Michael Steele’s latest: ’some white Republicans are afraid of me’
Would it be it too forward to ask Michael Steele to stay RNC chair forever??? From Raw Story, news that the RNC chairman’s “off the hook” public relations campaign to appeal to blacks and Hispanics in “urban-suburban hip-hop settings” is going just great! (fo shizzle):
During a weekend interview, Michael Steele told TV One’s Roland Martin that he has experienced fear from other selected members of his party because of the color of his skin.
MARTIN: How do you — granted, a popular president got 95% of the black vote — you got any shot at getting black voters and if so what are the two issues that speaks to black voters for Republican have a shot at them?
STEELE: Education and the economy. Education and jobs. Education and small business.
MARTIN: But your candidates got to talk to them. One of the criticisms I’ve always had is Republicans — white Republicans — have been scared of black folks.
STEELE: You’re absolutely right. I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me. I’m like, “I’m on your side” and so I can imagine going out there and talking to someone like you, you know, [you're like,] “I’ll listen.” And they’re like “Well.” Let me tell you. You saw in Christie and you saw in McDonnell a door open because they went in and engaged. McDonnell was very deliberate about spending –
And he was all, like: “I’m listening, baby!” And the white people were all like … “whoa, we’re like, so scared of you, dude!” And he was like “no way…” Meanwhile, the Hot Airians are not amused (including by Allahpundit linking to RawStlory.) A commenter named Mr. Scribbler captures the mood:
Is this a political party or a Saturday Night Live skit?
I’m going with SNL. This guy is just too precious not to be doing it on purpose! Then again, it does explain his curious lack of presence at those Klan rally-esque tea parties. More reaction from the Freepers, and The Political Carnival is kind enough to provide “off the hook” video!
By the way, to a substantive point for a moment — Steele mentions the GOP’s two gubernatorial victories last Tuesday (which I suspect he’ll be mentioning every day for the next year — the better not to think about the two lost Congressional seats just before a healthcare vote that passed the House by … two votes. But he neglects to mention that both Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell ran and won as moderates, while in the case of McDonnell, his opponent Creigh Deeds lost votes because his base perceived him as too conservative, or that the voters who elected both of the winning Republican candidates were almost entirely white. So no, neither Christie nor McDonnell — even running as moderates — did much to appeal to black voters, education and jobs or no.
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Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter or Glen Beck? Or perhaps Sean Hannity or Bill Bennet? Steele can take his pick I'm quite sure they all want him out as RNC Chairman.
You know, I had a genuine post-racial feeling with this guy- not empty rhetoric like Obama, seemed to me he was largely focused on issues/campaigns… so what’s THIS all about?
I’ve defended him on my blog more than once and gave him the complete benefit of the doubt, too- although a bit out of his depth, I thought he’d grow into the job- I like his personality, and hey- at least the guy’s got a sense of humor.
But after NY-23 I lost most respect for him… that’s largely his fault for letting it go down like that– he’s the boss, and it was botched, that’s all I know.
Hey Mike, I’m not afraid of you, man- unless you’re referring to your ability to quarterback us through the 2010 midterms that are the one last hope for this country.
We need to get that right, so I’m sure you’ll understand it if you get benched– nothing personal, and CERTAINLY nothing racial about it… you’re just disappointing us, that’s all.
[...] the upper echelons of the GOP (he has put it a different way, saying some white Republicans are scared of him. It’s probably more accurate to say they’re scared of what he’ll say next…) [...]