Posted on 11/12/2006 4:26:16 PM PST by freespirited
Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who lost his race for a Senate seat, expressed interest Sunday in becoming chairman of the Republican National Committee.
"I have not had any conversations directly with the White House yet on this," Steele told C-SPAN.
Ken Mehlman, the current chairman, is stepping down when his two-year term ends in January. Mehlman made a point of emphasizing outreach to black voters and helped recruit Steele for the Maryland race.
Steele, who lost to Democratic Rep. Benjamin Cardin by a margin of 55 percent to 44 percent of the vote, said he believed it was time for the GOP to rethink its views in wake of losing both chambers of Congress in last week's midterm elections, which he described as a "tsunami." Steele said the electorate "was very clear."
"They expected the administration and the party to step up and speak to particular issues and, failing that, there would be heck to pay — and we paid," Steele said.
Steele said he wasn't sure when an announcement would be made on who will be the new committee chair.
Steele was head of the Maryland Republican Party before being elected lieutenant governor in 2002 as the first black candidate elected statewide in Maryland. His term as lieutenant governor will end in January.
Steele also explained why he largely avoided mentioning his party affiliation while campaigning. In a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, Steele said it was obvious what party he belonged to and there was no need to "rub it in your face."
"In a state like Maryland, there was an opportunity to move away from the labels and really try to dig beyond, you know, being a Republican or Democrat, red state or blue state," Steele said. "In fact, that's what people are sick of. I think we saw the results on Tuesday just how sick they are."
"They expected the administration and the party to step up and speak to particular issues and, failing that, there would be heck to pay — and we paid,"
I wouldn't have said 'heck', but otherwise, I couldn't have said it better myself. This guy gets it.
Well it would give the rest of us a good look at him. More importantly, it would give him a media platform to tell America about having Oreos thrown at him and being called racist names simply because he's a republican.
What a trade upwards.....I don't knopw if they will make the correct move though.....maybe Bush can ask Nancy who should head the RNC.
He would be a good face on the morning talk shows. As for policy issues, he would have no say.
Oh geeze don't say that, we'll end up with Bill Clinton leading the party.
AYE! He's got my vote!
Agreed!!! I want someone like Steele running the GOP!
The RNC chairman is not going to undo the party's positions, but thought this might be of interest.
http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Michael_Steele.htm
He comes from a state where the ruling Dems won't let any minority have a position of power. That's probably affected his opinion on Affirmative Action.
Anyone who saw Steele's incredibly RINO ads would not want him heading it. The man's campaign strategy was to convince people he was a Democrat, would that really be the best idea for the RNC?
Disappoints me to no end, too. As does the fact that the GOP has largely abandoned us on this issue. We do not want a party that has no principles and is merely the lesser of two evils. I don't think Steele would take us to that place--even though we have some disagreements.
Get this good man in place as soon as we can! His drive and freshness will do wonders for our efforts to bring new voters into our fold. As a genuine conservative and a Catholic he will understand the need to court groups that have been essential to victory in 2004.
Go Mike Go!
bttt
I'm not sure how good of a picture that characterization gives... he's for equal access, but against quotas.
I've liked Steele since I heard him speak at the convention. I remember calling up my father and telling him "forget this Obama guy, THIS is the newest star".
Unlike the Obama worshipers, I like Steele for what he said, not how he said it or what he looks like.
Steele is a smart, principaled and articulate black man who was trying to get elected in Maryland as a Republican. His ads weren't RINO, they were precisely made to deflect leftist racism. Having lived here for a few years now, I can attest that Maryland liberals are some of the most condescendingly racist people you'll ever meet in your life.
The absolute truth. There are a few Blacks who finally caught on, but too few and too late.
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