RNC Chair no 'Man of Steel'
Ben Holmes
Issue date: 3/24/09 Section: Opinions
Michael Steele, the newly minted chairman of the Republican National Committee, is gifted with a powerful name and a commanding physique that guarantees him an aura of authority. His unofficial middle name is "Man Of." However, following a recent string of comments that enraged right-wing conservatives, and his immediate retractions to assuage their anger, I have a new nickname for Steele: malleable.
Had his surname been "Wood," I would have said pliable. D.L. Hughley, an actor and host of his own CNN program, went further by stating Steele should be called Aluminum, because "he folded that fast." The controversies began in February when the GOP chairman called the rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh, the notorious talk radio luminary, "incendiary" and "ugly." After a brief quarrel with the microphone-mouthed demagogue, Steele swiftly apologized and renewed his admiration for Limbaugh. Since that highly publicized tiff, Steele has gone on to publicly endorse a woman's reproductive right to choose and state that homosexuality is natural (he compared it to being black): he was forced to clarify both comments in the face of explosive right-wing outrage. On top of everything, there is even a whisper campaign about a no-confidence vote on Steele's leadership in April.
What's odd about this conservative hullabaloo is that Michael Steele was elected for the purpose of reviving the GOP's national electoral prospects. Staving off several far-right candidates, he promised to return the party to power in the Northeast and other regions from which it has been rejected. Steele, a Marylander with northeastern inclinations, declared that moderates are necessary allies in the Republican coalition. He also vowed to refurbish the party with a "hip hop" image and technological advancement to appeal to youth and minority voters. All of this would imply refocusing party objectives and policies to attract citizens encompassing all demographics and the entire political spectrum. Basically, he is suggesting a middle ground approach that emphasizes non-divisive issues. This is where Republican rubber meets the American road.
Had his surname been "Wood," I would have said pliable. D.L. Hughley, an actor and host of his own CNN program, went further by stating Steele should be called Aluminum, because "he folded that fast." The controversies began in February when the GOP chairman called the rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh, the notorious talk radio luminary, "incendiary" and "ugly." After a brief quarrel with the microphone-mouthed demagogue, Steele swiftly apologized and renewed his admiration for Limbaugh. Since that highly publicized tiff, Steele has gone on to publicly endorse a woman's reproductive right to choose and state that homosexuality is natural (he compared it to being black): he was forced to clarify both comments in the face of explosive right-wing outrage. On top of everything, there is even a whisper campaign about a no-confidence vote on Steele's leadership in April.
What's odd about this conservative hullabaloo is that Michael Steele was elected for the purpose of reviving the GOP's national electoral prospects. Staving off several far-right candidates, he promised to return the party to power in the Northeast and other regions from which it has been rejected. Steele, a Marylander with northeastern inclinations, declared that moderates are necessary allies in the Republican coalition. He also vowed to refurbish the party with a "hip hop" image and technological advancement to appeal to youth and minority voters. All of this would imply refocusing party objectives and policies to attract citizens encompassing all demographics and the entire political spectrum. Basically, he is suggesting a middle ground approach that emphasizes non-divisive issues. This is where Republican rubber meets the American road.
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