‘Top Line’: Steele Off-Message (Again)
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Touting his new book last night on Fox News, RNC Chairman Michael Steele got the kind of question party chairmen get all the time: Will the Republican Party win control of Congress this year? “Not this year,” Steele told Sean Hannity — in a comment that no doubt came as a shock to party leaders and operatives who have been arguing for months that the GOP has a real chance to take back control of the House in 2010. A moment later, Steele tried to clarify, saying he wasn’t sure yet about all the candidates Republicans are fielding. Then he got himself in deeper: “But then the question we need to ask ourselves is, if we do [win the majority], are we ready?” The comments were met with grumbling among national Republicans — including many who have long been critical of Steele’s leadership at the RNC — about a chairman who is again going off-message. The knock on Steele has long been that he’s better suited to be a political candidate than a party leader, and quotes like these don’t help that reputation, or his relationship with GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. Predictions by party chairmen rarely move votes. But they do play into recruiting efforts and impact party enthusiasm, during a critical period where Republicans are seeking to make up for a fund-raising and energy gap against Democrats. “There are two key jobs” for a party chairman, Republican strategist Kevin Madden said today on ABC’s “Top Line.” “The first job is to be a fund-raiser for the party. And the second one is to be a fierce advocate — with partisanship — for the prospects of your party. If you question the latter, the former suffers, and that is a big problem…” “I think that if he’s given a chance today to remedy it — I’m sure that Michael Steele has some sort of media interview today — I’m sure that he may have a chance to step back from that, because it is very important. Because you’ve got to remember, in the field, the confidence of the party is what helps you with your fund-raising and your grass-roots organization.” “So when you have the titular head of the party — or at least the titular head of the party apparatus — question those prospects, I think it hurts both the fund-raising and the grass-roots organization. And there are a lot of people out there, people who are at the [National Republican Senatorial Committee], people at the [National Republican Congressional Committee] that are working very hard, and they’re doing everything they can to telegraph to prospective donors and to prospective voters that the party is in good shape and that we have a great chance to make headway at the polls in 2010.” Madden said Steele’s former careers — as a politician (he served as lieutenant governor of Maryland and lost a US Senate race in 2006), and a political analyst — seem to be continuing to influence his conduct in his current job. “When you’re the party chairman you can’t be an analyst. You have to put all that aside and just be a fierce advocate,” he said. We’ll discuss this and more with Chairman Steele himself on Friday’s “Top Line.” We stream live at noon ET at ABCNews.com. The program also airs on ABC NewsNOW, and is available as a free podcast via iTunes. Steele’s new book, “Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda,” hit stores this week.
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Wow!!!! he get critized for telling the truth. What happen to family values?
Posted by: kevin | January 5, 2010, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
WOW! A Republican leader that slipped up and told the truth for once. He is definitely gone. The republicans cannot stomach someone in their ranks who tells the truth.
Posted by: Rob | January 5, 2010, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
Hmm. No new ideas just change the way the same old message is presented. The country voted for a new direction because the neo-con direction FAILED miserably. If the GOP thinks obstruction of what America voted for is their answer than they don’t think much of the American electorate.
Posted by: dan | January 5, 2010, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
Who cares about the GOP? Isn’t the GOP supposed to care about American and Americans? This is such a typical example of how indoctrinated our society is. Nobody even realizes or mentions such a blatent show of party politics. Which party has the majority should never be discussed. There are more than two kinds of people in this country.
Posted by: Don | January 5, 2010, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
Wow! It’s going to be extra-hard to make it be Obama’s fault this time.
Posted by: factscount | January 5, 2010, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
A pre-requisite to be a party chairman “…be a fierce advocate – with partisanship”. Anyone besides me see what is wrong with politics? Why we have become the “Divided States” of America, not the “United”. Somebody also had better tell Kevin Madden and the rest of the so called “party leadership” that “making headway” in the next elections is NOT “taking back control” of the House. LOL Is it any wonder that this party is floundering?
Posted by: CND FOX | January 5, 2010, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
When are both of these parties going to realize that all the American people want is to for them to keep it real! They think this is some type of football game that needs plays drawn up. We are not a game, for once just keep it real. Is that too much to ask? We should start a new party. We should call them the Realist Party, and stop using old words like Democrat and Republican.
Posted by: justayreal74 | January 5, 2010, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
I hate that someone’s job – party chairman – is to be fiercely partisan and raise money for the party. I don’t care which party. I want leaders that are independent and work for the good of the country. Political party chairman is a job we could all do without. Political parties are something we could do without. People need to stop routing for this or that party and start routing for the country. When parties win, we all lose.
Posted by: fedup | January 5, 2010, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Well, I for one appreaciate Mr. Steele’s honesty. Its refreshing given their recent year-long rumblings. The Republican party isn’t dead especially if they come up with fresh credible ideas for our problems and demonstrate that they can lead effectively. I think that is only something all of us ever want from either party, just as someone posted earlier. Maybe his Republican comrades should take to heart what he is saying rather than criticising him.
Posted by: FS | January 5, 2010, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
I *pray* that the American electorate are not stupid enough to vote the Republicans back into office. (That is a very scary thought!) I know that the Democrats are dropping the ball on a lot of things right now, but please don’t vote those devils back into office. Vote independent or third-party instead.
Posted by: knowerseeker | January 5, 2010, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
If you dont stay in lockstep with what Fox News Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck tell you that you should do and say, you will be cast out. Michael Steele wont be the party chairman for too much longer. He is a real rogue and the Repubs only like the Rogues that are rogue their way.
Posted by: DatDudeKJ | January 5, 2010, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
“you’ve got to remember, in the field, the confidence of the party is what helps you with your fund-raising”
The corporations want to buy the winning party (although they’ll settle for any Senator).
Posted by: jhw539 | January 5, 2010, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
A lot of people have been drinking the Cool-Aid in this thread. If you hate Republicans and Conservatives so much you are willing to see the country go down the drain with the present Democratic leadership, then you deserve every bad thing you get. But you won;t be able to sayt you weren’t warned.
Posted by: Mike | January 5, 2010, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
A lot of people have been drinking the Cool-Aid in this thread. If you hate Republicans and Conservatives so much you are willing to see the country go down the drain with the present Democratic leadership, then you deserve every bad thing you get. But you won;t be able to sayt you weren’t warned.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 5, 2010 3:58:52 PM………………………………………………..I’m sorry but Obama took over when we were down the drain already. It’s a long climb back out!
Posted by: rich | January 5, 2010, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
We need to send more of the GOP packing. 18 more republican senate seats on the ballot in 2010. We need to replace them with single payer democrats.
Posted by: rightbehind | January 5, 2010, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
What the conservatives did to our economy, to our standing in the world, taking us to war needlessly, etc…won’t soon be forgotten. It will be a long time before America trusts Republicans to run our country again (hopefully).
Posted by: mike | January 5, 2010, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
Who ever is in Congress I just don’t want to them to be BO yes men I want them to understand what BO is really doing to our Country and stop him from distroying all of our freedoms that many many men and women died for that is my biggest concern.
Posted by: Carol | January 5, 2010, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
Repubs want their “grandpa’s” America, which is long gone.
And their intolerance makes it difficult for them to relate to what’s replaced “grandpa’s” America.
Gays used to hide. Now they don’t. Repubs can’t deal with it.
Minorities used to cower. Now they don’t. Repubs can’t deal with it.
Women used to tolerate back-alley abortions. Now they don’t. Repubs can’t deal with it.
The entire free world used to dance to our tune. Now they don’t. Repubs can’t deal with it.
Repubs are often paranoid xenophobes who perceive our entire existence being threatened by every little shadow…..
Posted by: half_tilted | January 5, 2010, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
Rich: I’m sorry but Obama took over when we were down the drain already. It’s a long climb back out!
Posted by: rich | Jan 5, 2010 4:02:16 PM
Agreed that the country was already going down the tubes. But that’s no excuse to give it a kick and speed it along. If anyone thinks spending without paying it back will fix anything, then they should take that person’s credit cards away cause that person is a danger to yourself. The Govt. is not God. It may print money out of thin air, but it can not escape its own reckoning. That day will come!
We’ll be using our currency to burn as fuel.
Posted by: Mike | January 5, 2010, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
Steele violated the BushGOP code by telling the truth.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | January 5, 2010, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
Wow, moonbats on parade here. The republicans can’t win back congress. So what. It looks like the loony democrats just can’t handle a republican that says the plain truth. Why is this so threatening to a moonbat? Think telling the truth shows up the democratic leadership. Yup!
Posted by: jonny | January 5, 2010, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Steele is going to look like an even bigger idiot when the GOP DOES retake both house of congress in November. Take it to the bank.
Posted by: Pittsburgh Patriot | January 5, 2010, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
steele will be the next defeatist, loser thrown out of the Repub party and replaced with a competent leader.
The loony-left d-crat socialists will be thrown out en masse in 2010 and then again in 2012, and the RNC needs to gear up for these major victories NOW.
Posted by: StopSocialism | January 5, 2010, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
Get real! We all know the ONLY reason Steele is the RNC chairman is because it was “politically correct”.
Posted by: justme | January 5, 2010, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
I think Mr. Steele realizes just how big his job is. The Republicans have to reinvent themselves and they are still wandering in the wilderness trying to find the way out. And Obama hasn’t helped them in spite of of all their wishful posts. When a party preaches family values and has an ex-Vice President with a grandchild without a father and an ex-Vice President candidate with a grandchild without a father and not be able to recognize the conflict with their message…..they have not been in the wilderness long enough as yet. Please do some meditation while the voters are giving you some free time.
Posted by: msgijoe | January 5, 2010, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
It’s not a question of Steele “telling the truth”. There is no “truth” in terms of what will happen because the 2010 elections haven’t occurred yet and possible major events that could shape the election haven’t occurred yet.
As someone who’s been through the campaigns on the Democratic side, let me note that you never know when an event, or series of them, is going to steer voters your way. GOP former Governor of Maryland Robert Ehrlich might still be governor today if the local power company, BGE, hadn’t decided to raise electric rates 71% and Ehrlich cut a summer deal giving BGE everything it wanted without calling the Legislature into special session (it only meets January to April) to work on an alternative.
Before that happened it looked like Ehrlich was due for reelection. But those of us in charge of organizing campaign workers would have been idiots if we announced that fact!
You don’t dismiss your chances of doing anything because it also might just discourage people from showing up to vote and cost you the handful of votes needed to win a close election.
Posted by: The_Mick | January 5, 2010, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
Posted by: knowerseeker | Jan 5, 2010 3:38:04 PM: “I *pray* that the American electorate are not stupid enough to vote the Republicans back into office. (That is a very scary thought!) I know that the Democrats are dropping the ball on a lot of things right now, but please don’t vote those devils back into office. Vote independent or third-party instead.”
Of course you do, because then the vote would be split between Repubs and Independents and you guys would be able to save your seats that way. You crats are done. The Constitution says that all matters of revenue shall be controlled by the Congress. Our economy started tanking in 2007 which not coincidentally is when you crats took over congress.
Posted by: Joe | January 5, 2010, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
Steele is right this time. I don’t think the GOP is ready even if they do get it back. Ask the Tea Party if they believe the GOP got the message. I don’t think so. They are still playing games. Its time to stop playing and get serious. In order to stop the chaos, we need the GOP to at least take away the majority vote. I don’t think this nation can stand the overwhelming DEM majority running it in the ground much longer.
Posted by: nonofmybiznez | January 5, 2010, 9:01 pm 9:01 pm
Posted by: mike | Jan 5, 2010 4:24:47 PM:
“What the conservatives did to our economy, to our standing in the world, taking us to war needlessly, etc…won’t soon be forgotten. It will be a long time before America trusts Republicans to run our country again (hopefully).”
How you ‘Crats get away with this lie I will never know. All of the best economists and those folks who “score” recessions etc., say that our economy began to go into recession in mid to late 2007. Art. I Sec. 7 of the US Constitution reads as follows:
“Section 7 – Revenue Bills, Legislative Process, Presidential Veto
All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.”
Art. I Sec 8 reads as follows:
“Section 8 – Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;…”
It is a historical FACT that the economy started tanking in 2007 when you ‘crats got control of Congress. As soon as Repubs start reminding people of this, you guys are done.
Posted by: Joe | January 5, 2010, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
Its time to vote them all out on both sides of the isle. No parties, just real citizens doing the people’s work. Vote for people on their own merits and ideas. Term limits of no more than two consecutive terms at a time. Keep the career politicians out of it. No more free ride retirement benefits after just one term. There are lots of ideas out there. We can do it.
Posted by: nonofmybiznez | January 5, 2010, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
He’s definately correct, the unfortunate problem is that it will leave the Democrats still in charge. The two party system really needs to change. You have one party that is conservative but can’t come up with new ideas and another the wants to give everything away without a care about the cost.
Posted by: Keith | January 5, 2010, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
Ihope to god the demcrats lose all of the seats that have now do you thing read all of helt care bil they are all losers the demcrat and the rep what need thirdparty that for the people go TEA PARTY
Posted by: bill tysiner | January 6, 2010, 12:39 am 12:39 am
The republicans lost it when they allowed control of their party to pass into the hands of neo-conservatives, or should I say ersatz conservatives. Wasteful and pointless wars and war mongering, questionable constitutional issues, the mortgage crisis, the great recession, rampant misconduct,etc. The list goes on and on. It’ll be a long time before the general public can put their faith in a party that allowed such damage to be done to our country.
Posted by: John Locke | January 6, 2010, 4:29 am 4:29 am
Steele…read the tea leaves…Sen. Dodd has.
Posted by: msmumr | January 6, 2010, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
Party insider group think = Lowest Common Denominator policy. Instead of a coalition of insurgents, the GOP is a club of sycophants ritualistically recalling the Reagan edge, but having little of the “right stuff” to envision a national re-flourishing or to champion effective change.
Posted by: greatcaesarsghost | January 7, 2010, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm