RNC Chairman: Obama and I Are in the Same Racial Boat

Townhall.com ^ | 4/8/2010 | Larry Elder

[Servant of the Cross]

"Do you feel that, as an African-American, you have a slimmer margin for error than another chairman would?"

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was asked this question on ABC's "Good Morning America." The RNC reimbursed a staffer -- since fired -- $2,000 for a trip to a Hollywood club featuring topless dancers, simulated sex and S&M scenes. So the Democrats/lib-media broke out the good china.

Steele said: "The honest answer is 'yes.' It just is. Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. A lot of folks do. It's a different role for me to play and others to play, and that's just the reality of it."

Good grief. So he and Obama, as fellow blacks, ride in the same boat on troubled racist waters? More people than not voted for Obama because of his race. And given the ever-concerned-about-being-perceived-as-racist GOP, Steele's race was also a plus -- enabling the party to say, "Hey, we're racially inclusive, too."

Steele could have said: "Yes, there is a slimmer margin of error -- but not because of racism. It comes from the double standard applied to Republicans. I'll give you just one example. Republican Mark Foley resigned from Congress because of sexually explicit Internet messages to an underage intern. It was such a big media-driven scandal that it helped Democrats regain control of Congress. His Democratic successor, a married man, put his mistress on his congressional payroll. When he fired her, she threatened to sue, and he paid her a six-figure settlement. Not big news."

He could have said: "According to a Web site by Republican David Frum, the DNC has spent lavishly on parties, travel, hotels and limos -- including $6,000 at a D.C. club with stripper poles and go-go dancers. But I guess Democrats and strippers don't make news like Republicans and strippers."

He could have said: "For crying out loud, it's 2010. This is America, where more than anywhere else -- regardless of race, ethnicity or gender -- you are rewarded or punished based on your performance. Losers whine and make excuses. Winners don't."

He could have said: "Gee, when Republicans preach hard work, accountability and strong family values, they call us scolds. When we let our hair down and show that we're receptive to alternative lifestyles, they call us hypocrites. Can't win. Seriously, Democrats and their media friends would like nothing more than to divert attention from what's really going on -- the fierce opposition to this administration's massive expansion of government. Nothing less than the future of the country is at stake, and we're going to take this country back."

He could have said: "Black Republicans pose a special threat because black Republicans disarm the left wing's weapons of racial grievance and the victicrat mentality. Black Republicans are a scary bunch. They don't follow the script by blaming everything on race, as if nothing's changed. Like a gay who supports traditional marriage, a Latino who wants the borders secured first, a woman who is pro-life, or a poor person who doesn't want to soak the rich -- we threaten groupthink and identity politics."

He had a teachable moment -- and he blew it. This says a lot about why Steele worries so many. A March National Journal poll of about 100 named "Republican insiders" found that 71 percent considered Steele a "liability."

Already under fire for incurring expenses thought excessive for travel and lodging, Steele caught flak for the money spent redecorating his office and for the time spent promoting his book.

A major complaint involves Steele's acceptance of money to give speeches. While this apparently does not violate committee rules, former RNC chairmen disapprove.

Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., who ran the RNC under President Ronald Reagan, said, "Holy mackerel, I never heard of a chairman of either party ever taking money for speeches. The job of a national chairman is to give speeches. That's what the national party pays him for."

Jim Nicholson, RNC chairman from 1997 to 2000, said, "(The position) demands so much of your time that you can work 24/7 and not get everything done, so taking time out to speak for the benefit of one's own bank account is not appropriate."

Rich Bond, 1992-93 RNC chair, said, "It just doesn't look right using RNC resources and trading on the title of chairman to make outside money."

Steele blames his difficulties on the "African-American ... slimmer margin for error" -- the same hazard that Obama deals with. Honestly. From the traditional media to the punditry class to academia to the monologues of late-night comics, never has any president enjoyed a more groveling, fawning, obsequious, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil, see-no-evil quasi-deification.

How long before the Democrats use Steele's own words to attack Republicans, tea partiers and others for refusing to accept that a black man has been elected president?

Steele faces Republican trouble from Republican unhappiness about his Republican leadership. This has nothing to do with race. By raising it, he diminishes himself, his party and his country.

[hal ogen]

Steele is NOT a man of steel. What a RINO race-card using nincompoop.

[onedoug]

Well met.

[Bigg Red]

He is a mole.

&&&
I think you are completely wrong about that. Steele is basically a decent man.

But it really saddens me to see Steele go this route, as I always thought he had a lot of promise. Elder makes a lot of excellent comments here.

[NonValueAdded]

... he says as he slaps down the race card. Hey, Michael, do you also have a greater than average margin for getting a pass simply because a potential critic doesn’t want to come off as racist? You are out of favor due to a failure to perform. It’s that simple; black, white, red, green, or purple ... failure is failure.

[Uncle Miltie]

Heck, we cut blacks more slack than anyone else, both 0bummer and Steele. So, yes, they are in the same racial boat: we treat them with kid gloves.

Both are incompetent. Steele’s politics are somewhat less noxious.

[ohiogrammy]

I say a big AMEN to that, I heard Blackwell years ago speak at a convention, he was amazing. I am so tired of this “racist” stuff, and now Steele is using it.

[Hostage]

I think Palin has been either captured by the RNC or she is playing both sides to the middle.

Either way I have my share of suspicions of her. I prefer Bachmann to Palin but not sure there either.

Of all people Boehner has impressed me of late but that’s likely momentary.

There is no Reagan out there.

I do not trust any Republican completely but Inhof ranks high.

As far as candidates that can remain principled, that can stay in tune and have vision, there are none.

But we need to put the fear into establishment pols right now, especially right now, with enormous grassroots and Tea Party unity. We should draw our leaders from that quarter.

The Republicans will not provide leadership and the democrats can be expected to do what they do, bow before their government union masters on the road to serfdom.

Anyways my excitement for Palin has waned. She made her choice to court the RINO element of the GOP and that has tarnished her credibility.

[wtc911]

My take on Palin is this...

Since she quit her elected position everything he has done publicly has been directed toward enriching the Palin brand.

She, imo, understands that her act of quitting mid-term is a deal killer for future national ambitions. The fact that even here, on FR, her most ardent supporters can't completely sell her is indicative a a much larger problem in the real world.

So, she writes a book and goes on tour to sell it. Good. Then she gets a Fox News gig which, one would assume, is a paying job. Good. Next comes a TV travelogue series...more money. All good for her (except that her term is still not over but we won't pick that nit).

Every appearance from Letterman or Leno or Hannity or on the stump for some RINO (or not) maintains the profile. Palin is in the Palin business. As long as she stays on the stage and holds open the possibility of a run at the WH stock in the company stays strong.

[Hostage]

Palin is doing it for money, yes but unfortunately it takes a lot of money to be President. So she is running for President or using that expectation to build a war chest so that she can have the option.

I would not mind her money-making if she would make better choices or somehow find a way to maintain her credibility.

I can understand her having to bow before McCain’s demands because he is one of the ultimate party insiders with great influence over the purse strings. Same with Steele, she has to bow before him in order to ensure she has access to political capital.

But that’s the road to RINOland. Bow before the money because without it you go nowhere.

But say the Tea Party has 10 million members capable of sending $10 for a Tea Pary endorsed candidate. That’s $100 million which is more than enough to fund a presidential campaign.

If the Tea Party could get a Reagan-type candidate with stature, credibility, vision and intelligence, then I would be more than happy with that and would gladly send not $10, not $100 but much more.

I do not trust GOP and I loath the democrat socialists.

[Churchillspirit]

I do so miss Larry Elder. He had the best talk show on radio. (maybe the second best after Rush).

[Cinnamon Girl]

I think it’s true that Steele is cut less slack— by the liberal media. Black or Jewish or even gay republicans do get extra scrutiny and a different level of criticism because they are regarded as traitors or sell outs or hypocrites somehow because they dare to feel more inclined to be conservative than socialist. That Steele would compare himself to Obama does suggest that he thinks race plays a role for the same reasons, which I think is incorrect. But I still like Michael Steele.

[wtc911]

I do not think that Palin is going to use the money she is making from her book and TV gigs to fund a run for office.

I don't think she wants to run at all.

I don't know what the field will look like yet, nobody does, but there should be one or two viable contenders.

[Psalm 144]

Steele is too smart to be so consistently and repeatedly stupid.

I therefore conclude that he is a sabateur.

[PhiKapMom]

That makes two of us. Also tired of the articles saying he was chosen because he was black. The only two really good candidates were Steele and Blackwell and Steele as I have said before won because he was a former member of the RNC.

Can you imagine how RNC would be running with Blackwell? It would be a smooth machine. He is not a flashy person and would be the last person to use the race card. My State Chair was his campaign manager at the meeting where Steele was elected. Hands down it should have been Blackwell!