1
Now?

Now??? It's April, for fuck's sakes! They shoulda did this a year ago.

2 Here is my problem with that: Rather than standing up like men and asking him to step down, they're doing this crap through the media

In other words, the GOP senators are being total fucking cowards like they always are.

3 Why didn't you come to me like a fucking men, and tell me to resign.

4
If the leakers aren't confederates, (which I think they are), then they're just plain dumb.

5 ... the problem is they're not merely damaging Steele. They're hurting the RNC ...

Good for us.  How many times lately have you heard, "fuck the RNC, donate straight to conservative candidates"? 

6 You failed to work in an Edwards "come to me like a man" quote.

7 Thanks ace.  For that, I'm buying you a lap dance.

8

Nope. They don't want to because they're too afraid to fire a black guy. Which is an utterly stupid concern.

Steele is already playing the race card against his own party, so that is likely a valid concern.

9 What about the big money guy who just resigned because he could no longer stand what was going on? Is he part of that group who is trying to get him ousted without stepping forward?

10 8 If it's already out there, what's it going to hurt? 

11 Distracting, aren't I?

12 If they do fire Steele, how long before he goes off to Larry King, MSDNC, etc etc doing interviews accusing the GOP of racism?  Seems to me he certainly has a big enough ego, and he's already shown he'll use the race card.  He'd love the fawning attention the MSM would give him for that talking point.

13 they're too afraid to fire a black guy

That would be the first time in the history of the world that fire melted Steele.

14

Steele is already playing the race card against his own party, so that is likely a valid concern.

And this is where the time-honored "They're Only Going To Hate Us Anyway" rule comes into play. Fire Steele now.

If you want an African American, Ken Blackwell is waiting.

Seriously, everytime you are afraid of being called names by the Demunists and the media (BIRM), remember: They're only going to hate you anyway...

15
Steele is already playing the race card against his own party, so that is likely a valid concern.
Live by the Affirmative Action...

16 >>>What about the big money guy who just resigned because he could no longer stand what was going on? Is he part of that group who is trying to get him ousted without stepping forward? No idea.

17

Steele Race Card trick: http://tiny.cc/co6vh

"Fire me and I'll take all (seven) of the black Republicans with me, and then I'll call you all racists."

18

If they do fire Steele, how long before he goes off to Larry King, MSDNC, etc etc doing interviews accusing the GOP of racism?  Seems to me he certainly has a big enough ego, and he's already shown he'll use the race card.  He'd love the fawning attention the MSM would give him for that talking point.

Meh. He's only going to do that anyway. Remember the "Rule of Anyway".

19 Steele needs to go, now. He's more concerned about his self-image than getting conservatives elected. Someone give me the power, I'll fire his ass.

20 >>>If you want an African American, Ken Blackwell is waiting. Not just waiting, but actively campaigning against Steele! Look, this is just bleeding us. Either bandage the wound... or cauterize it. One or the other, fellas.

21 Live by the Affirmative Action...

Posted by: Reverend Al Sharpton at April 06, 2010 04:41 PM (Oxen1)

and rot from within by Affirmative Action.

22 Maybe they don't have the votes to get rid of Steele.  Although, I can't really imagine how that could be possible.  But it is the GOP, after all.

And who is this anti-Steele contingent, exactly?  Come on.  Give it up.

23 You can tell us.  It'll be our little secret.

24 Well, crap. If this is true, it's very bad. Because it proves Senate Republicans are every bit as spineless and cowardly as most of us think.

25 Look, this is just bleeding us. Either bandage the wound... or cauterize it. One or the other, fellas.

Posted by: ace at April 06, 2010 04:42 PM (i6ROy)

Agreed. Either shit or get off the bed! (or something like that)

26 Fire!  Fire!  Fire!

27 21 >>>If you want an African American, Ken Blackwell is waiting. Not just waiting, but actively campaigning against Steele! Look, this is just bleeding us. Either bandage the wound... or cauterize it. One or the other, fellas. Posted by: ace So get Ken to fire him. Or does that make too much sense.

28 If you like your ineffectual chairman, you can keep your ineffectual chairman.

29 So what's Option B? Just leak more and hurt the GOP further?

No. Just work around him until he quits.

The workaround: American Crossroads.
"Big time donors fretting about Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's troubles are helping fuel early fundraising success for a new 527 group being promoted by GOP uber strategists Ed Gillespie and Karl Rove."

(Via this karazee new blog HotAir.com)

30 All I have to ask any of you, WTF has Steele done for the RNC, nothing!

31 @25 What I mean, to be clear, is that if they want to fire the guy, then fire him. Don't play "Chinese whispers."

32

Perfect solution - Change the name of the organization.

RCN - Republican Committe Nationale (ooooh exotic!)

Hey, it worked for ACORN.

33 Why doesn't Dick Cheney take Steele hunting? It's the only way to be sure.

34 I agree, ace.

---

5 ... the problem is they're not merely damaging Steele. They're hurting the RNC ...

Good for us.  How many times lately have you heard, "fuck the RNC, donate straight to conservative candidates"? 
Posted by: Bomber at April 06, 2010 04:36 PM

---
I disagree that that isn't still damaging.  If you have a properly functioning central organization - either an RNC to elect GOP candidates of all stripes or a conservative version of the RNC to elect conservative candidates - the money goes further because decisions can be made to apply the money strategically.  The problem with individuals spread out across the country making small donations to individual candidates across the country, is that it surely leads to some candidates getting more than they need and others getting less.  It's too dependent on word-of-mouth or media coverage in identifying candidates. 

It's the same with any charity, frankly.  There's an efficiency of scale. 

And, of course, for those of us willing to set "purity" aside and who want to see virtually any R elected over any D incumbent this year, the weakening of the RNC is a disaster. 

35 The Scozzafava debacle was the end for Steele.  They should have acted decisively back then.  The problem was that the current congressional R's didn't really have a problem with Scozzafava.

Screw 'em all.  Donate directly.  Maybe we'll actually get some decent underground marketing going on.

36 Why doesn't Cheney take over the RNC would be a better question IMO.

37 >>38 Why doesn't Cheney take over the RNC would be a better question IMO.


He should murder his way to the top.

38
you guys remember how we get saddled with Steele?

We let the Democrats/MSM pick our RNC chair for us, that's how. The best man for the job out of all the candidates was some guy named Kit Whatshisname. But Kit couldn't get the gig because that woulda been insane. You see, Kit belonged to a 'closed' country club, at one time. Or so the story goes...

39

I could have cared less about Steele one way or the other until he started race hustling. I am not sure why exactly blacks to that. All it does is make you steer clear of blacks so you don't get accused of being a racist which in effect makes you a racist for avoiding being called a racist.

There just doesn't seem to be a way out.

40 Why doesn't Cheney take over the RNC His mighty member won't fit in the building.

41
I just called the RNC and told them I'd send 'em $50 the day Steele gets fired.

1-202-863-8500

42 Well, crap. If this is true, it's very bad. Because it proves Senate Republicans are every bit as spineless and cowardly as most of us think.

Ace never said they were in the Senate or even congress. There are a lot of Party bigwigs who run the Party apparatus who are not in office.

43 We support Michael Steele.

44

Three words:

Fred

Dalton

Thompson.

45

 They don't want to because they're too afraid to fire a black guy.

Pfft..don't mean shit!

 

46 This last comment where he compares himself to Obama----alone should end him. WTF? I so liked him when he was lt gov. Maybe he just needs a teleprompter....

47 @44 What I've heard (and I hope this is vague enough to not break confidence) is that there is a group of GOP Senators who don't like Steele, I was referring to that, Vic. It would be nice to know if any of the unnamed party bigwigs have had enough of Steele's poor performance. If not, why not.

48 *yawn*

Wha?

49 Y-Not, you make a good point about economies of scale.

On the other hand, with the awakening of so many formerly fairly apathetic conservatives to the terrifying direction in which we're headed, I suspect there will be plenty of donations made to every deserving prospect, despite an ineffective Republican party.

50 Newsbreak: Obama announces, if Karzai not more cooperative in the future, he will begin holding his breath - and he really, really means it, too.

51 It seems like the sole purpose of the Republican establishment is to keep conservatives out of the Republican party.  They couldn't care less about winning anything.

52 >>Ace never said they were in the Senate or even congress. There are a lot of Party bigwigs who run the Party apparatus who are not in office.

No?  How about the first sentence of the post.

Just sayin'.

53

 All it does is make you steer clear of blacks so you don't get accused of being a racist which in effect makes you a racist for avoiding being called a racist.

I'll say it again: They're Only Going To Hate Us Anyway. This mantra needs to be repeated every time a Republican is afraid to do what is right because of the "identity politics".

54 is that there is a group of GOP Senators who don't like Steele,

Fair enough, I missed that.

55 I know of a few people in the RNC's leadership (not naming names) that have a pretty good track record of exacerbating a circular firing squad as a way of effectively having a temper tantrum against people whom they either a) don't like or b) can't control. Since Steele probably fits both categories, they're looking to get him to jump so they can replace him with somebody a bit more on the RINO (or at least Rockefeller Republican) side. Ultimately, what's going to result from those sorts of power plays is either an utter loss of confidence from the party base in their leadership (probably leading to other groups or candidates directly organizing to promote their ideas) or a third party rises to challenge the GOP. Not seeing much of a third way here, short of a near-complete house cleaning at the RNC.

56 The issue is there is no graceful way for the man to go and save face. I know, I know, you don't care if he saves face. Fine. The problem is that there is one player in this whole charade who does: Micheal Steele.

You know, I actually do favor a graceful exit strategy. 

Organizations that fire high-level people after publicly humiliating them take a hit.  In my little corner of the universe (higher ed) it's rare for a President or Vice President or even a Dean to get fired.  They move on to other things.  If the organization is savvy, they do so in such a way that the relationships and loyalties that that person had are transferred to the successor.  The instances I know of orgs that do fire executives develop a rep for being bad places to work. 

Maybe too much damage has been done to get Steele to leave under his own power... but I find it a little hard to believe that there isn't some powerful person whom Steele respects and to whom Steele looks up as a mentor who can't step in and negotiate a palatable exit for Steele.  Does Steele look up to Gingrich, for example?  How about George HW Bush?  Maybe he could run someone's presidential library or something. 

In the meantime, these asshats who are leaking better have a candidate who has agreed to take the job waiting in the wings.  I haven't heard any names floated, except by the likes of us peons. 

57 GOP Senators

'nuff said.  They never have the balls to do anything directly.

58
Didn't know I've been dead for 9 years,  did ya?

Oh,  I'm the slow moving style in case you're wondering.  Or is it that obvious?

59

Yes, we do finally have an endgame.  After much debate and finally a majority vote, we have decided on: Yahtzee!

60 I hear you, Mallamutt.  Still, he had the opportunity to have a voice in that discussion.  I suspect he didn't say much, or raise any concerns to the local figures in NY.  And that is precisely the problem.

I'm not one who insists on prospective candidates to swear to a rigid set of principles, but a few basics (such as resisting the growth of government and supporting a free market) would certainly be nice.

61

So it's OK that Steele was hired because he was Black? I think that right there is enough reason to launch his ass.

He wasn't hired because he is good, he was hired because he was Black. He wasn't fired because he's Black, he will be fired because he isn't any good.

Let's see how well that meme floats.

This whole episode reminds me of Stanley O'Neal at Merrill Lynch. They had to wait until he destroyed the company first because they did not want to fire a Black man.

62 It seems like the sole purpose of the Republican establishment is to keep conservatives out of the Republican party.

I have had that feeling for a long time myself. It seems that Goldwater was an aberration and to them, Reagan was a mistake that got in under the tent. They thought he would be a CA/Hollywood liberal and he surprised them.

63 Donning my handy sheet with the teabagger logo, I ask: Would we even be in this predicament if Steele were not black? Until people right of center push back on this noxious, debilitating focus on race, there will be little progress. Does anyone really think Steele would have been selected if he were not black? Does anyone think Obama would have been nominated for anything more than State Senator were he white?

64 Here is my problem with that: Rather than standing up like men and asking him to step down, they're doing this crap through the media

Which makes me wonder what the real source of the opposition is. That's something you do to someone for whom you have personal animus, and not something you do for the good of the organization.

Is Steele hard to get along with, or is he playing favorites somehow?  I guess a certain amount of that is inevitable.

65
We'll win big the day we stop being afraid of the PC gun being held to our heads.

66 I liked Steele when he used to show up as a commentator on Fox.  He did a great job during the credit crisis.  I had very high hopes for him as he got the RNC job and thought that it was a good choice.

Then, he sucked as RNC chair.  Worse than "sucked" even.  And now, after all of his screw-ups, and with his latest whining about race (and even including the Indonesian Imbecile in with him on the argument) I have no more patience or tolerance for him.  He has to go, NOW.

And I agree with you, Ace.  Not from behind the scenes.  They should toss him out in the street, in full view - because he's that bad, and getting worse.  But, if the GOP can't get rid of such an incompetent idiot, then ... I don't even know what to say about how bad of an omen this is.

67

GOP Senators

'nuff said.  They never have the balls to do anything directly."

True enough, but realize the GOP is top heavy with the old, Rockerfeller, limosene, .........

68 " They're hurting the RNC, which is supposed to be a useful organization for advancing conservative issues and candidates ..."

Since this is not the actual case, and is only a theory, there's no actual harm done.

The RNC isn't helping candidates. The RNC is only helping Michael Steele sell books - as evidenced by the $16 million deficit the RNC is currently running.

Here's what I've heard: There are Democrats who have infiltrated the RNC who are secretly plotting to keep Michael Steele on staff and pissing away as much money as possible in order that the RNC is as ineffective as possible leading up to the most important elections in US history.

They're doing that by leaking stories to right-wing bloggers such as Ace stupid enough to reprint whatever is handed to them by unnamed sources.

On the record, however, Michael Steele is pissing away our money and is destroying the Republican National Committee from within. That is why major fundraisers have chosen not to give it any more money; and instead to donate directly to candidates or their PACS.  That way, we can ensure the money is wasted in lesbian-themed bondage strip joints and other wasteful venues.

There is simply no need for a middleman spending $9,000/night at the Beverly Hilton and drinking up all the Corrvoisier in the back of the limo on the way to the lesbian bondage clubs.

Mr. and Mrs. Middle America do not approve.

69

What happens when central authorities "anoint" candidates with words and money:

Dede Scozzafava

Charlie Crist

Arlen Effing Specter

 

Donate direct.  Period.

 

70

What up?

71 @65 I recall that the establishment GOP of Reagan's day hated him, all the way until he won the nomination. Even thereafter, many GOP elites never liked the man.

72 40
you guys remember how we get saddled with Steele?

We let the Democrats/MSM pick our RNC chair for us, that's how.

That's not how I remember it. I remember watching the process (on CSPAN?) and reading the blogs and concluding that the other candidates were not that great.  Some seemed too ideological, which would leave out a wing of the party, and others seemed like old party hacks who had never done anything (never led any org or worked in a way accountable to the public) except get other partisans elected.  The more I watched of the proceedings, the more convinced I became that Steele was the best choice. 

73 I agree that the cabal of Senators seeking to damage Steele and get him to resign are acting in a cowardly manner more befitting the left.

I disagree with the notion that donors are less inclined to support conservatives if they have to support them directly or through PAC's.  The RNC is a fucked up bureaucracy that only cares about getting Republicans elected.  Its "favorites" list included DeDe Scozzafava Charlie Crist.

Conservative donors are absolutely fed up with RINO's and the Northeast Wing of the GOP.  When the party starts supporting conservatives, conservatives will again support the party.  For now, we're supporting conservative candidates.

74 These fucking stupid Senators just need to stop punching down!

75
I'm eating the first person who says "third party."

76

Great.  Someguy is back.

I think I'll go out back and drop some bowling balls on my nuts.

77 O/T: WOW Beck just said the FCC has responded to the court case they lost on the "Net Neutrality" issue.

That's OK we will just regulate the internet like it is a public utility.

 IOW, they are going forward even though they lost the case!

78 I'm eating the first person who says "third party." What he said.

79 I'm eating the first person who says "third party."

Posted by: Zombie Howard Taft at April 06, 2010 05:01 PM (UA4gE)

How about "New nation, built on the American creed"?

80 They're doing that by leaking stories to right-wing bloggers such as Ace stupid enough to reprint whatever is handed to them by unnamed sources.

And Ace is the problem because the NYT/NBC/ABC/CBS/CNN/MSNBC/et al would never touch stories that damage Republicans..

81 One more thing:  Elections have consequences, and the losers are supposed to learn something from them.  In the 2008 election, the GOP was supposed to have learned that when you run as a democrat, the electorate will go with the real thing every time.  The RNC failed to learn that lesson, and Michael Steele is the face of that failure.

He needs to go, whether he resigns or is forced out.

82 Uh, how many black votes does the republican party lose if they perceive that Steele was fired because he was black? 3?

83 "If they are just waiting like cowards for Steele to resign himself-- guess what, he won't. So what's Option B? Just leak more and hurt the GOP further?"

You seem, Ace, to be perfectly OK with the destruction of the RNC as long as Michale Steele is doing the destroying.

Why is that?

Why haven't you written a post lamenting how Michael Steele, by refusing to resign, by refusing to do that which would best help the party, is destroying it?

Michael Steele can't be fired ... because then the RNC will be accused of racism by the left. If he resigned, however, they couldn't make that charge.

But you're right. He won't resign.

He'd rather destroy the party than resign.

Why not write a post about how Michael Steele is putting Michael Steele ahead of Republican Party interests?

84 That's OK we will just regulate the internet like it is a public utility. IOW, they are going forward even though they lost the case! Someone must have standing to sue here. Any legal beagles are welcome. This shit is just begging for Unclefacts to summon a meteor.

85

OT: Whoa! Watch this video:

Is Karzai on Drugs?   [Greg Pollowitz - National Review] So implies former U.N. envoy to Afghanistan Peter Galbraith: http://tinyurl.com/yzpbzgu

"he has a certain fondness for Afghan's most profitible export"

86

Posted by: someguy at April 06, 2010 04:59 PM (VRJIW)

Posted by: someguy at April 06, 2010 05:01 PM (tcMQZ)

Will the real someguy please stand up?

87 86 Uh, how many black votes does the republican party lose if they perceive that Steele was fired because he was black? 3?

Posted by: dagny at April 06, 2010 05:04 PM (jStyq)

It could be as high as 7, maybe even 9.

88 81 Rush said that the opinion said that the FCC lost because there was no law allowing them to regulate the internet. No prob. Congress just has to pass a law saying they can, then they can. It's not really a win-win.

89

Why not write a post about how Michael Steele is putting Michael Steele ahead of Republican Party interests?

Proof that our resident dumbass does not read the blog.

Read the blog much, dumbass?

90
The more I watched of the proceedings, the more convinced I became that Steele was the best choice. 

He was the only choice. Well, Steele and Blackwell were the only choices left. And Steele had more juice with the members than Blackwell did. So we ended up with Steele.

Katon Dawson ran the GOP in SC. He had experience, connections, charm, and a vision for victory. We got Steele.

91 I don't care about egos or hurt feelings.   We need leaders who are determined to regain congress and undo what Obama has already done and prevent him from doing any more damage.

Stop wasting time and money and start working toward that goal.

92 92 Well, if it gets to 11 then they need to reevaluate.

93 @91
VRJIW

94 This is Steele's fault.

It is.  Every political leader will have to deal with scrutiny and detractors in this environment.

Steele keeps enriching himself at the expense of the party.  He is failing to meet his objectives for the party because he is too self centered.

This is Steele's fault.

I can understand why some players are behind the scenes leaking crap.  It would be better that they are upfront.  Fine.  Let's have a vote anyway, since they are DC survivors and will not be sticking their necks out and calling for a vote.

95 Uh, how many black votes does the republican party lose if they perceive that Steele was fired because he was black? 3?

Posted by: dagny at April 06, 2010 05:04 PM (jStyq)

8 ...  You were off by 167%!!

Or, as The Precedent would say, "You were off by 231,887% ... but I don't want to get into higher mathematics ..."

96

You seem, Ace, to be perfectly OK with the destruction of the RNC as long as Michale Steele is doing the destroying.

Way to pull accusations out of your ass!

Why is that?

Why haven't you written a post lamenting how Michael Steele, by refusing to resign, by refusing to do that which would best help the party, is destroying it?

Gee, could it be because Michael Steele won't resign?

Michael Steele can't be fired ... because then the RNC will be accused of racism by the left. If he resigned, however, they couldn't make that charge.

Someone needs to reread and understand the Rule Of Anyway again....

Why not write a post about how Michael Steele is putting Michael Steele ahead of Republican Party interests?

Because that goes without saying? Because we all know that already?

97

Ultimately, what's going to result from those sorts of power plays is either an utter loss of confidence from the party base in their leadership (probably leading to other groups or candidates directly organizing to promote their ideas) or a third party rises to challenge the GOP. Not seeing much of a third way here, short of a near-complete house cleaning at the RNC

 

 

As has been already demonstrated.  Where there's conservative will there's a conservative way.  Become informed of who the conservative candidates are and donate directly to their campaigns.  Fuck the RNC and the RNCC.

98

Congress just has to pass a law saying they can, then they can.

They had this chance and did not.  Too many competing pots of really big money. 

99 It seems like the sole purpose of the Republican establishment is to keep conservatives out of the Republican party.  They couldn't care less about winning anything.

Democrats want to run the country.

Republicans want to run the party.

100 Don't act stupidly now. Lets just use this as learning

101 >>86 Uh, how many black votes does the republican party lose if they perceive that Steele was fired because he was black? 3?

Michael Steele gets 3 votes?

102
My point is Katon Dawson was essentially ruled out because the RNC was afraid to step into another media-fabricated pc minefield.

103 Really this is not helping.  It seems they could just give him some emeritus position, and find somebody else.

If not, give him the boot, what are they afraid of? that 90% of blacks will vote democrat.

104
Someone's gonna be called a racist if they bring up the Peter Principle.  Aren't they?

105 Michael Steele can't be fired ... because then the RNC will be accused of racism by the left.

Who cares?

If he resigned, however, they couldn't make that charge.

Posted by: someguy at April 06, 2010 05:04 PM (VRJIW)

LOL.  That's funny.

Steele needs to be VERY PUBLICLY fired.

106 Or, as The Precedent would say, "You were off by 231,887% ... but I don't want to get into higher mathematics ..." I intend to reduce the RNC operating deficit by 3000%. It's in my book, buy it on Amazon.

107 The public approves the ousting of Michael Steel by 3000%.

108 "Here is my problem with that: Rather than standing up like men and asking him to step down, they're doing this crap through the media ...

Why don't you, Ace, stand up and ask Michael Steele to resign ... like a man.

Instead, you lede your post with a single unnamed source ("and I hope this is vague enough to not break confidence") is that there is a group of GOP Senators who don't like Steele, and are trying to drive him out through leaks.

You yourself are doing that which you claim to deplore: You're impugning the reputations of all  GOP Senators who you claim don't like Steele and who you claim, but won't tell us your sources, are trying to drive him out through leaks.

Why don't you stand up like a man and ask Michael Steele to resign for the good of the party, instead of watching it be torn asunder on his watch by party in-fighting?

I have news for you Ace ... you're the media too. And you're being used too.

Be a man. Demand Michale Steele resign for the good of the Party.

109 I think that Steele was an effort to make Republicans look less white while running against Obama. These identity politics always end up biting you in the ass unless you hand out checks too.

110

Fuck the RNC and the RNCC.

How about "Take Back" the RNC and the RNCC?

Sure, we can go around the apparatus, but wouldn't it be nice to actually have an apparatus that *works for us*? Isn't it an uphill battle against the Demunists and the LameStreamMedia (BIRM) already?

111 That's OK we will just regulate the internet like it is a public utility.

IOW, they are going forward even though they lost the case!

Someone must have standing to sue here. Any legal beagles are welcome.

Posted by: George Orwell at April 06, 2010 05:04 PM (AZGON)

------------------------------------------------------

Standing to sue.  That's quaint, George.  Takes me back to a better time ...

112 lede is a noun

113 102 Fuck the RNC and the RNCC.

Hey that sounds familiar.  I like it.

114 for personal reasons only and nothing else, I would like to see Dana Perino as RNC chair.

that said, for smarter reasons, I would like uberfrau cheney kicking some butt.

115

Be a man, someguy.

Start your own blog where no one will mind if you indulge your single-minded passion of pissing on the carpet.

116 Katon Dawson ran the GOP in SC. He had experience, connections, charm, and a vision for victory. We got Steele.

Would we get more Grahamnasty's?

117 "At what point do these guys stand up and announce their intentions as Men (capital intended) and demand what they are agitating for behind the scenes?" You're talking about GOP senators, right?

118 lede is a noun

Not in the media it isn't. It's a verb.

119
Niiiiiiiiice. Rudy is on Hannity right now talking about why he just endorsed Marco Rubio.

Rudy is effectively hammering Crist, get this, on the issues. Rudy is an excellent campaigner, just not for himself.

120 This thread is beginning to look vaguely familiar.

Somehow.

121 pissing on the carpet. Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at April 06, 2010 05:12 PM (B+qrE) Not on the carpet man!

122
Would we get more Grahamnasty's?

You tell me, Vic. What do you know about Katon? Would he be a better chairman than Steele?

123 Standing to sue. That's quaint, George. Takes me back to a better time ... If'n you find that time machine, let me know. I want out of here.

124
Rudy for RNC chairman!

125 That carpet really tied the blog together.

126

Nope. They don't want to because they're too afraid to fire a black guy. Which is an utterly stupid concern.

 

 

Uhm... gonna have to disagree with that.  Those of us who work in the real world understand that is a very real concern.  We may wish that it were not so, but that is what separates Conservatives from Liberals, we operate with facts and data, not "feelings".

127

38 Why doesn't Cheney take over the RNC would be a better question IMO.

I vote for Liz!

128

You gotta look at this from the viewpoint of Washington...

THEY are all in a tizzy over Racial Politics, while most of the electorate out here in Real America... is not.

The Echo Chamber MSM would castigate the GOP for firing Steele, no matter how incompentent he is, but because they are deaf to what we out here say (as exemplified by the Health Reform "debate")... they will continue to kow tow to the Pundits.

129 Start your own blog where no one will mind if you indulge your single-minded passion of pissing on the carpet.

Comment sections are for the purpose of commenting on what the author has written. If you want a circle-jerk then by all means pull your pants down and stroke Ace all you want.

Is this an echo-chamber? Sounds like that's the desire.

130 O/T but Beck is Garofalo-ing Soetoro.

Posted by: Blackford Oakes at April 06, 2010 05:10 PM (BiCQw)

Oddly, Beck got some of the most basic information wrong.  He said that Barack Sr. didn't leave the little kid until he was two, but it was more like 2 days - according to accounts of Stanley Ann having fled to Seattle not more than three weeks after delivery (including school records and some others).  Very odd.

Beck picked it up as he went on, though.  I missed whether he mentioned that the Indonesian Imbecile actually grew up in Indonesia - 4 to 5 years worth, for the whole of his elementary school, essentially.

131 Ah, someguy... he'll just never get it, and in the meantime, he'll try to do his best Jim Rome impression and annoy everyone into ignoring him, even if he were to by some miracle make a good point. Still waiting for him to put up his own blog...

132 >>lede is a noun

Not in the media it isn't. It's a verb.<<


"lede" is a noun everywhere except Humpty Dumpty world.

133
121 I would like uberfrau cheney kicking some butt.
Posted by: Guy Fawkes

Lynne Cheney?  Say... (begins stroking chin and look thoughtfully off camera)

134

I have no problem with an eviction of Steele.

Preferably from a cannon.

135 Sorry.

http://bit.ly/dkZwUI

136 If'n you find that time machine, let me know. I want out of here.

Posted by: George Orwell at April 06, 2010 05:15 PM (AZGON)

Damn.  I was counting on you.

137

Steele at Lunch, Reprise

Squid ravioli in lemon grass broth
Goat cheese profiteroles and arugula Caesar salad
Swordfish meatloaf with onion marmalade

Rare roasted partridge breast in raspberry coulis
With a sorrel timbale and, of course,
Grilled free-range rabbit with herbed french fries

Only the finest for Steele
The finest shoes, the finest scientists
The finest hotels, the finest meals

Jet armadas and limousine fleets
Egyptian cotton, thousand-count sheets
The weakness of narcissism, smelly feets

 

Yeah, I kinda ad-libbed that last line.  It's not in Homer's original.

138 Oh, and by the way, someguy, in newsrooms (where I worked for most of the last decade), lede is a noun. Speak not of that which you have clue not.

139

Whoops, that was a draft.  Oh, well.

140 Uh, how many black votes does the republican party lose if they perceive that Steele was fired because he was black? 3?

It's not about black votes, it's about all the whites (especially white women) who are mortified at the thought of being associated with a "racist" party.  And it will be increasingly so, as long as we continue to legitimize anger and violence toward "racists".

141

he'll try to do his best Jim Rome impression and annoy everyone into ignoring him

Jim Rome, Ryan Seacrest and Fred Barnes...the unquestioned triumvirate of guys who should be thankful that the United States of America exists and pacts with the devil work.

142

Let's be honest.  Most conservatives & libertarians think "The Won" is an Affirmative Action President.  All thru his life, that we know of, he got a pass. 

How is Steele any different?

 

143 Right now we've got situation 3. The worst of all.

4) Steele quits dramatically, bombing the place on the way out with repeated accusations of Republican voter racism, just like he's been making the whole fucking time he's been chairman, it's WHITE PARTY HOUNDS AWESOME BLACK GUY OUT headlines for days, and that's the media frame for the 2012 presidential election.

Which is what will happen.

144 They're hurting the RNC, which is supposed to be a useful organization for advancing conservative Republican issues and candidates, and are in fact pretty much damaging it on a monthly basis.

FIFY.  It's a not insignificant difference. 

145
Ya know,  when 1/2 the country would like to fire the black guy in the White House,  I don't see that firing Steele in this climate is going to be such a problem.

146

... they're too afraid to fire a black guy. Which is an utterly stupid concern.

It goes beyond that. Nobody wants to even criticize a black guy, which is more stupid. Look what that got us. Look what that's still getting us.

No one is special because they're black. (If someone is special because they made themselves special in overcoming the adversity of being black in what's still a white man's world, that's different. Does that describe you, Chairman Steele?) The longer everyone tiptoes around these eggshells, the worse things will continue, and the worse it'll end.

I'm telling you, Zombie MLK has to come up and eat some brains.

147

There are Democrats who have infiltrated the RNC...

 

148 I'll tell you what the flaccidus dickus specimens are going after Ace and it's not what you want. They are cashing in on the lead in polls to run down Steele to ensure he won't get re-elected. They are sacrificing seats in the Senate and House to ensure he won't be re-elected, which they fear because of the huge Republican victory they see coming, which Steele will take credit for, all things being equal. So they are pelting him, not to get him to resign, but to cause his stock to drop, preemptively removing credit for Republican victory. They seem not to care that it will cost us seats at a critical time in history.

149

I don't actually have any proof but I'm pretty sure that Jim Rome is a woman.

Just throwing that out there.

150

Let's be honest.  Most conservatives & libertarians think "The Won" is an Affirmative Action President.  All thru his life, that we know of, he got a pass. 

How is Steele any different?

 

Posted by: MDr VB1.0 CS1st at April 06, 2010 05:22 PM (ucq49)

Because he did some very good work defending the conservative positions when he was a commetator at Fox.  I used to love him when he came on.  He was one of the only people talking about the nitty gritty of Fannie/Freddie and the CRA during the credit crisis (while McShame was floundering and acting like a general idiot - "Let's pay off everyone's mortgage!!  Yeah!").  Steele showed intelligence and spine in all of his appearances (which were many).  I was in favor of his appointment, initially - though it was clear that some of it was a "me too" affirmative action deal - but Steele had shown himself (to me) to be more than an acceptable advocate for conservative ideas.

Then he got the RNC chair and totally sucked shit and made a fool of himself.

151 I agree Ace. But that ain't reality. That ain't how the game is played. It is played thru leaks, innuendo, and character assassination. By cowards and pussies. Back in my day, we settled shit like...well...like men.

152 Suggested Republican strategy:

Hey, we fired OUR incompetent black guy.  Why don't YOU fire YOURS?

153

How about "Take Back" the RNC and the RNCC?

Sure, we can go around the apparatus, but wouldn't it be nice to actually have an apparatus that *works for us*? Isn't it an uphill battle against the Demunists and the LameStreamMedia (BIRM) already?

 

 

For the 2010 elections, we must sidestep the RNC as it is now.  If they make a conservative turn-around, then good, let's support them.  The best way to bring the RNC around is to show them through the elections process where the Repub. constituency stands.  Maybe they'll see the light in time for 2012.

154

>> Why not write a post about how Michael Steele is putting Michael Steele ahead of Republican Party interests?

Why didn't I think of that?

Oh wait, I did think of that.

155

Democrats have infiltrated the RNC.

This blog is not really a conservative site.

AND WHERE ARE MY GODDAMNED STRAWBERRIES????

156 There are Democrats who have infiltrated the RNC who are secretly plotting to keep Michael Steele on staff...

157

Jim Rome, Ryan Seacrest and Fred Barnes...the unquestioned triumvirate of guys who should be thankful that the United States of America exists and pacts with the devil work.

Oh, dont forget me!

Posted by: Miley Cyrus at April 06, 2010 05:27 PM (V9SYy)

I said "guys."  (Although admittedly I wonder about Seacrest and Barnes.)

158 I don't know why we're worried about Steele when the real problem is Ace.

159
WHERE'S MY HONEY?!

160 161

I don't actually have any proof but I'm pretty sure that Jim Rome is a woman.

-----

I agree.

161 Would we get more Grahamnasty's?

You tell me, Vic. What do you know about Katon? Would he be a better chairman than Steele?

I have never heard of this Katon guy. I always heard that Graham ran the Party in this State. There was a lot of funny business going on here in that 2008 primary.

If having Katon meant we would get more Garhamnasty's I would prefer Steele.

162 171 I don't know why we're worried about Steele when the real problem is Ace.

Posted by: nickless at April 06, 2010 05:31 PM (MMC8r)

Now THAT was funny.

163

Jim Rome, Ryan Seacrest and Fred Barnes...the unquestioned triumvirate of guys who should be thankful that the United States of America exists and pacts with the devil work.

Oh, dont forget me!

Posted by: Miley Cyrus at April 06, 2010 05:27 PM (V9SYy)

Ahem.

164

Back in my day, we settled shit like...well...like men.

To rebut Mr. Burr, there's something to be said about employing an unkind turn of phrase uttered in one's absense.

165

Something I think all of you have missed and which has a huge impact on the new 527, "American Crossroads" - thanks to the landmark Supreme Court decision which overturned the heart of McCain-Feingold, this is the first election where it will be far easier for donors to support candidates directly without having to funnel contributions through some party apparatus.  Kind of complicated to go into in a blog post, but that ruling dramatically weakened the hold either party has over donors by making it much easier and less expensive to interested parties to campaign directly. 

The RNC hasn't impressed me for a long time now.  Let it fade into a rump with little funding and no power, and let the real action move elsewhere.

166 Sounds like the GOP leadership has the RINO virus.  It's general manifested as a lack of stones and lots of sniveling around the edges in search of time on Sunday shows...

This is supposedly the same GOP leadership that is going to take over the Congress by 2012, then repeal and replace Obamacare...  Good luck with that.

167 If anything , Steele has used a jackhammer, while others may have used an icepick to create holes in the leaking, sinking ship Steele is captaining.

So Guam is the place then?

168 To rebut Mr. Burr, there's something to be said about employing an unkind turn of phrase uttered in one's absense.

Dude, I got time for a do over! Best two out of three?

169 The interesting detail, is no one has really made the point that the likes of McKay and Mahoney, were most likely involved with many of the unjustifiable expenditures and decisions like the deeming of Scozzofava and Crist and Specter, all those winners

170 Who are you calling pussy? At dawn, to first blood, name your second. While most likely unnecessary, I will bring a bag of bullets and a flask of gunpowder.

Posted by: Alexander Hamilton at April 06, 2010 05:36 PM (IhHdM)

Worst.  Career.  Move.  Ever.

171

Fire the POS, the race card is dead.

Same with the GOP catering to the black vote...ain't gonna work and it will cost Conservative vote.

Once steele mentioned the GOP was racist he should have been fired, Scuzzyflave was another good reason. The fact that he is still there means the GOP leadership needs to go in the primaries.

BUT, one good thing, Conservatives now donate direct to their candidate which is the way it should be.

172 Yeah, Steele has proven himself a walking clusterfuck as RNC chair.  But it's not like the current crop of GOP Senators have room to talk.  If anything, they are an even bigger clusterfuck.  A pox on all of them.  The DC GOP needs new blood in the worst way, stat.

173 Worst.  Career.  Move.  Ever.

Tru dat. But at least we had balls where only pissflaps- rule the day now.

174

Something I think all of you have missed and which has a huge impact on the new 527, "American Crossroads" - thanks to the landmark Supreme Court decision which overturned the heart of McCain-Feingold, this is the first election where it will be far easier for donors to support candidates directly without having to funnel contributions through some party apparatus.  Kind of complicated to go into in a blog post, but that ruling dramatically weakened the hold either party has over donors by making it much easier and less expensive to interested parties to campaign directly. 

The RNC hasn't impressed me for a long time now.  Let it fade into a rump with little funding and no power, and let the real action move elsewhere.

 

 

Thanks.  This is exactly the point I've been trying to make.

175 If'n you find that time machine, let me know. I want out of here. Posted by: George Orwell at April 06, 2010 05:15 PM (AZGON) Damn. I was counting on you. Posted by: progressoverpeace at April 06, 2010 05:19 PM (N49h9) I think you mean me, but I'm a full-blown liberal fascist. Don't tell anyone.

176 It's not about black votes, it's about all the whites (especially white women) who are mortified at the thought of being associated with a "racist" party.  And it will be increasingly so, as long as we continue to legitimize anger and violence toward "racists".

This is the key.  The number of blacks who might actually consider voting for Republicans isn't large enough to bother with one way or another.  However, the reason Republicans are set to pick up a lot of seats in November is independents have deserted the Democratic party.

People who are interested in politics don't often reflect on how shallow "independents" are.  For the most part they don't think about voting until the week before the election, and they don't have developed political philosophies.  By default they vote for incumbents if the economy is doing well, and somebody else if not.

No matter how many bogus numbers the government puts out, they can't hide the state of the economy when it's this bad.  So the last thing we need to do is let the media go to town with the "Republicans are racist" narrative when independents already have their hands on the "R" lever.

177

"Then he got the RNC chair and totally sucked shit and made a fool of himself."

Peter Principle?

178 People who are interested in politics don't often reflect on how shallow "independents" are.

That kind of assumptive thought process, based on what I am sure are the millions of independents responding that they are indeed shallow, may just be a hair flawed. You might want to tone that one down a bit, I think your enzymes are pushing skyward.

179

Ace's Liver

The Race Card is dead...as in DEAD.

Christ! When you can look at a Tea Party group that look like your grandparents, neighbors, family & friends and are called racist you KNOW the well is dry.

Anybody who would still concerned about RACIST has been in a coma...

180 "Anybody who would still concerned about RACIST has been in a coma..."

Anybody who would put a Republican bumper sticker on their car in a "vibrant" area hasn't been paying attention.

181 lede
c.1965, alternative spelling of lead in the newspaper journalism sense (see lead (v.)), used to distinguish this sense from other possible meanings of the word, perhaps especially the molten lead used in typesetting machines. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

182 "169 There are Democrats who have infiltrated the RNC who are secretly plotting to keep Michael Steele on staff...

Posted by: rdbrewer at April 06, 2010 05:28 PM (UJT2r):

Funny, I had a lib/dem tell me just the opposite.  That they have infiltrated and are making sure he is kicked out.

I think the "they have infiltrated part" is the truth though since they have been allowed by the republicans to craft their "message" for quite some time.

183 People who are interested in politics don't often reflect on how shallow "independents" are.

You are confusing the relatively large block of "independents" with the small block of "undecideds".  IN fact, although there are a LOT of people who identify as being independent 95% of them routinely vote for the same party year after year.

The clueless "undecideds" are who you are talking about.

But what truly determines the outcome of an election is the turnout. If the Repubs run a candidate that excites their normal voters they win and the converse is true.

In the last election the Repubs ran an aging asshole who routinely poked his thumb in the eyes of the Party base. They had a low turnout and lost.

184 I know why you are still at the age of 45yo still in the peanut gallery...

185 I've been asking people if they voted for BO cause he was black.  I've also been asking republicans if they think Steele became party chair because he was black.  I gotta say that I'm getting some surprising answers from people I previously respected and thought had a brain.  Seriously, they don't even cover up their answer with "well he went to harvard law" or something.  They just come right out with "well we needed a black president, it was time" or "we needed a black party chair, it was time".   they aren't prepared for my tell women that as I guess you don't think "it was time" for a woman president.  they then say 'women didn't think it was time for a woman president as they didn't complain.  Bizarro

186 O/T:  OMG....Jim Cramer is saying "everything is going to be fine, don't worry" and that is my signal to panic.

187 Someone (yes, I am using that "name" in it's true meaning) mentioned Liz Cheney. I think that is a great idea. Remember who we are going to face in 2012 if we are lucky and get our shit together.

188 That kind of assumptive thought process, based on what I am sure are the millions of independents responding that they are indeed shallow, may just be a hair flawed. You might want to tone that one down a bit, I think your enzymes are pushing skyward.

Or it could be something that should be obvious to anyone who bothers to look.  And I got a question for you... do you know what all those words mean?

189 My guess is these are the same retards who hate Sarah Palin and undercut her, the same kind of guys who post about how social conservatives are so evil and should be crushed out of the GOP.

190 @205

I don't hate Palin, but I don't think she's a competent political figure.  On the other hand, I think social conservatives are just about the only thing worthwhile about the GOP.

191

"Do the Anti-Steele Plotters Have An Actual Endgame In Mind?"

Who knows.  Maybe it's a matter of the enemy of my enemy, is my friend.

Fuck Steele and the GOP Old Guard.  Let''s move Steele to the ash heap of history, together, then move to a real putsch.

192

"On the other hand, I think social conservatives are just about the only thing worthwhile about the GOP."

Maybe.  The problem is - that's who sat out the 2008 election. 

Happy now?

193 On the other hand, I think social conservatives are just about the only thing worthwhile about the GOP.

Well, okay.  But it stands to reason there are other people who vote Republican who think "fiscal conservatives are just about the only thing worthwhile about the GOP".  That's the nature of political alliances, and we need both camps to win.

194

Steele can't be dumped.  The Republican Party will lose its black voters.

195

Maybe.  The problem is - that's who sat out the 2008 election.  -

With the most pro-abortion candidate ever running on the Dem ticket (not to mention his numerous other faults)? Sorry, not buyin' it.  Social conservative here, and I bit my tounge and voted to have Sarah one heartbeat away from the oval office. 

And peanut gallery, you don't think Sarah is a competant political figure?  What was her approval rating in Alaska again?  If she hadn't been shackeled by the McCain folks we might not even talking about Obambi now.

196 This is an aside but every single black educated middle, upper middle class person I know wants to be judged on their personal merits, not their color.  I think most of us thought we had, as a nation, gone passed this.  But damn eric for bringing this up early on....it stuck.

197 @209

The social conservatives also seem to be the most fiscally conservative.

Unfortunately, social liberalism tends to cause problems that lead to a demand for socialist intervention.    I think it's unrealistic to let people do whatever they want and not expect them to come begging for help after they fuck up their lives.  But it's more a cultural issue than a political one.

198 @213

Oh, I agree with all of that.  You can't really be both socially liberal and fiscally conservative unless you're willing to force people to take responsibility for their own mistakes.  But that describes me to a tea, and I can't be the only one.

199

"I have no problem with an eviction of Steele. I have a problem with this pussy chickenshit leaking campaign against him which continues to hurt the party by damaging the head of the RNC while leaving that head in place."

 

I'm totally with you on this one Ace, if we're going to fire him just fire him right out in the open (which we should have done months ago)

200

"I have a problem with this pussy chickenshit leaking campaign"

Um, pussy, chickenshit stuff is pretty much the GOP's only strategy for anything: campaigning, governing, "stopping" the creep of socialism, etc.

201

@4: "If the leakers aren't confederates, (which I think they are)"

I see what you did there.....

202 I think that Black conservatives would not make an issue of removing Steele. They have probably transcended the associated identity politics to enough of a degree that they would support a competent replacement as long as it was done without any racial overtones. The Democrats will not allow that to happen. Witness the CBC taunting "charade/parade". The RNC is in a damned if you do, damned if you don't position. The only thing we have before November on our side in this issue is time. The race issue is completely overplayed, it's only effective if we allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the threat. That's how it works best.

203 I heard a congressman on some radio show the other day saying that people should not give their money to the rnc.  They should either give it direct or to the RNCC.  So, the RNC is, if not dead, almost dead.  Maybe if they put up a few more rinos for the senate, they will get more money, do you suppose?

204 Keep in mind these are the same characters who wouldn't support their own wartime president not too long ago.

205 At least Michael Steele came right out and said that the GOP convention looked like “Nazi Germany” and that the Republican party is not ready to lead yet. That is LEADERSHIP! These anonymous leakers should come right out and engage in a full-on media showdown with Michael Steele, who thinks he is doing a great job despite RNC donations being down with the most crucial midterm election cycle of the party's history coming up.

206 Steele can't be dumped.  The Republican Party will lose its black voters.

Replace him with Ken Blackwell, who should have had the job to begin with.

207 Even Robert Gibbs is getting zingers at Steele's expense. Someone linked the CBS blog post, but here is the quote.

"That's a fairly silly comment to make," Gibbs told reporters. "I think Michael Steele's problem isn't the race card, it's the credit card."

Ba-da- BING!

If Democrats have infiltrated the RNC (which I"ve thought since Scozzafava), then do you think they like having Michael Steele as the chairman? That's the most important question. Is he a help or a hindrance?

208 185 HAHAHAHAHA!

209 165 Views, subscription, newsletter...

210 89

The new GOP chairman in NY state is Nixon's former son-in-law, a corporate lawyer who lives on the UES of Manhattan. He discouraged Rudy Giuliani from running for Governor and is instead supporting a Democrat who recently switched to Republican. Read the NYT article
For Nixon In-Law, G.O.P. Post and a Giuliani Clash
Cox supported Scozzafava, even after she switched to the Democratic party. He defended her by saying she made an "emotional decision." Wonderful.

211

No, thank you, Sultan.

212

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