The Republican National Committee (RNC) two months ago names an African American man, Michael Steele, as head of his party. After serious losses in the last two national elections, it is obvious that the Republican Party (GOP) is trying to be sensitive to a changing and more "inclusive" United States.But just when you thought it was good to jump back into the murky waters of the Republican Party, out jumps an old familiar shark... talk show host, drug smuggler and addict Rush Limbaugh. Rush goes after Mr. Steele, and Steele is the one who apologises. What did Steele apologize for? Check Under the Hood.
Now America knows once again why people of color aren't feeling the GOP and why Michael Steele is no Barack Obama.
What started this all off was Rush Limbaugh having the audacity to announce on national radio, 'I hope he (Barack Obama) fails.' and then he repeated it as keynote speaker this weekend at the at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). As expected this set off comments from Democrats. What was not expected though, were continued comments from highly visible Republicans, like financial analyst and fellow talk show host Bob Brinker, ("There are those who wish to do our country harm and are unAmerican as they wish failure on this president"). And then came comments from Republican National Committee Chair, Michael Steele while on D.L. Hughley's CNN show Saturday, Rush is ... an entertainer whose show is, quote, "incendiary and ugly.".
Monday Rush then came back after Steele on his radio show. Putting Steele on notice that he (Steele)was "Chair of the Republican National Committee and not Chair of The Republican Party. That Steele really needed to change his own rhetoric and basically not to just mouth Democratic views. "For this reason Michael Steele is having a hard time getting anyone to pick up his phone calls when trying to fundraise for the party."
Last night, Steele told Politico that he hadn't meant to slight Limbaugh by calling him an "entertainer" whose rhetoric could be "incendiary" and "ugly,"and actual called Limbaugh a "leader" in the Republican Party. He conveyed this apology to all who would listen and or print it.
All the while Democrats all over are just loving this family squabble and the prospect of the polarizing Rush being the face of the Republican Party. Democratic National Committee Chair, Tim Kaine issued a statement that Limbaugh is, in fact, the GOP's leader--a notion Steele has had to refute publicly twice in the past three days.
"Chairman Steele's reversal this evening and his apology to Limbaugh proves the unfortunate point that Limbaugh is the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington," Kaine said, in a statement issued by the DNC press office last night.
Finally I thought it might be interesting to go back to Michael Steele acceptance speech when he was elected Chair of the RNC, "We’ve been misidentified as a party that doesn’t care, a party that is insensitive, a party that is unconcerned about minorities,” he said, adding, “Nothing can be further from the truth.”
He also said “the Republican Party had been unfairly caricatured by Democrats “and the media” as racist and insensitive to the needs of ordinary Americans” and, “in deliberations that stretched over nearly five hours and six ballots, Republicans suggested that they saw selecting an African-American chairman as helpful in redefining the party’s image.”
Well "man of Steele" take one giant step back because you have lost your party changing super powers to Kryptonite Rush Limbaugh.