Steele Likely to Seek RNC Leadership Post

Fox News ^ | November 11, 2008 | Bill Sammon

[St. Louis Conservative]

Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, has decided to run for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee and is in talks with Newt Gingrich to win the former House speaker's endorsement, FOX News learned Tuesday.

Steele declined to comment, but a source close to the situation said Steele would announce his candidacy as early as Thursday.

The source also contradicted a report in Tuesday's Washington Times that Steele and Gingrich were competing for the RNC post.

"There is no fight," the source said. "This tension between Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich is totally fabricated and, in fact, Gingrich and Steele are working together to create a new strategy for the direction of the GOP."

[smith288]

I loved his campaign ads when he was running for senate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wjJyMDUH0&feature=channel

[K-oneTexas]

I agree. As I’ve already said ... Steele should be the head of the RNC. Steele has a bully pulpit to talk from and be reported in the Press.

Newt and Fred have supporting roles getting to the people. Keep the message on the ‘AIR’ at all times.

[parksstp]

At the expense of making some people mad, I have to relate my observations as someone who lives in the Peoples Republic of Maryland

Steele is a good Republican for the state of Maryland, but I’m not sure based on comments he made about the Bush Administration or Rumsfeld that he could be labeled the “full spectrum conservative”. Go back to his Meet the Press debate with Ben Cardin. I have the sinking suspicion that had Steele won that Senate race, he would be referred on this site to other RINO’s like Lindsey Graham, Snowe, Collins, Coleman, etc.

I don’t mean to rain on the Steele bandwagon parade, just my observations. I hope I’m wrong.

[ForbesFan]

Gingrich is a RINO. I used to like him back in the day, but not so much anymore. We need fresh faces. The party is shrinking and guys like Gingrich are not going to help bring in new voters.

[Yench500]

I’m hoping the GOP will tell the MSM to FOAD when they (MSM) start meddling in the selection process for RNC National Chair. That didn’t work out for us so well with open primaries.

Agenda items, IMO

Get rid of open primaries

Read the Riot Act to RINOs in Congress and on the State Level (either they change or get left in the dust...)

Dust off the late Lee Atwater’s playbook and update it with input from Mike Pence, Duncan Hunter, Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, Thad McCotter, Mark Sanford, Jim DeMint, Haley Barbour

And never forget Barry Goldwater & Ronald Reagan.

[MinuteGal]

We are SO better off with Newt pulling out of the race. He's into "tri-partisanship" crappola rhetoric now (Republicans, Democrats, Independents) and that's all we need now for a chairman of the REPUBLICAN Party, right?

Steele is trustworthy.....and I hope the GOP bosses, whoever the heck they are, will approve a conservative chair. We have to fight for him!

Let's not feel secure on this appointment till Helen Thomas sings.

Leni

[SMCC1]

Steele is labeled “Moderate” according to...
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Michael_Steele.htm

[babubabu]

I don’t know if this is the best choice. Steele is great, but we need a guy with a track record.

[ZULU]

Is he pro-second amendment?

[deport]

But I believe a stronger message would be sent should Michael Steele be the face of Republican dissent in America.

---

The question I have is Steele that type person? A in your face, in the media type, or is he a behind the scenes type person. Right now I think we need someone who will be out front on tv, in the papers, speaking at as many events as posible, etc to keep the GOP focused. The Party Chair doesn’t have to be the one to be nominated in 12 or 16 but rather the one to keep the party focused and before the public.

[roaddog727]

I’m on board with Mike Steele.

[pgkdan]

That’s great news. I really like Michael Steele. My wife would like to see him take both Hannity and Colmes’s part and just do the Michael Steele show every night at 9:00.

[bcsco]

Whether Steele is the head of the RNC, or its face in public, it sends a message that needs to be aired. I’d prefer at this time his being the head over Gingrich. But others may know his conservative credentials better than I.

In any case, I believe he could be a fine spokesman based on what I’ve seen of him on TV. However, it’s the message that has to be fine-tuned and positively developed for a mass audience.

[don-o]

Just listened to Newt yakking with Hannity. Impression I get is he is most interested in Newt.

[seekthetruth]

“Steele is trustworthy.....and I hope the GOP bosses, whoever the heck they are, will approve a conservative chair. We have to fight for him!”

Yes we should fight for Michael Steele! Go to the RNC web site and write letters to everyone you can! All the email addresses are there. I will be writing tomorrow for sure!:)

[muir_redwoods]

I will always respect and appreciate Newt but he's aready been painted by the MSN and Steele has the ability to turn that back on his attackers>

Now is the time for the Republicans to build a fresh structure of real conservatives.

[bcsco]

See my post #33. I’ve seen Steele on TV and I believe he has the talent. I’m not that sure of his conservative credentials, but it’s the message that counts. That’s what has to be finely developed and packaged. I believe Steele could handle the job smartly.

[Dengar01]

We just need to throw out the country club republican RINOs. For starters we need to throw out the bum running the Illinois GOP. Since he's taken over we have loss seats in the IL House/Senate US House/Senate, seen the election of Obama (to senate in 04).

Andy McKenna is a bum and needs to go!

[Texas Federalist]

Newt is a better choice. We need someone with a track record of winning elections.

[Frantzie]

Steele is a good guy but Newt may be the smartest tactical Republican out there. He understands the American people and knows how to win elections.