeat Democratic National Committee fall gathering here, an event largely devoted to party housekeeping, reflected a growing anger at what many see as a troubling effort to delegitimize Obama’s hold on the office.

“As far as African-Americans are concerned, we think most of it is,” said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), when asked in an interview in between sessions how much of the more extreme anger at Obama is based upon his race. “And we think it’s very unfortunate. We as African-American people of course are very sensitive to it.”

I know a lot of people who are opposed to Obama. I read blogs and articles by a lot of folks opposed to Obama. I don't know a single person among that group that is opposed to Obama because of his race. His race is irrelevant. It's his policies that are turning people against him.

In order to believe that race is the issue you'd have to believe that these same people would have opposed Condi Rice, Michael Steele or Colin Powell had they been candidates. To be fair, I would have opposed Colin Powell, but on his policies, not his skin color.

False accusations always have unintended consequences, and in this case they are cheapening the term "racist" to the point where it will have no real meaning. It's the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" syndrome written in real life. If everyone's a racist, no one's a racist and when real racism shows up, no one will pay attention to the charge.

I get called a racist three or four times a day by Obama syncophants. There was a time when that might have bothered me. It doesn't anymore.

Steele Snickers at Snarlin' Arlen

Michael Steele, head of the Republican National Committee, is enjoying the travails suffered by turncoat Sen. Arlen Specter:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele burst out laughing Wednesday after watching a clip of Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) insisting that the town hall protesters are “not necessarily representative of America.”

Asked to respond to the clip during an interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto, Steele had to gather himself just to answer the question.

“I’m sorry, I’m laughing, I’m sorry,” Steele said as he tried to respond to Specter.

“Not representative of America? Well, then who are they representative of?” Steele asked. “This is part of the craziness that we’re hearing from the left on this issue. They’re trying to obfuscate the fact that the American people ticked off, as one of the participants said yesterday, and they’re very concerned.”

I have to admit, I'm rather enjoying it myself.

Michael Steele: Obamacare is Socialism

Speak up, Mr. Chairman:

The chairman of the Republican Party on Monday called President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul health care "socialism," accusing the president of conducting a risky experiment that will hurt the economy and force millions to drop their current coverage.

Michael Steele, in remarks at the National Press Club, also said the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and key congressional committee chairmen are part of a "cabal" that wants to implement government-run health care.

"Obama-Pelosi want to start building a colossal, closed health care system where Washington decides. Republicans want and support an open health care system where patients and doctors make the decisions," Steele said.

Asked if Obama's health care plan represented socialism, Steele responded: "Yes. Next question."

Obama has repeatedly said he does not favor a government-run health care system. Legislation taking shape in the House envisions private insurance companies selling coverage in competition with the government.

That last paragraph is the AP's way of providing cover for Obama, and perhaps they haven't yet figured out that what he says and what his actions will actually do are quite different. While Obama professes not to want a government-run health care system, the bill coming out of the House is nearly guaranteed to create just that because private insurers will never be able to compete with a government-backed program that can subsidize rates and doesn't have to make a profit. In addition, as noted in previous posts, there is language in the House bill that would pretty much require people to switch to the government option upon any significant change in their private policy.

It will result in socialized medicine.

Michael Steele Declares the End of the One Party System

RNC chairman Michael Steele is sounding a little feisty today (from The Swamp):

"The era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over,'' Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, told state party chairmen today at an assembly at a Potomac Riverfront convention center.

"We have turned the corner on regret, recrimination, self-pity and self-doubt,'' Steele said.

"The second turning point for our party is this. We are going to take the president head-on. The honeymoon is over,'' he said, addressing President Barack Obama's popularity, an "Obama phenomenon'' which the GOP should no longer fear. "The two-party system is making a comeback, and that comeback starts today.''

The party would be abandoning its responsibility, if it didn't speak out against profligate spending and other Democratic initiatives, he suggested, criticial of the big "left turn'' which the nation has taken with its new president.

"We are not going to be silent. We are going to speak up,'' the chairman said to applause in the hall. "We will not be afraid to agree with the president when we believe he is doing what is best for America, but neither will we be afraid to disagree with the president when we believe his actions are hurting our country''
.
"Many have suggested that we have to be careful, that we have to tip-toe around President Obama, that we have to be careful not to take him on,'' Steele said. "The president is personally popular... Folks like him.. He's a great orator. His campaign style is wonderful... He's young, he's cool, he's hip, he's got a good looking family... what's not to like?

"There's only one problem,'' Steele said to more applause. "He's taking us in the wrong direction and bankrupting our country... We will and we must stand against his disastrous policy.... We're going to take this president on with class. We're going to take this president on with dignity,'' he said, deriding the "classless and shabby way'' that Democrats challenged former President George W. Bush.

Good. The GOP has got to quit sitting back and letting Obama and the Dems do whatever they want. We may not have the votes to stop them, but we can certainly make their policies costly for the them in the future. However, the education of the public has to start now to be effective in 2010.

Michael Steele Keeps Stepping On His Tongue

I am in general a big fan of Michael Steele and supported his chairmanship of the RNC, but Steele has made two rather remarkable gaffes as chairman in a very short time.

For some odd reason he decided to take on Rush Limbaugh within days of his election, and now he's scrambling to backtrack on a comment in which he basically came out for choice on the abortion issue and said it should be a state decision. Of course, the official Republican position is pro-life and in favor of a constitutional amendment banning abortion, so needless to say, he's doing damage control.

For what it's worth, I agree with the position that states should make the call on abortion, not the federal government. Roe v. Wade should be overturned because it's bad law to federalize the abortion issue and if the constitution means anything, that issue should be left to the states. If you don't like what your state chooses to do, you can either move or pursuade your fellow citizens to change.

Steele will have to eat crow to keep the party ideologues happy, and somehow he's going to have to really start thinking before he answers questions. At this point he's too easy to trip up.

And, according to some reports, the special election in New York State may make the difference in whether he keeps his job. Hillary Clinton's replacement in the Senate came from a pretty Republican district that the GOP needs to win back. If the party can't win that seat, Steele may be looking for something else to do.

Michael Steele's First Big Oops!

Michael, Michael, Michael...why do you fall for the media baiting:

In an interview on CNN with D.L. Hughley, Steele assured that he, not Limbaugh, was in charge of the party before saying that he wanted to put the right-wing talker “into context.”

“Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer,” Steele said. “Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment. Yes it’s incendiary, yes it’s ugly.”

Steele’s comments, first noticed by NBC producer Chris Donovan, are sure to rankle Limbaugh in part because they validate the liberal critique of the conservative force: that he’s merely an “entertainer.”

This is somewhat surprising, both from the standpoint that Steele should know better as a Republican, and from the standpoint that Rush went out of his way to defend Steele when he was running for the Senate in Maryland. He even brought him on the show a time or two.

After Rush's first address to the nation on Saturday the mainstream media went into full damage control mode as they sought to find Republicans who would say they didn't agree with Rush or who would somehow otherwise repudiated him. Eric Cantor got sucked into this too.

Repudiating the most cogent voice for conservatism in America today will not help Republicans win in the future. The attacks by Obama, Rahm Emanuel and the media on Rush are designed to make any criticism of Obama and his policies unacceptable and perhaps even racist, and if they can get Republicans to agree with them, they've won the war.

Rush had a very simple response on his show today. Since some prominent GOP members do not agree with Rush that he hopes Obama fails, Rush asked them to explain which policies of Obama they want to succeed? Nationalized health care? Higher taxes? Hugely expanded government? End of welfare reform? Continued declines in the stock market and shrinking 401k balancs? He even offered them time on his show to explain how the success of Obama's policies will be good for America.

Brilliant response.

So far, no takers.

From what I'm hearing Steele and the RNC are getting an earful today from outraged conservatives. He also got an earful from Rush in the third hour of the show, and Michelle Malkin gently upbraided him on her blog. The RNC made the mistake of disregarding conservative principles in the last couple of elections. This isn't going to help and Steele better work to fix it...quickly. The GOP's a mess.

Of course, Obama and crowd are secretly loving this. They want nothing more than for the GOP to sink into a mire of intramural squabbles. Everybody needs to start singing from the same sheet music.

UPDATE: Excerpt from Rush's show:

"I’m not in charge of the Republican Party, and I don’t want to be,” Rush said. “I would be embarrassed to say that I’m in charge of the Republican Party in a sad-sack state that it’s in. If I were chairman of the Republican Party, given the state that it’s in, I would quit.”

Rush then mocked those who have criticized him for saying he wants Obama to fail, and directly challenged them to choose: You either want Obama to succeed or fail at his goal of dismantling conservatism.

“So send those fundraising requests out,” Rush said in a sneering tone, in an apparent reference to Steele, adding: “Make sure you say, `We want Obama to succeed.’ So people understand your compassion.”

“Republicans and conservatives are sick and tired of being talked down to, they’re sick and tired of being lectured to,” Rush continued. “And until you show some understanding and respect for who they are, you’re gonna have a tough time rebuilding your party.”

UPDATE: Steele apologizes. That didn't take long. Note to Rosie O'Donnell - it looks like fire does melt Steele.

The New RNC Chairman Applauds the GOP House Caucus

Brand new RNC Chairman Michael Steele had some kind words for the GOP House members that voted unanimously to oppose the Obama/Pelosi Porkulus Bill:

“Let me start by saying, the goose egg that you laid on the president’s desk was just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Now, folks, I know we’re in the era of bipartisanship, but it’s easy to be bipartisan when you outnumber the minority two to one. Anyone can be bipartisan then. But I thought it was very, very important that you sent a signal, and you sent it loudly and very clearly, that this party, that the leadership of this caucus, will stand first and foremost with the American people. You made it very clear that in order to grow through this recession, that you would not redistribute the wealth of the people of this nation. That you would empower them to earn it, invest it, save it, and spend it on their terms.”

The Senate has a lot more "mavericks" in their caucus, but hopefully they were paying attention when the GOP slapped down Pelosi and Obama. There's no reason why they should accept this bill without substantial changes.

The RNC Election - UPDATE: It's Steele!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Michael Steele, new RNC Chairman!

Michael Steele wins on the 6th ballot 91-77 over Katon Dawson. Nice job, Republican National Committee!

Given the way the GOP is standing up to Obama's Porkulus bill, and now this election of Micahel Steele, things are definitely looking up for the party. I don't think 2010 is going to look anything like 2006 & 2008.

=======
Today several candidates are vying for the position of chairman of the Republican National Committee. As of this writing there have been four ballots and two candidates have already dropped out, including the imcumbent chairman. Ken Blackwell has also dropped out and endorsed Michael Steele. Here are the results of the fourth ballot (from Campaign Spot):

Steele: 60
Dawson: 62
Anuzis: 31
Blackwell: 15

The winner needs 85 votes. If all of Blackwell's go to Steele, you have to think he's gonna win it. Stay tuned.

There are concerns that fourth ballot leader Katon Dawson could be a problem for the GOP. I personally would like to see Michael Steele win it. Saul Anuzis sends me 4 or 5 email a day, but that apparently hasn't helped him. He'll be the next one out.

UPDATE: Fifth round:

Steele: 79
Dawson 69
Anuzis 20

I'm now hearing that Anuzis has dropped out without endorsing either candidate. Next round should decide it.

Michael Steele on Fox News Sunday

Michael Steele, who is now running for RNC chairman, was interviewed by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. He was impressive as you'll see below:

Steele Yes, Newt No

There's a battle raging for the position of Republican National Committee chief, and the two guys who seem to be the leaders are Newt Gingrich and Michael Steele:

A behind-the-scenes battle to take the reins of the Republican National Committee is taking off between former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.

Neither man will acknowledge his interest in the post, but Republicans close to each are burning up the phone lines and firing off e-mails to fellow party members in an effort to oust RNC Chairman Mike Duncan in the wake of the second consecutive drubbing of Republican candidates at the polls.

A bevy of backers for each man, neither of whom is an RNC member, say the committee needs a leader who can formulate a counter-agenda to President-elect Barack Obama's administration and articulate it on the national stage.

"The Republican National Committee has to ask itself if it wants someone who has successfully led a revolution," Randy Evans, Gingrich confidant and personal attorney based in Atlanta, told The Washington Times on Monday. "If it does, Newt's the one."

Yes, Newt was a miracle worker in 1994 and helped the GOP sweep to control of both houses of Congress. However, lest we forget, only four years after ascending to the Speakership of the House, Newt resigned in disgrace following an election drubbing in 1998 and revelations of problems in his personal life.

Michael Steele is a relatively fresh face, having served as Lt. Governor and run as candidate for Senate in Maryland in 2006, and is a great ambassador for the Republican Party. He's also black, and right now the GOP needs an outreach to minority voters. I'd like to see Steele get that job.