(November 3, 2009 - Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)
Steele: White Republicans Are Scared Of Me
I missed this over the weekend, but the wonderful Chairman of the RNC, Michael Steele, appeared on News One Sunday and did more damage to the relationship between the Republican Party and minorities than he has been able to do in his almost 12 months as “head” of the Republican Party – and he has been working hard at it. Roland Martin of Washington Watch asked Steele what two issues the Party had to offer black people to bring them over to the Right. Steele responded “Education and the economy; education and jobs; education and small business.” The follow-up is where Steele lost me. Martin said to Steele, “One of the criticisms I have always had is White Republicans are scared of Black folks.” This is where you would expect Steele to have something witty or at least pre-scripted to respond to such a question. He did not. His response? ”You’re absolutely right. I’ve been in the room and they’re scared of me. I’m like…I’m on your side. So I can imagine going out there and talking to someone like you.” He then goes on to discuss how the Virginia and New Jersey governor races were a sign of a change in tides because they were both willing to lean on members of the Black community to ease their path into that demographic. Blah blah blah.
I have said it from the day that he was chosen. Michael Steele is the absolute worst possible person to be heading the RNC at the present moment. The fact is this. He alienates everyone he hopes to bring together. By going on this show and making these comments, he will undoubtedly turn off a portion of his Party that already supported Republican candidates. By making these statements in the attempt to seem “real” to black voters, he comes across as a politician saying one thing on a “black” program and another when on Fox News. When he has been attacked with similar statements while appearing on that network he has done everything short of call his attacker a racist and throw a fit, yet this time it was “cool.” To young voters, he comes off as nothing more than an out of touch nerd, geek, goober, dweeb, you name the term for a socially inept clown trying to appear to fit in that you may find appropriate.
Why can’t this guy just be comfortable in his own skin and move past the racial dialog at every turn? Why does he insist on forcing the Republican Party to be the only political entity acknowledging racial prejudices as if they are still running rampant like they were in the 1970′s? When is he going to realize that voters don’t want to hear about racism, race, demographics, and urban/rural, and subconscious or conscious prejudices any longer? They want to hear about principle, policy, and issues, and those who don’t will never rise above their own ignorance either way.
As the rest of the world has moved into this post racial era of American politics, perhaps it is fitting that the “head of the Republican Party is the only one wanting to go back a few years and admit that the Party is full of a bunch of race mongers. We are the ones that allow him to continue to have a job. Without it and the label as Chairman of the RNC, no one would care what this man has to say. Why is he the only one who can’t come to terms with the fact that the racist factions that exist within BOTH parties, are never going to change their ways; and going on programs and selling his soul to try to win over those individuals by agreeing with them, only adds fuel to a long-burning fire. The man is an idiot; the man is far too racially motivated in his actions; and the man is a so unbelievably out of touch that he only serves to alienate potential voters rather than bringing them on board. The longer that the Republican Party continues to allow him to prance around as “the leader” of the Party, the longer it will remain the minority party that has no chance of appealing to “minority” voters.
To watch the video of Steele making a “Jackass” of himself click here.
Dont you think you are coming down a little hard on Steel here? He is the leader of the party and he is trying to keep the debate going rather than giving up on undecided voters. I think he gets some leeway when he makes these kind of statements. He is only trying to bring new voters to the party. I think that is a good thing.
I wish Michael Steele would stop trying to appeal to black liberals on their terms…… I want CONSERVATIVES in the Republican party. I don’t care about their race, religion, or sexual orientation.
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